Every day that you can learn something new is a good day. I have been looking at Heym and Merkel ever since I made the first post and now I have second and third opinions. Thank you.

Is there a reason you would recommend a 470 as a first double other then recoil? I have an extensive special operations background with quite a lot of combat experience. I have to say recoil and even the 'Tusker' itself dont intimidate me as much as the cost. Naivety and ignorance on my part could be a legitimate part of this but with sincerity I do have to say I have not choked in combat yet.... key word being yet. I think anyone with experience in these matters, to which I definitely include a charging dangerous game, knows the humility that anything is possible in such a life or death scenario.

And I have to ask, only again displaying my inexperience with double rifles: pre war is which war? WW2?