A Different Sort of Double Rifle

[Mr Free Market]

A great write up on the S2 & I should declare an interest here, I own 2, in 375H&H & 30R

Recently, I returned from South Africa where I gave the 30R it's first proper outing - & I am utterly delighted with how the rifle performed

All I can really add at this point is that there is something very very special about taking a double to Africa

When I am next to my laptop I'll post some more pictures, but for now, here's a starter for 10.....

 

[enysse]

They do look like nice rifles, the wood looks excellent.

 

[Mr Free Market]

The wood is excellent as you would expect - the only shame is that they come with IMHO a slightly cheap looking shiny finish

So the 30R has received the attentions of those that know about such things, been stripped & had a traditional English oiled finish applied. A great improvement

The 375 will be receiving similar treatment in the near future

 

[matt85]

30R, i dunno this caliber. can you give me the full name for this cartridge?

thanks
-matt

 

[tarbe]

30R, i dunno this caliber. can you give me the full name for this cartridge?

thanks
-matt

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.30_R_Blaser

 

[Red Leg]

Yep - big low pressure rimmed case with 300 H&H ballistics in a MOA rifle. What's not to like. Should have grabbed it rather than my 30-06, but the cases are a bit tough to find.

 

[matt85]

learn something new every day, thanks.

sounds like an excellent double rifle cartridge! id like a double chambered in a rimmed 7mm or 6.5mm cartridge at moderate speeds. something like the 7x57 rimmed would be nice. sadly at this point in my life i cant justify owning more then one double.

-matt

 

[Velo Dog]

learn something new every day, thanks.

sounds like an excellent double rifle cartridge! id like a double chambered in a rimmed 7mm or 6.5mm cartridge at moderate speeds. something like the 7x57 rimmed would be nice. sadly at this point in my life i cant justify owning more then one double.

-matt

Once upon a time, I did own a 7x57R double rifle.
It was a very old Henry Adkin (Scotland) and appeared to have once possibly been a .360 black powder: re-lined, re-proofed and re-regulated to ".275 NE Flanged" (AKA 7x57R), I presume for the European Market.
Fun little rifle but had to sell it to help pay off a hunting trip.
Never shot anything with it except targets but, had bought it originally intending to hunt smaller PG with it (reedbok, impala, vlakvaark, bushbok, duiker, etc, etc).
Someday, when you guys all pitch in to buy one for me, I will have a SxS, in caliber .303 British, 26" barrels, ejectors, semi-pistol grip, etc. etc.
Also, I have always thought a SxS in 6.5x55, regulated for 160 gr RN would have some merit but, I have only read about one, and have never actually seen one.
I'm in the same boat as yourself, in that I can only afford one double rifle at a time.
I've been sweating about contacting Heym to ask the price of fitting spare, either: caliber .303 or .300 H&H or ..375 H&H barrels to my rifle (it's a 1980s made / .458 Winchester).
(The frame might be a bit large for a 6.5x55 but not sure).

 

[matt85]

at this point I really just want a double with two barrel set (500/416 NE and 500 NE). small caliber doubles are a consideration for the future. course with the trouble ive been having with doubles ill be lucky if I have a functional double at all. (that's for another thread)

sorry to go off topic

-matt

 

[Long8R]

Over on one of the other threads I have been in a dialogue with a fellow member about my experiences with the Blaser S2 double rifle. He seems perplexed, even somewhat offended, that I am comfortable using a double rifle in a non-traditional way. Allow me to open that discussion to a broader audience. As a condition setter, let me say that I am taking my S2 on its second trip to Africa - this time to Mozambique with its .375 and 30-06 barrels.

I have other doubles. A couple have claw mounted scopes. All are used traditionally. By that I mean 80 yards and closer with open sights and no farther than 150 meters or so with the scopes. The S2 is another thing entirely.

The S2 uses the Blaser scope mounting system - read very secure and instantly dismountable. Using 300gr .375 TSX's, each barrel shoots MOA groups at 100 meters. The barrels are adjustable, and I have these regulated to converge at 200 meters. I sight the right barrel to be slightly high at 100 meters, and with the 200 meter convergence (remember these are one MOA barrels), I have composite groups no larger than 4-5 inches out to 250 meters. Thus when following a buffalo's tracks, I have a double rifle easily capable of making a shot at a record book kudu out to 250+ meters.

In its 30-06 guize, the rifle shoots less than MOA from each barrel, and I have it set up with the same 200 meter convergence. It is truly a 300m rifle.

In Moz we will initially concentrate on buff. I'll hunt the S2 with the .375 barrels and scope in place. I have the same capabilitie and first shot MOA accuracy as any bolt rifle, and the advantage of a second, almost as accurate, instant second shot. When we switch to plains game, I'll switch to the '06 unless we stumble across something compelling while trailing a buff.

So if I am goring a traditionalists ox, then sorry, but this is a different sort of double rifle. It can be employed in ways that a traditional one can not. I am using it this summer not for nostalgia's sake, but because it seems to be the most efficient tool for the type of hunt I am taking.

How did you regulate the 375 barrels? I would like to use bullet weights other than 300 grains. CEB ESP Raptor bullets are my targets.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[Red Leg]

Unfortunately, the large caliber barrels do not regulate (as in adjust) like the smaller cals. Though I think the bottom wedge can be drifted a bit. We came up with loads for the .375 and 500/416 via the old school method - or to be truthful, Lance Hendershot did.

 

[CAustin]

Great looking rifles Free Market!

 

[Bullthrower338]

RedLeg,
This last tumbler of scotch has killed far more brain cells than I have DG. But my two peso's worth is shoot what you like, shoot what works for you and to hell with worrying about anyone's opinion of your choice of rifle!
I love traditional equipment, I shoot a beautiful recurve bow instinctively almost every Sunday morning.
I cherish walking a trout stream with a fine fly rod and a hand tied elk hair caddis.
I get down right beside myself when I touch off a well placed shot, waiting for the smoke to clear from the business end of my sharps black powder cartridge rifle.
BUT......
I hunt with a new Mathews and get just as much enjoyment out of it.
I fill a basket of fish up with a spinning rod and a rooster tail and they taste just as delicious.
When I have a draw tag in my pocket, the sharps stays in the vault and a high speed, low drag magnum goes in the case and I don't feel that I have cheated myself or the animal out of an experience.
Your S2 set up makes perfect sense to me as a well rounded battery of hunting rifles in a compact and easily transported package!
I am looking forward to the day I get to hunt buff with a double rifle, until then, I will live vicariously through all of you Gentlemens hunting reports!
Cheers and Good Hunting,
Cody

 

[Mr Free Market]

Unfortunately, the large caliber barrels do not regulate (as in adjust) like the smaller cals. Though I think the bottom wedge can be drifted a bit. We came up with loads for the .375 and 500/416 via the old school method - or to be truthful, Lance Hendershot did.

I think you are right. From what I understand, the smaller cals you can regulate yourself - I've actually managed to procure a set of factory instructions of how to do this. The larger (safari) barrels need to be returned to Blaser for re-regulation

 

[Guépard]

Hi,

I look for the weight of a Blaser S2 caliber 375 H&H.

If somebody own the same rifle, perhaps he can help me !

Thank you very much.

 

[AZDAVE]

This is a older thread but understanding traditionalists I can see where some might dig their heels in a complain. However I say understand the manual of arms for your rifle and it's and your capabilities and go hunt.

Plus it is a interesting historical side note as where the term "Luddite" comes from. It seem that the person taking exception to your usage of the double is very much in that camp.

 

[Major Khan]

I believe that confirming too much to tradition can hinder progress and advancement . It must be remembered that just about 60 years ago , then l was guiding clients for shikar in the 1960s in India , the " traditionalists " were also the same kind of people who used to say that only double barreled rifles should be used for an Indian shikar or an African safari . They looked down condescendingly upon any gentlemen who preferred using a bolt rifle , calling them " unsportsmanlike " , " cheap " and a bunch of other unsavory things.
1 can and should always use the rifle and ammunition which offers them the best results in the field .