Double rifle in .450/400 NE 2 3/8" aka 10,3x60R

[HWL]

...recently shot at egun, Germany.

Made by gunsmith Jens Antes, Nauheim, Germany.

 

[gizmo]

Ooooh pretty. I'd give my left arm for a double in 450/400 3".

 

[rinehart0050]

Very nice. How'd it shoot?

 

[HWL]

Very nice. How'd it shoot?

Not yet in my hands, will be delivered next week....

But the gunsmith has a good reputation, so I hope the best

The gun has pivot mount bases, so mounting a scope should be an easy job.


HWL

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

Ooooh pretty. I'd give my left arm for a double in 450/400 3".

+ 1

 

[ScottG]

Very nice enjoy.

 

[CAustin]

Good looking rifle. Be sure to give a range report.

 

[spike.t]

interesting. had to go look that one up as hadnt heard of that version of the calibre that i can remember

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.450/400_Nitro_Express

 

[crs]

HWL,
Nice package, metal and wood. What does it weigh?

In the white, that action would look a lot like my Simson Suhl!


Scalloped box lock action, side clips, cocking indicators, cross bolt, shape of action,,,
Reckon they were made in the same gun plant?

 

[HWL]

HWL,
Nice package, metal and wood. What does it weigh?

In the white, that action would look a lot like my Simson Suhl!


Scalloped box lock action, side clips, cocking indicators, cross bolt, shape of action,,,
Reckon they were made in the same gun plant?

Think, you are right,... I will figure out, what origin the action is...

Looks a little bit like a Simson 16 gauge shotgun action. ....nothing bad with this ...reliable tool.

Simson also made side by side and combination guns this way.

I hope, it will work like that.

HWL

 

[HWL]

HWL,
Nice package, metal and wood. What does it weigh?

In the white, that action would look a lot like my Simson Suhl!


Scalloped box lock action, side clips, cocking indicators, cross bolt, shape of action,,,
Reckon they were made in the same gun plant?

Your .405 was a special oder?

HWL

 

[HWL]

interesting. had to go look that one up as hadnt heard of that version of the calibre that i can remember

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.450/400_Nitro_Express

The cartridge is still popular in a part of Switzerland, called "Graubuenden".

They have a minimum bore requirement of 10,2 mm / .40 calibre for big game hunting.


HWL

 

[crs]

HWL,
In a way, it was a special order!
In 2014, an American gun maker in Iowa, Robert Hynden, wanted a .405 WCF double rifle for himself and so he started with a nice 12 gauge Simpson Co. of Suhl sxs shotgun. He added custom barrels by McGowen and a custom stock by Brian Dudley and made a really nice rifle. Bob was so busy making double rifles for his clients that he had no time to use his .405 double and as luck would have it, he posted about the gun on the Nitro Express forum just as I was looking for a Simson .405.
Santa gave the rifle to me for Christmas in December 2015.
I have all this history and all rifle updates in a MS Word based Provenance document as I figure to pass this on one of my hunting buddies (son or grandson) .

 

[Excessexpress]

Ooooh pretty. I'd give my left arm for a double in 450/400 3".

And I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.....

This rifle is lovely, though it's either 450/400 2 3/8 OR it's a 10.3x60R.

The 10.3 has a slightly larger projectile, variously quoted at .413 - .415" diameter, while the 450-400 suffered from it's popularity and the lack of standardisation in the British gun making industry of the time, was a bit smaller.

 

[HWL]

And I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.....

This rifle is lovely, though it's either 450/400 2 3/8 or it's a 10.3x60R.

The 10.3 has a slightly larger projectile, variously quoted at .413 - .415" diameter, while the 450-400 suffered from it's popularity and the lack of standardisation in the British gun making industry of the time, was a bit smaller.

The perfect bullet diameter for the 2 3/8 is .411..... woodleigh says......

The perfect bullet diameter for the 10,3 is .413, sold so in Switzerland and Germany.

When you measure these bullets , they are actually .412 in diameter.....

Swiss hunting law calls the 10,3x60R cartridge ".450/400 Englisch" also.

So, both cartridges are pretty much the same.... nothing to worry about.

Same thing with .404 Rimless / 10,75x73.....germans like their own designation, they even found one for the .30-06 Springfield.


HWL

 

[HWL]

Finally.......the 10,3 is landed! Top

And the .405 is back from the gunsmith.

Stock got a new finish and a new removable red recoil pad.... covering a 4 shot stock magazine!

Think about the same pad for the 10,3....


HWL

 

[HWL]

HWL,
What does it weigh?

In the white, that action would look a lot like my Simson Suhl!


Scalloped box lock action, side clips, cocking indicators, cross bolt, shape of action,,,
Reckon they were made in the same gun plant?

The mass is 3,220 kg....and you are right, the action looks like a copy of yours.

I will check the proof marks, hopefully, there are some informations about the origin of the gun.


HWL

 

[crs]

Two beautiful and effective rifles; you have a lot of fun coming with range testing and hunting those beauties. Please remember to post reports!
Meanwhile, I am off to http://www.actionoutdoors.com/ Hondo to shoot something this weekend.

 

[HWL]

No longer topless.... now with an Swarovski 3-9x36 on pivot mount.

 

[HWL]

Reloading is done.... next week is hour of truth at the range....