New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

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crs
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New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by crs »

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I had a chance to pick up this one with 26 inch barrels and think it might be a way to get the .45-90 double that I wanted by merely extending the chambers by .3 inch. This would allow use of .45-70 or .45-90 ammo as I do in my 1886 .45-90 for which I have brass, bullets, etc. It is from the estate of Bob Hynden who made my Simson .405 WCF double; it was his personal hunting rifle.

One of the interesting features is the circa 1964 Beretta GR 2 action with coin finish, double triggers, extractors, and 3 point lockup (two under lugs plus Greener cross bolt). Beretta USA emailed the user manual PDF for the GR 2 to me!
Plus cocked hammer indicators and articulated front trigger.
Plus American made 26 inch barrels and I have been told they are from McGowen, as are my .405 WCF barrelsr.
Plus Leupold variable 1-4 shotgun scope regulated at 75 yards with Remington 300 grain bullets that print a R and L in one inch.
Plus very nice wood and checkering with cheek piece, thick recoil pad, and ¾ inch sling swivels for European style sling.
Plus Anson release of semi beavertail forend.
Plus 100 rounds loaded ammo, 100 primed brass, and dies.
Plus a huge two rifle aluminum travel case. I may want a takedown case later; right now I can tote it in a leather case for a scoped rifle.
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More detail as I learn things. I can now say that the Beretta action is as smooth as any I have ever opened and closed (except maybe my 100+ year old Parker shotgun).
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by 2ndovc »

Wow! That's a beauty!!! Not many things you couldn't hunt with a rifle like that. Very nice!


jb 8)
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by Pitchy »

Quite a package and a beauty. 8) :)
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by Pete44ru »

crs wrote: Fri Aug 03, 2018 5:56 pm
Image

I had a chance to pick up this one with 26 inch barrels and think it might be a way to get the .45-90 double that I wanted by merely extending the chambers by .3 inch.


Very, very nice - Congrats !

Before extending the chambers, I would urge you to keep in mind that the barrels are regulated to converge at some point with .45-70 (factory ?) loads, and .45-90 loads might not regulate.


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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by Blaine »

Beautiful. Stunning... :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by Ysabel Kid »

2ndovc wrote: Fri Aug 03, 2018 6:20 pm Wow! That's a beauty!!! Not many things you couldn't hunt with a rifle like that. Very nice!


jb 8)
I dunno - crs could take a squirrel with it, but I bet it would ruin the meat! :lol:

Okay, bad joke.

Cool double crs! 8)
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by crs »

44ru said ,"Before extending the chambers, I would urge you to keep in mind that the barrels are regulated to converge at some point with .45-70 (factory ?) loads, and .45-90 loads might not regulate."

Agreed and good point on the regulation. I may like it so well as to leave it alone, but I have already alerted my fave Texas double rifle maker and regulator of the barrels of my .405 double, that after I shoot the rifle some, I will take it to him to inspect. It is very smooth handling and slick operating and if it shoots as I was told and read, then I have a lot of loaded ammo to shoot and critters to kill before getting bored with it.
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by piller »

That is a nice looking rifle. Congratulations!
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by mark »

I'd leave it as Beretta intended.

Regards Mark
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by Bill in Oregon »

Charles, congratulations on that wonderful double rifle. I'll be curious to hear what your Texas gunsmith thinks about regulating with .45-90 chambers. You might also consider running this past JJ Perodeau at Champlin's up in Enid, OK.
Last edited by Bill in Oregon on Sat Aug 04, 2018 9:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by Griff »

If you get bored with it sooner, rather than later... I have a birthday shortly... :P
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by M. M. Wright »

Gorgeous! That action looks just like my Beretta shotgun.
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by crs »

Thanks to all for kind comments. I too think it is purty!

MM, what model Beretta do you have, a GR2?
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by Nath »

Lovely thing.
Leave it be, it will give all you wish as is.
Just saying.....

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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by 6pt-sika »

mark wrote: Sat Aug 04, 2018 2:28 am I'd leave it as Beretta intended.

Regards Mark
Unless I misread it isn’t as Beretta intended now . Again if I read correctly the guy who’s estate it came from made the rifle barrels .
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by 6pt-sika »

crs wrote: Sat Aug 04, 2018 1:17 pm Thanks to all for kind comments. I too think it is purty!

MM, what model Beretta do you have, a GR2?
You need to bring that bad boy up to Maryland next month for the Vintage Cup unless I’m mistaken seems to me they have several double RIFLE events .
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by KWK »

crs wrote: Fri Aug 03, 2018 8:59 pm... I have already alerted my fave Texas double rifle maker...
Is that Bradshaw?

I've thought a Pedersoli Aida converted to .45 Colt or the like would be a wonderful rifle.

Nice finds you've made there.
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by crs »

KWK,
No but he apprenticed with Bradshaw. His name is Aaron Little and his shop is east of Minneola. He is now making double guns from scratch, actions and all and stays pretty busy. Only a little more than an hours drive south for me.

6 point - thanks, but next month is opening of dove season down here and a bit of a ritual with old DWWC crowd. One group of us has shot together for a decade or so.
It would be fun tho to bring Parkers for clays and DRs for rifle shoots.

"Again if I read correctly the guy who’s estate it came from made the rifle barrels ." Close, but no cigar. Bob made the stocks and installed and regulated the McGowen barrels, ribs, and such onto the Beretta action and monobloc. He did nice work.

Bill in Oregon - maybe I will shoot some hogs or such before tinkering with it. :)
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by cas »

I've punched out two .45-70's to .45-90. Unless you're shooting black powder, there's no point to it.

In the long run, I regretted both of them.
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by mark »

6pt-sika wrote: Sat Aug 04, 2018 6:06 pm
mark wrote: Sat Aug 04, 2018 2:28 am I'd leave it as Beretta intended.

Regards Mark
Unless I misread it isn’t as Beretta intended now . Again if I read correctly the guy who’s estate it came from made the rifle barrels .
"Beretta" barrels or not?, a very good question.

What is the proof stamped on the barrels?.

It's late and raining. I'm reluctant to open the safe and have a look at the proof marks on my Beretta shotgun.

If you change the caliber does it require a "re-proof" to be acceptable to Beretta and the EU in general?.

Just wondering.

You have much more experience in these matters than me.

Respectably yours, Mark
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by Bill in Oregon »

Charles, Aaron is not only a great gunsmith, he is also a nice guy. I wonder how your rifle would shoot with heavier bullets -- Hornady 350s or Barnes 400s.
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by Nath »

Bill in Oregon wrote: Mon Aug 06, 2018 8:31 am Charles, Aaron is not only a great gunsmith, he is also a nice guy. I wonder how your rifle would shoot with heavier bullets -- Hornady 350s or Barnes 400s.
That's not heavy, 500 grainers is what it needs :D

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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by Rimfire McNutjob »

As a tinkerer, I like the 45-90 idea. But yes, it's a risk as I'm sure you're aware.
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by crs »

Bill said
"Charles, Aaron is not only a great gunsmith, he is also a nice guy. I wonder how your rifle would shoot with heavier bullets -- Hornady 350s or Barnes 400s"

I have .458 bullets from North Fork, Remington, and Woodleigh, so some experimentation is in order when the darn heat drops below 100 degrees. From experience, I know that I can push 400 grainers to 2000 fps using N133 and still stay under 40,000 psi.

Faster in the 1886 .45-90, but it is good above 50,000 psi (as is my Miroku 1895 .405). You may remember that Grizzly loaded 450 grain Kodiaks for that1886 rifle at 2150 fps and 86er took an ele, cape buff, and leopard with it. Since I already have two DG lever action and one double DG rifle, I may just enjoy the lack of recoil on this new one for a while.
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by Bill in Oregon »

Charles, while you are enjoying easy-on-the-shoulder "normal" loads, have you thought about seeing if she regulates with black powder and cast? What fun if she did. 8)
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by piller »

A 400 grain bullet at 2,000 fps should be enough for any wild pig. How big of a critter are you planning to knock off of its feet?
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by M. M. Wright »

crs wrote: Sat Aug 04, 2018 1:17 pm Thanks to all for kind comments. I too think it is purty!

MM, what model Beretta do you have, a GR2?
Well, I got it out of the safe and it has the double underlugs and Greener cross bolt and the articulated front trigger but I cannot find anything that says GR2. It's marked "Silver Hawk" on the bottom of the action. I've used it for cowboy matches with brass hulls and ffg. It is a sweet shotgun even though the stocks are rather light colored.
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by crs »

MM,
Thanks.
The way I determined mine is a GR2 action was searching the internet for Beretta double rifles and following every lead (including forum chats) until I found pix of actions that exactly matched pix of mine. I then searched on the GR2. I learned that the GR series (2,3,4) were an intermediate action to bridge the 1960s and 1970s from many years of 400 series to the current actions. The GR2 was for the American market and through a single distributor. It featured the double triggers and coin finish for the American market. The GR3 and GR4 were single trigger with a selector. Owners of these guns seem to consider them very serviceable and reliable middle price range guns that they like; they have shot them for years and plan to keep on shooting them.

This is a first Beretta for me and so far, so good. 500 years of gun making experience seems to have paid off for Beretta and their customers!
Glad to hear that you are pleased with yours. 8)
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by Rusty »

After reading about the trip that Brian Pierce made to Africa several years ago using Garret Hamerheads in a Marlin .45-70 I would be reluctant to rechamber to anything short of a .45-120 considering what a great round the .45-70 is.
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by crs »

Rusty,
Good point!
With modern bullets and propellants, the .45-70 can be loaded to take just about any game, especially at close to medium quarters.

Between my 45-70 and .45-90 rifles and my .405 WCF rifles, I am through buying big bores. :)
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by marlinman93 »

That's a gorgeous double rifle, and very nicely built! Should be a great hunting rifle!
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by crs »

First trip to the range -REPORT:
Very slick action and trigger pull and surprising little recoil for a .45-70.

Learning the rifle led to a few initial large groups, but ended with a R&L groups of 2 inches at 50 yards and the same at 100 yards.
Right eye pink eye necessitated 1/2 right handed AND 1/2 left handed shooting. Lefty groups were off to the right a few inches but all the last half of shots were within minute-of-deer accuracy. Lets go hog hunting!

Study of the targets when back home showed that the rifle is accurate, but I was not. Going back as soon as weather cools below 100 F and new eye drops clear up shooting eye.
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by Nath »

:D
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by Bill in Oregon »

Charles, sorry to hear about the eye infection. Sure easy to take clear vision for granted.
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by Pete44ru »

piller wrote: Tue Aug 07, 2018 5:48 am
A 400 grain bullet at 2,000 fps should be enough for any wild pig.

How big of a critter are you planning to knock off of its feet ?


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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by 44shooter »

I personally would not modify that gun. A lot of expense and work was put into it to make it what it is. I suspect 300s at about 1800 is all that will shoot close. You may get lucky experimenting with loads, but I wouldn't start cutting chambers or melting solder if I had a working load already.
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Re: New-to-me Beretta .45-70 Double Rifle

Post by Paladin »

Beautiful rifle, played with one of those when I was in Germany in 75 wanted bad but not even close to my salary. Enjoy it any way you want.
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