Aaron

Welcome to the NitroExpress.com forums. If you are interested in looking and learning about double rifles with an eye to purchase you have come to the right place. There is a wealth of knowledge and experience in the membership here.

My comments would be first to decide your budget, as the sky is the limit. You mentioned engraving. Good engraving on the relatively lesser priced doubles is hard to find in my opinion. If I was looking for a user rifle I would go for a plainer rifle than some of the aweful engraving seen on budget priced rifles. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so if you like it, go for it.

Some of the modern brands with budget priced rifles include: Merkel; Krieghoff; Chapuis; Searcy; among others. Heym is another. Upgrades and more expensive options are also available of course. All of these makers and the others have proponents for and against. Look at what you are buying rather than the marketing hype. The best advice is to handle and if possible shoot them before deciding.

"Vintage" rifles are also available and have a great attraction. These are also more likely to appreciate in value if purchased at a wise price.

Modern prestige makers. Names such as Westley Richards, Holland & Holland, Purdey etc etc plus the German and Austrian makers - Ferlach etc - all still make bespoke doubles. At a price. For those guys able to afford them, go for it.

Side by side or Under and over are the two main configurations. Most prefer the side by side but an under and over in a medium calibre can be a nice double too. Then sidelocks, boxlocks, etc etc and other technical features. If you want to know more about these, do a review of the topics on this double rifle forum and you will find more detail than maybe you want.

Secondly just what do you aim to do with it. Now or in the future. Plinking - good forbid! Medium game hunting? Big game hunting and dangerous game in the future?

I could imagine lots of opportunites for a double in Alaska. From a medium calibre, such as a 7mm, .30, 8mm etc. But a upper medium or a smaller big bore would really shine I think. The great 9.3x74 mm Rimmed is very versatile and can be had in rifles cheaper than true big bores. The .375 and .400s also. The modern .500/.416 will become a true classic. These sorts of rifles will double for local hunting as well as international big game. Of course the true big bores starting with the .450's, .470's etc may be of attraction. They too can be used on medium sized game and a lot of members here do so. But they will be 'in their own' when oneday you do hunt big and dangerous game. What the big bore double was designed for.

If recoil is an issue, take note of that. A 9.3x74R is fairly mild and still very versatile.

Thirdly, do you intend to reload for it? This will make a BIG difference in possible choices and the $$$ required to regularly shoot one.

Fourth. Other considerations might include: do you want to scope it? A medium or smaller big bore double can be scoped in my opinion.

Don't rush into it and enjoy the selection process.