Hi, my name is JB.

Be sure I support Chapuis, no doubt.
Don’t forget Chapuis is making different kinds of guns. There are Manurhin revolvers, Challenger rifles.......... and doubles. Among doubles there is shotguns o/u and s/s, there is medium doubles o/u and s/s and there is African doubles s/s.
Then there is basic, but sturdy, guns and taylormade (or handmade) beauts. Concerning doubles from 5K to 10K or even over, it depends on how many hours are spent assembling and decorating the double. Same thing with Winchester and their custom shop
There are production lines for o/u and for s/s. There are different production lines for shotguns and doubles. There are different production lines for doubles and African doubles.
Since about 1995, all are CNC machined.
What is making a real sturdy double is the boxlock and the hooks and lugs.
Now, I am asking You, who are the makers every day capable of making Double Express CNC boxlocks hooks and lugs on special and constant own production lines?
I won’t be rude with other makers. There are many makers who can offer nice African double express. But how many of these doubles can withstand years after years of abuse? Thierry Chapuis told me that most of the African doubles can fit the odd African hunter who’ll fire 200 or 500 rounds in his big gun.
When it comes to use the double as a tool......... everyday, don’t count on most of the makers. Period.

In my opinion, I think English and Belgian doubles are faultless.
Blaser and Krieghoff are the least sexy (they might be the ugliest too).
I don’t know anything about Searcy, but JudgeG endorses Searcy.
For your money, I think Heym and Chapuis are the beauts of the pack and best choices. I know many PHs using them and ....content. Try how balanced they are.
I regreet Heym is not selling more doubles.
Merkel seems to be good, but as we say in France, they are “barre à mine”, mining bars. Why are they so heavy. Me think progresses have been done concerning steel quality.

Quote l4v2safari : “I bought a Chapuis in 1999 in 9,3X74r. It was sent back the day it arrived for a refund. The checkering looked like it was done by a drunk Mexican with a machete. The fit and finish were terrible. I might not be Merkel's biggest fan, but the Merkels had it all over the French junk I received”
Chapuis has to be sensible about pricing but is in no habit of offering junk. What change between the basic doubles and the handmade ones is the finishing. Anyhow the chekering is a safety element and no money has to be saved in botching a chekering( which costs nothing when industrially realised). I think the wood was no genuine Chapuis. May be the double was beforehand used as a crowbar, but a Chapuis is no Merkel.

It’s only my humble opinion.

It remains that Ray desserves highest respect and I don’t contest his vast competence.