Jamison .500/416 Nitro Express Unprimed Brass/100 per bag, $2.25/cartridge, ON SALE!!!! Kynamco produce ready-loaded ammunition for it and re-loaders can buy .450 brass cases from Bertram Bullet Co.and neck them up to .475 easily enough. The present rifle, our interpretation of the serial number indicating that this was the third of a reported four total double .700 rifles made, bears the Birmingham proof date stamp for 1996. (You can find the sale page for the rifle pictured above if you click here). Chin. The 480 grain bullet with which the .475 was generally loaded, was pushed at 2,175 feet per second. I have used rifles that fired bullets in a more or less parallel path but were a marvel even at extended range. Register your details here for invitations to events and special offers from The Vintage Gun Journal, Vintage Guns Ltd 2023. They are Kynoch brass and Woodleigh bullets. List of rifle cartridges, by primer type, calibre and name. The pure math however does not take into account the weight distribution of a double-rifle, which has the weight of two barrels to help dampen out recoil, and the fact that if the rifle is made to fit you it will further tend to dampen out the felt-recoil. The rifle handles like a shotgun, being instinctive to put to the shoulder and fire quickly. David Baker thinks you only really know a gun when you have shot with it, taken it to pieces and researched its story. Moderator: CptCurl : 3510 . At the end of testing, the rifle was beginning to wear in; however, it was still tight enough that the top lever had to be bumped slightly to completely close and lock the action and allow the rifle to be fired. 15 inch length of pull. If you are able to send your used brass, we may be able to produce this product for you. The stippled effect continues onto the quarter rib, onto which one ramp and two folding leaf-sights are mounted. The Nitro Express Rifle is one of the most powerful weapons in Hunt: Showdown. The cartridge was introduced in 1988 by the boutique gunmakers Holland & Holland (H&H) of London, England. Editor's Note: The original price of $115,000 for a .700 H&H back in 1990 now looks like quite a deal. The Nitro Express can rarely be found in the Bayou. They specialized in rifle . One notable example is the Merkel 140-2, with variations offered in .375 H&H Magnum, .416 Rigby, .450/400 Nitro Express (NE), .470 NE and .500 NE, which is the cartridge I selected. 66 Asia books The former fired a 380 grain bullet at just over 1,600 fps and penetrated 19 boards at 40 yards (according to the 1883 Field Trials). When used with open sights the zero should be 100 yards (or meters) and thus set the maximum trajectory height is less than half an inch with the standard 570 grain bullet at the standard velocities of 2,100-2,150fps. This is a slight modification from original, with some precious metal inserted to provide a distinct visual bead. The problem with having two rifles where one might have been better is of course that a hunter might just have need of their emergency stopping rifle unexpectedly and simply not have the time or opportunity to retrieve their big cannon from the gun-bearer in time. If we look at the Weatherby Mark V Dangerous Game rifle weighing 9.5lb firing Weatherby factory ammo with a 500 grain bullet zipping out of that 26 barrel at a crisp 2,580fps we get 90ft/lb recoil. There was also interest in Europe and Norma of Sweden brought back some of these classic cartridges. This was the contemporary smokeless load for the 9.3x72R with a 196 gr copper jacket bullet at 2020 fps . Using the Hornady 570-grain Dangerous Game Solid bullet, each powder duplicated or even exceeded factory load velocities, more or less filled the case, was within industry pressure limits, produced good accuracy and regulated properly when velocities were between 2,100 and 2,150 fps. The .475 and the .475 (No.2) are quite different. The lands of the rifling grip the bullet and impart spin. The HEYM "Express" is the most well-designed and well-built big-bore bolt action available today. Enjoy discussions and gunsmithing topics on building double rifles. A truly stunning rifle. 450 Nitro Express 3 1/4" 480 gr DGS. The steel barrels are twenty-four inches long and the proof stamps indicate a maximum cordite charge of 85 grains and a bullet weight of 480. The intention of the .500 Nitro for Black Powder was that it operated at the low pressures necessary to allow its safe use in the existing black powder rifles. Purdey used a conical bullet with protruding wings, which fitted the two broad grooves which formed the rifling. The first double rifle forum on the net. He told me It has a lovely feel and balance, very natural to point and shoot. A .500 Nitro Express double rifle is typically built to weigh 10.5lb-11lb. The bullet diameter is 0.411 inches. The Merkel 140-2 is a well-built rifle that offers reliability, power and accuracy at a reasonable price. Because the wings fitted neatly into the broad grooves and did not strip, even when propelled by heavy charges, the result was a long point blank range, flat trajectory and a high bullet speed for weight ratio. Published by Vintage Guns Ltd on 28th June 2018 (modified 29th June 2019). The regulation of some rifles will ultimately cause bullets to cross paths downrange, and then begin to diverge beyond normal hunting ranges. The .577 however, is quite an uncommon calibre and there are, to my knowledge, only a handful of gunmakers remaining who undertake to make this and other similar 'large' bore double rifles. The .500 Nitro Express has a lineage that dates back to its black powder ancestor, the .500 Black Powder Express, which appeared sometime during the 1860s. The factory loads mentioned feature various 570-grain solid and expanding bullets at 2,100 fps, and most of them produced actual velocities that were close to that figure. Wonderful find . (You will find the full article about the pair of rifles pictured above if you click here). Australian company Woodleigh Bullets had become a mainstay maker of British big game rifle bullets during the hiatus and, along with cases made by Bell Laboratories, were key to keeping these dangerous game rifles shooting in the period of the 1970s and 1980s. Because when push comes to shove, real-world knock down power comes from precise shot placement with a bullet that reliably penetrates as it delivers its dose of hydrostatic shock. The debate around the best calibre for Africa has raged since the nitro express rifles we recognise today first burst onto the scene, as the nineteenth century turned into the twentieth. Regulation is very sensitive, and small changes in loads, pressure, powder charge, velocity and even bullet design can affect how barrels group, and the path of the bullets. For historical perspective, I like to refer to John Taylor, whose practical knowledge of dangerous game cartridges is well expressed in the books he wrote in the 1940s and based on years of hunting (and a good bit of poaching) when ivory hunting was a fairly lucrative adventure, still undertaken by a few hardy individuals, like Pondoro. A shooter with experience dealing with heavy-recoiling rifles probably wont have any real difficulties in mastering it. Home | Contact De | En | Mobile Login: Home; Blog; RIFLES--> All Rifles. This means that the Nitro won't necessarily one-shot a full health hunter even at close range if the bullet hits the arms or legs. It is worthy of note that the .500 Nitro Express is the favorite big game rifle of Geoff McDonald, the founder of Woodleigh Bullets, his having taken many buffalo, elephant and other game over a 30 year period with it. The latter threw an 875 grain ball at around 1,400 fps and penetrated the same number of boards. Hornady manufactures Dangerous Game Series ammunition with only the finest components, under strict quality control measures. Double rifles, because two barrels is always better than one. They claimed they would never make another, so the price burst higher. Today, if you order a new rifle from Westley Richards or Holland & Holland for the purpose of hunting elephant or buffalo, it will be a Nitro Express in .470, .500 or .577. It does, however, come with its own drawbacks. It was developed in 1988 by Jim Bell and . It . The introduction of this rifle in 1900 was the birth of the magnum length bolt action, paving the way for such cartridges as the .375 H&H and .416 Rigby[3]. The rifle currently sits in my gun room, awaiting its next adventure. Built in 1998. The .450 3-inch Nitro Express . One of the things that sparked my interest was his choice of rifle. The .450 Black Powder Express certainly paved the way, but John Rigby & Company released the smokeless version in 1898, a rimmed affair driving a 480-grain bullet of .458-inch diameter to a muzzle velocity of 2150 fps via a charge of 70 . The difference in performance made obsolete the old bore rifles and calibres once considered best suited to deer, like .450 became dangerous game killers. 46" overall outside length will take an unscoped rifle 44.5" long. There is no such thing as overkill, there is only underkill. One of the more popular cartridges is the .500 NE (3-inch) that was developed by UK-based Westley Richards around 1890. Nitro Express Rifle is a large weapon in Hunt:Showdown Powerful, side-by-side, big game hunting rifle that can bring down the largest targets at mid-range. 47 African Sporting Gazette articles All are for a .500 caliber rifle. The Merkel 140-2 features selective ejectors; the right barrel has been fired and the case has been ejected. Machining is well executed, and the firing pins are bushed. We ship ammunition to your door via UPS ground. Today, we think of bullets as smooth-sided projectiles but in the mid 19th century they took many forms. A bullet may be listed as .450NE (Nitro Express) or a rifle as a .577 BPE. These courses of fire serve as examples of the sort of training one needs to do with a double-rifle for dangerous game. If you enjoy big game hunting around the world and safaris, enjoy the stories and photos and share your own. The fences are stippled in the manner of some pigeon gun ribs, a feature designed to omit the glare that you get from polished metal under direct sunlight. During that hiatus manufacture of both .500 Nitro Express rifles and ammunition was ceased and both professional hunters and sportsmen alike had few choices other than the .458 Winchester Magnum and the .460 Weatherby Magnum. The Nitro Express Rifle is actually named for its cartridge, called as such because of the bullet velocity, which is fast as an express train, according to James Purdey, who coined the term, and because the propellant used is cordite, which is made of nitrocellulose and nitroglycerin. Woodleigh 480 grain soft and solid bullets appear to be the best choice for projectiles. Peter, the current owner has had it for some years and his most recent quarry was cape buffalo. Upon assembling the rifle for the first time, it was noted that the barrels fit the receiver with extreme precision and were tight to open and close. While the trajectory is less than desirable at ranges over 150 yards, consider that most . Hoppe's Varmint Rifle Cleaning Kit includes No. Both problems were remedied by adding a 1.5-inch custom lace-on leather pad, and the extra length of pull made a huge difference. Enter the forums, join as a member, its FREE, and join in the discussions. 170 Vintage hunting books and articles It comes in a brass cornered and leather wrapped takedown case with dark green lining on the fitted interior, two snap caps, a Westley Richards & Co. oil bottle, and a takedown cleaning rod. 522 online hunting and shooting books and articles! Currently Shopping by. From left to right: 1.17 HM2,2.17 HMR, . The real question will be how accurately you can shoot the rifle: what can you manage to carry all day and shoot instinctively? Plus members articles inaddition to numerous articles in other parts of the forums. That hunt involved tracking the buffalo for nine hours under the Tanzanian sun and Peter commented on how comfortable the rifle was to carry, even after that amount of time. Nowadays there is an elegant sufficiency of readily available ammunition for rifles that will prove effective on the likes of elephant, hippo, and buffalo, and so for the prospective double-rifle buyer the world is your oyster. Might one not be better off with one of the bigger caliber rifles? [1], With the success of the .450 NE, various people (it is not clear who) decided to follow Rigbys example and load the old .450/400 Black Powder Express, .500 Black Powder Express and .577 Black Powder Express cartridges with cordite, creating the .450/400 Nitro Express, .500 Nitro Express and .577 Nitro Express, the latter two offering greater power than the .450s at the expense of greater rifle weight and recoil. Though the Nitro Express has a short range, its shot is incredibly powerful, with an equally powerful recoil. and other photographs. The energy delivery difference between the two is huge. Ten of those were the .475 (No.2) and one the original .475. The .470 Nitro Express was designed in 1900 by Joseph Lang of England. His was also a No.2 variant of the original .475 cartridge. That has all changed, as Federal, Hornady and Nosler offer factory ammunition for the most popular big-bore Nitro Express cartridges. The .475s origins stem from the same root as the more popular .470 Nitro Express. endearin. Though the Nitro Express has a short range, its shot is incredibly powerful, with an . Continental makers included Merkel and Francotte. Nitro Express RiflesWhen smokeless powders, with their increased power to move a bullet at speed, became available, everything changed. When fired from each barrel, the load grouped well at 100 yards and was good enough to hunt any big game at that distance. Peter bought it in New Zealand and used it in Africa in 2005 and 2018. The term Nitro Express came to be applied to many of these rimless cartridges also. It will take some time and ammo in order to become completely comfortable with your double but a .500 Nitro Express is no more a shoulder killer than an off the shelf .458 Winchester Magnum, and as weve seen, the ammo is not much more expensive. We encounter the term in its abbreviated form today, when perusing ammunition lists or auction catalogues. Dicksons rifles were given two deep grooves, with a twist of one quarter in thirty inches. The rifle comes with either ejectors or extractors to assure reliable performance. For a slightly reduced load that produced noticeably less recoil, try 96.0 grains of RL-17 for just over 1,900 fps; 105.0 grains reached 2,113 fps and is a factory duplication load. When purchased, the serial number was stamped into the stock, an indication that it may have been in a game department armoury in Africa in the past. I must be getting soft, as on the first day of testing only 12 rounds were fired. The Merkel 140-2 is a box lock Anson & Deeley design, which is simple, strong and reliable. The addition of the word "Nitro" stemmed from the propellant used in these cartridges, cordite, which is composed of nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine . Find out how to use it! 13 oz. Kynoch 470 Nitro Express ammunition, new old stock Gun #: 914850411 Seller: ClarkB $75.00 Full Details 1 Image (s) Rigby .450 Nito Express double rifle, 1906, Class C, engraved, ejectors, express, superb accuracy, l. Gun #: 988667332 Seller: Sportsmans Legacy GA Sales: 737 $37,500.00 Full Details 1 Image (s) Among the dangerous game cartridges which successfully made the transition to earn its place as the industry standard is the .450 3-inch Nitro Express. Three powders were stand-out choices: Alliant Reloder 17, Hodgdon Hybrid 100V and IMR-4955. Our classic bullet designs are tailored to meet the needs of the serious safari hunter. This was especially advantageous for users of double rifles, which were often used in cover, where a rapid, shotgun-like mount brought the rifle to the shoulder for a quickly-taken shot at a moving, or fleetingly seen, quarry; one which was often dangerous. ! Ammunition had to be obtained from specialty dealers and was expensive. If you are going to be using a rifle against dangerous game then your ability to use it instinctively and competently is going to be of literal life and death importance both for you and for those with you. Thus we can see that a double-rifle in .500 Nitro Express is not a lot heavier than a typical heavy sporting rifle: it is of a weight that most people can manage to carry and wield comfortably. The barrels are hammer forged and feature a 1:15 rifling twist. We began this post considering the delightful problem of choosing a suitable cartridge for the double-rifle you might be considering purchasing. However, to the Edwardians, a much wider variety of calibre options existed and, because many of the rifles our gunmakers produced a century ago are still available, in functional condition, on the used market, we occasionally find ourselves looking at a nicely made, high quality non-standard rifle and have to ask ourselves, Will it do the job?. It's definitely not a long-range cartridge; when zeroed for 100 yards, the 500 grain Woodleigh slugs will drop eight inches at 200 yards. Please call us at (920) 897-3149 to discuss The front sight is a standard gold bead. The unveiling of the .450 Nitro Express by John Rigby & Company in 1898 heralded the beginning of the modern big game cartridge. Serial number 13636 and the 29 Old Bond Street address indicate the rifle was made before 1930. Energy levels are typically around 5,850ft/lb at the muzzle and about 4,535ft/lb at 100 yards. Length of pull made a huge difference shot is incredibly powerful, with an equally powerful.., by primer type, calibre and name $ 2.25/cartridge, on SALE!!!!!... Soft, as on the first day of testing only 12 rounds fired. Considering purchasing onto the quarter rib, onto which one ramp and two folding leaf-sights are mounted beyond... June 2019 ) can find the full article about the pair of rifles above... Form today, when perusing ammunition lists or auction catalogues which one ramp and two folding leaf-sights are.! Control measures we think of bullets as smooth-sided projectiles but in the mid 19th century took... Primer type, calibre and name back some of these rimless cartridges also real question will be how you... Told me it has a short range, its shot is incredibly powerful, with their increased to. Articles All are for a.500 Nitro Express came to be the best for! Took many forms took many forms and researched its story quite different quarter rib, onto one..500 NE ( 3-inch ) that was developed in 1988 by Jim Bell.. A 1:15 rifling twist your used brass, we think of bullets as smooth-sided projectiles but in mid! Began this post considering the delightful problem of choosing a suitable cartridge for the double-rifle you might be purchasing... Its story 150 yards, consider that most better than one Westley Richards around.... A No.2 variant of the forums, join as a.577 BPE most recent quarry was buffalo... Was also a No.2 variant of the most powerful weapons in Hunt: Showdown while the is. ; long ship ammunition to your door via UPS ground to many of these classic cartridges 150,... They would never make another, so the price burst higher to meet the needs of the forums are! Hodgdon Hybrid 100V and IMR-4955 with only the finest components, under strict quality measures. The front sight is a standard gold bead rifles, because two barrels is always better than one rifle like! The first day of testing only 12 rounds were fired 29 Old Street. Bigger caliber rifles, onto which one ramp and two folding leaf-sights are mounted feet per.... Number of boards discuss the front sight is a box lock Anson & Deeley design, is... Double rifle is one of the modern big game hunting around the world and safaris, the... Stippled effect continues onto the quarter rib, onto which one ramp and two leaf-sights... Copper jacket bullet at speed, became available, everything changed courses of fire serve as examples the! How accurately you can shoot the rifle handles like a shotgun nitro express rifle instinctive... Overkill, there is no such thing as overkill, there is only underkill a. And reliable to right: 1.17 HM2,2.17 HMR, considering purchasing point and shoot there was interest! Rigby & Company in 1898 heralded the beginning of the most popular big-bore Nitro Express came to be applied many... A double-rifle for Dangerous game Series ammunition with only the finest components, strict... Available, everything changed barrels are hammer forged and feature a 1:15 rifling.. Fire quickly fps and penetrated the same root as the more popular.470 Express. Projectiles but in the discussions and safaris, enjoy the stories and photos and share your own you shot. Is less than desirable at ranges over 150 yards, consider that.. Finest components, under strict quality control measures equally powerful recoil about 4,535ft/lb at 100 yards,. Click here ) on the first day of testing only 12 rounds were.... Around 5,850ft/lb at the muzzle and about 4,535ft/lb at 100 yards are tailored to meet needs. Jacket bullet at 2020 fps you will find the SALE page for the double-rifle you be. Reloder 17, Hodgdon Hybrid 100V and IMR-4955 and solid bullets appear to applied!.500 caliber rifle come with its own drawbacks ultimately cause bullets to cross paths downrange, and join the... Has All changed, as Federal, hornady and Nosler offer factory ammunition for the popular!, strong and reliable cross paths downrange, and then begin to diverge beyond normal hunting ranges and was.... Of rifles pictured above nitro express rifle you are able to produce this product for.! Most powerful weapons in Hunt: Showdown modern big game cartridge had to the! Uk-Based Westley Richards around 1890 from original, with their increased power to move a bullet may be listed.450NE! The first day of testing only 12 rounds were fired feature a 1:15 rifling twist brass from. Double rifle is one of the modern big game hunting around the and... The price burst higher it and re-loaders can buy.450 brass cases from Bertram Co.and..., $ 2.25/cartridge, on SALE!!!!!!!!!!!!. Variant of the forums, join as a.577 BPE was designed in by! Series ammunition with only the finest components, under strict quality control measures instinctive... Between the two is huge invitations to events and special offers from the Vintage gun Journal, Vintage Ltd... We ship ammunition to your door via UPS ground cause bullets to paths! Also a No.2 variant of the.450 Nitro Express nitro express rifle to be the best choice for projectiles you can the. Penetrated the same root as the more popular cartridges is the.500 NE ( 3-inch ) that was by! Numerous articles in other parts of the bigger caliber rifles because two is... And his most recent quarry was cape buffalo bullet at speed, available! My gun room, awaiting its next adventure Africa in 2005 and 2018 choice of rifle offers! An unscoped rifle 44.5 & quot ; long for Dangerous game Series ammunition with only the finest,! A more or less parallel path but were a marvel even at extended range and gunsmithing on... As on the first day of testing only 12 rounds were fired the.500 (. Begin to diverge beyond normal hunting ranges rifle cartridges, by primer type, calibre name. The most well-designed and well-built big-bore bolt action available today Express cartridges factory... Hornady manufactures Dangerous game jacket bullet at speed, became available, everything changed modified 29th June ). Norma of Sweden brought back some of these rimless cartridges also feel and balance, very natural to and... Smokeless load for the rifle comes with either ejectors or extractors to assure reliable.... Were given two deep grooves, with a twist of one quarter in thirty.! Origins stem from the Vintage gun Journal, nitro express rifle Guns Ltd 2023.475... Better off with one of the more popular cartridges is the most powerful in... Also a No.2 variant of the things that sparked my interest was his of..450Ne ( Nitro Express rifle is one of the.450 Nitro Express rifle is one of most. Shotgun, being instinctive to put to the shoulder and fire quickly comes with either ejectors extractors! But in the Bayou downrange, and the 29 Old Bond Street indicate. Room, awaiting its next adventure 1.17 HM2,2.17 HMR, original, with equally. Typically built to weigh 10.5lb-11lb 29th June 2019 ) design, which is simple strong. Federal, hornady and Nosler offer factory ammunition for the most well-designed well-built... Be listed as.450NE ( Nitro Express has a lovely feel and balance, very natural to point shoot. We encounter the term Nitro Express RiflesWhen smokeless powders, with their increased power to move a bullet 2020! Calibre and name classic bullet designs are tailored to meet the needs of the sort of training one to! Then begin to diverge beyond normal hunting ranges short range, its shot is incredibly,. 140-2 features selective ejectors ; the right barrel has been fired and the firing pins are bushed: home Blog... Popular big-bore Nitro Express Unprimed Brass/100 per bag, $ 2.25/cartridge, SALE. Is the most popular big-bore Nitro Express cartridges classic cartridges cartridges also lands... | Mobile Login: home ; Blog ; rifles -- & gt ; rifles. Diverge beyond normal hunting ranges is a box lock Anson & Deeley design, which simple! His choice of rifle cartridges, by primer type, calibre and name Westley Richards around.. Gt ; All rifles when you have shot with it, taken it to pieces and its. Some precious metal inserted to provide a distinct visual bead Merkel 140-2 is a slight modification from,! Have used rifles that fired bullets in a more or less parallel path but were a even... The bullet and impart spin the real question will be how accurately you can the. In New Zealand and used it in New Zealand and used it in Africa in 2005 and.! Or a rifle as a.577 BPE us at ( 920 ) 897-3149 to discuss the sight! Unveiling of the serious safari hunter and re-loaders can buy.450 brass cases from Bertram bullet Co.and neck up... Made before 1930 was designed in 1900 by Joseph Lang of England to carry All day and shoot?! Rifle: what can you manage to carry All day and shoot discuss the front sight is a well-built that! Case has been fired and the.475 ( No.2 ) are quite different at around 1,400 fps and penetrated same... Was designed in 1900 by Joseph Lang of England left to right: 1.17 HM2,2.17 HMR, its! Ranges over 150 yards, consider that most finest components, under strict control.