Double Rifles.

Blaser3006

Well-Known Member
Anybody here shoot a double rifle, and if so what calibre and how long have you owned and shot it?

Interested because I've had a .375 for about 2 months be interesting to hear about other doubles. :D

Gerry
 
Hi.
My first ever stalking rifle was a Geyger[Berlin.] on a Merkel action which I bought in 1961.
It was in 7x65R calibre[Rather similar to a rimmed .270 in some respects.]
It was an O/U which was regulated for the 11.2 GRAM or 173 Grain bullet.
I shot Chamois,Roe, Fallow ,Reds,Sika and Muntjac with it over the years.
I sold it to a famous GUN FIRM for nearly £2500 pounds profit a few years ago.[Possibly the only time in my lifetime when I thus succeeded!!!]
 
dont buy a 375 for a double in the belted form, they never eject properly . buy a 375 in its flanged format
 
Get hold of a copy of Craig Boddington's safari rifles - very good on double rifles nad most rifle shots particularly those after dangerous game fall inot the category of either Double Rifle owner, or want to be one. I am in the latter category.

Stag - your over and under double on a merkel action sounded a lovely rifle - why did you sell it??? How accurate was it - obviously if you were happy shooting chamois it must have been accurate enough.

I looked at a Merkel the other day - 16 bore over 7x65R with claw mounts and 8x56 scope, with a set of 16 bore barrels as well. In one case you had everything you ever required in terms of a hunting piece.

But I do like having different guns for different purposes.

Any body looked at the Finn Classic.
 
C'mon Bambi, details needed, from what I have read you are in quite an exclusive club, to have been that close and survived :eek: :eek:

Fill in the gaps, please.

John
 
:eek: well Bambi count your lucky stars you are still here to talk about it. So what went wrong :confused:

I have to say I personally loaded every round for my Buffalo hunt. But I admit after hitting it twice with a 375 H&H loaded with 300 grain solids and it just bellowed and carried on looking at me, it gets a bit disconcerting. On any dangerous hunt the last thing you need is a miss fire or jam :eek: Not good news.

I couldnt afford a double rifle, so I stuck with the good old BRNO bolt action, which holds 5 rounds including one in the spout.
 
Mozambique 2007, lifetime desire, Buff 40 yards away, two shots form my Merkel .470NE 500gn Woodleigh weldcore solids and it just shrugged them off, i then dropped the pair i had between my fingers of my left hand as i tried to reload. I must of drilled that a couple of hundred times and still fluffed it when it mattered. Super super intense.....
Bambi do tell?
 
I too have memories of double rifles, As the trainee on Argyll Estates. My job, to carry the d***ed things. The Dukes wife had her French pals over and they tended to favour the double rifle. Double the weight. Its a long carry over Glen Aray or Shera with that on your back. It might be fine for sitting on the back of an elephant but as a stalking rifle give it a miss, Jim
 
Myself in the `60s with the 7X65R and a brace of Roebucks.
I sold it for financial reasons but for general sporting purposes a bolt action rifle cannot be beaten especially if the shooter is a re-loader.
Doubles are fussy things !
HWH.
P1010163.jpg
 
I got the chance to shoot a Chapuis SxS in 7.92x57R at Bisley some years ago and if I could have afforded it I would had done so in a heart beat as it shot wonderfully. Of course with hindsight I should have got a loan and brought it but if I recall correctly the price was £4500 for the rifle then the mount was about £220 and then the scope another £500 and it was simply not within the grasp of my finances. Something I regret every time I think about it :cry:.

On that day we had a supply of RWS 196 grain ammunition and the rifle certainly liked it. Recoil was a bit stout from the prone position though.
 
I love doubles and have been collecting them for a while.

Currently have

Anson 12 bore double rifle
Rigby .577 Double
Army and Navy (Webley) 450 No2 Double
.500 nitro express double
Holland and Holland 12 bore Paradox Almost a double.

8 Bore single rifle Isacc Hollins
.400/.350 Rigby Bolt action

There is a club called the Express Rifles association headed up by George Wallace that shoots at minsterley ranges, anyone really intrested should come down and have a go !

Minsterley 28-3-09 011.jpg12 Bore Rifle 6.jpg
 
Hey I didn't know that was still running! Although no doubles I did attend being a member with a .458 and 9.3x57 but for soem reason the news letters stopped coming so I thought it had died. Minsterly was a heck of a drive from Gatwick. It's bit nearer now that I am in Lincolnshire.

The last time I was there George was playing with that 505 Gibbs from Belguim. I cannot say I was that impressed with it though. Way over priced and it was giving trouble I recall.

Sadly my Rigby is a miniture Bore being a .256" ........................ Mind you bell used one on Epherlumps.
 
.256 ? Last time i went down there and wanted to put my .308 through a chrono i was accused of using an air rifle.

Its good fun though to have a go down there they dont half go boom when you let them fly, anything that makes the dust drop from the roof of the firing shelter with the muzzle blast is good.

Mind i can only fire my .500 around 4 times before it becomes just too painful
 
still waiting Bambi, we're all ears and eyes waiting to know where and how you got 120 stitches, what part of your body? Been charged by a muntjac doe once! not quite the same thing. deerwarden
 
Back
Top