Preferred caliber choice for a double rifle?

One of the other misunderstandings that gets oft repeated as fact is the regulation of doubles, it’s far more broad than is commonly understood. I just treated my .375 doubles as any other rifle, and simply shot what was available. That ranged from 235 speers and CEBs with published loads, no special development, to the cheapest factory .375 I could find- Fed blue box, in 270s and 300s. There were many others consumed by that pair of chambers too, I’ve sincerely lost count of how many head of game I took with that rifle and the different loads used in the process. It was in summary, just a handy takedown hunting rifle.

In the H&H Royal .375 Flanged Mag I shot mainly reduced H4895 235gr loads to be easy on it, not at all what it was regulated for, but they immediately shot well as did 270s. And vintage Kynoch shot great too. I handloaded for Douglas’ Merkel 140AE .470 and found it immediately liked the first 400 grain XTP range load (bullet intended for .480 Rugers) I worked up too, just as much as the factory 500gr Hornady stuff.

All of it regulated just swell for hunting purposes to 100, and I used the .375 Merkel on shots out to several hundred yards as a single shot. As a back up rifle to grizzly clients it frankly didn’t even matter what load due to the ranges that would be employed at, I chose the load on bullet performance not what dimension of citrus fruit it shot at 100 yards.

The academics can get in the way of the function and actual use of doubles. BUM, I’ve for a partial box of the 400gr XTPs if you want to try them in your Merkel. They’d be a heck of a black bear bullet in your .470. Message me an address and they’ll be on their merry way.
 
Years ago, I should have bought one of those Baikal 45-70 doubles. At the time they were stupid cheap, now they seem to have a cult following. Compared to many of the rifles mentioned here, it's Yugo to Cadillac in comparison.

Personally I like Ardents two posts. You really need to differentiate between hunting and defense uses. When I travel, three ferries from a horribly managed government monopoly means I often don't get home. Decades long insomnia means its a pointless waste of time and money to take a Motel. I take a foamy, and truck camp/boondock. The area is covered in cats and black bears. My truck gun is either a 1895g, or a shorty 12ga Turkish 870 clone. That 45-70 would have been awesome for that.

Back to regularly scheduled program. When I think doubles, I think African dangerous game, Satan's cattle and Elephant. Shot at insanely close distances. If that's the purpose, buy the biggest oomff, damn the cartridge cost or availability. If it's for North America specifically, what animal here wouldn't become calm with two 375 h&h in three seconds.

My last point goes not to specific use, but actually using it. If it's a brag rifle you show off to friends, but don't use. Go for it, collect anything you want, even double rifles worth a decent used cars value. I got out of rifles too expensive and pretty to risk scratching in the alders.
 
Did the Satan’s cattle and other African dangerous game with the .375 H&H, and the grizz here, it leaves nothing wanting and most PH’s these days I know are happier to see a .375 than a Nitro Express.

After hunting for work I want to see a modicum of speed from a hunting round, nothing weatherby required, just modern functional speed 2400 and above. It fixes a lot of shortcomings from trajectory, to reliable bullet performance, to game falling on their shadow more often.

If folks are buying a double for the excitement of the imagination, a pursuit I fully support and partake in, then by all means go big and slow. I see doubles as a useful takedown hunting rifle rather than an implement to enjoy the spirit of adventure and times past, and it alters my views on their chamberings.
 
Who are the importers for the German double rifles makes? Merkel? Krieghoff? Heym?

Can't say I've seen any new stock arrive in the last year.
 
I just imported my own, easy these days, then your selection broadens hugely. Buy used… there are lots, and they’ve rarely shot more than a box or two. Ralf does stock Heyms casually, and often has consignment of used doubles that fired 12 rounds, for 1/4 to 1/3rd off new.

There is of course the cheat solution. A Ruger No.1 Tropical in .375, .450-400, .450 Nitro or .458 Lott is every bit the imagination spark a double is, on a fraction of the budget.
 
I'd go with the good old 45-70. Can be loaded up to approach factory 458WM ballistics for Africa (I use to load my #3 up with 500 Hornady's to ~2000fps back in the day for ####z and giggles), but would remain a relatively useful rifle with tamer factory ballistic-ish loads for typical Canadian game. I'm assuming a double in 45-70 would be heavier than your average lever action, but I suppose that is part of the tradeoffs with a double.

Sourcing components for the classic African cartridges will always be a challenge, where the good old gubmint cartridge will always be accessible.
 
Joe Salter has a "nice" Holland & Holland "Royal" Double Rifle

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BigUglyMan said:
But...but...but...Brian Pearce (aka Wish.com Elmer Keith) used it!!!
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Elmer Keith and his disciples have had a bit too much lead exposure over the years. :d

Any time a belief is taken to extremes, I get suspicious. Be that extreme heavy and slow, or extreme fast and light. Or anything with an X, Tac, or something that could be mistaken for an aggressive adult toy in its name.

sillymike the H&H Royal is nice. I had the same model, ultimately I preferred the Merkel in actual field use. My bias with doubles is I don’t view them as a novelty, they’re great field guns.
 
OP here, this is definately going to be an emotional purchase prior to anything else.

Going for a 470 NE in a German double and won't be looking back.

Love the 375HH in my bolt gun but want something a little more exotic for this purchase.

Lots of great advice throughout this thread.
 
There's a bit of Pro Wrastlin' in Keith's persona, he experimented with the 6.5x61 with a fast twist and 200 grain bullets which would be a ring a ding dong dandy round and which we will probably see something like it soon.

Wasn't Keith's Elephant Gun a 476?
 
Ardent said:
Good deal. I bought mine for $7 grand, that’s pretty comparable.
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Agreed, that's not bad at all... and how many of us spend easily $4 grand on a bolt gun. Duct-tape a second bolt gun to the first, and you still wont have a double for $8 grand, ahaha!

With regards to the topic @ hand, I've even found .470 Nitro to be fairly manageable in a double. Overall though, I think your double calibre choice will come down to your recoil management threshold, your overall intended game, and ultimately how big you want to go. A double in a bit less costly, more easily shot and with a bit more reasonable ammo price tag will see endless amounts of use compared to a cartridge that doesn't fit the aforementioned nearly as well.

I'd personally go for something in .375, 9.3x74r, or up to .470. On the other end, a nice lightweight double in one of the 6.5 or 7mm rimmed cartridges would be the cats' arse as an overall gun.
 
Agreed, .470 at a sedate 500grs has more palatable recoil in my hands than .375 at 300grs in the same weight gun. Doesn’t mean I prefer it as a working cartridge, not at all, but that’s a range pleasure shooting observation. I’ve had a big range day shooting the .470 and .375 from a pair of Merkel 140 amongst others (.450 Rigby, .505 bolt guns), practicing quick transition targets and follow ups. Asked at the end of the day my favourite recoil impulse, it’s the .470, the classic big soft shove. .505 was reasonably mild too, also 2200fps and under ammo. I’d choose the .375 over both on a grizzly follow up, and well, did choose it despite having big Nitro Expresses in the cabinet beside the .375.

In the modern hunting field, it’s my contention the .375 with its 2500fps+ is actually the more effective cartridge, and I’ve seen that borne out. That doesn’t make a .470 not fun, and you can certainly hunt it.
 
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