I have had and owned quite a few, and these days I have only my 9.3s, my 404 Jeffery and my 375H&H. All my 416s 458s, 460s and 50s are now sold or traded off.

I have made a lot of big muzzleloading rifles for men all over America. 8 bores 6 bores 4 bores and one 2 bore.

But for me, I have no desire for anything larger then what I have now. Even my 404 is more gun then I have a real use for anymore. (I just like it, so I have kept it)

However if there was one gun I would like to get it would be a well regulated light weight 9.3X74R double. Something in the 9 pound range or lighter.

The old 9.3X74R may not even be thought of by many as a "big-bore" but for my hunting it is a very good round. I own a Ruger #1 in that chambering, and I have really come to appreciate how well it works on the game I hunt from deer and antelope up through elk and even bison. I am 100% sure it would never leave me wanting.

I would trade a very fancy muzzle-loader for one, ( made to order) if the double was to my liking and didn't need much modification for me to hunt with. Many of those I have handled have stocks too long for me. I use a 13.5" LOP. I can restock one myself, but I do not like the idea of trading for a "project gun" unless the work was something I could do in a few days.

At my age I don't get too excited about theses things anymore. I am not super old, but I am old enough to know I am not likely to be hunting elk in the mountains on foot for another 20-25 years and the rifles I have now cover every base I need to cover, ------ probably X4.

But it is nice to dream.