MOST RE-SELLABLE DOUBLE RIFLE?

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

A 450-400 is one of the most enjoyable to shoot. I have owned two a GEORGE GIBBS that I had to sell and a WESTLEY RICHARDS. My work double is a .470 GEORGE GIBBS a few serial numbers off from the 1st. Gibbs. If I still owned that one that would be the rifle I would use when hunting for myself, snake eyes every time!

 

[IdaRam]

A 450-400 is one of the most enjoyable to shoot. I have owned two a GEORGE GIBBS that I had to sell and a WESTLEY RICHARDS. My work double is a .470 GEORGE GIBBS a few serial numbers off from the 1st. Gibbs. If I still owned that one that would be the rifle I would use when hunting for myself, snake eyes every time!

Any of those would do very nicely!

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

I might add it never hurts to own anything that has good resale- firearms especially. You never know when the day comes that you have to quickly raise money, health or just to buy another even more expensive rifle!

 

[cal pappas]

Gents:
I didn't read the entire thread--just skimmed through it.
Anything is resaleable for the right price.
New doubles? Since one will be in competition with what is currently being made, it is like selling a new car: they will go down in value.
Second hand newer doubles? You may have got it for a good price, but if others are sold in the same range, you may or may not get your money back.
European doubles? Always command less than UK doubles, unless from a top maker such as H&W.
Vintage doubles from the UK? The prices have fallen in the past few years so it's a buyer's market. They have history, quality, workmanship that newer doubles don't have. The prices have fallen 25% or more and they will rebound when the supply dries up (after all, they are not being made any longer). I just bought a .577 bpe by Manton from a dealer at a price I could not pass up. I have paid more that what something is currently worth as I wanted it to keep for a long time (such as my 10-bore Manton).
My opinion? If you want to buy and resell for a profit go with vintage doubles from the UK and hold on to it until the market rebounds. If you want a lesser quailty double, buy a newer and/or European double but compare and buy at a low price as they don't appreciate as do the vintage UK doubles.
Just my two cents.
Cal

 

[crs]

Good summary Cal - thanks. Now I do not need to read the whole thread.

 

[Dutch44]

I have owned 4 450-400 3 1/4 guns of English make. Never a high pressure round as pressure is theoretically less with the larger volume case. Resale on the 3 inch 450-400 is probably higher. I bought out all of Midways 3 1/4 brass some years ago (the Jamison) for $16.00 per 20. Don't know why the sold it all out. It is a tremendous round. I also shoot the 3 1/4 in a Rigby BPE hammer gun with nitro for black. Again, no pressure or extraction problems.

I have found it advantageous to purchase at auction. Julia's (now Morphys Auction Service) Rock Island, Little Johns (California) and Holts and Gavin Gardiners in England. You can find great buys at auctions. Word of advice though, have some one qualified look them over prior to bidding. Diggory Hadoke will do that for you in England and give a very objective report. It is easy to import and not expensive as one would think. I have purchased my Belgian and French doubles for an average of $6,000 at all auctions. English guns expect to pay more. Just a thought.

 

[Dewald]

there is a guy that tests bullets in australia, dave something or other. he tests bullets for woodleigh. he has shot some 10,000 buffalo, his numbers. he settled on a 450-400 as a nice combination of power, rifle weight and shoot ability. is he right? not necessarily, but he is a pretty good reference point!

Dave Lindner is indeed the fellow that hunted the most water buffalo in Kakadu.

As for the rifle and caliber, any British double from yesteryear, on a Webley screw-grip or PHV1 action, from the likes of Evans, Gibbs etc will serve you well, and resell for a good price if you take care of it. Of course they should be well inspected prior to purchase to make sure they are in shootsble condition, and unaltered.

I use a Gibbs .450-.400 3&1/4" with 400gr Woodleigh softs and Dzombo solids at 2150fps and it works great. At exacty 10 Lbs it is light enough and doesn't kick to much. I would love to get my hands on a similar .450NE. I will take a .450 any day over the .470.

 

[IdaRam]

Dave Lindner is indeed the fellow that hunted the most water buffalo in Kakadu.

As for the rifle and caliber, any British double from yesteryear, on a Webley screw-grip or PHV1 action, from the likes of Evans, Gibbs etc will serve you well, and resell for a good price if you take care of it. Of course they should be well inspected prior to purchase to make sure they are in shootsble condition, and unaltered.

I use a Gibbs .450-.400 3&1/4" with 400gr Woodleigh softs and Dzombo solids at 2150fps and it works great. At exacty 10 Lbs it is light enough and doesn't kick to much. I would love to get my hands on a similar .450NE. I will take a .450 any day over the .470.

View attachment 218994

Gorgeous double!