Jagare
Well-Known Member
No idea. Only quoting their advert on the web.
Who has and uses a double rifle? Or who lusts after one?
- Thread starter Heym SR20
- Start date
No idea. Only quoting their advert on the web.
8x57
Distinguished Member
I may be completely wrong but I always thought that the Winchester express rifles were built in the FN Browning factory. I'm also not sure if they used 101 actions supplied by Miroku in Japan. Now this may seem totally implausible to some but Browning, Winchester and Miroku have intertwined manufacturing histories going back much further than most people think.
My own lust after an O/U express rifle was as a result of seeing rack after rack of .30-06 rifles in the FN factory over thirty years ago. We were told that they were destined mainly for the U.S. market. I didn't take a lot of notice of the actions at the time and just assumed that they would be based on the B25 actions that were being built in the factory but they could just as well have been based on Winchester 101 actions I suppose. It was many years later before I purchased my first double express rifle and even then the Browning was a bit beyond what I could afford so I purchased a Unifrance Solitaire. Since then the Browning express became more affordable before being recently discontinued from the Browning catalogue.
My own lust after an O/U express rifle was as a result of seeing rack after rack of .30-06 rifles in the FN factory over thirty years ago. We were told that they were destined mainly for the U.S. market. I didn't take a lot of notice of the actions at the time and just assumed that they would be based on the B25 actions that were being built in the factory but they could just as well have been based on Winchester 101 actions I suppose. It was many years later before I purchased my first double express rifle and even then the Browning was a bit beyond what I could afford so I purchased a Unifrance Solitaire. Since then the Browning express became more affordable before being recently discontinued from the Browning catalogue.
Butch Searcy began building his double rifles on Browning 12 gauge SxS BSS shotguns.
Browning catalog guns I have seen have been built on the Superposed B25 action, but some later custom shop guns on a speci5ally heat treated or "reinforced" B425 frame in 20 gauge ( 8x57 IRS and 7x57R. ).
I have seen older Winchester .270 and .30-06 Express rifles built on the 101 action, some with shotgun barrels in the set.
Browning catalog guns I have seen have been built on the Superposed B25 action, but some later custom shop guns on a speci5ally heat treated or "reinforced" B425 frame in 20 gauge ( 8x57 IRS and 7x57R. ).
I have seen older Winchester .270 and .30-06 Express rifles built on the 101 action, some with shotgun barrels in the set.
8x57
Distinguished Member
Southern I read that Searcy built his rifles on a mixture of different shotgun actions over the years including the Ruger Red Label. Some of the actions were found to be far more suitable than others for converting to rifles.
Browning have I believe also used the B525 action as the basis of their express rifles in addition to the already mentioned B25 and B425 actions. The later Brownings were mainly built for the lower end of the market but I'm sure they still produced rifles based on the B25 from the custom shop if you could afford it.
Browning have I believe also used the B525 action as the basis of their express rifles in addition to the already mentioned B25 and B425 actions. The later Brownings were mainly built for the lower end of the market but I'm sure they still produced rifles based on the B25 from the custom shop if you could afford it.
mchughcb
Well-Known Member
Ok. I'm sure the last one I saw had a ring to insert between the barrels to regulate. Won't happen if they are soldered.
8x57
Distinguished Member
That would be one of the later models then where the last few inches of the barrels were not joined. This allowed the ring that acted as a wedge to be slid back and fore for regulating the barrels. Previously to this the barrels were soldered and regulated for a particular load in the factory in the traditional way.
On my Chapuis the barrels are soldered but the adjustment wedge is left protruding so that a gunsmith can alter the regulation if required. Some newer Chapuis models have an adjustment system that just relies upon a screw and sliding wedge system that can be adjusted by the shooter himself.
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The Continental Express set was built with a straight grip on a 325 in 20 gauge frame, with a set of shotgun barrels and .270, .30-06, and 9.3x74R that I have seen. You can buy them for about $9,000 today in the leather case.
Browning Custom Shop built higher end wood, custom fit dimensions, with more engraving, on the 325, 425, and 525. There is an 8x57 IRS on a 425 frame, 20 gauge, right now, for $6,000 USD.
8x57
Distinguished Member
Some of the finishes on some of the Rizzini's are particularly nice aren't they.
I think I will start collecting modern European double express rifles when my lottery ticket finally comes up. 
Orion
Well-Known Member
10000 SEK sounds like a bargain to me!
( Should have grabbed it, might have helped even the odds against the mighty Merkels over the next couple of weeks).
Jagare
Well-Known Member
10000 SEK sounds like a bargain to me!
( Should have grabbed it, might have helped even the odds against the mighty Merkels over the next couple of weeks).
No mate, it was 115000 sek
. The Mauser is up for a challenge as always. Time will tell . I went to the gun shop last week to buy bits for our mutual friend and nearly got them to show me a sidelock merkel 160E in 8x57jrs with strait hand stock and extra 20 bore barrels.
Then i realized i would have to sell a kidney and two body fulls of blood to buy it. May just have a look at it when i get back.
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
Well I didn't expect this thread to run to nearly 100 posts. It seems that there is a fairly small but enthusiastic cadre of double rifle enthusiasts, but the biggest challenge is that we are trying to drink very fine wines, but on a supermarket wine type budget. Doubles are and always have been expensive, but you can get a pretty good European one for well under £5,000, indeed even change from £2,500. In the last Holts auction there were several doubles sold were you would have written a check for this amount.
Orion
Well-Known Member
Might not be too much of an issue, I suppose it depends on who's body parts you're intending to form part of the deal?
Fava beans and a nice chianti anyone?
Villreinjeger
Active Member
I have a J. Jeffery hammer double in .400J 3". 400grs 55grs Cordite.
Have finally received all the items needed to duplicate regulation load:.411 woodleighs, hornady brass and IMR powder sits on the shelf. The recoil pad was cracked and old. Replaced it with a new red Decelerator one.
Come spring and I will load up a few rounds and see how she shoots.
I have also had a double rifle drilling from Mathelon since 2008. Splendid gun for driven hunts! 2x9,3x74R+20/76.
Have finally received all the items needed to duplicate regulation load:.411 woodleighs, hornady brass and IMR powder sits on the shelf. The recoil pad was cracked and old. Replaced it with a new red Decelerator one.
Come spring and I will load up a few rounds and see how she shoots.
I have also had a double rifle drilling from Mathelon since 2008. Splendid gun for driven hunts! 2x9,3x74R+20/76.
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8x57
Distinguished Member
Hardly the way to sell it with that strap line Reiver.
If I were in the market for another double I doubt that I would be able to resist your rifle, seems like an extremely good bargain to me.
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