Mac, I will admit that the macho in me wanted the biggest field piece practical as a newly manufactored Double but the CHEAP in me couldn't handle the $$$$ ticket so I bought one of those cost effective 470 Merkels--Fun but handled like swinging a railroad tie.

I traded up to a 500 Merkel and have been relatively happy since then. Have a quality gun at a reasonable price that will kill anything I point the barrels at if I do my part!! Plenty of smack, balances/handles better, and has enough recoil to give me a senior moment if I don't shoot it properly!! I like it alot!!

Still if I knew what I know now a quality 9.3x74R would have been the first Double in my closet--no doubt at all---