My first double is on this board already. I am a new convert and like a lot of born again types a fanatic.

My interest was first piqued when I read an article by Col Allison in an Aussie hunting mag. He had always wanted a double and when booking a Zim elephant hunt bought a vintage .450/.400 and hunted it in the classic fashion. This was in the early eighties.

Since then I had been on the look out for a very reasonably priced double. Very reasonably means I had no money. $3K was my target. The trouble was the price had moved to about $7K and I thought that too much.

I always wanted a big bore vintage double, a .450 or .470. A .500 would be better. If I settled for a smaller bore I wanted in scope sighted (making the sign of the cross to ward off evil spirits

).

With that objective in mind when I came across an open sighted .375 I turned it down. It was $1600 ..... BTW I was only shooting a .222 back then so a .222 to a .500 was going to be quite a jump.

Ended up buying a .30-06 BA and have used it a lot. Will always regret not buying that .375 but that is usual with hindsight.

Meanwhile the double prices went up further and eventually took out a short-term loan and purchased my modest "Indian Gentleman" since christened "Zabardast" ("awesome") in .450 No2 NE. So I eventually got what I was looking for. I plan to keep this rifle for my grandchildren.

Previously I used a BA .375 so so far a water buffalo is the only serious big game for the .450, but another one or two is planned this year and hopefully each year

. Maybe a banteng and definitely scrub bulls. Another cape buffalo. Then I want to find some serious ivory for it ...... It is hungry.

A second in 9.3mm is almost here (it is hurting the wait but very soon

) and plans for a .577. The 9.3 is planned to be a pig and deer rifle, especially for any brush hunting.

It is a disease and I am spreading it with everyone's help here at NE.com as much as I can.

(Good topic for a post BTW)

Edited to add:

I almost forgot. The first double I ever played with in 1982 was a nice little under and over from Frankonia. A .22 Magnum over a .5.6x50mm Rimmed. A very accurate little rifle and perfect for a lot of my hunting at home. Except it was too nice and the abuse I would have given it would not have been appropriate.