Pedersoli Kodiak favorite cal. ?

[2shot]

I have noticed that on gun auction sites it seems like the Pedersoli Kodiak's in 58 cal go fast. Last .58 I saw sold for over $800 in a biding war while the 50's sat with no bids.

Besides the newer .72 cal are the 58's in greater demand that all the other caliber Kodiaks ?

2shot

[DIRT Farmer]

I have 2, a 50 that I have had for a lot of years marked Trail Guns Armory and a 72 that was aquired in an accidental trade. (never shoot a lowball price unless willing to pay) I prefure the 50 for hunting but when hunting with new hunters, grandchildren, the 72 will stop any deer that needs stopped. Both took playing with loads to shoot to sights both shoot well enough with RB for reasonable hunting to 100 yds.

[smoked turkey]

2shot good to see your post on this. I have a nice 58 Kodiak marked Trail Guns Armory that is very nice. I find mine shoots best with a patched ball also. They are nice and of high quality. My take on this is that the double rifle is mainly a hunting rifle. The 58 has all the power needed for most game. I am more of a target shooter and the double rifle is not as accurate (for me at least) as a single barrel muzzleloader. Since I don't hunt with mine I have contemplated selling it. I am looking for a single shot 58 of some sort, but find that 58s are fairly scarce.

[DIRT Farmer]

I made up a drop in for my TC Hawkin with a Green Mountian 58 barrel. When the wind blows it dosen't move around like a 50. I had a sewer pipe barrel and used the TC hardware on the new barrel.

[daddywpb]

I also used the same GM .58 barrel in a T/C stock. Works great.

[northmn]

There's something about a double that makes you want a big bore. 58 will work with all kinds of loads. I read about a lot of folks using the 72.

Northmn

[Doc Highwall]

I had a 58 caliber and I used Lyman's 575213 that weighed 568 grains and used 136 grains of Elephant 2F powder and both barrels would hit a clay pigeon at 200 yards with a peep sight that I made for it.

[saz]

I also have a .58 and I love it! I have yet to flatten any critters with it but it shoots pretty good with Lee minnies and 105grs of 2F goex. Not exactly a benchrest shooter, but plenty accurate out to 100 yds or so for shooting critters.

[Naphtali]

I have noticed that on gun auction sites it seems like the Pedersoli Kodiak's in 58 cal go fast. Last .58 I saw sold for over $800 in a biding war while the 50's sat with no bids.

Besides the newer .72 cal are the 58's in greater demand that all the other caliber Kodiaks ?

2shot

I have a Safari .72-caliber and a .58-caliber. The differences that are significant all tend toward quality control. The .58-caliber came from Cabela's and has a semipistol grip stock of lower quality wood. The rifle is accurate - but triggers' actions needed substantial work.

The Safari is a Pedersoii direct purchase. It is accurate. Its finish and detail work are superior to what I got from Cabela's.

Both rifles shoot surprisingly close to a mutual point of aim, to the degree I am thinking of removing the atrocious rear sights and having Brockman's adjustable aperture sight installed. Then I would nickel-dick with each barrels' load until accuracy was acceptable for me.

I do not notice the two-inch difference in barrel length, nor is the difference between semipistol grip and straight grip significant (This surprised me.) Both rifles have essentially identical weights of ten pounds ± a few ounces.

Since I was interested in heavy loads, I proofed each barrel on each rifle. Pedersoli's restriction on "maximum" loads proved to be a lawyer's hoax.

Reloading conicals in the field for either rifle cannot be done in a timely way. (I have a very short conical mold for my Safari.) Patched round balls, especially useful in the Safari, are marginal in terms of "speed" reloading. I feel comfortable writing that these rifles are two-shot hunters only.

If I were forced to dispose of one rifle, or had been force to buy but one of them, I would choose to keep the Safari in a New York minute. Regardless what you load, these muzzleloading double rifles are 100-yard hunters (In Montana there is no restriction to single barrel muzzleloaders). And 100 yards is a stretch. The Safari's significantly larger bore might be a more effective killer/stopper of elk at its effective range. It is definitely - DEFINITELY - more of a rush to shoot.

Hope this helps.

[wellfedirishman]

Yes, I know this is an older thread....

I just picked up a Pedersoli Kodiak 72 used, and Wow is it nice. The Pedersoli build and finish quality is excellent.

The rifle is noticibly heavy (10lbs) but it raises and points very easily like a shotgun. I think it would be a stable rifle platform for offhand shooting.

I plan to ring some steel gongs with it this weekend

[Doc Highwall]

You will appreciate the weight when you fire it.

[2shot]

I posted this thread some time ago but I'm glad to see that it's still going. The originale intent of this thread was to find out peoples preferances for the caliber of the Pedersoli Kodiak. I have had one for some time now, about 15 years maybe longer that I don't shoot anymore. I have thought about selling it that's why I started this thread. Mine is a .58 and shoots the Lee R.E.A.L. to the same point of impact at 70 yards with both barrels and 85 grains of FFg. As I was investigating the Kodiaks on the internet it seemed like those that had the .50 caliber were the most disapointed by their Kodiak while the ones that had .54's or .58's seemed the most satisfied.

Looks like on gunbroker and other internet firearms places the .50's sit with no bids but the .58's go for more than starting bid. I shoot my.50 caliber Southern Mountain rifle that I built the most now and use it for all my hunting, the Kodiak just sits. I have mixed emotions about selling this Kodiak, I really like it I just don't use it any more.

2shot

[Alan]

I bought a .72 a few weeks back. I figure "Heck, anyone can shoot a 50, 54, or 58. Go for the .72" I have a Lyman .715 RB mould, and use it with .010" linen patches. I bought the gun from Dixie, and have sent the 2nd one back now due to regulation issues. The first one was printing about 1.5 FEET apart at 50 yards, the 2nd one did 6-8" apart on group centers.

I think that a double is primarily a short-range stopper, therefore the heavier calibers would seem to be the logical choice. The going rates on GB seem to bear this out.

BTW, the individual barrels are shooting VERY accurately. - to the point that real accuracy comparisons of various loads will need to be done at 75-100 yards, they just cut one hole at 50. Hopefully the 3rd time will be the charm and get me regulated. I SERIOUSLY like this rifle.

[Shooter]

I have a TGA .58 I bought back in the '70's with a 12 Ga. spare barrel. Ther was a lot of hooie about them not being regulated. Mine shot to the sights at 50 and 100.
The only minus was the shotgun barrels wheren't choked.

[Newtire]

Why would someone not want a .50 when the fast twist 1-24" barrel can shoot a long conical? Too heavy maybe?

[peter72]

Put an order in for a Safari Express .72. Will be a couple of months before I get my hands on it but looking forward to it.

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