I had recently acquired a rather well-used but nevertheless quite sound hammerless double rifle built in Birmingham more than a century ago by W & C Scott & Son for the well-known ‘British’ firm of R.B. Rodda & Co. of Calcutta.  With 28-inch barrels and an overall weight of 9 1/2 lbs, the gun features Scotts' patent ‘Crystal Indicator’ back-action sidelocks with gilt tumblers and Perkes-patent intercepting safeties.  The engraving style is bold acanthus scroll with the retailer’s name in a banner on each lock-plate.  Although chambered for the .577/.500 No.2 Black Powder Express, the action flats are stamped “CO EX” indicating that the rifle was proved for, and probably regulated with, the cordite express ‘nitro-for-black’ load.  Ballistics at the time specified a 440-grain .510 bluff-nose jacketed soft-point at 1675 fps, for 2740 ftlbs muzzle energy.  The Taylor Knock-Out value would be 53.7 with a 440gr solid, not brilliant by any means, but some 25% more than the .375 H&H Magnum.

The provenance of this particular rifle is not known prior to the 1970s, when it was allegedly confiscated from a 'person or persons unknown' by the Elephant Control Board on the Indonesian island of Sumatra.  The rifle was subsequently disposed of by Government auction, at which time it was picked up by a visiting Australian and brought back to WA where it changed hands several times prior to my acquisition.

I wasted no time in developing a modern accurate load for the Rodda, settling on 74gr of ADI AR2208 plus 2 half-inch saddle-felt wads beneath the 440gr Woodleigh 'Weldcore' bullet.  Cases were Australian Bertram brass.  My handloads landed a little high on the test-target at 50 yards, but showed outstanding accuracy considering the rather dark bores.  Composite 4-shot groups were always within 2 inches, and R/L pairs were usually touching!  The time was fast approaching to reacquaint this delightful vintage hunting rifle with its old adversary: the asian water buffalo!

For the first trip, I took along one of my daughter's friends, Ralph, who had taken buff before but was keen to bring a really good trophy bull to bag.  My wife Rebecca also came along for the bushwalking, and to help pack out any meat we might acquire.  After following a drainage line upwind for most of the day, we finally bumped into a mob feeding in the creek-bed in the late afternoon.  Rebecca and I ducked out to one side and knelt down in a dry overflow to cover their exit from the creekline, and to pick out a fat cow or good bull, whichever presented the best shot as they filed past.  I was still being cautious with this calibre (the cartridge is no giant killer!) but assumed the 440-grain Woodleighs would do the job.

I didn't count on the herd turning down the overflow and feeding straight towards us, as we crouched in the open trying to hide behind 6-inch tufts of grass!  Two cows with calves were in the lead:  luckily one had an obvious weaner because it was she that offered the first opportunity, turning almost broadside at about 8 metres!  With no time to lose, I gave her both barrels quickly behind the elbow, then hastily reloaded and put a third into the off-side rib-cage, quartering forward, as she about-faced to flee.  Thankfully, the mob decided to head for the hills, although the cow was down within a few strides and quite dead by the time I reached her.

Based on these initial experiences with the .500 No.2 on buff, I would be quite confident taking the Rodda against the biggest buffalo bull, providing he was undisturbed and offered me a good view of his ribs.  Hopefully the opportunity will present itself the next time that marvellous vintage double accompanies me into the hunting field!