Which double rifle calibre would you buy?

.375 H&H. Have to sell a kidney though. Bigger stuff would require selling a lung too. snicker.
And "just because" is as good a reason as "I want one.".
 
I did a lot of research before buying the SXS I have. Asked many questions and did a lot of reading on a couple of the forums that have a lot of people with some knowledge of double guns. That research led me to buying one with the confidence of being able to get what I wanted. And I did. I was considering two guns at first. One smallbore, one bigbore. I've decided not to pursue the bigbore, simply because I don't need it, I am not going hunting griz or going to Africa.
I wanted rimmed cartridges, wanted some versatility. A 7x57R or a 7x65R or an 8x57JRS is a great choice for over here, the 9.3x74R was not what I wanted, I have a #1 in 450/400NE 3", the 9.3 just seemed to be too close to it to bother with. I could get 30-06 or 300WM, but, they are not rimmed.
But, I wanted something in that range of cartridge. Found out about the 30R Blaser (7.62x68R), did some research on it, ordered one. It filled the bill quite nicely, decent velocities, good bullet selection.
Brass is a bit tougher to come by, but, could be had, ammo is avail in Canada. Reloading info takes some searching, but, it is out there, and, I have all that I could get, which ended up being a fair amount.
I like that it is an uncommon cartridge, I like the way it performs too. It's not as cheap to shoot as others, but, still a bunch cheaper than the NE cartridges. I have had a lot of fun with it so far, the one limiting factor of a SXS may be some longer shots, but, they can be worked around also. The O/U is a better choice in that regard, but, it isn't my choice of gun (It'd be too easy). Even here in Alberta, and in BC, I've shot 95% of my animals under 200 yds, and the SXS in 30R or the 6.5's, 7mm's, 8mm's and the 9.3x74R are fine within that range. The learning experience on shooting the SXS is well worth the time spent on it, it is a lot of fun.
I'm burning sawdust on the thought of a 6.5x57R, or similar, the thought kinda turns my crank.
 
I'd choose a German or Belgian gun chambered in 9.3x74R. The cartridge has a rimmed case for positive extraction / ejection, ample power for anything but elephant and perhaps cape buffalo, is commonly available, has a usable trajectory for the ranges that this the type of rifle would be used for. An 8x57IRS might serve as well on everything but the very heaviest critters. I would avoid any "rimless" cartridge since they just aren't as reliable when the tiny extractor has to ride over the rim during chambering.
 
I had a 375H&H. Could be loaded up or down for any situation.

My 8x 60R was a very nice intermediate caliber. Similar in power to 30-06.

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209jones said:
I did a lot of research before buying the SXS I have. Asked many questions and did a lot of reading on a couple of the forums that have a lot of people with some knowledge of double guns. That research led me to buying one with the confidence of being able to get what I wanted. And I did. I was considering two guns at first. One smallbore, one bigbore. I've decided not to pursue the bigbore, simply because I don't need it, I am not going hunting griz or going to Africa.
I wanted rimmed cartridges, wanted some versatility. A 7x57R or a 7x65R or an 8x57JRS is a great choice for over here, the 9.3x74R was not what I wanted, I have a #1 in 450/400NE 3", the 9.3 just seemed to be too close to it to bother with. I could get 30-06 or 300WM, but, they are not rimmed.
But, I wanted something in that range of cartridge. Found out about the 30R Blaser (7.62x68R), did some research on it, ordered one. It filled the bill quite nicely, decent velocities, good bullet selection.
Brass is a bit tougher to come by, but, could be had, ammo is avail in Canada. Reloading info takes some searching, but, it is out there, and, I have all that I could get, which ended up being a fair amount.
I like that it is an uncommon cartridge, I like the way it performs too. It's not as cheap to shoot as others, but, still a bunch cheaper than the NE cartridges. I have had a lot of fun with it so far, the one limiting factor of a SXS may be some longer shots, but, they can be worked around also. The O/U is a better choice in that regard, but, it isn't my choice of gun (It'd be too easy). Even here in Alberta, and in BC, I've shot 95% of my animals under 200 yds, and the SXS in 30R or the 6.5's, 7mm's, 8mm's and the 9.3x74R are fine within that range. The learning experience on shooting the SXS is well worth the time spent on it, it is a lot of fun.
I'm burning sawdust on the thought of a 6.5x57R, or similar, the thought kinda turns my crank.
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Vearney carron I think I spelled that wrong has their own 375 round for their doubles. That case necked down to 30 338 or 35 cal would be an absolute power house and flat shooting to boot
 
Brutus said:
A cartridge with a flange on it.

Edit: In my dreams, a Hummingbird rifle in 22 Hornet. ;)
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Hey, back off! Mine! :D

.17 Hornet barrels too, please! Save the fancy engraving, give it a nice case hardened finish.

If it's gonna be impractical and never used to hunt with, it might as well be a darn fun thing to drag out to show to company! :)

Cheers
Trev
 
Make sure it is a flanged round.
I have used by old BRNO O/U in 9.3x74 (scoped as I find it harder and harder to see iron sights) for many big animals including kudus, gemsbok etc, male lion, other cats, zebras... etc -- it never has failed me yet. I tend to use Nosler Partition of Oryx 286 gr bullets.
For the big stuff, 470 NE is a good heavy choice. If I had to do it all again, I would keep my 9.3x74 and have picked a 500NE just for the extra size. No real reason - just because.

The flange makes the extraction just that much more definite, I have guns in .375 HH, .222 (single break) and 30-06 doubles and single break actions, as well as the above plus a 22 savage HP, 8x57R and 7x57R.... the smaller non-flanged rounds can have the extractor skip over the rim and cause a mess. The same happened rarely with the .375 ...... I just will not trust it when the chips are down. It may never happen to you with a quality rifle, but it did to me.

My point is, try and figure out what it will be used for and then pick a caliber that your can handle. My friend in Namibia uses his 9.3x74R sxs double for elephants and lions all the time... he laughs that I want more size. Although an ele did fall on him when it finally collapsed after both bbls finally did their job (broke my friends leg when the ele landed on him)

Your choice, but in my view...make sure it is a flanged round.
 
Brybenn, the 375RVC would be a good cartridge, but, more work than I want to get into. Seems to me, as I remember it, the case is formed from 450NE basic. Perhaps factory rounds can be had, maybe out of the US, never seen them shown on Tradexx. Could be fun to wildcat it in a #1 or an 1885, but definitely not a practical thing for a double rifle. For myself, as I already have all the stuff for it, I'd go with a 450-400 3" in a double. It'll do the job asked of it.
I tend to agree with Farshot, no flange on it, it's not a great choice for a double gun.
 
I personally think the 450/400 3" is the perfect double for the once or twice in a life time hunter if he or she needs a double. Light. Hit hard but are very tolerable recoil wise. There may be better options for certain times but truly what can't be safely and humanely taken with the 450/400? It will certainly be my next double rifle. After that a smaller caliber for deer possibly or small game
 
Longwalker said:
I'd choose a German or Belgian gun chambered in 9.3x74R. The cartridge has a rimmed case for positive extraction / ejection, ample power for anything but elephant and perhaps cape buffalo, is commonly available, has a usable trajectory for the ranges that this the type of rifle would be used for. An 8x57IRS might serve as well on everything but the very heaviest critters. I would avoid any "rimless" cartridge since they just aren't as reliable when the tiny extractor has to ride over the rim during chambering.
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Blaser does a Drilling in 9.3x74R and/or 8x57IRS, doubles are old news lol
 
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