doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Double Rifles, Paradox Guns & Gauge Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Alexander Henry 500BPE Hammer Double Express Rifle

Fulfilled a long-time year dream recently and picked up a black powder, hammer double rifle by Alexander Henry. 500BPE with all the trimmings made as a best quality gun in 1871. I have a great interest in late 19th Century Scottish and Indian deer stalking so I've wanted one of these rifles for many a year.

I had our resident double gun guru Captain Curl check out the gun for me and it met his approval. Next I visited him up in the beautiful mountains of western Virginia and we embarked on an endeavor to make her shoot. Much bourbon, rye, hot air, H4198, case filler and lead bullets were expended in the effort.












Unlike most of the other British gunmakers in the 19th and early 20th Centuries who were shotgun makers who occasionally made rifle, Henry (like other Scots makers) was a rifle maker first and foremost and you see this in how well his rifles shoot.

I got her shooting and took her on the hill successfully stalking deer about two week ago. Few thing better than successfully stalking deer with 100 year old binoculars and a 140 year old rifle.

I loved my Henry just want one without the hammers.

Have I got a deal for you Mike,, Find me a 577 BPE rebounding hammers with underlever. I've got an AH 577/500 Mag DR.. Hammerless underlever.

I'll look around but 577s are hard to find. That is my favorite BPE caliber if it's #2.

It's the 3 1/8" case not the 2 13/16" one.

As you know I've been keeping an eye open for one also. They are around but scarce.

I do also have a T Turner 500#2 that seems to shoot very good so far. But it's a hammer/underlever rifle.

Beautiful Rifle, Astounding regulation, and it must have been a fun hunt indeed.

I know exactly what you mean regarding Alexander Henry. I dearly love my .450 BPE, hammers and all.

Best I've been able to shoot is a couple inches with 48 grs 4198 and a 300 gr projectile.

Been doing more range work with Mr. Henry. Best six shot 100 yard group is 4.5". The rifle can probably do better, I'm just not the good with a fine bead at 100 yards!

While we tend to think of all double rifles as dangerous game stoppers, we have to remember the old 450 and 500 BPEs were really generally purpose stalking rifles for stag either on the open hill in Scotland or India. These old hammer doubles can be quite accurate.

More range with the rifle today. My best 100 yards group, 2 1/4" four shot group!

I notice you're using paper patched bullets. I know the Capt is a staunch advocate of such. On your first target I can see your bullet was 335 grs but I can't make out the rest written next to it. Was it a reference to a particular mould the bullet was cast from?

I'm curious as I'm going to have to pursue regulating two .500's in the future and I'm informally compiling notes of all the info I can.

Many Thanks - Marc

Its a flat nosed Ranier 500 caliber 335gr bullet, basically a pistol bullet for 50 caliber handguns that I patch up. They work great and are cheap, but are getting hard to find now unfortunately...