You are all correct in you opinions, and are all saying the same thing, only in different ways, and not reading what others are saying, but nit picking! There is no need for a pissing contest here, as all opinions I have read here, have value, if viewed from a little different perspective!

The fact is, most Britt double rifles sold today, are in the 80 to 100 year old class! This fact, alone, tells the inteligent buyer, that he needs to know his Ps&Qs or he will get a piece of junk, for an inflated price. The price will not be a good guide in this endever. The well made, and well MAINTANED Britt double will be worth ten times what it sold for 100 years ago. However, that same Britt double did not sell for more than it cost new, when it was 5 yrs old, it was simply a USED rifle and sold at used rifle prices. Only today, when Britt double rifles are collector items, are they sold for those premium prices we see today. It is true you will always get back the money you piad for a Britt today, that is, if you didn't pay more than it was worth in the first place!

It is my opinion, though, the market has peeked on the Britts, and large profits will not be realized on rifles bought today, as they did when bought 20 years ago!

Now lets look at the new double rifles, and their attendant pricing! The Britt will still cost you, at least, twice what a Europien, or American double will cost you, and you will not get back a premium on that investment, if you pay full retail. On the other hand the American, or Europien double will loose value as any used rifle will loose value, while new ones are still being made! Give the new rifle made today 75 or 100 years and it will sell for a premium as well, assuming it has been cared for properly. In other words,sombody owned the old ones for a long time before they became collector items that command collector prices, and all those owners did not make money on them when they sold!

Finally, if you are buying a rifle to use for hunting, and you are not in the collector's possition of haveing the knowledge necessary, to make the proper judgments on a collector rifle, then IMO, you are far better served by buying NEW. Buying NEW, is something that is not well accepted by the purest Britt collector/hunter, and draws some form of distaste,in most cases, when new doubles are discussed! That is natural for any purest, no matter his field, and is to be expected.

Think, for a moment, about the guy who wants a double rifle,wants to hunt with it, and will most likely keep it, what is wrong with his buying a NEW double that will sattisfy his itch, while not killing his hunting budget, and let him experience his dream? I fail to see why everyone wants to rain on this guy's parade!

I didn't see anything in the title of this forum that restricted posts to only Brittish double rifles, so I think it is for what ever double rifle one wants to discuss! To me it makes more sense to try to educate the beginer, rather than look down on him, simply because he has chosen a double you wouldn't have chosen! I have both old Britts, and new double rifles, and I find value in them all. Ray is right, I would far rather loose a $10K new double, that I can replace, with an exact copy, than to loose a $5K collector piece that can't be replaced at any price! With that in mind I hunt more with my NEW doubles that with my old ones!