Last week I arrived home to North Carolina from Wisconsin to find two rifles from Holt's November 2022 auction had been delivered. The smaller, a Dickson rook in 250 is just amazing and deserves its own post later. For now, I'd like to share pictures and some initial impressions from a first range outing of the other rifle, a double double rifle by Woodward in 500 BPE. Holt's description is below, and you can view their pictures by looking for Lot 730 (Holts Lot 730)

Initial impressions...the rifle points well, bores are very very nice and while parts of the gun have been refinished, that work was done with some subtlety and it is overall quite beautiful. Pics to follow on a second post.

I loaded four rounds for each of the 3 varieties of bullets I had, all with the same charge and a 0.25" beeswax and crisco lube wad. All groups shot high and right regardless of whether I was standing or kneeling. No rest was used. Distance was 30 yards. None of the loads crossed (all right barrel shots landed to the right of the left barrel shots.)

I have cleaned those cases and will reload in the morning using different charges for the two better shooting bullet weights. Best group was 3" for 4 shots, high and right by 4". None of these loads are yet paper patched (I haven't actually loaded a patched round yet, but I've at least started messing with wrapping bullets and have the book.) This may sound silly, but I'm also brining along a 22LR bolt gun that I know shoots to point of aim...I'm bothered that both this rifle and my Reilly both are shooting high and right for me. I'm worried that a flinch on my part.

A .500 (3IN.) BLACK POWDER EXPRESS ROTARY-UNDERLEVER DOUBLE HAMMER RIFLE BY JAMES WOODWARD & SONS, serial no. 4456,
for 1892, 28in. reblued black powder only barrels, partially file cut rib engraved 'JAMES WOODWARD & SONS. 64 ST. JAMES'S ST. LONDON.', standing notch rear sight with one folding leaf sight and marked for 100 and 200 yards and with white-metal inlaid sight lines, bead fore-sight, Jones patent rotary-underlever, carved percussion fences, rebounding back-action locks with dolphin hammers, the action face engraved 'J.W. & S.', best border and acanthus scroll engraving, retaining some renewed colour-hardening and finish, 14 3/4in. figured pistolgrip stock with engraved steel pistolgrip-cap, sling eyes, including 1in. rubber recoil pad, fore-end with grip-release, weight 8lb. 12oz.

Provenance: The makers have kindly provided us with the following information:

Woodward, No. 4456
Completed: 28th November 1892
For: Lord Castlemaine
Description: A double-barrelled hammer rifle
Weight: 8lb. 12oz.
Calibre: .500 (BPE)
Barrels: 28in.
Stock: 14 5/8in.
Notes:
Lefaucheux back action
Rebounding locks
Stock with pistolgrip but no cheek-piece
Sighted for 100 & 200 yards
Regulated for the 130grns of Black Powder and Eley's express bullet, using a straight solid-drawn case

Albert Edward Handcock, 5th Baron Castlemaine (26 March 1863 – 6 July 1937), styled The Honourable from 1869 to 1892, was an Irish peer. He was a major landowner with 12,000 acres