UNSPELLABLE, regulation is regulation, and the barrels are converging when you look through them! The barrel set clamped in a vice with the sights aligned on the bulls eye, at the so-called regulated distance, the right barrel will be looking at a point that is low, and on the LEFT of point of aim. The left barrel will be looking at a point that is low, and to the right of the point of aim. When fired the right barrel will recoil up, and to the right, to a point where the bullet leaves the muzzle. When the left barrel is fired, it will recoil up, and to the left to a point where the bullet leaves the muzzle. This is called barrel time. The convergance is adjusted so that when the right barrels bullet leaves the muzzle, it is in line with just right of the point of aim, and the bullet from the left barrel leaves the muzzle aligned with a point just left of POA, and with both aligned at the same elevation. That is the regulation of the barrels. They are regulated to shoot side by side, from muzzle to infinity. At this point the sights are not filed down to REGULATE THEM, for elevation, they are only centered between the bores of the barrles.

The distance you are speaking of has nothing to do with the convergance of the barrels, but simply adjusts the sights for elevation only, because they are aligned at a line that is exactly between the two barrel's bore centers.

The regulated distance has only to do with the standing rear sight, in relation to the front sight for elevation. You see a double rifle with multiple flip up sights has all the centers in line regardless of the distance they are cut (REGULATED)for, only the highth of the sight is cut differently.

If the barrels were made to CROSS at that distance, you would be right, but they aren't, this is the reason those rifles shoot to those sights all the way down range. With your idea of regulation, they would not shoot to those sights, past 100 yds for a rifle regulated to 50 yds. Every maker of FINE double rifles installs sights for down range shooting that are all in line with each other, no matter the range.

Example:

If each of the barrels is shooting a 1" individual group, then the barrels are converged so the bullets from each barrel will place the CENTER of that barrels group on it's own side of the POA, by 1/2", or side by side. IOW, PARALELL, the center of each barrles group 1/2" on it's own side will equal a composite group of 2" with the center of each barrel's individule group on it's own side of POINT OF AIM, no matter how far you shoot.

You are not alone in your thinking! It constantly amazes me at the well known gun builders of fine custom bolt rifles, and owners of fine double rifles who do not understand the regulation process, and so believe that barrels on doubles are regulated to cross at a given point in their flight. They make the mistake of trying to work up a load the will print the smallest composite group, rather that a load the will place each individule barrel group's center on it's own side of the POA. They, like you, think the sight regulation to a particular distance means both barrels to shoot to one hole, and that is why they have found when they work up a load the shoots one hole, the rifle continues to get wider apart as they go down range. That is because they are not shooting a regulating load, that load is usually a little high, as well. That load needs speeding up slightly, so the bullets leave the muzzles quicker, and it will shoot lower as well. If it has long range sights as well, this load will shoot to those sights down range!

This is the reason few people in any country, can regulate a double rifle, and even fewer in this country. because they don't understand regulation