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Double Rifles, Single Shots & Combinations >> Double Rifles
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hoppdoc
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Reged: 02/03/06
Posts: 1791
Loc: Southeastern USA
Do you own/hunt a Double??
      #105520 - 18/05/08 11:42 PM

Pardon me--
My last poll for a while!! (I apologize if these polls offend anyone)
Do you own a Double??
You may choose many
nope, not a one
Small caliber Double(caliber less than 9.3x74R)
medium Double caliber(9.3 to sub 450 cal)
Big Double(450 cal and larger)


Votes accepted from (18/05/08 11:41 PM) to (No end specified)
You must vote before you can view the results of this poll



--------------------
An armed man is a citizen of his country, an unarmed man just a subject.

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Michael
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Reged: 28/07/05
Posts: 69
Loc: Darwin, Northern Territory
Re: Do you own/hunt a Double?? [Re: hoppdoc]
      #105524 - 19/05/08 12:40 AM

8x57JRS double with express sights. Great rifle over the hounds after Sambar. A proven combination.

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bigmaxx
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Reged: 13/06/07
Posts: 660
Loc: Bowling Green KY U.S.A.
Re: Do you own/hunt a Double?? [Re: Michael]
      #105525 - 19/05/08 12:51 AM

Does not offend me a bit. I looked at two double rifles this weekend at NRA exhibition in Louisville KY. Its hard to shop for doubles in KY! I looked at a Krieghoff and a Merkel. The Krieghoff balanced nicely and had a tad better wood. I think the cocking mechanism would take a little getting used too. Both rifles were in 500NE. I thought there would be more DR at an event the size of that! I met Craig Boddington there and heard his African Experience Seminar. Quite good.

--------------------
One day at a time...

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DUGABOY1
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Reged: 02/02/03
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Loc: TEXAS USA
Re: Do you own/hunt a Double?? [Re: hoppdoc]
      #105528 - 19/05/08 01:56 AM

I voted for all but the top one!


You can never have too many double rifles, and they are as usefull in 22 LR as they are chambered for 577NE depending on the game they are used to hunt! The double rifle is the only firearm that started life as a hunting gun. All others were once self-defence or war weapons that were adapted to hunting! Properly built, the double rifle is the most reliable firearm ever invented!

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..........Mac >>>===(x)===>
DUGABOY1, and MacD37 founding member of DRSS www.doublerifleshooterssociety.com
"If I die today, I have had a life well spent, for I've been to see the Elephant, and smelled the smoke of Africa!"

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450_366
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Reged: 17/01/07
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Re: Do you own/hunt a Double?? [Re: hoppdoc]
      #105598 - 19/05/08 07:36 PM

Does a 45-70 realy count as a big double?
If so i got a big double, only one problem its the only one.

--------------------
Andreas

"Yeas it kicks like a mule he said, but always remember that its much worse standing on the other end"

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Ripp
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Reged: 19/02/07
Posts: 16072
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Re: Do you own/hunt a Double?? [Re: bigmaxx]
      #105599 - 19/05/08 07:50 PM

heard his African seminar as well and agree--joy to listen too and very informative..

Plan to pick up my second double in the very near future..will be a 500 ..

Ripp

--------------------
ALL MEN DIE, BUT FEW MEN TRULY LIVE..

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Sepia
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Reged: 04/08/07
Posts: 11
Loc: Queensland, Australia
Re: Do you own/hunt a Double?? [Re: Ripp]
      #106485 - 02/06/08 10:46 AM

Hello to Nitro Express users. I am new to this site and this whole forum thing in general. I hope I am posting in the correct topic.
I am new to the world of Double Rifles. I have just purchased my first Double, a new Merkel in 9.3x74R. I would like some advice on how to shoot in a new double. I have read Boddingtons book on Safari Rifles and also Terry Wielands Dangerous Game Rifles. It seems there are many things that can go wrong with a double and I hope to avoid any dramas.
Any advice will be appreciated. Thank you.

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CptCurlAdministrator
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Reged: 01/05/04
Posts: 5275
Loc: Fincastle, Botetourt County, V...
Re: Do you own/hunt a Double?? [Re: Sepia]
      #106489 - 02/06/08 11:37 AM

Sepia,

My hearty welcome to you!

You have entered a new phase of life in which all of life's issues take a back seat to the love of double rifles.

The 9.3x74R is a fine choice. Your first task is to find out what load the rifle was regulated for. Does your Merkel have adjustable regulation? If not, you will find that it was regulated for a specific load; and in particular, a specific bullet weight.

To give you an example, when I got my 9.3x74R I had no idea what bullet it was regulated for. My guess was 286 grains, because the barrels have a fast twist. But I was dead wrong. The heavy bullets all shot apart, meaning that the right barrel grouped to the right of the aiming point, and the left barrel to the left. That's a sure sign of too much lead. It turned out my rifle was regulated for the 15 gram (232 grain) bullets and shot just fine with them. I have since had it re-regulated for the 18.5 gram (286 grain) bullets.

So find out what your rifle was regulated to shoot, and then get to know it by shooting the appropriate ammo. If you are a reloader, NEVER exceed factory spec loads in a DR. They are not made for hot rodding. You will shoot it loose in no time. Keep to what it was designed to shoot and you will get a lifetime of use.

I recommend that you start reading the Double Rifle forum on this site from the very beginning to the present. You will learn a lot from the discussions there. Many of your questions will be answered, and you will be introduced to many issues you may not have thought of.

Good luck with your new DR.

Curl

--------------------
RoscoeStephenson.com

YOUR DOUBLE RIFLE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.



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Sepia
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Reged: 04/08/07
Posts: 11
Loc: Queensland, Australia
Re: Do you own/hunt a Double?? [Re: CptCurl]
      #106576 - 03/06/08 04:50 PM

Cpt Curl, Thank you for the response. I appreciate what you have to say about reloading pressures. Initially I will only be using factory ammo (RWS) although I have purchased dies.
Sepia

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gei
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Reged: 19/03/06
Posts: 23
Re: Do you own/hunt a Double?? [Re: Sepia]
      #106600 - 04/06/08 01:40 AM

I HAVE OWNED 470 NE AND 9.3 X 74, NOW OWN HDYM 450/400. JUST WAITING FOR THE BRASS TO ARRIVE SO I CAN FIRE IT. REALLY LIKE DR.

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88MauSporter
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Reged: 06/06/07
Posts: 530
Loc: Alaska / Texas
Re: Do you own/hunt a Double?? [Re: gei]
      #106619 - 04/06/08 06:33 AM

450_366:
I am in your boat as well. I have a SXS .45-70 in the works, and a SXS .50 Muzzleloader.
They will hunt.
My others are SXS combos, medium (9.5mm) and big (12.7mm) X smooth 16. Guess that isn't quite what the survey means, but a 250 or 450 grain bullet followed by a fast shot from a .65 cal round ball should be formidable on boar or a close deer size animal.
Yes, I wish I had a .500 BPE or .577 BPE SxS. Someday.

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"A hunter should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everthing goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." 88MauSporter

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tarawa
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Reged: 21/10/07
Posts: 420
Loc: South Florida
Re: Do you own/hunt a Double?? [Re: 88MauSporter]
      #106698 - 05/06/08 12:19 AM

I don't want to get shamed or laughed off the board, but I have two Baikal O&Us and a Remington (Baikal) SxS. They are not English, French, German or custom built, but their all I can afford at this time.

--------------------
Life is for Service

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CptCurlAdministrator
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Re: Do you own/hunt a Double?? [Re: tarawa]
      #106699 - 05/06/08 12:24 AM

Bravo tarawa!

No shame in your battery. The use of double rifles is a noble endeavor, no matter what the price might be.

Curl

--------------------
RoscoeStephenson.com

YOUR DOUBLE RIFLE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.



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peter
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Reged: 11/04/07
Posts: 1493
Loc: denmark
Re: Do you own/hunt a Double?? [Re: tarawa]
      #106700 - 05/06/08 12:36 AM

Quote:

I don't want to get shamed or laughed off the board, but I have two Baikal O&Us and a Remington (Baikal) SxS. They are not English, French, German or custom built, but their all I can afford at this time.



no shame in owning a solid buildt dbl. rifle, the others will come, if you wait for the right one.
and if they dont, then you have the pleasure of hunting with dbl rifles anyway.

good for you

peter

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Bramble
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Reged: 29/07/06
Posts: 950
Loc: England
Re: Do you own/hunt a Double?? [Re: peter]
      #106712 - 05/06/08 01:43 AM

Heck, that is two more than me.

There is no shame in that, I am a long way from owning a £ 50,000 gun. Handled a lot and worked on some, but owned as in to keep, No sir.

I have a Baikal O/U shotgun, that was my first. Bought it with a few pounds my dear Grandfather left me when he passed away. It is one of my most treasured posessions and I would not swap it for a Purdy.

Regards

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tarawa
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Reged: 21/10/07
Posts: 420
Loc: South Florida
Re: Do you own/hunt a Double?? [Re: Bramble]
      #106785 - 05/06/08 09:09 PM

They opened a new Gander Mountain store about 15 minutes from me. Although they seem high priced, there are three or four DRs to look at in their fine gun room. The cased Siace (hammerless) DR is a real beauty. The Merkels are nice too. I can see a layaway in the near future. A DR may spell d-i-v-o-r-c-e for me!

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Life is for Service

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Nighthawk
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Reged: 12/02/07
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Loc: Belgium
Re: Do you own/hunt a Double?? [Re: tarawa]
      #106790 - 05/06/08 11:20 PM

I have a Blaser S2 and a Miroku O&U. Both in 9.3x74R.

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Mike_Bailey
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Reged: 26/02/07
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Re: Do you own/hunt a Double?? [Re: Nighthawk]
      #106795 - 05/06/08 11:53 PM

I know what you mean Bramble, the first shotgun I could afford when I was 14 (the licence you got from a post office for 50 pence I think) was a Mossberg pump 12 bore with 24 1/2" barrels, UK minimum was 24". It took me 9 months to save the £92 it cost me. It sure wouldn't win any pretty prizes but it worked at the local clay club. Had to sell it when I was at university as strapped for cash. Wish I knew where it was now, I'd pay a lot lot more than it's worth to have it back. Same goes for the Bavaria BSF 55 .22 air rifle I shot my first duck with......memories, best, Mike

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Sepia
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Reged: 04/08/07
Posts: 11
Loc: Queensland, Australia
Re: Do you own/hunt a Double?? [Re: CptCurl]
      #106965 - 07/06/08 06:42 PM

Cpt Curl, you say that you were able to have your Merkel reregulated for the 286g bullet. How did you go about this?
I have discovered that my rifle is regulated for the same bullet despite my specific request and assurance at the time of ordering that it would be regulated for the 285g bullet. As you can imagine I am very not happy about this.

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Sepia
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Reged: 04/08/07
Posts: 11
Loc: Queensland, Australia
Re: Do you own/hunt a Double?? [Re: Sepia]
      #106966 - 07/06/08 06:55 PM

CptCurl, I have just reread my post, what I meant to say is that my rifle is regulated for the 232g bullet and that was not what I requested at the time of ordering. Did you have to return your rifle to Merkel to have it reregulated for the 285g bullet or were you able to have a competent gunsmith do the job?

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CptCurlAdministrator
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Re: Do you own/hunt a Double?? [Re: Sepia]
      #106970 - 07/06/08 08:25 PM

Sepia,

First, my rifle is not a Merkel. It's an antique German double rifle. But that makes no difference as to regulation.



A good double gunmaker can re-regulate the barrels. It involves an adjustment using the same process as the original regulation. The wedge at the muzzles has to be moved a bit. This is not a very expensive procedure. I think it cost me $500 U.S. I had J.J. Perodeau do it for me here in the U.S. I know there are well qualified gunmakers in Oz who can help you, but you will need to get a referral from somebody in Oz.

Mine was part of a larger job. I had my rifle re-jointed, re-regulated, and the barrels re-blacked.

The 232 grain (15 gram) bullets are pretty darn good too! Mine shot them quite well.

Double rifles always have their little glitches. I guess that's why we love them.

Curl

--------------------
RoscoeStephenson.com

YOUR DOUBLE RIFLE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.



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dnovo
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Loc: Chicago & SE Wisconsin
Re: Do you own/hunt a Double?? [Re: CptCurl]
      #106973 - 07/06/08 09:43 PM

Quote:

Sepia,


Double rifles always have their little glitches. I guess that's why we love them.

Curl



My wife said that about men once. Of course she has horses, and they too have their 'little glitches.' Whomever invented the phrase 'healthy as a horse' must have been an idiot. They all seem to have 'leg problems' and they have four legs and vets are harder to find than a good doctor, and cost more.

A good double can normally be damn near rebuilt by a good smith such as JJ or Ken Owen. The only thing that usually takes a DR beyond the point of bringing it back to life are the barrels. Like Curl and I suspect many others on this site, I have often come across a 'ridden hard and put away wet' DR at a show or (in my trade) listed as part of an estate that must be liquidated to pay out to the heirs. A good appraiser who knows DRs and shotguns will focus on the condition of the barrels. I will buy an inherently good DR with no bluing or color case left, one that needs rejointing or even a complete rebuild if the gun is otherwise original. The colors can be restored, the mechanicals attended to, etc but short of replacement barrels (and that, to me, is no longer the same gun) there is nothing that can be done and I walk away.

Some may differ, but like a horse with a good disposition, great breeding, but bad legs, if the barrels are bad, take a walk. Dave

--------------------
Time Wounds All Heels

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Sepia
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Reged: 04/08/07
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Re: Do you own/hunt a Double?? [Re: CptCurl]
      #106997 - 08/06/08 10:16 AM

CptCurl, Thank you for the reply. I really hope to be able to get my rifle shooting the heavier bullets. I want to take it Buffalo hunting in the Northern Territory. I have hunted them before and they are very large critters. The heavier the bullet the better although placement is everything.

Nice photo of your rifle.

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Bramble
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Re: Do you own/hunt a Double?? [Re: Sepia]
      #106998 - 08/06/08 11:06 AM

Dave

I have never really understood this.
If one has an otherwise supurb best gun that it spoiled by having damaged barrels, either by neglect or just happenstance/accident. Why would it be a bad thing to return it to the makers or another skilled gunmaker who could replicate those barrels exactly.
If one accepts refinishing, then aside from the metal composition what has changed. Indeed how would one know ?
Just such things have been done to many guns long before the were "collectors" items and were still working tools.

For me it is like rejecting a vintage fararri because it has has an engine rebuild and the pistons have been replaced.
Now if somebody has bolted on a turbo and wide wheel arches then that is a different matter :-)

Regards

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Chasseur
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Re: Do you own/hunt a Double?? [Re: Bramble]
      #107008 - 08/06/08 06:42 PM

I have a Cahpuis 9.3x74r and I hunt with it. I've been moving the past couple of years so I've not hunted with it lately, but now I've got my reloading bench operational I'll be hunting again with old Casandra!

--------------------
In regards to action he should devote himself to hunting...
-Machiavelli



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