Time for a double. Verney-Carron or Merkel???

That's good to know dogleg. Would have to get properly measured up if I went that route but I know it's truely the best way to go. Wish I was closer to all the London double shops have their fitting rooms haha.

And I've read lots of your posts c-fbmi, they always interest me. I like your rifle and like what you did with the scope. Low profile scopes and mounts on doubles look so much better then some Ive seen. I'd like to have a similar detachable scope. I feel it would just make the rifle that much more versatile and usable even at home here.
 
That's good to know dogleg. Would have to get properly measured up if I went that route but I know it's truely the best way to go. Wish I was closer to all the London double shops have their fitting rooms haha.
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Finding a measurer at SCI would likely be more practical. Dealers could point you in the right direction.
 
Krieghoff has an open grip on the Big 5 stock, and their decock system is really easy to use, and the new ones have the selective extractor/ejector system available, as an add-on option. It still cocks and is hot on opening, which the Blaser does not do. Everything else is #### on opening and hot when closed, and just the safety for carry. The Heym has intercepting sears, but, you will pay a premium for a Heym. Searcy is a bit of a quandary in my mind, people yak about easy service from him, but, I also question why they need all that service. And he is getting older, how long he'll keep going may be a question.
They are like buying shoes, they all have a lot of unpublished options available, don't just take what you see on the website or in a brochure as what they offer, there is a LOT more available. Merkel has a lot of unpublished options. You can have silver or CCH receivers from all of them, some charge a lot extra for CCH, some don't charge extra. Stock upgrades aren't overly expensive, sight combos and styles can add a couple of thousand PDQ depending on what you choose on it. Metal decorations can get expensive in a hurry.
Chapuis has the nicest off the shelf wood, Blaser is next, very close to Chapuis, VC is next best as far as I have seen.
The process of buying one is a very interesting adventure, take your time, look at lots of images for options, and get out and shoulder what you can find. You want it, you earned it, you deserve it, go for it.
 
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BTW -- if I had to do all over again given what I now know...I would opt for the 500 NE for the extra bullet weight and slight increase in rifle mass and I would have tried them all on for size.

That rifle will stay with you for the rest of your life and the memories that come with its use far outweigh the cost in getting as close to perfection as you can.

When you see a Jackal running and pick it off with that instinct shot, you know it is a well fitting rifle.

But we all change as we age. Face changes in tone and weight, neck and arm muscles change... you may have to adapt the rifle along the way. But that is expected but you still have the same rifle.

When I bought mine, Tradeex, Wolverine, Calgary Shooting Centre, Londero did not care about doubles or did not exist (to the best of my memory).
Only Martini was able to produce a nice Merkel quickly for an upcoming trip. It is a wonderful rifle....but try out a nice English build, or an Italian or French. If it is not a rush and you may find out what works best for you, and only you will know when you feel it.
Once you feel the performance of a well crafted, well fitting device, it is hard to go back.
I picked up a Williams and Evans (sp?) that TSE had at an African show last year, and it was like a magic wand to the touch. The thing was balanced and delicate but yet sturdy, with a canted stock and well designed sights.....it was very pricey but what a feel. Even the scent was interesting (no ...not like the Norinco smells).. it was like gun perfume. I wanted it then and there, but common sense pushed me away.... sigh

I liken it to fly fishing....the tool is more important than the game sometimes. They all will kill, (as the blade guy says)......just a distinct satisfaction difference.
 
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A Williams Evans is a double I've dreamed of since first seeing one in my favorite magazine from 2006. Wild hunting by sure fire. Lots of boddington articles. I've worn that magazine down, the cover is gone but I still pick it up whenever I get the safari itch.
 
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Had a fun day at the farm. Took out the classics and my favorite bolt rifle.

Sako Mauser .375H&H. Bought in 1963. I got it from a family friend who purchased it new. Story goes he ordered it from Sydney Isaac Robinson Mail order. Before it changed it SIR. He was logging up in terrace/kitimat and sent away for it. The stock has a nice wood extension for a longer LOP and was weighted with lead in the forearm and stock. It's a pleasure to shoot and a perfect moose gun.





Not a double rifle but nice old sidelock shotguns. Top to bottom newer 12ga CZ ringneck. 1920s Baker gun co 12ga Folsom factory. 1919 LC Smith Ideal grade 12ga and the sako.





 
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That rifle looks like a sako mauser, not a sako l61r - any chance of a few close ups of the action? I'm always looking to learn.

I believe the sako mauser was a fn mauser action, with sako barrel and stock.
The L61R was a sako action, stock, and barrel.
 
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Actually that's been a thought of mine too. I've looked up the serial number and it doesn't seem to be right it's 110k and on the website the L61R stop at 90k roughly.

Looking more right now I'm almost positive it is a sako Mauser.
 
elker said:
Why stop here? Please show us more photos of double guns. I am drooling.
Btw, there are too triggers there. Which one to pull first? The front one or the rear one?
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Front, unless you're a spaz and you let your finger slip to the rear under recoil. That'll learn you.
 
elker said:
Why stop here? Please show us more photos of double guns. I am drooling.
Btw, there are too triggers there. Which one to pull first? The front one or the rear one?
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Believe it or not, that question is often debated. The front trigger shoots the right barrel which recoils less for a right handed person. Sort of the way the bottom barrel on a O/U has a faster recovery for the second shot. It makes sense.

On the other hand, many people believe that the chances of doubling are reduced by pulling the rear trigger first. This is due to "harping".

Ohers will carry a soft in one barrel and a solid in the other barrel. Then the answer is "it depends"
 
My Merkel has been doubled twice (fortunately not by me).....in both cases it was someone shooting the left (rear) trigger first....
 
Guys for sure know more but from what I've read merkels have been known to double on pulling the back trigger first. Some say it has to do with the light weight of the front trigger. guys get the trigger pull upped and seems to do better. It's becuase these doubles don't have true intercepting Sears. I believe merkels have sortof one that when the right trigger pulled first inertia won't let the left barrel fire. But not the other way around. Supposed to shoot right barrel then left. Buts it's a huge grey area of guys shooting a soft and and solid in each barrel.
 
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