May I disagree, in part, with my friend Corbin? First, he is correct that the round action H&H doubles were developed as a lower price alternative to the now very expensive "Royals." They are, if one can forgive the term for an H&H, a 'production' gun with less engraving and less work to produce.

On the other hand, the 'round action' is hardly a new development, as the Dickson round actions go back before the turn of the last century and are avidly sought today. Although far more prevalent in shotguns than double rifles, round actions have been with us for a long time.

The round action DR has been available from McKay Brown, who took over the name and design from Dickson, and has always been available from other double makers, notably the better Italian builders. The latter build them in both hammerless and in some exquisite hammer doubles. I have one of the later, a 9.3X74R built up as a set with a pair of 20ga bbls and engraved by Creative Arts. A beautiful item. I will pull it out of the vault and post some shots in the near future.

If you fancy a round action double, and many of us do, take a look at the new Artisan-grade DR Chapuis has just introduced. Here are some photos:

I think the rifle is very handsome, with upgraded wood and nice detailing, especially the skeleton grip cap. This one is a 30-06/20ga combination. (No, it is not cast on for a left handed shooter. The photo makes it look that way. It has a mild cast off for a right handed shooter.)

Like all Chapuis, the Round Actions are regulated by hand, and by firing and adjusting them, not simply sticking a laser stub in the barrels and 'regulating' them in that fashion. The lowest priced, and newest round action DR on the market and a very nice rifle. (This one is now in transit to Casa Novo.

So, Corbin and I agree to disagree on this one. They are "for me." And they are not "new", simply harder to locate than other styles of DR. Dave