Hierarchy Of Double Rifles - Where does the Verney-Carron Fit In?

[Aussie_Hunter]

You have a very nice rifle with your Merkel!!! Don’t let anyone tell you differently! I have owned one and its accuracy was second to none!!!

The Merkel I had for a couple of years was exceptionally accurate

 

[Northern Shooter]

The Merkel I had for a couple of years was exceptionally accurate

What ammo did it like?

 

[Altitude sickness]

My Merkel was very accurate also. I should have kept it and had JJ sort out the rear trigger.

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

What ammo did it like?

Handloads
Load for the Chapuis 470 I owned
Norma brass, Federal primers, Woodleigh 500 grain RNSN, 96 grains of AR2209 and a open cell foam filler. This load gave me a duplicate reading from both barrels of 2174fps and 0.7" at 50 metres

Load for the Merkel I had
Bertram brass, Federal primers, Woodleigh 500 grain RNSN, 95.5 grains of RL17 and a open cell foam filler. This load was right on 2150fps and provided the same accuracy as the above, 0.7" at 50 metres.

Hoping my new Verney likes the load I used in the Chapuis as I still have about 50 rounds loaded sitting in the ammo box.

 

[rookhawk]

Where would the likes of Rigby / Westley Richards / Purdey / etc sit in this Hierarchy?

They'd sit atop the list of vintage options, but judged one gun at a time. The metallurgy in a well serviced one is completely suitable for period-correct, wholly satisfactory original loads at 2075FPS out of a 24" barrel. They are not suited for being crammed full of 100+ grains of 4831, some monometal solid invented in the 21st century, etc.

If you intend to do vile, horrible things to a gun with odd powders and high tech bullets, the Heym sits on top of the durability pyramid. If you're going to follow traditional loading standards a vintage British double is far superior to the other options. This is based on original quality, fit and finish, balance, stock geometry, and how well they point.