Any Problems with "Heym"?

[SStomcat]

Of course, I would rather have a Holland & Holland!

But, I've never had $100K+ to spend on a rifle.


Yeah, maybe it's not the absolutely best double ever produced on the planet, but of the "moderately" priced doubles that are available today (Merkel, Krighhoff, Chapuis, Searcy, Sabatti, etc.), I believe it is the one of highest quality.

I don't think there is a double that can be had for less than $25K, that is of better quality, and I've handled and looked very closely at several.

I highly doubt there has never been a H&H, Rigby, etc. from England's best that has never doubled.

I would buy another Heym, no doubt.

You have valid points, but I disagree when it comes to comparisons based on pricing. All the guns above can be had for much less than 20K in the current market brand new some even in the range of 15 K and below. Heym will set you back by more than 25K. So I feel it is not the right comparison. IMHO

 

[Safari Dave]

No doubt, the K guns are of excellent quality. I am around them quite a bit in scoring and judging shotgun competitions.

I, simply, don't like the cocking/safety system of their rifles. I prefer a more traditional system.





I handled a Barretta double rifle several years ago at the SHOT Show when the show was was in Atlanta.

It seemed to be of excellent quality, probably surpassing Heym or Krighoff, but I have not seen one since.

Did Barretta produce the rifle?

If so, was it so expensive, that you may as well gone with one of Britain's finest?

 

[Safari Dave]

My 88B cost less than $15,000 brand new in 2000. Guess I made a good investment!

 

[SStomcat]

My 88B cost less than $15,000 brand new in 2000. Guess I made a good investment!

I'm sure you did, I guess I got a good deal with my K gun just over 16 K. Fits me very well with upgraded wood and I like to safety option.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

No doubt, the K guns are of excellent quality. I am around them quite a bit in scoring and judging shotgun competitions.

I, simply, don't like the cocking/safety system of their rifles. I prefer a more traditional system.





I handled a Barretta double rifle several years ago at the SHOT Show when the show was was in Atlanta.

It seemed to be of excellent quality, probably surpassing Heym or Krighoff, but I have not seen one since.

Did Barretta produce the rifle?

If so, was it so expensive, that you may as well gone with one of Britain's finest?

Beretta offered sidelock ejector double rifles in .375 Holland & Holland Magnum, .458 Winchester Magnum and .470 Nitro Express. They haven’t been manufactured in over a decade. While doing his hunting show, Jeff Rann (of Botswana fame) used one in .470 Nitro Express which was given to him by Beretta (since they were sponsoring the show). Very high grade stuff. Regulated with Federal Premium ammunition.

 

[AES]

You have valid points, but I disagree when it comes to comparisons based on pricing. All the guns above can be had for much less than 20K in the current market brand new some even in the range of 15 K and below. Heym will set you back by more than 25K. So I feel it is not the right comparison. IMHO

You can have a very nice new Heym for less than $25k.

 

[sureshot375]

No doubt, the K guns are of excellent quality. I am around them quite a bit in scoring and judging shotgun competitions.

I, simply, don't like the cocking/safety system of their rifles. I prefer a more traditional system.





I handled a Barretta double rifle several years ago at the SHOT Show when the show was was in Atlanta.

It seemed to be of excellent quality, probably surpassing Heym or Krighoff, but I have not seen one since.

Did Barretta produce the rifle?

If so, was it so expensive, that you may as well gone with one of Britain's finest?

Lol. Several years ago?? More like 24. I was in middle school. Dad checked me out to take me to the shot show. I don’t remember how or why but I was using Dieter Krieghoff’s wife’s name tag to get in. I stated shooting a K-80 not long after that.

 

[SStomcat]

You can have a very nice new Heym for less than $25k.

Not the 89B probably the 88B.

 

[Pondoro]

I suspect that some of the doubling of double rifles come from being unfamiliar with handling double triggers fast.. Those used to SxS shotguns dont seem to struggle....if you want into the SxS double rifle I strongly suggest purchasing a SXS shotgun and practise some fast (and inexpensive..) shooting with it to get the feel..

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

I suspect that some of the doubling of double rifles come from being unfamiliar with handling double triggers fast..

I agree mostly.
I suspect much of the doubling we hear about is caused by "operator error", i.e. the shooter!

I have worked on Failure modes & effects analysis (FMEA) for the US military. For this operator error is often discovered as the cause of failures.

Considering the violent recoil of large bore doubles, the close proximity of the two triggers, and human nature of not always paying attention to detail, doubling will undoubtedly occur. Then we factor in that thing called human ego. Rather than considering that they, the shooter, may have caused the doubling, they blame the gun. "It only doubled once in a hundred shots but there must be something wrong with the gun..." Maybe, maybe not!

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

You can have a very nice new Heym for less than $25k.

Correct, see their web site. Entry level is about €13k. Dressing costs extra but it is the same gun.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Not the 89B probably the 88B.

Yes, the 89b.

 

[SStomcat]

Yes, the 89b.

Those prices are in Euros, I'm saying what I was quoted in the US for a new 89B. Color cased - 25K plus and an 88B somewhere in the 22K - 23K range.
Maybe there is duty added.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

My wife’s 88b .450-400 cost about $14,000.00 about 12 years ago. The Heym has been hunted professionally and has never experienced any kind of problem. She will probably never sell it, but she would really like to move up to a .470 89b. She probably has another 40 years of professional hunting ahead of her. If so I believe which ever Heym she will be using will be as sound as the day it was made.

 

[Daniel Cary]

Trying to be as unbiased as possible here. But let's crunch up some numbers (just to put matters into perspective).

-Merkel doubles have been documented to double discharge
- Verney Carron doubles have been documented to have headspacing and regulation issues
- Sabatti doubles have been documented to have regulation issues
- Kreighoff doubles have been documented to double discharge
- Butch Searcy doubles have been documented to have their barrels split
- Holland & Holland doubles have been docented to have their barrels split
- Westley Richards doubles have been documented to have their barrels bulge when firing monolithic solids
- Rigby doubles have been documented to double discharge

My point is that machines (like people) aren't perfect. What matters is how the company opts to remedy the problem. In this thread, I've come across four cases of Heym double rifles malfunctioning ( Two in .500 NE, one in .470 NE and one in an unknown caliber). Three were cases of double discharges and one is a case of a split action (and we still don't know the exact circumstancs behind the action splitting). At any rate, this is far less than (say) Merkel or Butch Searcy.

I do know that in at least one of the cases, Mr. Chris Sells (of Heym) immediately took to examining one of the .500 Nitro Express double rifles that doubled and have the necessary repairs made. He also said that Heym double rifles are NOT supposed to double discharge REGARDLESS OF WHICH TRIGGER IS PULLED FIRST. I also have personally seen that most of my white hunters who prefer double rifles, opt for (more often than not) a Heym.

As stated before, my personal experience with a Heym Jumbo sidelock ejector .600 Nitro Express has been nothing short of pleasant. I used it to take a hippo on land and also fired off six rounds in camp. I experimented with pulling the front trigger first sometimes and also pulling the rear trigger first sometimes. No double discharges.

I personally would happily buy their products.

The Jumbo .. has to be an incredible machine!

 

[Hunter-Habib]

The Jumbo .. has to be an incredible machine!

Oh, believe me. It is. German guns, German cars, German beer, German sausages, German Pretzels, German Schitznel. Best things in the world.

 

[Daniel Cary]

not to forget the Beautiful

Fräulein's ​

 

[Daniel Cary]

Thank you, everyone. I caught up yesterday on your responses. I could say what brought up the question, but it's subjective. The Heym I had some time on was Not mine, Lord knows what's been fired through it, etc. I did smash the hell out of my front finger with each shot given a really good fit .. who knows.

In conclusion, Heym has always been immediately responsive to any questions regarding their product. Customer Service is a lost art anymore, however, should be pivotal when considering anything in this market.

p.s. I really learned to appreciate Krieghoff along the way. To any owners, avid Hunters who use it alike, Thank You

 

[Daniel Cary]

This thread seems to be watched a lot, off Topic, but if someone could assist
What is a "Chinstrap"? .. On the Stock, behind the Pistol Grip.

 

[Strausser]

Nice engraving.
Seems I rarely see engravings with air to breathe,it’s usually full coverage of every single mm.

I'll be happy to scrap one of mine. $38k and this can be yours to melt down into base components.

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