Timing Of Second Shot On Dangerous Game With A Double Rifle?

[Shaw]

Has anyone or can you pull both triggers on a Double? I have done it with shotguns and recoil is not much more than a single shot from a sxs shotgun? I have a double rifle but never thought about it until this thread.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Basically what @mark-hunter said.

On my buff, there was no need for a second shot, my neck shot killed him instantly.

On my hippo, the outfitter said, you and your backup just keep shooting, as no one can stop a hippo on land with just one shot.

I hate to disagree with your outfitter on his statement “no one can stop a hippo on land with just one shot” my quote “BS” unless I am missing something?

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Has anyone or can you pull both triggers on a Double? I have done it with shotguns and recoil is not much more than a single shot from a sxs shotgun? I have a double rifle but never thought about it until this thread.

Many years ago I watched an american visiting hunter who was suffering from a serious flinch & fear of elephant. Twice he pulled both triggers on his double George Gibbs. He claimed it was the rifle. One day I got a call from a friend he said”dont you know xx” I answered in the positive. He said you have to read this article in such and such magazine. He had missed his elephant at close range. He and his PH decided his rifle doubled and the bullets hitting each other thus deflecting from each other in opposite directions and totally missing the elephant. There is a “miss” story hard to beat.

Lon

 

[deewayne2003]

Has anyone or can you pull both triggers on a Double? I have done it with shotguns and recoil is not much more than a single shot from a sxs shotgun? I have a double rifle but never thought about it until this thread.

I had my .470ne double on me once..... Yes you will definitely know something is different and yes it most certainly recoils considerably more than a SxS shotgun!

 

[IvW]

In response to BryceM, above; I have only shot one buffalo, so I can hardly claim to be an expert, for which I was using a double rifle in .470.

The first shot was broadside at about 65 yards, right on the shoulder. The bullet (a Rhino solid) unfortunately fragmented, and what was left of it deflected into the brisket. By the time that I was back on target, the buffalo (and his two askaris) was making a quick getaway and an - in any way proper - follow-up shot was impossible before they all disappeared into the mopani bush.

Follow-up. The classic 'P-turn' and ambush from the side. The PH saw him in good time and fired, grazing the buffalo's cheek, at which point the buffalo turned tail again.

Four hours after the first shot, he charged the PH, running in front of me right to left at approximately 25 yards. The first shot was just behind the heart, in the lungs - not, of course, that that had any immediate effect; the second (I freely admit, a badly-placed flyer) broke his spine just in front of the hips. That, however, was enough to break the charge, and he came down 8 yards from the PH (who, in the meantime, having fired himself, had taken a step backwards, tripped and was sitting on his bum). The benefits of having a double rifle.

My own takeaways from the experience are, firstly, that Mr. Murphy's law holds good; and, secondly, that in that final charge - which happens very quickly - it is imperative both to (try to) place your shots and stitch the air with lead: but these requirements are, by their nature, contradictory. But, as I say, I am no expert.

This, incidentally, took place at the Mabalabala game ranch in the Limpopo. For all the criticism of such establishments - not from me - the experience was authentic enough for my taste.

Are you talking about a brass meplat solid from Rhino? 500gr? Very hard to believe as that is all I use on elephant never ever had such a failure.....

 

[IvW]

Buffalo....premium grade expanding bullets in a big enought caliber.....make the first shot count.....inexperienced double rifle user can inadvertantly consentrate more on the so called "instant second shot".....a disaster waiting to happen.....

 

[AimSmall]

I think it should sound like "boom - boom". Reload.

 

[IvW]

I think it should sound like "boom - boom". Reload.

Boom....Boom....is only good if both hit the right spot.....otherwise boom is the best.....

 

[AimSmall]

Boom....Boom....is only good if both hit the right spot.....otherwise boom is the best.....

If you can't make each shot count, practice more before you go.

 

[IvW]

If you can't make each shot count, practice more before you go.

They should yes.....

 

[JD Noblin]

Great question and great answers have already been provided with which I agree. I am certainly no expert. I have been blessed with taking 9 buffalo and 2 hippo. 6 of these animals I have taken with my Heym 500 Nitro Express.

My personal philosophy is that when I am shooting a double rifle at any game (but especially dangerous game) I shoot both barrels as fast as I can, reload immediately, and continue shooting as many times as I safely can until I see the animal is down or disappear into the bush (this assumes a lone animal or an animal in the clear with no other herd animals behind or in front of it). Once the animal is down I always then "pay the insurance shot."

I've discussed my double reloading style in another thread and provided pictures of my ammo carrier. Since I shoot cowboy action, I've taken the skills learned from reloading 2 cartridges at the same time in a S/S shotgun by rocking them into the chambers and applied those skills to my 500NE double rifle. This allows me to fire two shots, reload and fire two more shots in very rapid succession.

In short, I would rather fire a few extra bullets when safely possible and have my PH slap me on the back and say "stop shooting!" rather than firing only one shot and then have to follow up a wounded animal and risk me or someone else getting hurt/killed in the followup. This philosophy, I believe, has saved me from getting into some pretty tight spots on cape buffalo (see the below buff pic with 6 empty brass). It has also saved some hunts where I used a bolt rifle, made a bad first shot but connected on the fast followup shot (see the below goat pic).

 

[bakerb]

No experience with buffalo. Just one elephant hunt. But my mind set was to shoot until they told me to stop (or if it was unsafe). I tried a brain shot. Missed. Got another into his shoulder before he could turn. and then reloaded.

PH hipped him. We ran up and I shot twice more.

My mindset is to shoot until the animal is down. Whether it’s plains game or dangerous game.

 

[R eight]

Looking at my video of my lion hunt. First shot broke, reloaded (R8) in .0068 seconds. 2nd shot broke at 2.72sec. That was due to waiting for the angle of the second shot.

That was watching the video and using a stop watch to figure out the times.

I’ve never hunted lions or even been to Africa …. But I do own a Blaser and love shooting her.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Nice smooth shooting.

 

[Major Bonkers]

Are you talking about a brass meplat solid from Rhino? 500gr? Very hard to believe as that is all I use on elephant never ever had such a failure.....

No, just an 'ordinary' solid. I would certainly not shoot a monolithic bullet out of a double rifle (and I am not that keen on shooting them out of bolt action rifles, either).

 

[Inline6]

I’ve never hunted lions or even been to Africa …. But I do own a Blaser and love shooting her.

Nice shooting!

I was using a 458Lott.

 

[IvW]

No, just an 'ordinary' solid. I would certainly not shoot a monolithic bullet out of a double rifle (and I am not that keen on shooting them out of bolt action rifles, either).

So then it is not a Rhino solid....

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I don't shoot double rifles but my rule of thumb has always been take a shot, any shot, only when a good shot opportunity presents itself. Dangerous game is, of course, a bit different. But still, I will gauge the animal's reaction to being hit before I throw any more lead. My first buffalo was a front facing shot into the heart. She bucked and took of running. I didn't shoot again ... and glad I didn't! The herd bull quickly turned and came for us ... followed by the entire herd. Four more shots might easily have been needed. A death bellow turned them around. And then here they came again! A second death bellow sent them back to her. Fortunately, I had shot her at 100 yards so we had a cushion to play with.

I see many YouTube videos of guys with double rifles doing the "B-Bang" as fast as possible and dust from second shot invariably flying well aft or above the buffalo. I just don't get that at all. Might be what the PH needs to do when the buff is ten yards away and incoming, but for typical first shot on stalk I say keep as many shots as possible ready in reserve until it's absolutely ascertained they are needed. A client that places the first shot poorly is almost certain to place an instantaneous rapid fire followup shot even more poorly.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Many years ago I watched an american visiting hunter who was suffering from a serious flinch & fear of elephant. Twice he pulled both triggers on his double George Gibbs. He claimed it was the rifle. One day I got a call from a friend he said”dont you know xx” I answered in the positive. He said you have to read this article in such and such magazine. He had missed his elephant at close range. He and his PH decided his rifle doubled and the bullets hitting each other thus deflecting from each other in opposite directions and totally missing the elephant. There is a “miss” story hard to beat.

Lon

And the fool actually published it. Har, har. Elephant is a pretty big target to miss. Five times bigger than the proverbial barn door. Guess he had to come up with some excuse. Maybe he'd already used up "The sun was in my eyes."

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Remember after you have gone boom… boom, you just have a piece of steel & wood in your hands until you reload. The number of … between shots loaded & empty.

Lon