Nitro Express Goodness (56K warning!)

Neo

Neo

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It's funny how long some itches can take to scratch. Over the years, I've fallen in love with the mystique of double rifles (damn you Ruark & Capstick!!!), talked myself out of it, and then still pined over them. Being a creature of reason, I generally managed to keep pulling myself back from the brink each time my credit card started to whisper that "a double rifle isn't THAT much money..." Honestly, I fought the good fight, and pretty much figured I had it licked.

But then it all went terribly wrong. With less than 3 months to go until an upcoming leopard & cape buffalo hunt, here's what showed up in the mail last week...

My thanks to John Hipwell of Wolverine Supplies for all the time he spent sharing his own considerable experience as I thought through the purchase and generally made a pest of myself. As for Ruark and Capstick -- I'm still blaming this on the both of you...

At any rate, here's some .450/.400 Nitro Express goodness in the form of a Merkel 140AE double rifle with Euro claw mounts carrying a Schmidt & Bender Zenith 1.1-4x20mm illuminated scope with the FD9 reticle. All suitably displayed against a red hartebeest backskin, naturally ;) Lord, I just can't wait to get my feet back on African soil again!

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my words of advice are these, If you have never fired something with that much put down power before take a couple shots with just the irons. when you know what to expect then put the scope back on, awesome peace of artowrk you have there.
 
yodave said:
my words of advice are these, If you have never fired something with that much put down power before take a couple shots with just the irons. when you know what to expect then put the scope back on, awesome peace of artowrk you have there.
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Sage advice, and I quite agree -- there's plenty of eye relief on that scope, but I have no intention of getting an epic scope cut on the first shot. So irons first, for sure!

In truth, though, I'm not expecting it to be all that bad. Even without the scope, the rifle weighs in at about 10-1/2 lbs. With a 400 grain bullet backed by 80-81 grains of IMR-4831 (suggested by most sources to be a good regulation load, though some have referenced a charge as heavy as 82 grains), I'm thinking (hoping?) that it won't be too much more than my .375 H&H, which honestly I enjoy shooting quite a bit, even from the bench.

As soon as it warms up enough in Edmonton to prevent primers from freezing (God, I'm tired of winter!!!), I'll finally find out first hand how authoritative this girl is going to be on the back end. But by most accounts, the .450/.400 is fairly manageable, at least as Nitro Expresses go ;)
 
Just about the same as mine, just in the ladies' size:p

Helluva fine rifle. I didn't get a hard case with mine but it looks sharp.

But a scope? Good God man...are you getting old or something?:D
 
BigUglyMan said:
But a scope? Good God man...are you getting old or something?:D
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Troll... :p

For what it's worth, I certainly wasn't thinking "scope" when I set off to buy a double rifle. Of course, I also wasn't thinking things like "progressive lenses" either. Yeah, age sucks.

In all seriousness, though, when the rifle I found turned out to have already been fitted for a removable scope, it occurred to me that this would probably allow me to get more use out of it over the years. For sure those iron sights aren't going to get any clearer as the years continue to roll by, though they do still work for me now. But no matter how clear they are or aren't, and English-style express sight with a 3/32" bead is a pretty coarse tool. Having a scope as on option turns this 75 yard rifle into a 200 yard rifle with a wee bit of hold-over.

We all have our vanity, though. Suffice it to say that I'll aways remove the scope before posing for the trophy pics :redface:
 
Neo said:
Y'know, you're more than welcome to hijack this thread with pictures of your own recent acquisition ;)

(Hint: Somebody went and bought a *real* double rifle, not just a working grade Merkel!)
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And it's a magnificent piece! (Thank you Anthony at Trade Ex!). I'll get some pictures of the new acquisition posted soon (been busy loadin' ammo)...

(Less than three months to go. Can't help but feel the humidity of the Indian Ocean and the crisp air of Samara...:D:D:D)
 
OK, here you go...
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More to follow (once the weather warms up enough for a trip to the range!)
It does seem to have a fondness for 400 grain Barnes Banded Solids...:D
 
That is a beautiful rifle! I am with you there is something mystical about a double rifle. Who are you hunting with on the next trip and what make of bullet are you planning on using? Congrats again and you are doing Africa the right way - with a double rifle!!
 
Well all I can say is "THIS THREAD SUCKS"!!!! I thought I had put the thoughts of these magnificent rifles away to rest. So jealous of you boys and your beautiful works of working art.
 
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