Working mans double

twoshots said:
Most people can afford a good double, they just prefer to buy other things and have difficulty justifying saving the money for something so specific in use.
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Yes, it's amazing how so many folks will look at the price of one and recoil in terror...and then go digging through a gunsafe that is brimming with multiple bolt-action rifles that are all pretty much interchangeable in terms of capability.

Sell off 10 or 12 of your Ford/Chevy/Dodge sedans and get a single Ferrari...and never regret it.
 
I Had my Fair Safari out yesterday, sighting in the new 7x57 R barrels, that arrived just after Christmas, pretty happy with the new barrel set, 1-5-2" groups at 50m with irons, Installed the scope and sighted in, left barrel is landing shots on top of each other at 50 with ppu 139gr and 156 Norma, right barrel, is low and left 1" with 1" grouping, good enough, for what I am doing, Had four shots at the 200m gong, got it 3 times, missed with last shot, on the right barrel.
Much more pleasant to shoot, that the 9.3, is in a 6lb double.
Think I made the right choice, on extra barrel, as was going to order 7x65, the Norma and RWS 156 gr 7x57R have a noticeable snapper recoil than PPU,
Been looking at a Merkel myself, got sum prices for a rifle barrel, proving much harder, to get a price for extra shotgun barrel.
 
Shouldnt need to fool around like that. A must have book on the subject is “shooting the British double rifle” by Graeme Wright.
 
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My baikal would put 4 shoots. 2 each barrel into a 2" group at 75 yards with factory rem green yellow box. My reloads are upped a bit. 405gr at 1600/1650 fps 405 gr jacketed and 405gr wnfp hardcast. Regulated for 25 yards they stack like an 8. 50 yards i have 2" vertical dispersion. Gives me dead on hold at 50 yards and 125 yards. I use it for bear baiting and close range hunting. Love it for its role. Id still love to have a 450/400 3" double and a small bore double like 25/20 or 25/35 but more likely 7x57r

I get what your saving about having 1 nice rifle instead of several mediocre ones. I have 21 12ga guns currently. Some have sentimental meaning. Others are just for hunting
 
The only 'working mans double' I could afford was a Belgium made 16 gauge with extractors and double triggers... solid little gun - I wish I still had it...
 
These double rifle threads just drive me insane. I promise myself not to click on them then I do click on them and I go off the deep end. End up looking at low end Krieghoffs and then because I've just mentally spent $15K then why not get something a little nicer esthetically and then I'm looking at stuff that costs more than both our cars and............

Seriously though, which retailer is the primary dealer for Merkel's? I see one sponsor always has a couple of 470NE for around $9k but can they order in any Merkel?
 
Another vote for the Merkel 140AE. I bought mine used from Mr Hipwell and it served flawlessly on stuff up to
lion, bison and grizzly.

When I think “working double” to me the 140 is it in perfect execution. Well made, tough as nails, well regulated. It’s technically every bit as good as my Holland & Holland Royal with simpler lines and finish, which is typical of the Germans. I can’t say the same of the Sabattis.

These pictures are well worn here but they fit the discussion and I’m proud of what that rifle has done. For a working double, there really aren’t any truly cheap ones. The Baikal is great for the cost but I wouldn’t trust my life to it, Sabatti I’m less thrilled with as it costs more and not thrilled on the quality. Stick with the modern Germans, Merkel, Heym, Krieghoff for a working double. They’re worth saving for.

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I do indeed recognize those pics, and I must say I never get tired of seeing them, Angus. When you had that gun for sale I was teetering on the edge for so long it was becoming painful. A favoujrite cartridge, chambered in a larger version of one of my favourite guns. When it disappeared I breathed an audible sigh of relief.

Now I wish I'd bought it...:(
 
jjohnwm said:
I do indeed recognize those pics, and I must say I never get tired of seeing them, Angus. When you had that gun for sale I was teetering on the edge for so long it was becoming painful. A favoujrite cartridge, chambered in a larger version of one of my favourite guns. When it disappeared I breathed an audible sigh of relief.

Now I wish I'd bought it...:(
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Caused me fits too but I couldn’t justify putting it through the weather I did any longer outfitting the north coast. :) Once it was to become a nice thing to take to Africa once every five or ten years realised I had others for that role with more eye glint and oil rubbing satisfaction.

I really want a stainless double, but since the rule change a couple years ago I don’t guide Grizzlies anymore, so I struggle to justify the expense. Butch Searcy offered to build me a stainless .375 double for a ridiculously good deal. But a super cheap Searcy is still not pocket change, I’ll regret not taking that offer one day. He actually offered to do two, a .375 and a .500, I definitely thought about flipping the .500 to pay for most of the .375 but didn’t jump.
 
brybenn said:
My baikal would put 4 shoots. 2 each barrel into a 2" group at 75 yards with factory rem green yellow box. My reloads are upped a bit. 405gr at 1600/1650 fps 405 gr jacketed and 405gr wnfp hardcast. Regulated for 25 yards they stack like an 8. 50 yards i have 2" vertical dispersion. Gives me dead on hold at 50 yards and 125 yards. I use it for bear baiting and close range hunting. Love it for its role. Id still love to have a 450/400 3" double and a small bore double like 25/20 or 25/35 but more likely 7x57r

I get what your saving about having 1 nice rifle instead of several mediocre ones. I have 21 12ga guns currently. Some have sentimental meaning. Others are just for hunting
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I have Baikal's in 30-06 and 45/70, they were pretty crude out of the box but the application of a fair amount elbow grease, stoning making new cocking cams and in the case of the 45/70 a fair bit of filing to get it to open far enough to quickly load or reload they are both now reliable and accurate. I removed the automatic safety bar from both and installed skinner rear aperture sights.
I could go out and buy a merkel tomorrow and am tempted at times but my reality is I wouldn't use it any more than the baikal's and I hardly use them these days.
 
One thing I should have added is if you want to use your double a lot, consider a .375. They’re the only double rifles I’ve bought to date besides a Baikal for a fun gun. I had an era where I only used a double rifle and it didn’t hold me back in my hunting at all, I could comfortably shoot 250 with it or hunt lion or grizzly at close range. It’s also my opinion a .375 is more effective than the .450s, .470s, and .500s on what we do, due to the speed. A .375 Mag makes a double as useful as any other rifle in your cabinet. And it kills classic dangerous game as well as anything else too, hard to beat.

This is a stretchy shot Gemsbok in the Kalahari I took a few years ago, Merkel 140AE .375 H&H.

 
Here is another that might qualify 9.3 x74r ,also has a barrel set in 7x65r over 22 hornet .Built on a Ruger red label 20 guage frame ,not by me but ended up in my collection.
Project that still need regulating but has potential .Unfortunately collecting dust in my safe.
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There is a nice used ph 88 in 500nitro at epps for a fair price. It has really nice upgraded wood. It's not mine, but I've had a 470, and 500 and a friend has a 500. The advice on a 375 is good though.

If I was getting one for Canada I would go 7x57r, 303,45-70 and keep it light. Some people build them on brno SXS shotgun frames
 
Always love these threads. As I’ve created them myself haha.

I think about doubles and Africa every single day. Last time I almost pulled the trigger on a double I mentally decided I could buy the double and then have to save up for the safari, and who knows how much longer that would take. Or go on safari now with the same money. I choose that route and am happy I did so. Now with a young family and harder to get away, I’m more inclined to find a double since I most likely won’t return for a few years.

Ralf Martini always has some good stuff. He has quite a few doubles listed currently.

Always hymed and hawwwed at Sabattis. They seem to of fixed regulation problems and for the price a starter rifle. I’d be more inclined to start with a Merkel. a krieghoff id buy aswell.

Next level would be Heym and the 89b is truly a beauty. Like a brand new old fashioned proper English double. But out of my budget for now.

Gary has that beauty 450 no 2 for sale. I’ve almost mentally pulled the trigger a few times since I saw it for sale. I’m scared to go shoulder it and see it in person because I’d probably come home with it!!!

I dream of a proper English double in .450 NE. Just screams old world safari and adventure.
 
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