Double rifle dreaming....

The Rizzini Wild Express is available in: 7.65R, 8.57JRS, 9.3x74R, 30.06, 308WIN, 444Marlin and 30R Blaser. I have found them for US$3800.
Wild-Express-.jpg


BTW - why are the o/u rifles significantly cheaper than the SxS? I would suspect that the amount of work required to regulate them would be similar. What other factors are there?
 
I *think* over under rifles are easier to regulate than sxs due to the recoil being "in line" with the entire rifle and the groups are effected mainly in a vertical manner. A sxs is more difficult to regulate because each bbl is outside of center in relation to the butt stock. The gun swings side to side as well as up and down varying amounts depending on the load when fired, making it more difficult to regulate.


Some of the examples you list are regulation adjustable by the user, anyways. This alone can bring the cost down as all they have to do is get it "close" I belive it is the Merkel O/U that has both vertical as well as horizontal adjustments for regulation.
 
The side-by-side is definitely the way to go. If you're serious about a double just bite the bullet and do it, but don't cheap out an an over-under just cuz they are cheaper.

To me the way to go is a .450NE, .470NE or .500NE. Any of those calibers.

The Searcy's start at $16,000 and the rifle is an excellent well built rifle. I have read glowing reports about them on sites that discuss Africa and safari rifles. Their warranty is a "no questions asked" kind of thing. You pay the fees to ship the gun and the rest is covered.

I think the Heym and Kreighoff are probably as good as the Searcy, not sure about Merkels. I suppose all of those are on a par. But for me it would be a Searcy, if I were buying a doubel rifle today. Sure a British rifle would be better, but the Searcy's are awfully good.

I also think the best action is the boxlock. I have just finished reading the chapter on double rifles, in Terry Wielands book Dangerous Game Rifles, which btw, now that I have given it a second read is very good.

Someone mentioned the problem with the over-under and it is the action has to move much more on opeing/closing and consequently they are much slower to load and are not as strong. Which is why they are pretty much topped out at calibers like 9.3x74R.

Having said all that, I am a magazine rifle fan. I doubt that I will ever get a double. I have 2 excellent safari rifles already, a ZKK-602 in .416RM and a CZ-550 in .458 Lott. It is my intent to hunt with and become proficient with both of those, for that day when I might be able to afford Africa. :sniper:
 
If forced to choose between fancy safari rifles and staying home, or ordinary rifles and going on safari take the trip everytime. If you can have it all, then by all means have it all. When you do get there the chances of being backed up by a PH with a bone stock Brno or CZ are better than even.
 
Dogleg said:
If forced to choose between fancy safari rifles and staying home, or ordinary rifles and going on safari take the trip everytime. If you can have it all, then by all means have it all. When you do get there the chances of being backed up by a PH with a bone stock Brno or CZ are better than even.
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Amen Brother Dogleg!! :agree:


Edit:
It's also one of the serious problems with double rifles. People cannot afford the damn things! So they can't afford to shoot, practice and become proficient with them. One of the common mistakes is that people cannot get used to 2 triggers and pull the same trigger twice.
I think the front is supposed to fire the right barrel and then you drop onto the back trigger to fire the left, something like that.

Guy waits his whole life to be able to afford one then wants to go to Africa with it and he is not comfortable with the gun. Firing a heavy gun with 2 triggers takes practice.

Sometimes a guy pulls both at once also. Pretty much anybody that has played with a double rifle veyr much has had the dreaded double barrel shot. Ouch!
 
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1899 said:
That sounds "interesting". I wonder why it would be replaceable.
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I just looked on the VC website (should have checked before saying anything) the steel plate is not called "replaceable" but called "removable"
and is just a plate were the cartridge heads sit and firing pin protrude to protect the "percussion zone" as they call it. It mabey similar idea to a bushed firing pin as well?.



On another note, I remember the Chapuis O/U has/had an adjustable something or rather to tighten up the action as it wore. Another one of those "I should check before I open my mouth things" but I don't feel like checking right now.
 
As a rule of thumb on doubles with double triggers that have a lot of recoil the rear trigger is used first then the front trigger. This prevents double firing from the finger sliding off the front trigger and hitting the second trigger. I like the old black powder doubles and have fired a 4 bore rifle and that is the way to fire it back trigger then front trigger.
John
 
The triggers are also set up differently for left hand and right hand shooters. The back trigger being the outboard one for what ever handed you are. This helps from touching off the rear trigger when the front is fired first.

Being left handed and firing a right handed gun I can tell you for certain that my finger brushed the rear trigger many times under recoil.
 
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Boomer said:
The over under rifles are not as handy or as quick to reload as a side by side because the lower barrel requires more movement to clear the receiver. The prices of these things generally start at outrageous and rise rapidly from there. I am fortunate that I found the doubles heavy, clubby, and no faster in heavy chamberings than a good quality bolt gun at 1/10 the price.

Edited to add . . .
I am sure that should you have the opportunity to handle and shoot a British double, that it would become quickly apparent why the Searcy guns are less expensive. I'll never own either, but that's the opinion of someone who owns a number or doubles from various makers.
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I'm sure the fine english rifle are of better quality than a Searcy.
You can buy a brand new Searcy that uses state of the art metalergy with reasonably fit and finish for under $16,000.00 or you can buy a brand new H&H for $190,000.00.....I'd expect it to be a bit better too!
 
FYI, I was reading some more from Dangerous Game Rifles.

The new John Rigby doubles are built on a Merkel action, so I take that to think that the Merkel action must be pretty good.
 
The Merkel handles the 375H&H, a high pressure round. It HAS to be strong to do that.

I picked up a Merklel in 375 H&H along side of some British doubles. The very worst thing a guy can do is read Internet crap and make a decision based on it. You have GOT to hold these things and see what you like or dislike. Theoretical bullshoit be dammed.


That is the problem here in Canucka, there arn't gun shops that have a few doubles you can pick up and try.
 
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Who peddles the various doubles in Canada?

Maybe the Contributing dealers on here could post what they carry and what they want for them...dreaming minds want to know!
 
Here are some blackpowder doubles



The top gun is a Willaim Powell 450/400 BPE
Renette double from Paris 20 bore with a 1 5/8 case
Hughs from London 57 cal muzzleloader
Westley Richards 12 bore muzzleloader
Kodiak 58 cal
I do like side by sides
John
 
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