I can't answer all of your questions but here's a stab at a few.

Searcy is now a company of 6 or 8 guys building guns. Some are located in South Dakota and some are in California. Searcy guns are stout with receivers made from a large block of steel. They are very accurate. However, they are not as slender as some European guns, but they are not as finicky either. And Searcy says you can shoot Barnes X bullets or Barnes solids in his rifles if you want to, but that is likely to destroy any other double. Searcy rifles also have a lifetime warranty. Try presenting your used H&H to H&H for a free repair and see what happens.