From personal experience and hearsay.

I have hunted on X safaris.

The first PH Wayne Jardine used a .416 Remington Mag. He was left handed.

The second PH is a member of these forums and has a .460 Weatherby Magnum.

Third, was Pierre van Wyk who on my cape buffalo hunt used a Winchester M70 in .458 Win Mag but his usual bolts were a .500 A-square and .460 (?) A-square. Pierre had used a double .500/.465 Holland & Holland as a "staff rifle" (believe it of not?!) when hunting as a PH with the H&H Safari Agency outfitters, plus was kitted out in "classic" H&H wardrobe. He said he would love a "vintage" double rifle if one at the right price was available. Churchill rifle makers also made a .500 NE with his "name" on it, I believe.

I am not sure what Karl Stumpfe who is also on these forums uses for DG hunts. He can chime in if he is near civilisation.

Paul Frodsham used a .416 Rem Mag BA.

These PHs of course may also have other rifles.

The only double rifle I have seen a PH own was Brent Hein with a Merkel in .470 NE. A client had just brought him his new DR from the USA.

Most PHs I have met would love a DR but realistically they are very expensive and on an average PH's income pretty much out of reach. Mostly is it the outfitter's themselves who have one, or wealthier PHs.

A story I was told by a junior PH who was working as a river guide on the Zambezi. He used to work for an outfitter who had an Italian gunmaker client, who used to hunt with the principal as the PH. At the end of every elephant hunt each year, he would hand over his DR to the boss as a tip. After four years the principal and all three of the employed PHs all had one of these rifles, and on the fifth year this junior PH was laid off due to safaris dropping off. He was VERY disappointed! Both a VERY generous tip but also very good PR for the Italian DR gunmaker.

As for clients, well some do and some don't. But NitroExpress.com has been doing its best to see the numbers increase.

Infact in the first three months these forums concentrated on DRs, I counted members buying twelve of them, and some guys said because of reading about them here and getting very interested.

I know when hunting, one feels more confident with a big bore double in hand, especially when getting close to DG.

So we all need to keep preaching and converting ....