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Double Rifles, Single Shots & Combinations >> Double Rifles
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vagrouser
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Reged: 06/01/09
Posts: 104
Loc: usa
Utility of medium double (400/360)?
      #130530 - 26/03/09 03:02 PM

Hello all,
I want to start by saying that I really enjoy the collective wisdom and interesting discussions on this board. I don't yet own a double (rifle), but it is an itch I've had for some time.
I'd like your input on the 400/360 chambering. Boddington and Taylor don't seem to have much nice to say about it and I see their point about the 400/360 (and light-medium doubles in general) being a pretty limited tool for African use.
As a first foray into doubles I thought it might actually be pretty handy for deer/elk not to mention fun to play around with at the range and at a purchase point well below the more desirable big bores. In a couple of years when I can afford a trip to Africa it may be a 'shootable' rifle for my GF; by that time I will finally be done with training and hopefully making enough that I could add a 470, 500 etc. Interested to hear your thoughts, especially from those who have or have owned one.
Cheers,
Bill

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xausa
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Reged: 07/03/07
Posts: 2037
Loc: Tennessee, USA
Re: Utility of medium double (400/360)? [Re: vagrouser]
      #130533 - 26/03/09 03:52 PM

It sounds as though you have a specific rifle in mind, rather than the cartridge. Certainly the cartridge does not have a great deal to recommend it, but the rifle might. Would you care to enlighten us in that regard?

I once had two 400/360's in my store, one a William Evens box lock and the other an Alexander Henry bar action side lock. The each went for under $2000, but that was long ago, and I would gladly have either one of them back.

If you are interested in the cartridge, rather than the rifle, the 400/350 has much more to recommend itself, and you can make brass relatively cheaply from 9.3X74R cases.

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500Nitro
.450 member


Reged: 06/01/03
Posts: 7244
Loc: Victoria, Australia
Re: Utility of medium double (400/360)? [Re: xausa]
      #130534 - 26/03/09 03:56 PM


400/360

A good, lightweight deer or pig gun and that's about it.

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470evans
.333 member


Reged: 30/03/05
Posts: 278
Loc: Texas, USA
Re: Utility of medium double (400/360)? [Re: 500Nitro]
      #130552 - 26/03/09 11:01 PM

I have owned and hunted with two of them, both William Evans doubles. I found them to be a great deer/pig rifle. I have shot 5 pigs with the 286 Woodleigh soft and all have dropped to the shot.

I still have one but sold the other one to Cabelas. You can see it here: http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/conten...erarchyId=10473

This gun is one of the most accurate double rifles I've seen. I was fortunate to pick up a mint 400/360 Evans at Julias a few years back and didn't need two of them.

The 400/360 is a breeze to load for and uses the 9.3 bullets that are easily available. You can use cut down 9.3x74 brass for it just like the 400/350. You need to slug the bores with this caliber as there is variation among individual rifles.

Overall I find it to be an excellant cartridge and would recommend it for what it's intended for without reservation.

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vagrouser
.300 member


Reged: 06/01/09
Posts: 104
Loc: usa
Re: Utility of medium double (400/360)? [Re: 470evans]
      #130564 - 27/03/09 01:43 AM

Thanks everyone for the replies. Family friend has a WR 400/360 that is in fine condition and he has been trying to trade me out of an original 28 ga Parker VH I have. My Parker isn't hunted (use an old Model 12 or Fox 20ga) and it seemed we might finally do some trading.
Will have to think on this.
Thanks,
Bill

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vagrouser
.300 member


Reged: 06/01/09
Posts: 104
Loc: usa
Re: Utility of medium double (400/360)? [Re: vagrouser]
      #130607 - 27/03/09 09:15 AM

Looking for comps also came across one on the doublegunhq site (Russ Gould); looks like it is from the Julia auction earlier this month. . . Cheers, Bill

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unspellable
.300 member


Reged: 06/03/04
Posts: 187
Loc: Iowa
Re: Utility of medium double (400/360)? [Re: vagrouser]
      #140516 - 13/08/09 10:51 AM

I take Taylor's opinion on the 400-360 with a lot of salt. He knocks it but praises other cartrdiges with rather similar ballistics. The same with other cartridges. I suspect that a good deal of this sort of thing is do to spotty performance on the part of the bullets of the day and has little or nothing to do with the caliber.

Purdey's states that back in the day it was their most popular chambering in its class.

Be aware that there are five different non-interchangeable variants on the 400-360 theme. Far and away, the most popular was the Purdey variant. Westley Richards had their own version which took a 314 grain 0.360 bullet and had a thicker rim.


Most rifles, regardless of make, are likely to be chambered for the Purdey version. A Westley Richards is likely to be chambered for the WR variant which takes a 0.360 bullet of 314 grains. The rim is thicker, which is no problem if we are cutting down 9.3x74R brass. The base diameter of the WR may be bigger, perhaps not enough so to matter. I have had Bertram WR brass that will not go into a Purdey die due to too big a base, but I don't put much stock in Bertram's dimensions anyway. All in all the Purdey version will be easier to put up. There probably isn't a dime's worth of difference in their ballistics.

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