Yeah, it was a combination of "sh*t happens" combined with a healthy dose of "someone up there must be watching over me..." In the end, the result was a whole bunch of "live and learn".

This rifle is, without a doubt, a very well-finished, quick-handling firearm. A good friend recently bought himself a Merkel in the same chambering. I would have to say that the difference is pretty apparent, with the VC being the better-finished rifle. (Mind you, his rifle goes "bang" when he wants it to...) I can only hope that, with the judicious use of loctite, this piece should go back to serving as a fun-to-shoot double rifle.

If there is one thing that this trip taught me it's to, in our outfitter's words, "keep an open mind and a good attitude". That was really the key to being able to pick up the back-up rifle and go have fun hunting.