| bouldersmith |
| (.375 member) |
| 19/12/23 04:20 AM |
Stephen Grant 500-450 #1 express
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A wonderful rifle that I'm delighted to have in my collection.
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 19/12/23 04:27 AM |
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Re: Stephen Grant 500-450 #1 express
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Loverly, as one might say.
| CJF |
| (.333 member) |
| 19/12/23 05:22 AM |
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Re: Stephen Grant 500-450 #1 express
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Beautiful. Would love to see pictures of the top of the action. I like it when there's no top lever to get in the way of the engraver.
Chris
| bouldersmith |
| (.375 member) |
| 19/12/23 05:32 AM |
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Re: Stephen Grant 500-450 #1 express
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| Huvius |
| (.416 member) |
| 19/12/23 06:18 AM |
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Re: Stephen Grant 500-450 #1 express
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That’s pretty much a “keep forever” rifle.
I hope it shoots and regulates as well as it looks!
| Waidmannsheil |
| (.400 member) |
| 19/12/23 07:29 AM |
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Re: Stephen Grant 500-450 #1 express
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Fantastic purchase, certainly a very nice rifle.
Matt.
| 93x64mm |
| (.416 member) |
| 19/12/23 08:05 AM |
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Re: Stephen Grant 500-450 #1 express
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Quote:
That’s pretty much a “keep forever” rifle.
I hope it shoots and regulates as well as it looks!
Not wrong there Huvius!
That is one lovely piece of kit, beautiful lines & boy oh boy, magnificent engraving to boot as well!
One lucky man bouldersmith!
Can't wait to see the range report!!!!
| sharps4590 |
| (.333 member) |
| 19/12/23 08:15 AM |
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Re: Stephen Grant 500-450 #1 express
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What adjectives can one find to describe such a rifle? Magnificent!
The first double rifle I fired was a Stephen Grant in 375-2 1/2. I haven't been the same since.
| lancaster |
| (.470 member) |
| 20/12/23 07:36 AM |
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Re: Stephen Grant 500-450 #1 express
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and such a useful cartridge, brass is easy to make from the common 470NE and take the much more common .458 bullets
| Marrakai |
| (.416 member) |
| 20/12/23 10:46 AM |
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Re: Stephen Grant 500-450 #1 express
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Marvelous! Quintessential Stephen Grant: side- or under-lever with fluted fences and 110% fine scroll.
Absolutely top shelf!
| CJF |
| (.333 member) |
| 21/12/23 05:45 AM |
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Re: Stephen Grant 500-450 #1 express
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Love the engraving at the top of the action. Beautiful!
| bouldersmith |
| (.375 member) |
| 25/01/24 10:23 PM |
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Re: Stephen Grant 500-450 #1 express
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I just heard back from the firm:
completed 6th July 1894 for the HH Maharana of Oodeypoor (Udaipur) and is described as a hammerless .500/450 Express rifle
| Vette447 |
| (.275 member) |
| 27/01/24 02:34 AM |
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Re: Stephen Grant 500-450 #1 express
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Gorgeous rifle. A keeper for sure!
Congrats
| 85lc |
| (.375 member) |
| 27/01/24 04:36 AM |
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Re: Stephen Grant 500-450 #1 express
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Steve,
Very nice rifle. What is your load for your rifle?
I have a 500/450 #1 Westley Richards are are looking for different loads.
| kuduae |
| (.400 member) |
| 27/01/24 08:16 AM |
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Re: Stephen Grant 500-450 #1 express
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Quote:
What is your load? I have a 500/450 #1 Westley Richards and are looking for different loads.
I have a Birmingham made “colonial grade” dr, signed by Alexander Robertson & son, Wick in north
Scotland, in .500-450 No.1 BPE. Steel barrels, shortened due to severe rust damage at the muzzles only and reregulated
by me. I have developed two “Nitro for Black” loads over the years. Cases formed from Horneber .500
3” NE brass. Federal Magnum large rifle primers.
350 gr Hornady, 70 gr VV N140, packing foam filler, for 1850 fps iv.
300 gr Barnes (hp for .45-70), 75 gr VV N140, foam filler, for 1900 fps iv.
Shot red deer, wild boar, roe deer and even a fox with these loads. One quirk: The .500-450 No1 had a slightly thicker rim than the available .500 base cases. You may have to find a way to make them headspace correctly. I modified the extractor of my rifle.
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 27/01/24 01:07 PM |
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Re: Stephen Grant 500-450 #1 express
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That 350gr. Hornady load is a good one. Not many "flies" on the 300gr., either.
They are top level .45/70 loads for a Trapdoor Springfield & good killing loads.
| Huvius |
| (.416 member) |
| 28/01/24 02:25 AM |
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Re: Stephen Grant 500-450 #1 express
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Quote:Quote:
One quirk: The .500-450 No1 had a slightly thicker rim than the available .500 base cases. You may have to find a way to make them headspace correctly. I modified the extractor of my rifle.
The No.1 Express has a shoulder so you can establish your proper head spacing off of that.
I was doing the same when I got my first No.1 Express - using 500NE brass.
Gradually adjust your die so that the action closes snugly.
The little space between the rim and the extractor is not an issue as the web of the NE brass is so stout.
It’s funny, the 500/450 No.2 Musket is easily made from 50/90 Sharps brass which Starline makes at a very good price. I inquired about supplying the same cases long enough to make No.1 cases and they said they couldn’t do it. Their extrusion machines must have a length limit or something. Sure would be nice though…
| lancaster |
| (.470 member) |
| 28/01/24 06:35 PM |
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Re: Stephen Grant 500-450 #1 express
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just find a proper brass tube that fits into the basic brass,aneal, resize and cut to lenght. maybe reaming out the case mouth for bullet diameter than. have also the benefit it reduce the space inside for a smokless load
| Huvius |
| (.416 member) |
| 29/01/24 11:59 AM |
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Re: Stephen Grant 500-450 #1 express
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Quote:
just find a proper brass tube that fits into the basic brass,aneal, resize and cut to lenght. maybe reaming out the case mouth for bullet diameter than. have also the benefit it reduce the space inside for a smokless load
Super interesting concept.
I have plenty of junked 458 Lott and 450NE brass I could experiment with.
Also, the last sub zero cold spell here afforded me the opportunity to brush up on my soldering skills.
I think soldering the extra neck in an otherwise too short case before sizing may be a fun project just to see what’s possible.
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 29/01/24 12:08 PM |
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Re: Stephen Grant 500-450 #1 express
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I made some .45 3 1/4" cases out of .45/70 brass, many moons ago. The worked just fine for BP loads.
I used .015" wall brass tubing from a mode airplane and cars store.
The tubing fits inside one another, all the way from 1/16" on up to 3/4". Each one, .015 larger.