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This is my Simson .405 Winchester that I finished up last year. It has 24 inch McGowan barrels on it and it is fitted for a Leupold scope in quick detach Talley rings. The Simson action has sideclips, cocking indicators, and a greener crossbolt. It was proof tested for 300 grain jacketed spire points at 2100 FPS. It is also fitted with a rear express sight with one standing leaf and two folding leaves and a orange fiber optic bead front sight. The checkering is 26 lines per inch on a very nice piece of hard curly walnut. I think the stock is made of Bastogne but it might be Claro, I should have written it down. The stock is fitted with a steel gripcap, sling swivel stud, and a Kick Eze recoil pad. My good friend Brian Dudley did most of the hard parts on the wood work, including all the checkering. He does first class work! I am sorry about the picture quality of the shots with the green background, they look washed out. The ones with the blue carpet background are closer to the true colors of the wood. Bob |
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Sir, you do beautiful work! Do you have a website or shop? Or is it all for personal use? |
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Ash, I mostly build what I like and then sell of one or two when I get too many or I get tired of one of them. Bob |
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Bob; Excellent. Steve |
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Steve, Thanks, Bob |
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I think the scallops on Simsons are a classy touch. The machining for the Talley rings on the rib is nice and discreet as well. And this one has a "proper" forearm to boot. Another nice gun Eric |
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Another lovely rifle Bob, A double in .405 would be sweet. Have you taken it bush yet? |
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Only a double in 45-120 would be better. |
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Quote: Yes I agree, that would be sweet to shoot and lovely to own |
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Bob, Was the Simson a 12 bore before? John |
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Quote:Quote: And a perfect all rounder for Aus. |
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I used to own a Simson in .405- original factory chambering- and I gotta say I like yours better! Well done. Doug |
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Bidgee, I have not had a chance to hunt with it yet. Here in Iowa we have no rifle deer seasons anymore and no wild hogs either. I may have to get an out of state Missouri license and see if I can find a deer to shoot with it. Bob |
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Mauser416, I'm working on it, give me a break, O.K.? I need to do two of them you know, plus the .450 #2 to be finished! Bob |
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Viking338, Not yet but it is being planned. Bob |
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gallatin, Yes, the gun frame is a 12 gauge frame. It might be possible to build one on a 16 gauge frame but the 12 gauge helps me to get the weight distribution and the overall weight right for this caliber. Bob |
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Ash, Yes, I agree. It was after all, one of Teddy's favorite calibers when he went to Africa. I'm sure it would do the job on about anything in Australia as well. Bob |
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gungadoug, Thanks for looking and the kind words. Bob |
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Quote: Give me a shout when deer season rolls around. I'm sure you could help me with my deer overpopulation. And Tennessee IS contiguous with Missouri (sort of). I also have a .405 double which has not yet been blooded. |
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Nicely done, Bob - what a wonderful piece of flame grained curl, in that Walnut. |
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xausa, Thanks for the invite, I may just take you up on this one. Bob |
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Bob nice work, I have its brother, its wood isn't as nice but it is a good factory made 405 from between the wars that just shoot great. |
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gallatin, Yes the guns' frame was 12 gauge. I felt a 16 gauge would have been too small and light for this caliber. Bob |
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AZDAVE, That sounds like a wonderful gun. I'm sure you enjoy a lot. Bob |
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Birdhunter50, That is a fine looking .405 double, thank you for posting; I located your post while doing Google searches for " simson .405 double rifles" after learning from AZDAVE that there is such a rifle. I have been looking for a .405 double rifle and really like your work. Can you answer a couple of questions for me? 1. You say you proofed the rifle with 300 grain bullets at 2100 fps; was this Hornady factory ammo? 2. Did you regulate it with the same ammo? 3. Is the regulation parallel and if not, at what range do the barrels cross? 4. I did not see the stock sling swivel stud on the butt stock; is it recessed into the stock? Thank you, CRS |
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CRS, The gun was proofed using 400 grain bullets and the same powder charge that the service load uses. It was proofed and regulated with Hornady jacketed bullets. The service load uses 300 grain spire points. I don't believe in using factory loads to do proofing or the regulating, I want to use a load that can be duplicated and to be able to know what the pressure is on them. If I remember correctly, it crosses at about 50 yards which puts you about one inch apart at 100. You have a good eye, I had not yet put the rear sling swivel on it yet when those pictures were taken. The grip cap was not blued yet either. |
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Thank you. Sounds like you have done a thorough job on function and style! |
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Thanks for posting pictures of this gun Bob and thanks for the plug on the work I did on the stock. Bob provided me with the workable pattern and the blank to duplicate and I did the rest from there. If I remember correctly, it was Claro walnut that was used. The gun looks great with the barrels all blued and everything finished. |
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Brian does excellent work. He has done two guns for me. One was a little Philly Fox 20ga A grade. |
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Wayne59, Yes, Brian does excellent work. I have had him do a couple of stocks for me and the work is always first class. This was an especially difficult stocks to duplicate because of the contours on the back of the action. I have a duplicator myself but I didn't feel that my machine or I were up to doing this one. The stock is extra hard Claro from an older tree out of California, I had forgotten what type of walnut it was till someone jogged my memory. Brian did the duplication, the heading up of the stock, and the checkering and the finish work. I am very pleased with how it turned out and the new owner is as well. Bob |
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Bob is right-on WRT the opinion of the new owner!! The rifle looks and shoots great! Just today, a person with a Simson Suhl 450/400 asked for information on the stock maker and I passed on links to Brian's web site and to the portfolio on that site. If you like a good hog hunting story, click here: http://forums.[blank]/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/1621043/m/2451074812 The rifle almost aims and fires itself! |
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Customization/personalization of the Simson .405 WCF made by Bob and purchased by me: When we discussed the idea of re-regulating the gun with Hornady factory 300 grain ammo at 2200-2225, Bob was too busy and recommended Aaron Little right here in Texas. I recently visited Aaron's new shop in east Texas to pick up the finished rifle and he gave me the final regulation target. He had used the scope to minimize aiming errors: 4 shots(two from each barrel) in a one inch square from 50 yards! |
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That is a great looking double Sir. Very Very nice!! |
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Well done. |
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Speaks volumes about how good Birdhunter's work was originally , but how good is Aaron Little's regulation of this rifle! Outstanding job! Certainly a keeper there crshelton! We're all jealous |
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The rifle does well in the field also: Nilgai taken this Monday in thick cover - Not a trophy, but good sport and good eating. Note red spot on shoulder where heart shot with 300 grain Barnes TSX entered. |
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Thanks for sharing CS. At first(ofcouse) I thought you had been to India to hunt nilgai, but after browsing I realized they were introduced to US back in the 1930s. https://www.brokenarrowranch.com/Articles/TheSTA.htm NIce rifle!...but so is your 1886 in .45-90 :-) |
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Very nice rifle. I think the .405 is one of the best doubles you can have for the USA. By the way, a nilgai is better in the pot than on the wall. |
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RigbyM, Yes, I read somewhere that there are more Nilgai in Texas now than in India. Many exotic ranches have them and there are some free range animals on public land. The mature bulls (up to 800 pounds) aggravate the cattle ranchers because they eat a lot of the grass and tear up any fences that they cannot jump. One of my college buddies had a ranch near Raymondville and he shot every Nilgai he could. He a even chased them with his ranch truck, but made the mistake of actually hitting a big one and disabled the truck. Grenadier, You said " I think the .405 is one of the best doubles you can have for the USA." I agree and Mike Brady said the same thing just this morning! Mike coached me on loading his North Fork bullets in my 1895 .405. He even shoots prairie dogs with his. I will soon be trying 400 grain NF in my double. That should be a killer DG load at 2100 fps. |
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Rigby, You mentioned my 1886 .45-90. May I ask how you knew I have one? |
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.405Win. - sounds like a great Double Rifle for most NA game. I think I would rather have a .45 2.4", though, with about an 18" to 20" twist, for BC and Alaska, just for the heavier bullets. |
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Daryl, The .458 bullets are good on heavy game as shown by the ele taken by my 1886 45-90 with 450 grain bullets at 2150 fps. However, the .400 bullets have also taken a lot of heavy game in Africa. Have you read my M 1895 Winchester .405 story about taking a cape buffalo with 400 grain .405 hand loads? Also, this double shoots 400 grainers very accurately - one MOA, and when the weather moderates a bit, I will get back to tuning to regulation grouping of the 400 grain Hornady and Woodleigh bullets. I will be taking the double on a spring bear hunt in New Brunswick in May this year and will use 300 grain bullets. If all goes well, I will post a story and pix. |
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Cool! No, I didn't see that article on the .405 and Cape buff. If twisted to shoot the 400's and regulates with them, they would be super, of course, matching or nearly matching the .450/400. Those 300gr. factory loads should be way more than enough for any black bear. Got some big fellows on Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands) of BC. I know of 2 that came close to or exceeded 800pounds, taken in the Juscatla region. |
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Daryl, I will be shooting hand loads of 300 grain Barnes TSX at 2225 fps which should penetrate a bit better than the factory Hornady soft points which probably would be just fine as lots of black bears are killed with the 30-30. |
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Absolutely. They've got some nice bears in NB. Good luck. |
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I am proud to say that I have one of bob's last projects....its a 577 3"with Walther barrels...Wonderfull, but not as fancy of wood just serviceable. |
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While I have come to think a .405 is a great cartridge for a light double, I really want a .577 & had talked to Bob about putting one together for me, we just never got it done & now too late ! Could we see some pics of your .577, maybe a new thread please ? |
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I'll have to figure out how to post an image properly...getting old and don't fool around much with things on the computer.... worst case is I think I can take a picture on my cell phone and then send it to you. Let me know |
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Would really like to see some pics & hear some details on your .577 MotelAlpha ! |
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Quote: How to post photos. Click on the link below and read the posts on that thread. Any images stored on your computer can be easily posted on this forum by following those directions. Post photos |
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Update to original Simson .405 post: Engraved Stock oval added: A good match with the coin finish receiver: |
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Quote: We have corrosponded on AR a few times. My name there is 'jens poulsen'. Thanks for sharing all the pictures of your .405cal double. A danish member here named 'Leo' owns a nice .405cal double made by a Hamborg gunmaker. Using Hornady factory ammo we have measured the velocity to 730 m/sec which is a bit stiff but regulates well. The .405win is a pigbuster and everythingelsebuster..lol. |
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...beautilful rifle. Lovely piece to carry and to own. |
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I have posted pics of my 1925 Joseph Manton .405 double in the Archives section. Here: http://forums.nitroexpress.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=260519&Main=260336#Post260519 |
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http://forums.nitroexpress.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=220213&an=0&page=0 Another nice .405 cal double with danish ownership... |
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As Jens, you have a tag line that always makes me smile - the hunter on the toilet mistaken for a moose. Moose and bear are on the bucket list for my .405 double; my 1895 .405 has already taken big buff (Cape and water). |
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"Using Hornady factory ammo we have measured the velocity to 730 m/sec " mm, by my calculations, that would be 2395 fps. Please correct me if I mis calculated. Hornady claims 2225 fps for their 300 grain .405 ammo. My chronograph tests show Hornady Factory 300 grain ammo at 2225 to 2250 fps. I keep my 300 grain hand loads in that range so as to shoot to the same point of aim as factory Hornady. My .405 double was regulated with Hornady factory 300 grain ammo. In all my load research, 2400 fps for 300 grain .405 bullets is as fast as has been loaded and reported. |
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Quote: I know the owner of the .405win we chronographed. I will Contact him to post. It was me who shot through the chronograph. We used that Hornady ammo with Theodore Rosevelt on it. I knew when I saw the numbers they were high. Too high for my liking even for in an interwar period doublerifle of a german make. Had been 670-690 m/sec it would have been good. Your calculation are right on!. |
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It has been too long with no update on .405 DR. This red deer hind was taken on a cull hunt spring of 2019 at about 50 yards with 300 grain Barnes bullets: This beauty was shot just west of Corpus Christi, Texas on a private ranch owned by an oil company. The ranch game manager estimated it weighed 300 pounds. The coastal Bermuda grass was in great shape. The deer was also in great shape and my family loves the meat as well as elk venison. After that we drove to Hondo, Texas to hunt cow elk on the Action Outdoors Adventures exotic ranch. Recent rains made for very thick cover and difficult hunting conditions as you can see as my guide was pointing to a cow elk deep in the green maze. I did not get a shot, but did see many large and small exotic species from little goats and sheep to water buff, Bison, and Kudu. It was like hunting in a free range Zoo! |
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Sad that Bob is no longer with us, what a great guy to know. He built for me a wonderfully fine 577 BPE with his fine attention to detail. I have what Marie said was his last build, its a 20gauge DR with fully rifled barrels on a nice Mercury action. I will probably be selling or trading it as I am getting too old to shoot all of my doubles. PM me if any of you brothers are interested in a Bob Hynden (Bird hunter50) well made DR. Fred |
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Action Outdoors Adventures is also no longer with us. Richard died this year from complications related to his case of Covid-19 |
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Tinker, Yes, sorry to see Richard go. I have hunted the AOA many times and taken a lot of game there - good times! Aussie friends came up to hunt there a few times and they all took all the game they wanted to shoot. |
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We only really have a few true good friends, most are acquaintances'. I've lost all of mine except one. Bob and I became good friends when he was building my 577. His wife said she was glad we didn't live closer. Stay safe out there, this getting old sucks. Fred |
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Tinker, Action Outdoors is still in the family. They just held an opening day dove hunt (September 1, 2022). I did not make it down for the hunt as the weather is still 100+ , but cooling, and I am now getting out to do repairs and maintenance on my place. Drought finally broke with a 3 inch rain and now the grass is growing again. A mixed blessing. |
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Since this thread has been quiet, I will post a pic of my .405 DR in the case just to keep things active: |
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Looking just GREAT!! Nice piece of walnut on that one. |
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Daryl, Thanks - that piece of exhibition quality wood was the first thing that caught my eye. Later, the handling and fit was good. I did have to have it regulated by Aaron Little though to bring the accuracy up to the level of the wood. Now it groups well at 50 yards and more. On my first hunt with it it smacked down a feral hog at about 40 yards - one shot and done. |
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What a GREAT gun! |
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The flame has almost a quilted appearance, as-in a cross. Lovely. |
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As this thread has been dormant for awhile, and has drifted a bit since 2015 so I thought I might liven things up a bit with a couple pictures of another .405 Win Double Rifle. Please excuse the poor photos, Winter afternoon light is a hinderance. A little Belgian .405 from unknown maker, proof date code 1926. Sourced from Champlin/George Caswell some years ago. 25 1/2" barrels and a svelte 6 lbs 10 oz with pristine bores. 14 3/8" LOP to a checkered wood butt. Seems likely to have been brought here after WWII? - Mike ADDED: better light pictures buttstock wood |
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Well, that would be a lively handler with "some" recoil. Your rifle, Mike? How's she shoot? |
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Hi Daryl, Yes, my rifle. Don't shoot it much as I have more enjoyment with vintage Brit black powder express rifles. Seems to recoil about like a light 9.3x74R; not punishing, but gets your attention if wearing only a thin shirt in Summer. Right's and left's standing rest at 50 yards run about 3"….the groups widen after enough shots that "the fun has worn off" Occasionally take it after bear ,but no luck on those days what with iron sights and self imposed range limitations. - Mike |
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Tks Mike. |