Some of you may recall that I built a Cape Gun (SxS rifle/shotgun) on a Huglu SxS 16 ga I have. The chambering is the .348 Win case necked up to .416. Nice lookin' cartridge. I'd consider the arm appropriate for grouse hunting this weekend where I might see a moose while I was looking for grouse.
 
Anyway, I hadn't regulated the barrel yet, so since I was headed to the range yesterday to do some load workup for the .375x.284 Win and the .308 Win with some 85 and 130 grain HPs, I thought I'd take the Cape Gun and get the rifle barrel regulated.
 
I was very pleased with the regulation process. I've read and been told that it can be a 'bear'. Fortunately, this is only one rifle barrel, so I only have to get it to hit point of aim, instead of getting both barrels to hit the same point of aim as I would in a double barrel. At 50 yds, the first shot was just over 4" left of point of aim but right on in elevation. Using the rule of thumb that 0.001" of barrel movement equals 1" of movement of point of impact at 100 yds, I shimmed the barrel 0.008". The image below shows the target.
 

 
 
 
The hole to the left is the first shot. The three holes in the center are after the shimming. I was using the Hawk 400-grain bullet ahead of 50 grains of AA2495. I didn't measure the muzzle velocity, but according to QuickLoad it's supposed to be something like 1879 f/s.
 
That's the good news....
 
This firearm has the distinction of being the single most unpleasant shoulder-arm I have EVER shot. It knocked the snot outta me! I HATED having to shoot those last three shots. The first shot actually seriously HURT my arm. I didn't know whether to cry or curse. (You can guess which one I chose. ) I knew the shotgun is light, but the surface area of the butt is also small. Especially it's narrow. Shooting that gun was like putting the end of a 2x4 against your shoulder and having someone hit it with a sledge hammer. I'm going to have to do SOMETHING to mitigate this problem or remove the rifle barrel. It's simply horrible to shoot. On top of that, since it's a shotgun, you have to get 'down' on the stock to aim it. (aim rifle - point shotgun)
 
The first thing I will do is put as much lead in the butt as I can. Then I will change the butt-plate, which now is just plastic. A recoil pad - a BIG one - is definitely called for.
 
So... good news and bad news. Oy!
 
Paul

Something I have been contemplating for a long time but have not done is sew arecoil pad into a hunting shirt or vest. PAST would work well i believe. for that little help in the field on big shooting days and use at the range.

Good work Paul. That rifle does shoot well.
As for the recoil, well I hate getting slapped around what is why I limit my largest cartridge to a .308.
I used to have a little .410 shotgun that would just up at hit me in the cheek bone every time. An that was only a .410!!
Try a slip-on recoil pad. Because they slip on over the stock they have a larger surface area at the butt. I now have one for my .308 and even one for my .303/25, not that it kicks bad but just because it makes it more comfortable to shoulder and shoot.
And its not a permanent fixture either.

QuoteGood work Paul. That rifle does shoot well.

Thanks. I think it will shoot 1" groups at 50 yds "all day long".[/SIZE]

QuoteI used to have a little .410 shotgun.

[/SIZE]

With "shotgun" being the operative word.
 
It's having to "get down" on a shotgun to aim it that creates the cheek slap. Or in this firearm's case - cheek punch. Still and all, the pain at my shoulder was just as bad as the cheek-punch.
 
The slipon recoil pad has crossed my mind as I have one on my H&R Model 58 Topper in 12 Gauge. In the end, I'm going to have to come up with a permanent solution that doesn't require having to make a new butt. The moritising for the action would make doing that too much trouble, or too much money.
 
Another solution, is making my own bullets, and making them substantially lighter. That's 'in the works' as they say.
 
I don't know if you recall or not, but some time backI was musing over what to convert my "new" 1895 Marlin into. It's currently chambered in .45-70, and I don't want that chambering. I'm thinking the .416x.348 Win is back in the mix. I had excluded it from consideration because of this Cape Gun. However, I really like the cartridge, and it would be a "natural" for the Marlin.
 
Paul

The other option for your Marlin is 416 Barnes.
Basically 416/45-70, it was Frank Barnes' last cartridge design.
The figures are good and it avoids altering the extractor.
BTW, could you post a pic of the cape gun's muzzle?

QuoteBTW, could you post a pic of the cape gun's muzzle?

Sure. Why the muzzle, pray tell?
 
And the rim of the .348 is the same as the rim of the .45-70. The .416 Barnes and the .416x.348 Win are ballistic twins. Barnes just wanted a straight-walled case he could name after himself.
 
Paul

Recently, MidwayUSA had a "blemished" bullet sale. Among the 'blemished' bullets I picked up were some 450-grain .416 boat-tail spitzers. I think they were made for the .416 Barrett. At 1650 f/s, the BC is 0.850. That's right...

1.103

Do you see why I bought it?

Here's what it looks like. It is on the far left, and a case loaded with it is next to it. On the right are the Hawk Bullets. The case is loaded with a 400-grain bullet. To the right of the case is a 500-grain  RN, a 400-grain spitzer, a 350-grain spitzer and a 300-grain RN.



QuickLoad says that if I launch this bullet at 1650 f/s from my Cape Gun, well the numbers are below.



Paul

Awesome! I'm not sure I could take the punishment. Would a decelerator pad help? As usual, your math background pays off again.  Regards, Rick.

Looks like a fascinating load for that gun, Paul.
But Rick is right......OUCH!!
I'd practically cast a lead ingot for the stock bolt channel.
It must weigh less than my 9.3x62 Tikka and you've held that.
It already has a Limbsaver.
BTW, I love the look of Cape Guns......smooth bore down one side and rifled the other.

You'll notice that the load that kicked the snot out of me was doing at least 1879 f/s, and given QL's errors lately, I'm guessing it was over 2000 f/s.

The load I show above is at 1650 f/s.  BIG Difference. It's not a matter of "taking" the punishment, it's a matter of choosing NOT to.

I don't think the terminal performance of this bullet AS CONFIGURED will be very good for a hunting bullet. I intend to open the mepalat to at least 0.1" and maybe 0.15. I'll calculate the BC with the larger meplats and see what they look like. But with a starting point of 0.850, there's a bit of 'headroom' to play with.

Paul

Quote from: gitano;114792But with a starting point of 0.850, there's a bit of 'headroom' to play with.

Just a bit.....