Gentlemen,

Well it took a few years but I finally hit the field and bloodied my .280 Ross “clamshell” DR. This particular gun wouldn't have been my first choice for such a hunt but with the hunt being an event set up by fellow members of the GGCA (German Gun Collectors Association) it ended up being the thing to do. The gun was made back in 1916 for one Robert Muller Jr. of New York City. It has yet to be confirmed but there are a few that believe that the maker of the double was most likely Bernhard Merkel of Suhl. I have the gun shooting barrel distance apart (1.060”) at 100 yards using a combination of Horneber brass, CCI 200 primer, Hornady 139 grain Interbond bullet and 55.6 grains of H4831. Average muzzle velocity is 2538 ft/sec. Of course that’s pretty dang slow by .280 Ross standards but it’s easy on the gun and makes the old gem a tack driver of a double rifle. The shot distance wasn’t much over 100 yards (115 yards max) but not wanting to take any chances, given my lack of familiarity with the gun in the field, I took the high percentage lung shot. I hit the old buck exactly where I was aiming and had my first experience with seeing how far an antelope can run with a both lungs shot out. We didn’t range the exact distance the old buck ran but he ran a large arc back and past us, the 100 yards plus, and what looked to be at least another 70 yards before he fell over. More than likely the next time the old Ross and I hit the field we’ll be in search of a Wisconsin or Missouri whitetail.

Regards,

Mark