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Hi,

I think you would like to find some loads for your .72 Kodiak. Also it is interesting to read experience of other users.
As I could not find any load on Pedersoli´s site so I search some loads on another forums:
Be careful because this loads must be used as a reference only.
On double rifles, you have to use the load that “regulates”.

XXX: have a new Kodiak .72 double rifle, and I'm curious what loads others may be using. I've only shot to 50 yards so far, but will be trying 100 as soon as I can. Each barrel fired separately for group did 1 1/2" outside measurment. That's with either the Cabelas or Rush Creek (from Track of the Wolf) .715" ball, .010" patch and 90grs. FFg Goex. When firing the two barrels together for group, the windage isn't bad at all, 1 1/2" - 2". The vertical dispersion though, is 4" - 5". I have some other combinations to try yet, like Fg and 1 1/2 Fg Swiss, but realize I might be loading a different powder charge for each barrel.

ZZZ: I have a Kodiak .72 , as well. It's my 3rd one from Cabela's. The first 2 would not group "as advertised", so I sent them back and finally have one that will shoot both barrels within 3" at 65 yds. Windage deviation is 0-2" and vertical is 2-3" (Depending how I hold it) with 165 grains FFG Swiss or 165 grains H777, PRB .715 and .010 patch. This load is probably good for anything in north america. I changed the front sight to a Hi-Vis type and it seems to work OK. I should probably change the rear as well. PJB

YYY: My Kodiak 72 is a shooter, 80 grs GOEX and PRB prints 1.5" horizontal at 75 yards. I have killed buffalo at 100 yards, both balls passed completely through, both hit ribs, with 90 grs GOEX 2f. That's enough penetration. A friend who likes to see how much powder he can burn, has settled on 110 grs as a practical limit-nothing to be gained in his opinion in burning more powder.

WWW: I have shot the .72 Kodiak with the .715 PRB and at 120gr to 130gr it is OK.
I've done more tests with the 770gr conical. 130 to 145gr seems to be a fine load . I have shot it at 180gr just for the Kick of it, but find no reason to take the recoil and waste the powder.
140gr gives full penetration in an elephant to lodge against the opposite ribs.
Pedersoli suggests 90gr of FFg but I find it a bit light.

JJJ: I have a Kodiak .72 and I found that for me the sights were uncomfortably high. I didn't want to flip sights for each barrel. So I mounted a lower front sight and removed the rib mounted sight base and soldered a single fixed rear sight to the rib.
My left & right barrels shoot to the same POI within an inch or two at 50 yards with 100-120 grains of FFg, an OP wad, and a PRB. Every gun can have a different "personality" due to the alignment of the barrels at time of manufacture. Since each barrel is offset from the centerline of the rifle and has a converging angle so that somewhere out front the projectiles may converge, movement during recoil and dwell time in the barrel affects where the muzzle is actually pointed when the projectile leaves the muzzle. To get the left/right POI's to coincide, typically if the barrels are cross firing the charge needs to be increased. If the Left barrel POI is to the left of the Right barrel POI, then the charge needs to be reduced. Once the left/right problem is resolved one can worry about the vertical differences of POI if any. I used to have a Kodiak .54 and could never get it to regulate without different powder loads in each barrel and that seemed to defeat the idea of being able to reload rapidly if necessary. My .72 has good vertical alignment of the left/right barrels so all I had to find was the right load to regulate the Left/Right POI. Accuracy is about what you can resolve with your sights at a particular distance.

FFF: my .72 Kodiak with 550gr. round balls and 140gr. FFFG Goex chronies at 1330 fps. muddy boots conicals are 669grs. and i would imagine in the 1150-1250 fps range. what great fun these rifle are.

Hope this helps.
Martin

Edited by beleg2 (25/08/08 12:28 PM)