Friends, I had a PM come through from a member that was critical of the rifle and I wanted to post it here in public for educational purposes. The answers explain why my gun is worth more than other guns and why most double rifles are overpriced money pits for the uninformed.
He wrote in part: "Regarding my comments about your listing. First of all, why would you have to send a fairly high end Heym or any other modern double to someone to regulate it for you is beyond my comprehension. I have owned many fine double rifles including Merkels, Kreighoffs, and original Jefferys. A new rifle should shoot standard factory ammo just fine otherwise work up your own."
Before I answer, definitions of terms are very important. When we say "regulating a double rifle" it can mean three things. 1.) regulating the sights, meaning adjusting iron sights to get them to hit where the bullets land. 2.) It can mean tearing the barrel wedge out, resoldering it, and making any double rifle shoot a specific factory ammo, just like they did when they made the gun new. 3.) The most common definition used on this forum: Having custom ammunition developed to shoot as accurately as possible with the factory barrels. This occurs often for a variety of reasons in my answer below.
Regarding my gun, you asked why it needed regulation. Several reasons: When Heym was making guns 12-15 years ago, they used several regulation ammo options: 1.) Kynoch, 2.) Old Recipe Federal Premium, 3.) Wolfgang Romey, or 4.) Hirtenberger, or 5.) Norma. 1 doesn’t exist right now because they rely on Woodleigh bullets from a burned out factory, 2.) Federal changed recipes so new Federal ammo will not shoot to the same point of impact as paper-box versions from a few years back, 3.) Wolfgang is bankrupt, 4.) Hirtenberger no longer makes large bore ammo, 5.) Norma changed powder numerous times so their new ammo doesn't regulate the same as their old ammo. So, unless you have a very new double rifle regulated to the new Federal recipe, or Hornady, none of these guns will hit the broadside of a barn from any manufacturer. In my gun’s Case, it appears that it was regulated for Kynoch because an original cordite-like loading using imr3031 proved to be very accurate.
A lot of members come to me via email and phone asking for me to help them get a steal of a deal on guns. They want a bargain, but they do not understand the inherent risks in a bargain. I've never sold a high end gun that didn't have a pedigree that de-risks the transaction. Any astute buyer understands that you need an independent and impartial expert to preside over the legitimacy and quality of a fine gun. In my gun's case, as is the case with any of the credible best guns you see for sale at retailers like Steve Barnett and elsewhere, you want to see regulation targets from Ken Owen in his handwriting showing that the gun shoots exceptionally well with a defined load. That's why Steve Barnett's used guns are $60,000 and its why mine is priced what it is. The proof matters. In addition, you want to know who has been inside of a gun mechanically because there are shadetree gunsmiths everywhere destroying guns. My gun has been in the hands of Ken Owen for trigger tuning and the stock finishing was done by Dan Morgan, both world renowned. Other quality guns will claim that JJ Peridoux serviced the gun, or a number of well known experts in the UK.
Pedigree matters a great deal. Pedigree (implied warranty and chain-of-custody) of a fine gun is why they cost more, because that costs money.
The trail of tears running to my inbox from friends that bought "too good to be true" double rifles is very long and damp. Damage occurred by hobbyist handloading. Incompetent gunsmiths tried to fix things they did not understand. Black Powder Express guns have been purchased thinking they were Nitro Express guns.
I stand by my reputation and I wish to educate the public. The rifle I am selling is one of the cheapest double rifles you'll find in the long run because it is ready to hunt, is accurate, has thousands of dollars worth of ammo, and it is in perfect condition. You may not be so lucky finding that deal on a $15,000 double rifle that has latent defects, has been reworked, will not regulate, or was a "bargain" at auction for $20,000 but is not a bargain landed at your door with fees and import costs making it $40,000 by the time you're ready to go hunting with it.
If you cannot determine the reason why one double rifle is expensive and another is very cheap, delay a purchase, talk with more experts, and learn. You work hard for your money and the cheapest gun usually becomes the most expensive in the end.
