R B Rodda Double Barrel 450#2 Nitro Express Rifle

[najeeb_khan]

You reckon that`s a .450 No2 Nitro Express ?
The rifle looks more like a .450 No2 BPE to me. The .450 No2 Nitro Express was introduced by Eley in 1903 and I will give odds your rifle is older than than 1903. If it is a .450 No2 Black Powder Express and you use nitro express cartridges in it you run a major risk of blowing the rifle up and severely injuring - even killing - yourself.

Sir, It's a .450 No.2 Nitro Express and as Mundaire have mentioned you can check cordite written on the underside of a barrel.

I don't use this rifle, so I don't risk of killing myself

Grumpy, I just took a look at the photos at http://indiansforguns.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=21687 and I do believe "CORDITE" is stamped on the barrel flats. So it's not a BPE...

Cheers!
Abhijeet

Mundaire, it looks to me that you have a good aim on the target, as you have very keen eyes and thanks for your appreciation.

Sir, thank you for contacting the grandson of the last owner of R.B.Rodda for identifying my rifle, I really appreciate. I will also try again to look for any clue of a manufacturer inscribed on the rifle.

Regards all
Najeeb

[Grumpy]

If you check you will find that I acknowledged Mundaires post re the `cordite` stamp.
If you can find ammunition you should have no problem shooting the rifle ...... but finding ammunition is going to be virtually impossible I fear.

[najeeb_khan]

Yes, I notice you have already acknowledged Mundaire's post.

I never found the ammo for my rifle, I have some ammo which my father purchased earlier. Another thing is, if I am able to get the ammo here, then this rifle can't be used for target shooting and I even don't have a range in my city. Earlier it was used in hunting by my father, grand father and great grand father.

[waltherppk]

Good rifle Najeeb. Was tha ammo fresh or it hangfired. Bring it to the shooting range one day when you come to shoot Trap would love to have a look at the rifle.

[najeeb_khan]

Good rifle Najeeb. Was tha ammo fresh or it hangfired. Bring it to the shooting range one day when you come to shoot Trap would love to have a look at the rifle.

Thank you for your appreciation.

Ammo is old, but I keep them in sunlight occasionally. Two or three years back I tried 5 or 6 shots at a PAC shooting range, only 1 shot was hangfired, all the other shots were fired very well with a very loud noise.

Where are you from because I don't have a trap shooting range in my city.

Thanks and regards
Najeeb

[shooter50]

Two things here: 1)The thickness of the barrels leads me to believe it could be a 450 NE. Does it say anywhere it is for the 3.5 inch cartridge? and not for the Rigby 3.25 inch? and 2) Just the cordite stamp means nothing, how many grains of cordite is it proofed for? The bullet weight of 480 grains is visible but what about the cordite charge. If a 450 NE ( Either Version) should be proofed for 70/80 grains of cordite.
All the best

[abhisingh7777]

As per the discussion i would like to informe every one that rb rodda made their own guns and in both. 500 and . 450 caliber double Barrel Configration . Though rounds are very rare and have to get the rounds refilled as there are no new rounds avilable

Cheerz

[Vikram]

As per the discussion i would like to informe every one that rb rodda made their own guns and in both. 500 and . 450 caliber double Barrel Configration.

Rodda were mostly retailers.They might have built some guns in the very early years but most of the guns bearing their name were built by the trade makers.