Exactly what i want. A working reliable double but chambered in a cartridge that shoots a little faster and flatter than my 4570. Guess i should have kept my baikal in 30/06 as well. I just felt it should of had a rim although i never had any issues with extraction
Sensible double for north america
- Thread starter brybenn
- Start date
Exactly what i want. A working reliable double but chambered in a cartridge that shoots a little faster and flatter than my 4570. Guess i should have kept my baikal in 30/06 as well. I just felt it should of had a rim although i never had any issues with extraction
I run 220 sierra game kings in mine around 2150 fps, no extraction or any other issues, accurate and pleasant to shoot.
405 grain Remington bulk bullets to 1400 or so in the 45/70 and its pleasant to shoot as well, Ive been threatening to take them both to the Charlottes for a Black tail safari one day.
I would jump all over a hammer gun as well.
I used federal blue box 180gr in the 3006. For my 4570 i use remington bulk 405gr fnsp at 1600fps or a 405gr oregon trail silver cast alloy wide fn hard cast at 1550fps. The rem jacketed bullets just crumple black bears. Haven't taken game with the hardcast other than grouse
Ideally 2 rifles would be best as i want a 25/35 or even a 25/20 for hunting in my home area which has a caliber restriction but the cost for 2 doubles is divorce territory and i cant afford that so i have to compromise.
My other option is two fine singles...
My other option is two fine singles...
Its $3000 for an extra set of barrels for a traditional sxs. $4000 for one of the rising breech sxs which just seem to different for me plus theyre more than twice the price
I've had a couple of the Baikal .45-70 doubles and thought they were very fun and useful guns, and terrific values for what they cost. Regulation varied from extremely simple to fairly complicated and labour-intensive, since the adjustment method in the design is strictly for horizontal regulation; there is no provision for vertical adjustment, so if that is what's needed (as it was on one of mine) you start getting into shims and solder and lots of trial and error experimentation. I considered them to be short-range guns, 100 yards max, so hair-splitting accuracy and barrel-to-barrel consistency wasn't a requirement. I don't have one now...not really sure why?...but if someone is in the market, there is one listed on the EE now for $1700!
I now have a Merkel SxS in .30-06. It's got a couple of screws that allow for extremely precise regulation of the two barrels. Once a load is decided upon, a little bit of pleasant time and effort allows you to get it down to the point where you can print 4-shot groups, 2 from each barrel, that measure well under 5 inches at 300 yards. For a double, that's beyond outstanding. I should be head over heels in love with this gun, but it's a .30-06 and that just keeps me from getting overly excited about it. If it was in 9.3x74R (and it is made in that chambering) I suspect that I would be planning on having it buried with me once I die.
I now have a Merkel SxS in .30-06. It's got a couple of screws that allow for extremely precise regulation of the two barrels. Once a load is decided upon, a little bit of pleasant time and effort allows you to get it down to the point where you can print 4-shot groups, 2 from each barrel, that measure well under 5 inches at 300 yards. For a double, that's beyond outstanding. I should be head over heels in love with this gun, but it's a .30-06 and that just keeps me from getting overly excited about it. If it was in 9.3x74R (and it is made in that chambering) I suspect that I would be planning on having it buried with me once I die.
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Guess I've always figured North America isn't the place for them. Not really suited to long distance shooting and there's no one to tap you on the shoulder and say, Take the shot.
grizz
Oh?
Just as well suited to 250+ as any single shot. Just know where your favourite barrel shoots for long range. I’ve fired mine at 200 & 500 yard gongs regularly. Just as accurate as my No.1s. Here’s a shot I took on a Gemsbok “out there” in a Africa after days of getting winded from afar.Truth is doubles being presumed to be “old tech” or only good for 50 yards is terribly misguided, I’ve hunted very extensively with SxS doubles. My sincere advice is they’re the best pure sporting rifles if you like to hunt with irons. With a scope, treat them like a single shot with a backup plan. The regulation issue is overblown I haven’t owned a quality double that wouldn’t kit a paper plate at 200 with both barrels with a variety of loads- and one of them will put them into 2 MOA at 200. If we’re honest with ourselves that’s good enough for 99% of hunting outside the mountain species. Inside 100 they give up nothing on actual performance on game.
My take is just get a .375 H&H Merkel or Heym and get at it. Shoots as flat as a .30-06 and perfectly suited to North America. I’d include my usually string of double taken game but we’ve all seen those too many times and I’m on a smartphone in an airport. The vote for the Heym by A-Zone is a good one. Merkel 140s are also a high quality working double. I’m not into Sabattia or O/U doubles.
No arguing that a 375hh isnt great but ideally id like a rifle scaled down to a smaller caliber. It will mainly see use for coyote wolf and deer. Having enough punch for spot and stalk range ontario black bear would be a plus. If so stamped as 275 or less its legal in my home area for small game. Mainly coyotes of which i often carry a sxs 12ga for. However its those dogs that hang up passed what im comfortable shooting at with buck shot.
Hunting with a finely made rifle that will allow an easy 100 yard or 150 yard shot is just the ticket and a double gun is just that much nicer. There are quite a few euro calibers well suited for my intended purposes so that i can leave my 4570 set up for the way it is and ill eventually have a sxs 450/400 when strictly chasing large game
For buffalo i have a 458wm crf and ill bring a second bolt action for plains game either a 3006 or 300wm or 375hh
Hunting with a finely made rifle that will allow an easy 100 yard or 150 yard shot is just the ticket and a double gun is just that much nicer. There are quite a few euro calibers well suited for my intended purposes so that i can leave my 4570 set up for the way it is and ill eventually have a sxs 450/400 when strictly chasing large game
For buffalo i have a 458wm crf and ill bring a second bolt action for plains game either a 3006 or 300wm or 375hh
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Fair point I can’t understand that .275 limitation, just bizarre. Here big game is just limited to centerfire, no limits highs or low.
I’d also a little 6lb round action SxS double... I just don’t want to pay for it!
I’d also a little 6lb round action SxS double... I just don’t want to pay for it!
We have a 275 restriction for small game in much of south ontario. Its by name so 270 is acceptable as is a 275 rigby even though both are technically larger than 275. Its stupid i can use a 270wby but i cant use a 9x19 carbine
A 6lb or less double would be sweet.
A 6lb or less double would be sweet.
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Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Been long considering making my own little lightweight stainless round action double rifle design. I’ve been humming and hawing a pricey order with Butch Searcy for a stainless .375, and starting to look wiser and wiser to attempt my own.
I’m pretty sure Martin made a double wide version of his hagn single shot. I think he showed me pictures of of when I was a kid in his shop. He was working on a 600 nitro single shot at the time as well. Always thought it would be a neat to have a falling block double in 7x57
