Sarge,

I actually think you MAY find a double front stuffer for around $10K..quite a bit less than a breech loading double eight bore. Steve Zihn is definitely someone to speak with in this regard. The thing is, when you get around $10K, you have already eclipsed the price of a used or even new Merkel double in .470 or .500 NE. At that point, one has to assess how badly one wants the novelty of a bore rifle....and that comes from someone who loves them. The thing about the single muzzleloading bore rifles, built by either Steve Zihn or Jim Gefroh, is that one could buy it, shoot the heck out of it, and pay for a lot of HUNTING with the remaining $7K. If you took into account the street price of a breech loading 8 bore, you could actually pay Steve or Jim and (with the difference) also probably buy an bull elephant hunt or cow elephant/Buffalo combo. Just thinking out loud.

Best,

John