Hello. This is my first post to the forum, and I joined primarily to learn how to best go about making an informed, first purchase of a double rifle. This seems like a more complicated purchase than I am used to with my other guns.

I am in Alaska, and while I do hunt and think it would be a real kick in the pants to go on Safari (suggestions on entry-level, value-oriented Safaris would also be interesting to me), I am probably not thinking of purchasing a double for hunting. I probably do not intend to hunt dangerous game in the near future.

I think for my purposes the rifle needs to be relatively inexpensive (for a double). I would prefer a caliber and make that will be in-demand, so the rifle will have a chance of appreciating. And, I would like it to look good. The engraving on some of the doubles I have seen is fantastic. I have seen some lighter caliber doubles that look especially fun (such as .30-06) as I might take them hunting - if I bought a double I could justify shooting (wouldn't severely impact the investment value). But, I'm not sure the lighter doubles are mainstream in that they really do not solve the problem for which doubles were created.

Probably what is making me want a double rifle is reading too many Capstick books on Safari, combined with being an irredeemable pack-rat and collector. I hope that's not a party foul. :-)

Where should I start? How do I educate myself?

A local gun shop has a new, .470 Merkel double in-stock. It is a beauty with ornate engraving of African animals and some gold inlay. They also have a .375 H&H Sarasqueta. The latter seems like a nice rifle, but very little information seems to be available on the manufacturer. And, with this type of purchase I want to know a lot more than I have found. I do not even know whether or not it is a quality gun and what would constitute a fair price.

Thanks in advance.

Aaron