Help Deciding on Double Rifle Chambering

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Hi guys, I am in the process of ordering a new DR and have to decide on what I would like to chamber it in. This is not as easy of a decision as one might think given that I am trying to avoid caliber “overlap”. In making my decision and soliciting yours, the below must be taken into consideration . . .

- I have a 416 Rigby bolt that I absolutely adore and can cleanly take any huntable animal. Given this, there is no specific requirement to go bigger and, frankly, not really that many options to do so given modern loads
- Caliber selected needs to be able to be rationally used to hunt Elephant (no .303 British, please!)
- I will have a 500/465 at some point, so that can be eliminated
- I very much like the romantacism around the 450 3 1/4. Buying that would then make duplicative the rounds that were later introduced to replicate its performance? . . . The 470 NE, 500/460, 475NE, 470 Non2, 458 etc.
- Assume this will be my only DR and that it will not be scoped

I don’t know what else to say to guide your comments. I will try to respond to suggestions with what as I see as a downside to them.

My gut is to go .500NE but lead me as you will.

@Badboymelvin
Russ
A nice Hymen or Krighof in 500 nitro. I know a person that bought the Hymen in 500 and absolutely adores it. He even used it to cull some roos under permit so he could have some cases for reloading. A bit of overkill but he had fun and got used to the rifle quickly. He shot off 60 rounds in a week so it's nice to be able to afford to use factory rounds on roos.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

@Badboymelvin
Russ
A nice Hymen or Krighof in 500 nitro. I know a person that bought the Hymen in 500 and absolutely adores it. He even used it to cull some roos under permit so he could have some cases for reloading. A bit of overkill but he had fun and got used to the rifle quickly. He shot off 60 rounds in a week so it's nice to be able to afford to use factory rounds on roos.
Bob

@AES
Sorry mate the above post was meant for you.
@Badboymelvin sorry mate I misread the posters name but I reckon you would like a 500 nitro anyway
Bob

 

[Rare Breed]

Because the .470 is absolutely all the recoil I can physically handle. Too many car wrecks when I was young. My neck just can’t take too much when you get to these extremes. Plus the Kreighoff rep recommended the .470 and I am so glad he did.
Most people don’t keep a double very long so my advice is to go with a .470 as it has by far the best resale value.
Philip

Completely agree with 470. All the recoil I can handle and nothing I can’t drop in its tracks if good shot made. I would have gone less but want to hunt elephant one day which drove me to 470 which is only double I will own given five figure cost

 

[BeeMaa]

IMO - Krieghoff Big Five in 500/416 3 1/4" or 470NE.

The 500/416 because it's slightly less recoil than the 470NE.
And slightly better ballistics than a 416RIGBY, except in a DR.
More than enough for Elephant.

Ot the 470NE based on ammo availability.

However, if you are confident you can handle the 500NE...don't hesitate to get it.

 

[rafaellinne]

I’ve hunted with a 450NE twice and own a .500NE, wich I took in 5 five hunts. The 450 is a great gun, but the 500 puts the animals down quickly. More recoil for sure, but I prefer the .500.

 

[tigris115]

Are there any statistics on ballistics, energy and stuff for the 470 vs. the 500? I'd certainly say those are 2 of the best choices since a box of 20 rounds can be bought for an ok price

 

[AES]

Are there any statistics on ballistics, energy and stuff for the 470 vs. the 500? I'd certainly say those are 2 of the best choices since a box of 20 rounds can be bought for an ok price

The availability of ammo is certainly something that I think about since I will never reload. Price of ammo not so much an issue as the round count through my double will not be too crazy. Plus, the truth of the matter is that I am not going to buy the car and worry about the price of oil change . . . I just want to make sure I can get the oil!

 

[Tanks]

I have the Heym .500 NE and a VC .450 NE and just ordered a Heym 9.3x74R for cats and plains game.

I will use the .500 NE for buffalo and elephant this year. I think the 450/400 is an excellent caliber for buffalo and below, for elephants I like a bit larger caliber.

 

[AZDAVE]

You really can't go wrong with any of the choices from 450/400, 500/416, 450NE, 470NE, 500NE. I would make sure you have a perfect fit of the rifle to your measurements. Get plenty of ammo and go hunt, and write a nice hunt report so we can share in your adventure.

 

[Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy]

450/400 would be my vote. Classic, mild recoil, good penetration. But you do have a 416 Rigby...

Pick up the 500NE. That is a true stopper and a different class from what you have.

 

[Stalker91]

You already have a great buff calibre so get a true elephant/double calibre and go .500ne this is the real stopper of all without being to much. Just make sure it fits well and is weighted correct.

 

[Eventually_Africa_Again]

I picked up a 450/400 at the end of last year and I love it. Comfortable recoil, good follow up shot placement, everything I had hoped for in a big game double.

 

[Professor Mawla]

Personally speaking , I have always dreamt of owning a 9.3x74 mm Rimmed . But that is unfortunately illegal for dangerous game hunting in most of Africa ( barring Mozambique & Zambia ) .

I would highly recommend a .476 Westley Richards for you ( assuming that price is not a factor ) . I would have such a rifle built by Lebeau Courally ( a side-lock ejector side by side double rifle with double triggers , beavertail fore end , manual safety and 24 inch barrels ) . But factory loaded ammunition for this calibre is only available from Kynoch ( 520 grain soft nosed factory loads and round nosed steel jacketed solid factory loads ) .

If you would prefer a little more common calibre , then I would highly recommend a .470 Nitro Express . Preferably built by Kreighoff . Easily the most common double rifle calibre in the entire world . Federal makes excellent 500 grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw soft nosed and Trophy Bonded Sledgehammer flat nosed brass jacketed solid factory loads in this calibre , under their Safari line .

 

[AES]

I had certainly not considered a .476 WR. Will do some research.

 

[IvW]

I would be hesitant to buy a rifle caliber for which ammo is not commercially availible, uses a bullet with a very odd size and achieves only 2100 fps from a 28" test barrel....for serious DG hunting that is..but that is just me....

 

[BourbonTrail]

Go big or go home, 500NE is my vote. Heck .577 or 600NE if you are really feeling your cheerios...

 

[Professor Mawla]

And yet , REAL hunters were successfully employing the .476 Westley Richards ( in rifles with 24 inch barrels ) against scores of African dangerous game without any mention worthy problems . It is quite amusing how a one highly regarded calibre becomes completely ineffective after the advent of the internet , is it not ?

 

[rigbymauser]

The .470 is build on a .500 frame. One can later have a set of barrels made in a.500...if needed.

If the thread starter know he wants a .500/465 in time to come I would suggest a .375 Magnum flanged as supllement. A very versatile caliber.

 

[Tanks]

And yet , REAL hunters were successfully employing the .476 Westley Richards...

As you said they "WERE" deploying it in the past. Today it doesn't make sense as even Hornady that carries a variety of DG calibers does not carry that particular caliber.

Not to mention the ammo shortage nowadays. I recently ordered a 9.3x74R for plains game and cats. It was a toss up between it and the .450/400, however no ammo was to be had commercially for the .450/400 and I needed commercial ammo as I am not going to have much time to develop a load from the time gun gets here and my hunt in August (barely two months). As it is I bought the USA supply of Hornady 9.3x74R (what Heym is going to regulate it with), a total of 9 boxes.

 

[Professor Mawla]

As you said they "WERE" deploying it in the past. Today it doesn't make sense as even Hornady that carries a variety of DG calibers does not carry that particular caliber.

Not to mention the ammo shortage nowadays. I recently ordered a 9.3x74R for plains game and cats. It was a toss up between it and the .450/400, however no ammo was to be had commercially for the .450/400 and I needed commercial ammo as I am not going to have much time to develop a load from the time gun gets here and my hunt in August (barely two months). As it is I bought the USA supply of Hornady 9.3x74R (what Heym is going to regulate it with), a total of 9 boxes.

@Tanks

As I have mentioned in my original post ( number 33 ) , the .470 Nitro Express is a more practical choice than the .476 Westley Richards ( due to the more widely available range of factory ammunition and reloading components ) .

However , my point is that the .476 Westley Richards has never proven to be inadequate IN TERMS OF BALLISTIC PERFORMANCE . Even if the paper ballistics claim that it ONLY achieves a velocity of 2100 feet per second , this has never once proven to be inadequate when employed against dangerous game .