The double has landed

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

There is a simple test (not fool proof) to tap the side of the barrels with a piece of steel, the barrel will either go thunk or ding. The only problem is I forgot which is which! If I remember correctly the thunk is the good sound?

 

[jand]

you thunk so ?

 

[norfolk shooter]

they sound like a ding but then again so do my shotgun barrels. The thing is it takes a fair amount of heat to melt modern solder

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

As I said this was a old about 100yrs at the time soldier may not have been up to todays standards.

 

[KiwiHunter]

It will make sense if all joints are still sound and you tap the barrels, then barrels should ring clear like a bell. You do not want to hear dull thunk.
Doubt if lead/solder has changed much in the last 100 years

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

I am not a gunsmith but! I think you will find that the old english doubles were joined with soft solder. (One of the reasons they were rust blued) Most modern dbls. are silver or hard soldered and can be hot blued. Correct me please (nicely) if I am wrong. In days gone by in england fine dbls. Were sent back for yearly inspection and new rust blueing. I remember that there was a well known gunsmith who made a comment about "soft soldered ribs" he said something to the effect "there are to types of ribs the ones that have came loose and the ones that will". Just my two cents worth.

 

[norfolk shooter]

Now about a recoil pad apart from a silvers what one would reduce the recoil the most that looks the part too??

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

The best for recoil limbsaver, kick eez pachmeyer. Kickeez old english red a good compromise

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Do not loose your old pad!

 

[norfolk shooter]

I think an update is needed. Turns out the shots crossing was me pulling the rifle in anticipation of the recoil. Now I’m not doing that she seems to be shooting rather well and the recoil isn’t painful. I suppose it’s all about not fighting it and going with it.

 

[BigBore]

The main problem with a double rifle chambered in 416 Rigby is that it is not a standard double gun round like 450/400 NE. And your gun was regulated with Hornady ammo. Hence the problem. Per my personal conversations with management at Hornady , they keep several different sets of load data that they may load their ammo with depending on powder and primer supplies. They will load it to the same velocity every time, which may work good enough for bolt guns but is a problem for doubles. So from lot to lot with 416 Rigby it may or may not regulate. Your best bet shooting this gun is to use handloads. Hornady just recently realized the problem with double rifle ammo and now only produce the ammo in the original primer and powder load starting in 2018. I have done extensive hand loading for double. Generally increasing the charge will bring the group in tighter and in some cases will cause it to cross. Changing powders can open up or shrink the group.

 

[CAustin]

It will make sense if all joints are still sound and you tap the barrels, then barrels should ring clear like a bell. You do not want to hear dull thunk.
Doubt if lead/solder has changed much in the last 100 years

Correct! It should ring like a bell not a thunk.

 

[norfolk shooter]

The main problem with a double rifle chambered in 416 Rigby is that it is not a standard double gun round like 450/400 NE. And your gun was regulated with Hornady ammo. Hence the problem. Per my personal conversations with management at Hornady , they keep several different sets of load data that they may load their ammo with depending on powder and primer supplies. They will load it to the same velocity every time, which may work good enough for bolt guns but is a problem for doubles. So from lot to lot with 416 Rigby it may or may not regulate. Your best bet shooting this gun is to use handloads. Hornady just recently realized the problem with double rifle ammo and now only produce the ammo in the original primer and powder load starting in 2018. I have done extensive hand loading for double. Generally increasing the charge will bring the group in tighter and in some cases will cause it to cross. Changing powders can open up or shrink the group.

I’ve been load developing and I think I have the magic load

 

[Shootist43]

Photos of your test targets??????

 

[norfolk shooter]

Next time I’m at the range and produce a decent card I’ll post it

 

[Shootist43]

With a magic load, all targets should be decent.

 

[norfolk shooter]

With a magic load, all targets should be decent.

It’s not the load now it’s me. I just needed to go back to basic marksmanship. I’ll be down the range next week with any luck and I’ll post a card

 

[Dutch44]

Great first double. Hope you have many wonderful outings with it.