Considering rules in some African countries and advantages of 9.3x74 case, seems to me that a good double barrel round could be something like 375x74. Very easy to make, just run 9.3x74 case on .375” expanding mandrel and reload in proper dies. The only thing I would do is to make it bottle necked like 375 Hawk/Scovill ( http://www.z-hat.com/HawkCartridges.htm , http://www.z-hat.com/375%20Hawk.htm ) This will allow more powder and reduce brass stretching. In 26-28” barrel at 60 000 psi this cartridge should be very close to 375 H&H. Anybody went this route? Regards, Onty.

Considering rules in some African countries and advantages of 9.3x74 case, seems to me that a good double barrel round could be something like 375x74. Very easy to make, just run 9.3x74 case on .375” expanding mandrel and reload in proper dies. The only thing I would do is to make it bottle necked like 375 Hawk/Scovill ( http://www.z-hat.com/HawkCartridges.htm , http://www.z-hat.com/375%20Hawk.htm ) This will allow more powder and reduce brass stretching. In 26-28” barrel at 60 000 psi this cartridge should be very close to 375 H&H. Anybody went this route? Regards, Onty.
Hello Onty..
For more info go to the Shilo Sharps forum and do a search on 38-90WCF or Idaho Sharpshooter...he built one for BPCR shooting...
9.3X74R necked up to .38 cal.
I don't think that brass stretching would be a problem in a straight walled case...but what do I know?

Nearly all the African countries that allow hunting now, have the 9.3mm caliber as the minimum for dangerous game. RSA, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Namibia, etc... all allow 9.3mm on dangerous game. To customize a rifle to 375 from 9.3 seems like a lot of expense for a tiny payoff, if any.

If you are set on the 375 cal, you could always track down a 375 Flanged which was designed for doubles. Introduced at the same time as the 375 H&H, ballistics are very similar, but is on a rimmed case.

Onty; Other than for a gunsmithing exersize or maybe taking a 38-55 NEF out for a plaything and the bragging rights for a one off, I agree with Alyeska. The 375 Flanged Mag would be my choice in a NEF conversion anyway...much cheaper as far as loading dies are concerned AND

The thought of doing a 375 Flanged Mag on a NEF action has crossed my mind several times, keeping the pressure down around 48 KPSI. Everytime I go there I talk myself out of it.

Now I'm messing with a 375 JDJ on a Lee Enfield Isapore action. Made up a stub barrel yesterday so I can work out the feeding and threading parameters. I will fix the sights for one load at 125 yds point blank, for a back-up/pickup rifle. 300 gr Horn BTSP at around 2100 f/s in a 20" barrel. Will order the barrel sometime between now and the end of the month.

Keep the ideas flowing, Onty. Wildcatting is just that...WILD.

I have used both the Ruger Red label and the Ruger Gold Label to build "double rifles" based on the 9.3X74R case...

I have a series of cartridges that I designed and developed back in the 1980's that are based on the 9.3X74R cartridge that are necked down as far as 6.5 and up to the 9.3. These cartridges use the full length 9.3X74R case, have a 40 degree shoulder angle and minimum body taper. The neck length for each cartridge is the same as the bullet diameter. These rounds were initially developed for the Ruger #1 but has worked well in other guns also....

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Assassin. Can you give more detail on how you went about the conversion from shotgun to rifle and what gauge you started with?

I've seen small cal rifled barrel inserts for shotguns but nothing in the larger cal offerings.

Exellent idea whose time may be here now with better metalworking technology, i.e., CNC machinery, readily available.

I understand Krieghoff has one offering with an insert but that is way beyond my abilities...unless I win the Lotto.

Thanks

NFG,

it's not aqs easy as it sounds but this is the simplist explanation I can give...

On the Ruger Red Label, I cut the barrels back to 7" in total length. I then bore both chambers/barrels out to a straight cylinder. I then take two match grade stainless steel barrels, turn the first 7" of the chamber end to EXACTLY match that of the Ruger barrels that were previously machined. I insert the barrels into the Ruger barrels and epoxy them in place with an "elastic" epoxy. I also make a "barrel wedge" to go between the two barrels at the muzzle end and position them so that when fired, both barrels will strike the same exact point of impact at 100 yards. I can promise you that this is nowhere near as easy as what it sounds and has taken literally weeks at a time to get everything perfectly aligned. Once the muzzles are properly aligned, I remove the barrels from the Ruger barrels, clean everything up and then "peramanently attach" the barrels at the breech end and then the muzzle end and reshoot and recheck everything over and again to make sure both barrels are still shooting to the same point of impact...

Besides the barrel and stock work, there is lot's of time involved in modifying the extractors and compleating one of these guns....... Actually more involved on the Ruger Gold Label....

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I have used both the Ruger Red label and the Ruger Gold Label to build "double rifles" based on the 9.3X74R case...

I have a series of cartridges that I designed and developed back in the 1980's that are based on the 9.3X74R cartridge that are necked down as far as 6.5 and up to the 9.3. These cartridges use the full length 9.3X74R case, have a 40 degree shoulder angle and minimum body taper. The neck length for each cartridge is the same as the bullet diameter. These rounds were initially developed for the Ruger #1 but has worked well in other guns also....

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I'm currently having a 7x75R Vom Hofe SE built, which is based on the x74R case, modified slightly. Vom Hofe designed the 7mm and 8mm from the x74R back in the late 1930's.

Sounds like Assassin's cases are more modern than the VH cases. VH did others as well, but I believe those were the only ones based on the x74R case.

My "WHITE EXPRESS" line of cartridges based on the 9.3X74 brass are kinda like "Ackley Improved" cases with short necks....

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You have a PM, Assassin...

Assassin; I can imagine the work involved. Not something I would attempt at my level of machining skills or equipment, but I was close in imagining how you did it, which was pleasing to me.

Thanks for the information. I enjoy the mental/design end of gun making as much as the machining aspect. Once finished and shooting correctly I end up giving them away and starting on another project. I have/had a few ideas for Ruger #1's but haven't got to the machining end other than barrel/caliber swapping.

alyeska,

pm received and reply returned....


NFG,

I guess I "built" the ruger double guns because so many GUNSMITHS told me it could not be done. Talk about giving them away, if I got paid by my time spent working on them, I could have financed a couple of small projects...

Any ideas I might could help you with on your Ruger #1 project?

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