[Jeff Higgins]

Heh heh - that's because it is a "12 gauge". .72 caliber is just about what the muzzle of a cylinder bore 12 gauge should mic out to. That, and it took ten rounds to chew that big of a hole.

What really tickles me is that this rifle is so perfectly "regulated" at 50 yards. That's no mean feat, really, and is actually one of the costlier processes required in building a double rifle.

The big British manufacturers employ someone who shoots the rifle "in the white", before it is finished, to determine if both barrels hit the same point of impact - we call this being "regulated". Most don't. When they don't, the gunsmith has to actually unsolder the upper and lower barrel ribs, separate the barrels, add shims, re-solder, and try again. Often over and over again.

Once the rifle is regulated they can finally blue it and finish it. It is forever stuck with one bullet weight in one specific load - any change in the load will affect regulation. Even just changing powders, still shooting the same bullet at the same velocity, can adversely affect regulation.

This is kind of where a muzzle loader has a bit of an advantage over a breach loader. I was lucky in that this one regulated with the same load in both barrels. If it didn't, I would have the option of slightly varying the load in each barrel in an effort to regulate it. It is, however, only regulated within a very narrow range of powder charges - if I go up or down more than about ten grains, it starts to cross or diverge. Fortunately, it regulated with a pretty stiff charge of powder, plenty enough to make it a very viable heavy game rifle. At least at very close range.