nitro476,

"I don't know where you hunt but I can say that In all my trips to Africa, I have never had rain pouring
on me and in the evening there was always an oily rag to wipe down the exterior of the rifle".

I hunt with Marrakai and others and believe me, what he says is true. On one trip we left and started
walking at approx 6.00am, 30+++ degree heat all day so sweat all over the rifle, the heavens opened up
in the late afternoon and pissed on us for a while (we were so wet with sweat it didn't really matter anyway)
but everythig including the guns (we were both carrying doubles) got saturated. HOWEVER, because of the way
we both set up our doubles, apart from outside wear, nothing got damaged on the guns. We walked into camp at
approx 6 - 7pm. 12 hours and although I carried an oily rag and kept wiping down my gun, t didn't make
any difference. Last year I also had to carry my A&N 500 Nitro up to my thighs in mud so I could get to have a
go at a huge buffalo. Regardless of what I did, the gun still ended up with mud / water on it. (I probably
concentrated on looking out for Crocodiles and not falling over !!!)

Sometimes we go out and don't come back at night (camp overnight).

"There are also a couple of fellows in the US who can duplicate the original colors as well."
I haven't seen many guns or photos that "duplicate the original colors" that well (just look at some of
the RCCH guns photographed and printed in the Double Gun Journal). We also have someone over
here who RCCH and again, I don't think they "duplicate the original colors" that well either so it is
not just a US thing.

"Loose actions are not easily fixed if done properly. Piecing the hook is not the way to do it."

I agree that throwing a burr or two upon the pin or the hook to " tighten the fit " is NOT the way
to tighten a gun but the British are the ones who started "Piecing the hook" or putting a dovetail
or shell bearing in the hook so why is it not right ??? You can't always get the pin out due to the design.
Qualification - Where the Hingepin can be removed and replaced or built up, I prefer doing this
to the above, but it is not always possible.

"Triggers and locks are not always in a condition to be adjusted. If the wear is significant the part or
spring has to be remade."

Of 30+ double rifles I have owned or do own, the majority of them have gone through my gunsmith.
1 has a loose rib and doesn't shoot but everything else on the gun is fine.
1 has been tightened
Every single other one has been stripped, cleaned, firing pins rerounded, sears / triggers adjusted
(to my preferred pull weight) and NOT once have I had to replace a part.

And if I did need to replace a part, I just order them as blanks (if I don't have them in my
stock of bits and pieces) - English foresights, main spings, fore end irons etc etc
- they are all available as blanks - the only problem is sometimes trying to match up the correct
one (Blank foreend irons being a good example).

IMHO

500 Nitro