Pedersoli Kodiak Mark IV Chambering Question

[todayistomorrow]

Alright, as anyone who has read most of my posts knows, I love double rifles and following in that vein, I've been thinking about the Pedersoli Kodiak series of rifles.

Now, I'm not sure which forum this should be in, rifle or black powder, but seeing as I would be reloading any rounds I would fire through the Mark IV with BP, I figured this was the place to post this question.

The Mark IV standard comes in .45/70. Now, this is just far too small for my tastes in a double rifle, but I'm also very leery of modifications to firearms. What I'd like to know is, for a .45/70, how difficult would it be to make it take .45/90, possibly .45/110 or 120. Ammunition isn't a problem as I'll be reloading my own. The other issue is whether I would be able to use the 70's in a 110 or 120 barrel. If I wouldn't be able to, I'd simply pick up a second set of barrels and have those bored out.

So, it comes down to this. Compatibility between the calibers in a bored out barrels, cost of the chamber modification, and most importantly, whether the rifle would be able to stand up to the increased caliber.

I know this is probably a question that noone has the answer to, as its probably not something done very often, or if its ever been done at all. So, I send this out with low expectations, but hope that the wealth of knowledge that is The High Road will come through.

Cheers all

P.S. I've looked at the Pedersoli site, and they say that they don't sell arms directly to consumers. How would one go about getting a second set of barrels from them, or possibly having them make a custom set?

 

[Leadbutt]

pop over to accuratereloading.com and into the Double Rifle forum and talk with those guys there,, one or two of them have had them converted to 45-100 and 458 Express but a double rifle smith in Oklahoma

 

[todayistomorrow]

Alas, government internet blocks the accuratereloading.com forums for some reason or another.

Browsing firearms over a government internet connection is an exercise in frustration.

Seeing as they have been converted to 45-100 and 458 express, a 45-120 shouldn't be out of the question.

Do you have any contact information for the double-gun smith in OK?

 

[Leadbutt]

Do a search for J J Perodeau gunsmith type and or Champlin's firearms

 

[Omnivore]

I don't know squat about this specifically, but on general principle you can down-load the 90 or 110 cases to 45/70 energies and not have to mess with using different cases in the same chamber. This is commonly done in magnum smokeless cartridges for light recoil practice or deer hunting. You can load a 458 Win Mag to 45/70 velocities, for example.

 

[alemonkey]

I held a muzzleloading Kodiak last weekend. Neat rifle, but boy is it heavy!

I think in general a 45-70 can be reamed out to a 45-90 pretty easily.

 

[wulf]

Someone used to rent the reamers to do this

but their website is no longer there.