A Special Custom Double Rifle to Hunt Rare Dangerous Game in Wisconsin, USA

[buckstix]

A Special Custom Double Rifle to Hunt Rare Dangerous Game in Wisconsin, USA

Hello All,


(Although posted on other forums, A member of this forum suggested I also post it here. I hope you all enjoy this.)

Most of you have probably never seen these rare Dangerous Animals before. Well, they have infiltrated the suburbs here in Wisconsin. It is believed they mutated by drinking the discharge water from one of our Nuclear Power Plants. Subsequent in-breeding has further altered their ravenous behavior to the point that unprovoked attacks on animals and people have become an all to often serious occurrence.

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Here are a few pictures of various mutations of the vicious WISCONSIN KILLER RABBIT.

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I have taken it upon myself to help combat these satanic creatures.

As you know, a Double Rifle is designed for that quick second shot in case the dangerous animal charges. Such is the case here. If the first shot fails to stop a charge, the second shot is quick to finish the job. Although I have a battery of double rifles to choose from, ranging in calibers from 7x65R, up-to 700 NE, none of them really fit the bill for the task at hand, namely hunting these Dangerous Animals.

I needed a very special Double Rifle. It had to be in a caliber that was quiet for use in populated suburban areas, and it had to be fast-handling for the quick and nimble game to be hunted. It also had to be light weight to carry - in case a rapid run-away departure was required to retreat from a charging pack of the killers.

So .... I contacted Aaron Little to build me a Special Double Rifle of my design. It would be used exclusively to Hunt-Down and Kill these Mutated WISCONSIN KILLER RABBITS. You may recall that Aaron built my custom 700NE back in 2016. He used the same mono-block technique when building this rifle. This link shows how the 700NE was built. http://forums.accuratereloadin...804/m/9561066812/p/1

As he had done for me in the past, Aaron came through with a wonderful rifle specifically designed for the upcoming hunt of these Vicious Devils. The workmanship is absolutely Flaw-Less. He is a true Master Gunsmith.

Here are the specifications:

Make: A.M. Little Bespoke Custom Armsco Box-Lock
Caliber: 25 acp
Action: Engraved Scalloped Boxlock w/ Extractors
Barrels: Monoblock 23-1/2" Lothar Walther
Rear Sight: 2 Leaf Express Rear Sight - 1 Standing, 1 Folding on Raised Quarter Rib
Front Sight: Raised Ramp with Gold Bead and Flip-up Ivory Night Sight
Stock: Checkered Straight Grip AA Fancy Turkish Walnut w/ checkered Butt Plate
Forend: Checkered AA Fancy Turkish Walnut w/ Deeley Release
LOP: 14-5/8"
Weight: 6 pounds 11 ounces - 6 pounds 11.4 ounce loaded
Safety: Non-Automatic

Muzzle Energy: 90 ft/lbs
Recoil Energy: 1/10 ft/lbs

Regulation: 30 yards

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Here are some pictures.


































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Regulation was tested with 2 kinds of Factory Ammo, and some purchased handloaded ammo. Future custom hand-loads are sure to improve performance.



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Never before has the World seen a center-fire Double Rifle in such a diminutive caliber as the 25acp. As a side note, this is a true ONE-OF-KIND. Once all the WISCONSIN KILLER RABBITS have been eradicated, I'm sure to have a lot of fun shooting this one along side my 700NE. Its great to have the BIGGEST and the SMALLEST Double Rifle in my collection. I now have a Double Rifle in a really big center-fire caliber, and one in a really small center-fire caliber. So, now I'm ready for anything on the planet.



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Comparing the ballistics of these two extreme double rifles shows following:

Weight:
700NE = 18 lbs 10 oz
25acp = 6 lbs 11 oz

Bullet Weight:
700NE = 1000 gr
25acp = 50 gr

Bullet Velocity:
700NE = 2000 ft/sec
25acp = 890 ft/sec

Recoil Energy:
700NE = 150 ft/lb
25acp = 1/10 ft/lb

Muzzle Energy:
700NE = 8,900 ft/lbs
25acp = 90 ft/lbs

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By the Way ...... The rifle performed flawlessly ..



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The 25 acp is semi-rimmed straight wall cartridge. The body is .278 and the rim is .302 diameter. (see dwg)
It extracts great even with the small rim. I chose it because I know that no one else in the World will ever copy this chambering for a double rifle, making this a true "one-of-a-kind."



I found hand-loading these tiny missiles a bit difficult with my stubby fingers. Results are promising. First shots were a bit wider than later shots. It took me a bit to get used to the lack of violent recoil.

I've got a set of Corbin Swage dies coming to try some "out-of-the-box" heavier bullets. I'm anxious to see how they do.



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And then I tested some hand-loaded Cast Lead bullets. I think I've found my hunting load.

With a muzzle velocity averaging 1160 fps, it develops 150 ft/lbs muzzle energy with over 110 ft/lbs of energy remaining at 65 yards. (about the max distance for a clean head shot given the accuracy)

[timmy]

Buckstix, a lovely rifle! (Your 700 NE and other projects are also quite nice.) That wood is breathtaking, and I especially like the wood buttplate with the engraved and indexed screws holding it on. Very nice touches. My hat is off to your gunsmith, Mr. Little. A fine job.

I wondered about the effectiveness of the extractor, but I saw that you covered that issue.

Your Wisconsin rabbits are indeed fearsome beasts. My troubles are with the normal sort, which dig and burrow in my yard and fill it with their excrement. It was a real chore to bring part of the grass back from their depredations. The local owls were not doing their job properly, so I needed to take matters in my own hands. I use a little kid's Cricket with a 4x 1" Weaver RF scope, and shoot Aguila Super Colibri. the 20 gr bullet runs about 500 f/s and coincidentally has about 15 ft.-lbs. of energy, just like the Indian limit on air rifles. Out to 20 meters of range (which is all that is necessary), it works quite well.

Your use of a Spanish 10 ga SxS as the basis of your 700 NE is quite interesting. Mr Little did a fine job on that one, as well. I was also intrigued with the suggestion of Mr Hubel regarding the makeup of your 700 NE cases. (I presume that he's the one who suggested your post here.) Very ingenious!

My only experience in this sort of thing was a fellow who used an LC Smith to make a 45-70 double rifle. He wasn't nearly as elegant as your Mr. Little, as he turned is own barrels to be inserted in the existing 12 gauge bores. They were offset machined and he regulated the gun by turning them until he was able to get the pattern he wanted. This was not nearly as elegant a solution as the monobloc method used on your rifles. The LC Smith was a damascus barreled gun, and it was thought at the time to be unshootable for that reason. I guess we know better now.

You certainly got the shooting down with this one quite well. I can't see any reason why the 25 Auto cartridge wouldn't have good accuracy potential, as CE Harris seems to do fine with its big brother, the 32 Auto, in his rifle. What was the original gun used as the basis for your 25 Auto?

Please do share with us when you get your 577 NE set up and running.

[buckstix]

Hello timmy,
Thanks for your reply.

This little double started life as a Turkish Armsco 410 shotgun with mono-block construction and wonderful Turkish Walnut. It turned out fabulous and I'm having a lot of fun with it. Corbin swage dies arrived today so I can make heavier bullets - round nose and hollow points .

[timmy]

Thanks, buckstix. That Corbin stuff would be wonderful. I am very sure that you're having all kinds of fun with that rifle. I really appreciate your sharing it with us.

I had thought about what CE Harris calls his walking guns. He had a little single shot set up for 32 S&W Long and 32 Auto barrels. Gunsmith work is so expensive, so I was thinking that I'd like to find a Husqvarna Model 25 in 32-20 for this same purpose. They also made a Model 26 in 25-20, but I figured that casting for a ~30 boolit would be easier, plus there are a whole lot of moulds for that size. One of these would match my Husqvarna Model 45 in 45-70. For the same purpose, I'm going to start casting "collar buttons" for it and use them over 10 gr or 12 gr of Bullseye. Pop goes the weasel, as they say. Because of some of my rifles, I've developed a real taste for Arctic birch stocks, as Husqvarna used before they sold their brand and made so much nice stuff.

The Turks are really making some nice guns, and they sure have the wood for nice stocks. It shows in your rifle, for sure. I sure do wish that India would start making some really high quality weapons, and also let innovative juices flow to make intriguing ones. If this could be done and I was a billionaire, I would love to set up a factory making Webley-Fosberys. Then develop new models firing from the low chamber, like others we see today. <sigh> One can dream, at least.

[Vikram]

Buckstix,

Congratulations! That is truly a one of a kind double rifle and a lovely one at that. Just the right ticket to shoot those lapine descendants of the wererabbit from Monty Python. Aaron little does a fine job.


May I ask if you happen to have one of Bailey Bradshaw's rising block double rifles?

Thank you for sharing this very interesting addition to your collection.

Regards-
Vikram

[buckstix]

Buckstix,

Congratulations! That is truly a one of a kind double rifle and a lovely one at that. Just the right ticket to shoot those lapine descendants of the wererabbit from Monty Python. Aaron little does a fine job.

May I ask if you happen to have one of Bailey Bradshaw's rising block double rifles?

Thank you for sharing this very interesting addition to your collection.

Regards-
Vikram

Hello Vikram,
Thanks for the reply.

Yes, I have this Bailey Bradshaw 2-Barrel Set Rising Block Double Rifle. It is also a true "one-of-a-kind".

Bradshaw Double <<<<< click link

[Vikram]

Congratulations, again, Buckstix. I remeber Aaron Little working with Bailey for sometime. I really respect Bailey Bradshaw for his dedication to his profession and his skills. He is a one man operation who is capable of producing a complete and complex rifle all by himself.

I remember your rifle from his website and on Facebook. I just did not know that it belonged to you. Do tell us your impressions of the rifle. Thank you for sharing.

[buckstix]

Congratulations, again, Buckstix. I remeber Aaron Little working with Bailey for sometime. I really respect Bailey Bradshaw for his dedication to his profession and his skills. He is a one man operation who is capable of producing a complete and complex rifle all by himself.
I remember your rifle from his website and on Facebook. I just did not know that it belonged to you.

Do tell us your impressions of the rifle. Thank you for sharing.

Not much to tell ..... As you might expect, its an awesome Double Rifle, in two of the best calibers.