What about a double appeals to you most?

[skeet396]

Gentlemen
Well for me its the British Double Rifle, I currently own three. A George Gibbs in 500 Express, Isaac Hollis in 450 BP Express, and a WC Scott 10 gauge BP. I am Presently trying to purchase a Holland and Holland 10 Bore double rifle, but negotiations are on going...

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

As you all probably know I have opted for a Heym 89b in 450/400, nice and British, but German made as they say. I am looking for any hunting write ups or video clips to pass the months before it arrives, anyone have some ideas? I've watched the Heym clips on Phil Masaro and his forest buff in Mozambique and one on a water buff in Arnhem Land, but that's all I can find.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Incidentally I have used my time in Johannesburg to visit a heap of gun shops, and savoured the chance to admire and handle many doubles. They are all beautiful, so I got to thinking what that means to me at least? Well, they are so smooth and sleek and uncluttered, sort of like an organic, uninterrupted flow. I am also a classic car fan and owned a string of MGA's, one of the nicest looking sports cars in my opinion. What appealed to me was that same smooth line of the double - no door or bonnet handles, no sharp edges, just curves everywhere. See what I mean ...

 

[HWL]

What appealed to me was that same smooth line of the double - no door or bonnet handles, no sharp edges, just curves everywhere. See what I mean ...

I am completely with you at this point....

 

[Daniel Cary]

Ha! They Heym is probably a lot safer though ; .. it won't ruin your life & spend all your money.

I've never found anything on the anything on the 89, short of what was you've seen Kevin.
Addl: Never realized how fixed Heym is on their 26" barrels since scrolling through the PDF's ...

 

[Rubberhead]

@HWL You only pay for a DG Double once...the DD double requires constant payments...

 

[Sabattiboy]

Wading in late as a newcomer,
My dad bought an AYA matador double barreled 10gr in the middle 1960's. 32: Full/Full. I loved that gun as a kid. Was weaned on 03A3 springfields, Winchester 97 12 gauge and S&W M29 44 Mag at 8 years of age. I was probably 12 before the 10 gauge entered the picture.
Decades later I become the owner and as a reloader assembled 2oz of 7-1/2 shot to shoot trap with it. The best hunting load was 2-1/4 oz of #4 shot. At the 16 yard trap line I could shoot the clay targets where they landed. This gave me the African classic DR feeling so was no stretch to wanting a real DG DR.
Flash forward 20 years I found Cabela's selling Sabatti DR's at a poor man's price. A rifle or a hunt option. When they lowered the prices at the end that unfortunately made it an option so desire over road common sense and I had enough cash on hand to buy an ejector 500 NE. Yes, it turned out to be a problem child, no ground muzzles though. It has been sorted out and I shoot it a lot with reduced cast lead loads so get to experience that African feel more.
If money was no object, I would order an English made DR to my specifications and probably more then one barrel set. Just handling and shouldering a DR gives a great feeling.
Later I asked at Cabela's if I could bring the Sabatti I bought from them and aim it at a wall mounted Cape Buffalo. Close as I will ever get to the real thing. They said No!. The same question At Sportsman's Warehouse they just said it couldn't be loaded. (That is a given) Much more understanding sportsman then Cabela's.

 

[machinistbutler]

After decades of reading about them, dreaming about hunting with one, watching movies with them . Recently Out of Africa, Ghost and the Darkness, and even one of the Jurassic Parks we watched to pass the time just made the want grow .

One of those things I never thought I would ever be fortunate enough to to own.

Years of hunting with a 375, then acquiring a 458, then more 375's, a 458 Lott and a 416 Rigby all in bolt guns.

I first laid eyes on one in person in Namibia, it was my PH Pieter Delports 470 Nitro express double rifle. It was beyond beautiful. I couldn't even bring myself to touch it, I just took pictures and imagines how great it would be to own such a rifle.

Time went by, I decided I will only live once so I started looking. A week or so ago my own 470 arrived. I carefully put it together,so worried I would drop something. Lifted it to my shoulder and everything was just perfect. Hopefully will fire it this week.

Thanks to all on the forum for their posts , pictures and advice on doubles! Dreams sometimes do come true!

 

[SFRanger7GP]

What about a double rifle appeals to me? Tradition, looks, feel, the sound of 2 big shells dropping in the chambers, the fact that I dreamed about owning one as a child while reading everything I could find about hunting in Africa.....what's not to like?

I bought my first one to "learn" about doubles and I chose a cartridge that I felt was practical for most game that I would hunt. I chose a Merkel 141E in 9.3x74R. I have killed a lot of plains game, many whitetail, a huge black bear and even doubled on turkey with it. I love that rifle.

Several years later I started looking at big bore doubles. After lots of research and shooting friends doubles, I bought a VC 450/400. I plan to take my first buffalo with it. I mounted a Trijicon RMR on it last week and I can shoot it as well at 50 yards as I can with the scope.

Safe shooting.............LL

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

After decades of reading about them, dreaming about hunting with one, watching movies with them . Recently Out of Africa, Ghost and the Darkness, and even one of the Jurassic Parks we watched to pass the time just made the want grow .

One of those things I never thought I would ever be fortunate enough to to own.

Years of hunting with a 375, then acquiring a 458, then more 375's, a 458 Lott and a 416 Rigby all in bolt guns.

I first laid eyes on one in person in Namibia, it was my PH Pieter Delports 470 Nitro express double rifle. It was beyond beautiful. I couldn't even bring myself to touch it, I just took pictures and imagines how great it would be to own such a rifle.

Time went by, I decided I will only live once so I started looking. A week or so ago my own 470 arrived. I carefully put it together,so worried I would drop something. Lifted it to my shoulder and everything was just perfect. Hopefully will fire it this week.

Thanks to all on the forum for their posts , pictures and advice on doubles! Dreams sometimes do come true!


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Wow! That is indeed beyond beautiful, worth every second of the wait. That is what a lifetime treat looks like. Well done!

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

What about a double rifle appeals to me? Tradition, looks, feel, the sound of 2 big shells dropping in the chambers, the fact that I dreamed about owning one as a child while reading everything I could find about hunting in Africa.....what's not to like?

I bought my first one to "learn" about doubles and I chose a cartridge that I felt was practical for most game that I would hunt. I chose a Merkel 141E in 9.3x74R. I have killed a lot of plains game, many whitetail, a huge black bear and even doubled on turkey with it. I love that rifle.

Several years later I started looking at big bore doubles. After lots of research and shooting friends doubles, I bought a VC 450/400. I plan to take my first buffalo with it. I mounted a Trijicon RMR on it last week and I can shoot it as well at 50 yards as I can with the scope.

Safe shooting.............LL

Please can you post pictures of your VC SFR? Are you reloading for it or using stock ammo, and if stock what brand?

 

[HWL]

@HWL You only pay for a DG Double once...the DD double requires constant payments...

I payed for several DG rifles several times,.... and some DD doubles came for free....

HWL

 

[SFRanger7GP]

As requested: Verney Carron 450/400 NE photos.

I tried Hornady factory ammo as that was used during regulation. Three different lots of Hornady ammo had the barrels shooting 6-10" apart at 25 yards. Great groups per barrel; just too far apart. I called John at Safari Arms (great guy to deal with!) and he sent me one of his regulating boxes of ammo with 4 different loads using Swift A frame bullets. All 4 test loads shot better that any of the Hornady ammo. I picked the best load (purple primers I believe) and ordered several boxes. This load stacked 4 shots with L-R barrel shots almost touching at 50 yards. We have a winner!

I am working with my own reloads now, but I still have a few boxes of John's loads and I won't hesitate to buy more if needed. I talked to Hornady about the differences in their lots of ammo. The tech admitted they change loads/pressures/powders as needed. WTF??? Oddly, all 3 lots shoot really good in my Ruger #1 in 450/400 NE. Just shows how big a difference pressure and consistency matters with a double.

When you buy a double rifle you want it to shoot. Nothing is more frustrating than taking your new double to the range and it shoots like crap. Builders should contract custom ammunition makers to build ammunition befitting their rifles.

Another great thing about double rifles: You get to have another woman in your life, as double rifles are just like women. Beautiful; great to handle; lovely arm candy; they make the most homely man look dapper and handsome; they are expensive; complicated; frustrating; picky.....but when you find a good one, you never want to let it go!

Safe shooting........LL

 

[SFRanger7GP]

And here is my beloved Gesche (Gottfried); Merkel 141E in 9.3x74R.

 

[degoins]

Beautiful rifles guys. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

And here is my beloved Gesche (Gottfried); Merkel 141E in 9.3x74R.

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They are both beautiful lookers SFR, and you have taken some magnificent animals. It is as I suspected, to my taste anyway, the ranking of looks is a bare double looks best, then with a scope, and then with a red dot. Essential they may be, and I may yet have to fit one on my Heym, but it detracts. When is the buff coming?

 

[Chrisbritton]

I like the sporting nature of a double, as well as the lines of the gun.

 

[SFRanger7GP]

They are both beautiful lookers SFR, and you have taken some magnificent animals. It is as I suspected, to my taste anyway, the ranking of looks is a bare double looks best, then with a scope, and then with a red dot. Essential they may be, and I may yet have to fit one on my Heym, but it detracts. When is the buff coming?

Many thanks for your kind words. I agree, Kevin P. Different optics do detract from the clean lines of a double. However, my eyes need the help and the beasties deserve for me to be at my best before I pull the trigger. I have a small scope set up for the VC as well. I just wanted to try out the red dot.

The buffalo hunt is on standby until travel sorts itself out. Now that I am retired, we don't want to just go hunting and return We plan to spend several weeks in Africa and don't want the headache of covid restrictions. We paid for hunts in South Africa and Namibia scheduled for last year. Hopefully things will improve soon for international travel.

Safe shooting.......LL

 

[machinistbutler]

@SFRanger7GP the pictures you posted are great! The rifle and that kudu are spectacular!

Craig

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Isn't it great how many doubles are suddenly coming forward? Several of our friends on the AH group are taking delivery of new guns, and some nice used ones too. I am seeing more stock doubles in the gun shops here in South Africa than ever before, and they appear to be selling. Not sure if this is all down to the better price, or is it just that the appeal of a double is stronger than ever?