50 caliber double express rifles... expiriences & thoughts...

M

Magnum Wheel Man

New member
I'd always wanted one, since I 1st saw them in Cabelas catalogs years & years ago... lately I've been on a double rifle kick ( I was lucky enough to get one of the Remington Russian import 45-70 double rifles reciently ), & am in the process of building one myself ( I was going to do a 577 Snider, but the barrels would cost too much... I've now been leaning towards 40-65, because components are available, & barrels are "much" cheaper )... so if I end up with a 40-65 double, a 45-70 double, the 50 seems natural for a next one... not to mention I just read about some people actually using them on African safaris

I see CVA also did a 50 cal BP double express rifle, & several are available on GB I think the Cabela's ones were listed as "Kodiac" & were likely Itialian made... so, brand issues aside, how is the quality of the double black powder rifles ??? any quirky issues to look for, how about power level... can they equal or surpass the 40-65 & 45-70 cartridge guns ??? ( are they really "African safari" worthy ??? )

any other suggestions or comments ???
 
Traditions came out with an Express Double Over & Under .50
with an adjustable barrel system that's extremely accurate.
It handles 150 grain charges and can shoot large conicals from
its 1 in 28" twist barrels.
I'm not sure how to compare a .40 or .45 BPCR with a .50 ML.
But being an over & under, this Traditions is the most advanced
double barrel .50 muzzle loader ever produced.

http://www.traditionsfirearms.com/eshop/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=REX-100

http://www.traditionsfirearms.com/eshop/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=REX-101

REX101_L.jpg


REX-100_L.jpg


There have been a lot of reviews although some aren't available on line:

http://www.gunsandhunting.com/traditions.html

http://www.gunsandammomag.com/cs/Satellite/IMO_GA/Story_C/Fifty+Times+Two

http://www.chuckhawks.com/traditions_express_article.htm
 
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Thanks for the reply... those are really nice "modern" double rifles...

my Remington 45-70 is modern styled, yet still has the double triggers... the one I'm building will have exposed hammers & double triggers but both are side by sides... & it was those "Kodiacs" I saw in Cabelas years ago that were really the 1st express double rifles I'd ever seen, & thats the picture I have in my mind... though those Traditions with their fiber optic sights sure look like a great "real" hunting rig...
 
Ohhh, don't start that unreasonable craving for a .72 cal Kodiak double rifle again! I just got over it, now you've gotta show it to me again? I've been saving for a motorcycle and now you're gonna tempt me with that rifle again? :D
 
The Pedersoli manual lists the powder charge for their .72 Safari Express as 90 grains and the maximum as 120 grains.
 

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Like was already mentioned, the Kodiaks are made by Pedersoli. Sort of suspect the Cabela's relationship with Pedersoli is kinda like with some of the horde of different importers that Uberti deals with, all with their own different standards and whatnot.


A few years ago a friend pointed out that Track of the Wolf had a used .50 Kodiak listed on their website at an extremely reasonable price. Problem with only living about 15 miles from their storefront in Elk River is that it's entirely too easy to pop in there... I'm probably biased, but this one doesn't have "Cabelas" stamped on it and I think the finish looks better than the ones I see on their shelves (the Rogers Cabelas is even closer than Track...).
MVC-002F-4.jpg

Just some quick observations off the top of my head: they don't do the world's best job of regulating the barrels, instead having two separate rear sights so you can adjust one for each barrel. Varying the loads also affects where the barrels group in relation to each other. Another thing is that loading this rifle with any fouling at all is much more difficult than any other muzzleloader I've ever dealt with; you practically need a brass short starter and a mallet to get any of the commercial hunting-type projectiles (Hornady Great Plains bullet, that kind of thing) loaded after you've taken your two shots in the field. Finally, in the "Well, DUH!" category, it's heavy; enough so to really feel it long before the hunting day is over.
 
Cva express and Kodiak double fifthy (side by side)

Cva Express was the only side by side rifle 50 cal. that Cva made stamped (express 50 cal. between the barrels and the shotgun 12 gauge put out same year is stamped shotgun between the barrels-12 gauge ). The Express and bears on it and the 12 gauge has ducks)..Sweet pair of guns...Some of the are junk butt then thier was a better grade and they are really nice wood too metal fit is very nice almost like they had (diff person working on the one batch)...
rate of twist as far as i can tell on the cva express is like 1:32 really heavy grooves for shooting sabots....then i happen too see another one with shallow grooves have no idea what the twist was on it.. I shoot 150 grains and 220 sabot.. seems too merge about 90 yards point of in pact at 100 both same whole considering pulling both triggers at the same time.( and u best dam well hold on lol..kicks worse than my 75cal with 210 grains and 10 shots of it will black and blue u...LOL and im a large man...) just seen one of these sell on acution in rough shape for $900.00 blew me away they origanly sold little over $300.00

Now the Kodiak came in many cal.. 50,52,54,58,62,72and 75 but that's all
Ive seen. and their is diff grades of them they made the plain Jane with not much in graving and then they made certain ones that are really beautiful works of art..some are stamped between the barrels (Kodiak) and others are not...They where made by David pettersal ..some came cased and others did not..(cased ones had all accessory's).. and where released about the same time when he put on the hex(rifling's) barrel sniper rifle. which came as a cased set one very accurate rifle and the workman's ship lovley...lots of different twists.. just seen a doulbe fifty little rusty and and pitted sell for 450.00
 
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