Poor Man's Double Rifle

[Kawshik Rahman]

Since IvW started this thread, I want,.... I need,....I badly need a Poor Man's Double Rifle!

Because I did not wanted to slaughter a shotgun I already have, I looked for an appropriate candidate.

Today I won an auction….. 420 € I have to pay….. a lot of money for an old czech shotgun.

View attachment 313740View attachment 313739

The gun slept untouched since the 1990's in a gunstore.

It does not have the beautiful english stock of IvW "Poor Man's Double Rifle", but anyways…

I hope, it can be basis for my own version…

Thanks to IvW for the inspiration you gave...


HWL

Excellent shot-gun.
Does yours have 70 millimeter chambers or 76 millimeter chambers ? And what choke is present on the barrels ?
The Brno shot-guns , l have seen were all half choke and full choke , in each barrel respectively.

 

[HWL]

It has 2 3/4"/70 mm chambers, but it is an easy job to rechamber it to 3"/76mm.

No idea about the choke, but it does not matter, because I want to cut the barrels to 60 cm.


HWL

 

[IvW]

Since IvW started this thread, I want,.... I need,....I badly need a Poor Man's Double Rifle!

Because I did not wanted to slaughter a shotgun I already have, I looked for an appropriate candidate.

Today I won an auction….. 420 € I have to pay….. a lot of money for an old czech shotgun.

View attachment 313740View attachment 313739

The gun slept untouched since the 1990's in a gunstore.

It does not have the beautiful english stock of IvW "Poor Man's Double Rifle", but anyways…

I hope, it can be basis for my own version…

Thanks to IvW for the inspiration you gave...


HWL

Great buy.

This appears to be an ejector model?

 

[IvW]

It has 2 3/4"/70 mm chambers, but it is an easy job to rechamber it to 3"/76mm.

No idea about the choke, but it does not matter, because I want to cut the barrels to 60 cm.


HWL

First just use it with the chambers as is long before you re=chamber to 3", 2 3/4 packs a mighty punch.

 

[perttime]

You'll need to put sights on it, too. Personally, I'd consider a ghost ring setup.

For esthetics, I'd see what I could do to make the wood darker.

 

[HWL]

This appears to be an ejector model?

Yes, it is,...


HWL

 

[HWL]

First just use it with the chambers as is long before you re=chamber to 3", 2 3/4 packs a mighty punch.

Honestly, I am not sure, what to do.

When I keep it 2 3/4" and every thing works, ok....

But when I want to change to 3" later, I probably have to re-regulate the iron sights/barrels.

I am thinking about to zero and regulate it for the Brenneke 3" Opal Magnum, with offers a 1 1/2 onces slug with a muzzle energie of over 5184 Joule/3822 ft.-lbs.


HWL

 

[HWL]

You'll need to put sights on it, too. Personally, I'd consider a ghost ring setup.

For esthetics, I'd see what I could do to make the wood darker.

Iron sights and stock finishing is on the list….also a recoil pad.


HWL

 

[enysse]

Great thread, first time reading it! Brennke slugs bring back memories! To get a double shotgun to shoot them with accuracy would be deadly to anything in the way. Nice sights on the shotgun!

 

[HWL]

IvW started the fire and it still burns....

To make matter worse, I found another candidate.

It is a 20 ga 3" Merkel Suhl SxS, modified Anson & Deeley boxlocks, basic version, but almost untouched, made in 1989.

On top the Merkel 20 ga, among them, the CZ 12 ga.

What I already did is, to mount recoil pads.

And now, ....the question goes to IvW, .... is the 20 ga 3" capable stopping the leopard?

...and all the other stuff?

Or better stay with the battle proven 12 ga 2 3/4"....?


HWL

 

[crs]

HWL,
Your Merkel looks like new! Good find, no matter how you use it.
It could also be converted to a medium caliber DR.

Likely OK on Leopard, but what do you mean by "other stuff"?

 

[IvW]

IvW started the fire and it still burns....

To make matter worse, I found another candidate.

It is a 20 ga 3" Merkel Suhl SxS, modified Anson & Deeley boxlocks, basic version, but almost untouched, made in 1989.

View attachment 333448 View attachment 333449

On top the Merkel 20 ga, among them, the CZ 12 ga.

What I already did is, to mount recoil pads.

And now, ....the question goes to IvW, .... is the 20 ga 3" capable stopping the leopard?

...and all the other stuff?

Or better stay with the battle proven 12 ga 2 3/4"....?

I would stay with the battle proven Brno 12ga and use the 20ga for birds, beautiful find by the way.

HWL

 

[IvW]

I would stick with the 12ga Brno and use the 20 ga for wing shooting, beautiful find..

 

[HWL]

HWL,
Your Merkel looks like new! Good find, no matter how you use it.
It could also be converted to a medium caliber DR.

I bought the Merkel, with the idea, converting it to a .303 British double barrel rifle.

But I realized, it is a beautyful shotgun too.... or a "Poor Man's Double".

I think, I will follow IvW advice in his #73 posting.

Because money is limited, the .303 project has to wait...

Until then, I will use it as a wing shooter.

HWL

 

[flatwater bill]

That Suhl Merkel appeared completely virgin until the recoil pad added. Hum. You are a brave man.
Any change to a CZ is an improvement, though, so no problem there. The Benneke Opal Magnum is not designed for bbls with choke, so cutting the CZ back to say 60 cm a good idea. I could not take a hacksaw to a Merkel unless forced at gunpoint. Good luck there. I recommend a leather cheek pad (as available from Bass Pro) to raise your eye on the Merkel with lots of drop at the heel. And on the CZ it will help with the absolutely brutal recoil of the Opal Magnum................best of luck.....................FWB

 

[Newboomer]

I wonder how an O/U would work for a poor man's double. Might be a whole lot easier to regulate.

 

[HWL]

That Suhl Merkel appeared completely virgin until the recoil pad added. Hum. You are a brave man.
Any change to a CZ is an improvement, though, so no problem there. The Benneke Opal Magnum is not designed for bbls with choke, so cutting the CZ back to say 60 cm a good idea. I could not take a hacksaw to a Merkel unless forced at gunpoint. Good luck there. I recommend a leather cheek pad (as available from Bass Pro) to raise your eye on the Merkel with lots of drop at the heel. And on the CZ it will help with the absolutely brutal recoil of the Opal Magnum................best of luck.....................FWB

I added the recoil pad to the Merkel, because the stock was way to short for me.

I hope, this apologizes the sacrilege....

Now it is more or less ok for wing shooting.

I am aware about the "choke problem" with the Opal Magnum.

IvW recommended to cut the barrels to 60 cm/24" and stay with the 2 3/4" Brenneke.

...because performance is sufficient and the follow up shot is easier...

First off all, I will follow his advice....

The CZ is going to find it's way to the gunsmith... I cannot cut a barrel with a hacksaw, too.

HWL

 

[HWL]

I wonder how an O/U would work for a poor man's double. Might be a whole lot easier to regulate.

....not classic/british/african enough!

SxS is a must have.



HWL

 

[HWL]

Likely OK on Leopard, but what do you mean by "other stuff"?

No idea how far you can go with a 12ga or 20ga 3" Brenneke....

I think, any antelope is ok, but what is about a buff?


HWL

 

[IvW]

No idea how far you can go with a 12ga or 20ga 3" Brenneke....

I think, any antelope is ok, but what is about a buff?


HWL

A good friend and Gunsmith who is now long retired, showed me pictures of a Cape Buffalo he had shot with a Original Brenneke slug.

He was hunting a mixed bag somewhere in Zambia many moons ago. Having filled his quota/licence, he decided to hunt some birds. Out came the 308/12ga combination(I forget the make). Their camp was not too far away from a village, from who's chief they had permission to stay.

The plan was to try and shoot some birds which would frequent the village Millet fields. As he got close one of the villagers summoned him to come urgently as a buffalo was feeding in the one field. He protested that he had filled his quota and could not shoot the buffalo. This was quickly dispelled as a licence was forthcoming that had been allocated to the village.

He decided to try and take the shot with the Brenneke, not wanting to return to camp for his other rifle. A short stalk got him very close to the buffalo and he was right next to the one hut. Waiting for the buffalo to be perfectly broadside, as the buffalo stepped forward with the leg on his side he took the shot. He was most surprised at the reaction from the buffalo! It gave a few steps backward and fell over!! He waited quite a while before checking on the buffalo.

Now an original Brenneke slug from a 12ga 2 3/4" is most certainly not the first choice for hunting Cape Buffalo but it's effectiveness cannot be questioned.

Bear in mind that this buffalo was completely relaxed and totally unaware of the hunter.

I had no regulation issues with mine once I cut the barrels shorter. I have also taken some long shots with mine with no issues.

For the purpose I made mine(back up on leopard) regulation at 10 feet or less is in any case of no practical value, I cannot see that any previously regulated shotgun would be very far off at short range.