As it says, i have ventured in a place I would never a thought I would be. Possible pictures later when I can. It's the only gun I have bought without knowing the caliber. I think it is a .500 BPE but shorter. I have wanted a double rifle since seeing the black and white jungle movies and with Uncle Sam's assistance I now have one. I know nothing about double rifles but I am ok with what I bought. It's a hammer double made by Thomas Turner from England supposedly made around 1875. .50 caliber. No caliber indication. A couple of proof marks and a 39 stamped on bottom of barrels. I am going to get the chamber cast. I enjoy feeling the history in old arms.
I hope that you get to enjoy your new, old double! memtb
You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel
“I’d like to be a good rifleman…..but, I prefer to be a good hunter”! memtb 2024
he spends months developing a load, bullet weight and style and powder charge, that will put both shots close to the same hole, doubles are "regulated" when they are built so the at some distance both barrels shoot to the same spot, even as the gun recoils to the right with the right barrel and to the left with the left barrel and up with recoil, etc.
have fun with it!
Buffalo Arms might have a bullet that fits and maybe brass, Bertram might have brass for that caliber or which can be cut or sized to that chambering.
Thanks Gents for the info and encouragement. I am very familiar with Buffalo Arms. I load for a variety of black powder cartridges but nothing this large. My 50/70 case dang near goes into the chamber rim and all. Are larger reloading presses necessary or are they the dies standard 7/8-14 thread?
If it is a 500BPE I’m fairly sure the case dimensions are similar to the 500NE. It’s a straight wall case with a head diameter of 0.575, which is a little larger than your 50/70. The common version is 3” long but there was also a 3.25” long version. The rim diameter is similar to a 50/70 but the 50/70 rim is much thicker.
RCBS make dies for the 500NE that are 7/8”x14 and as you can imagine the die walls are quite thin in that size die.It’s a good thing the loads are low pressure. The fun starts if you find larger diameter dies as loading presses vary in the die diameter that they can accept.
Let' try again. Mixed hammers with a 2 leaf rear sight. Safeties and hammers work fine. Excellent bore with 9 wide grooves. One firing pin isn't retained. Will that cause an issue when firing? Has anyone got a split 500 case that I could buy? I don't want to buy 20 if I'm wrong on the caliber.
I finally got around to do a chamber cast on my double. I need better glasses and more light. Turned out to be a bottleneck cartridge not a straight wall. 577/500 caliber. I now need a bigger press, dies, cases, bullets and another stimulus check! Any suggesting's or does anybody have any of this for sale?
I mixed his up with 577/450 and had to delete and start over. But; in a pure stroke of luck, I did see Buffalo Arms has both. That is 577/500 3 1/8" Nitro Express brass, $130 per 20 cases! Bullets are no problem. Do you really need a special press? Even if larger dies are needed, most press have a screw in bushing that can be removed to take 1 1/4 dies.
You are a lucky man if you found that rifle for the price of one stimulus check!
I pulled out my Ctg Of the World and now I see there is a longer Nitro Express and a shorter No2 Express. I suppose you have the No2, shorter round that was Black Powder. Buffalo Arms has both brass. The book shows the No2 was loaded with 300 or 340 grain lead bullets. The bullet diameter is recommended to be same as used by Sharps. Is that 0.512?
Perhaps there is information stamped under the hand guard on the barrels. Break the gun down and look for load and chamber info. The IMPORTANT information is not shown in your photos. Take the gun down and see what is stamped.
I would have loved it if Uncle Sam paid for it all but I threw in more than he did. Considering that I'm happy. I have taken it apart and there is no caliber designation besides a 39 stamped on the barrels with some proof marks. My understanding is that indicates a .50 cal. I try to get a picture a bit later.
