doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Double Rifles, Paradox Guns & Gauge Rifles @ doublegunshop.com 577/500 No. 2 Rodda

Greetings folks,

I'm a long time lurker and seldom poster who thoroughly enjoys double guns of all stripes and flavors. I have a small collection of BPE doubles, Drillings and shotguns that was willed to me by my father. I love shooting them and use the load data he provided, which was all either for black powder loads or smokeless for black using cast bullets.

One rifle that I'm trying to work a load up for using the 440 grn RN from Woodliegh is the 577/500 No. 2 BPE Rodda. It's an accurate gun, and I get decent accuracy using 365 grn cast bullets with black powder and smokeless, but the 440's seem like they'd be great to hunt up to elk with. We hunt in timber around Helena, MT - including the Little Blackfoot and Blackfoot valleys & surrounding mountains. Long shots can occur, but creeping through the timber is a lot more fun (until you run in to an angry grizz). I figure the 440 at about 1700 FPS would do well with elk out to 150 yards.

Does anyone have experience with the 577/500 No. 2 and the Woodlieghs? I've found a lot of information about the 500 BPE and this bullet, but very little on the No. 2. Any help would be most appreciated.

Here's a few pics of the Rodda from Calcutta:

Rodda 5 by Ben Lamb, on Flickr

Rodda 4 by Ben Lamb, on Flickr

Rodda 2 by Ben Lamb, on Flickr

Rodda 1 by Ben Lamb, on Flickr

This is all that I found


http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbt...HPSESSID=05d496

http://www.acant.org.au/Articles/RoddaDouble.html

Very helpful, thank you!

Looks like the 440 Woodleigh will stand up to an elk well enough based on the recovered bullet. I'll get to work on load development and see if I can scare up some Varget.

I also have 4198 & 4895 on hand, as well as some other powders that should fit the bill.

Hello Ben,
Beautiful rifle.
I do however caution you on the portability of Marrakai's load.
He describes his rifle as being a Cordite Express gun.
If that's the case, it was built and proved for a Light Cordite load. Those were not the full Nitro load (never existed for that round IIRC), but were still much stronger than the BPE load.
Your gun is most likely to be a standard BPE gun, than a light Cordite one.
So, caution is advisable! You probably should invest in a SW like Quickload to gauge pressure on intended loads before pulling the trigger.
Best regards,
WC-

Ben,
With black powder, this cartridge is still in the class of the larger 50 cal Sharps/Winchester cartridges and there is no reason it would be less satisfactory, with cast bullets, for Elk at 150 yds than they are.
Mike

Given the softer steels of the older rifles I'm always reluctant to run many jacketed bullets down the bore(s). In my experience and, especially from BP cartridge rifles, a good cast bullet is as good as any jacketed bullet regardless of the game....that is until a fella starts shooting really big stuff that bites back. No thin skinned game will know the difference if the shooter does his part.

Nice looking gun there, Ben! Hope you take it hunting and kill something big. Related question for anyone and everyone, as I am searching for a .500 BPE smooth patched bullet mould, for a 1889-1894 .577/.500 3-1/8" double that historically shot a 440 grain paper patched bullet. I have old grease groove moulds, Lyman 512138 and 515141, with two sizer-lubricator dies. After recently getting a .450 BPE double to shoot two-inch groups at 100 yards with patched bullets, I now believe they are the secret to success with a lot of BPE guns. So, if anyone can suggest a current paper patch mould or if you have one, I'd really appreciate knowing. Thanks! And if I get this gun to shoot right, it'll be going out West for bison, photos to follow.
PA

Thanks much for the replies folks and apologies for not checking in yesterday. Work has been a bear lately.

I have not found any NFB proof marks, or nitro proof marks on the rifle, so maybe I will abandon the attempt on the woodlieghs.I have Graem Wright's book, and have been considering downloading the 500 BPE loads he's listed to fit with what seems with the factory loads from the No. 2 (1650 fps w/365's, 1650fps w/ 440's). I hadn't planned on hot loads or trying to turn it in to something it's not.

As I mentioned, the gun is from my father, so I'd rather treat it with kidd gloves rather than try and make it a NFB thumper.

The rifle does appear to have fluid steel rather than Damascus, but still, I do think that it's much softer steel than what would be produced even 30 years later.

Thanks also for the kind words about the rifle. It's a joy to shoot and I think of dad every time I pick it up.

Ben Lamb,
With regard to your not finding NFB proof marks on your rifle, there were none. The NFR loads were moderate nitro loads, intended to be safely used in rifles carrying proof marks for black powder.
Mike

Interesting. Wrights book seemed to indicate that there were NFB proofs on some guns. I'll see if I can dig it out of the book.