Woodleigh bullets in an early 450/400 3 1/4 double rifle..?

[Pondoro]

I have this 1906 vintage Joseph Lang double.. It is in very good condition, tight action and very good barrels..

Now to the icky part...will barrel steel of this vintage stand up to Woodie soft/solids..? I slugged the barrel..it is .408..Woodleigh make them..

The rifle is regulated for 60 grains of cordite and 400 grain soft nose bullets (engraved on the barrels..)

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I asked Geoff. This what he wrote:

”After a considerable amount of research, we recommend that you have the barrels hardness tested, if the barrel steel is harder than 230 Vickers (DPH), then they should be ok, if the barrels are softer than this reading, then steel jackets should not be used. We also have available, 750 gr Hydro solids, which are brass, have driving bands, and are safe in softer barrels.



Regards,

Geoff McDonald”

 

[Dewald]

I have put about 200x Woodleigh .410 400gr softs through my Gibbs .450-.400 3&1/4”. Barrels slugged .410”. Velocity is 2120 fps.

I have owned the rifle for ten years and the barrels still ring true, and the action is still as tight as the day I bought it.

If you stay within the pressure range between 2050 and 2150 fps you shouldn’t have trouble. There is a lot of good information in the Woodleigh reloading manual and in Graeme Wright’s book Shooting the British Double Rifle.

 

[uplander01]

I have a 1920’s Manton 470, all I shoot through it are Woodleigh, been trying some loads with Hornady and north fork as well. Never even thought there could be a problem with woodleigh solids. Depending on where you are it sounds like a consult with JJ perodeau would set things on the right path. I’ve always been under the impression that you wouldn’t want to use non banded solid brass or copper bullets

 

[JvW]

I wouldn't shoot FMJ solids through it, Woodleigh or otherwise. Woodleigh softs, no problem. Woodleigh Hydro's, no problem, either.

 

[Pondoro]

Thanks JvW....I think Woodleigh softs only too.. My goal is to use them on Cape/water buffalo so those sturdy soft points should be good..

 

[Esoteric Junkie]

I have this 1906 vintage Joseph Lang double.. It is in very good condition, tight action and very good barrels..

Now to the icky part...will barrel steel of this vintage stand up to Woodie soft/solids..? I slugged the barrel..it is .408..Woodleigh make them..

The rifle is regulated for 60 grains of cordite and 400 grain soft nose bullets (engraved on the barrels..)

It depends.... Woodleigh softs should be OK, however Woodleigh solids (steel jacket) might OSR the barrels. I have seen firsthand Woodleigh solids candy strip early NE barrels. I would error on the side of caution and only shoot Woodleigh Softs or similar constructed projectiles.

EJ

 

[Esoteric Junkie]

I wouldn't shoot FMJ solids through it, Woodleigh or otherwise. Woodleigh softs, no problem. Woodleigh Hydro's, no problem, either.

Woodleigh Hydros have produced some of the highest pressures of all projectiles tested during Doc McCurry and Sam Rose testing sessions. I would NOT shoot any Woodleigh Hydros in a vintage double rifle!

EJ

 

[uplander01]

Does anyone have any idea how or what equipment is need ed to test the hardness of double rifle barrels... ? This has me a little spun up....its always been easy to get woodleigh solids to hit same POI as softs with just a little powder adjustment. I've got a bunch of them and don't want to start over, rather just find out if the barrels on this 1920's Manton will hold up. If I had to guess this rifle was probably built by Wilkes, seen a few examples from same era and they are identical.

I asked Geoff. This what he wrote:

”After a considerable amount of research, we recommend that you have the barrels hardness tested, if the barrel steel is harder than 230 Vickers (DPH), then they should be ok, if the barrels are softer than this reading, then steel jackets should not be used. We also have available, 750 gr Hydro solids, which are brass, have driving bands, and are safe in softer barrels.



Regards,

Geoff McDonald”