hoppdoc
.400 member
Reged: 02/03/06
Posts: 1791
Loc: Southeastern USA
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I do not want to start a thread bashing Searcy but am very curious as to the forum members perception on Searcy quality and features available vs other manufactored doubles(not custom jobs).
Merkel's are generally thought of as good "entry" DR's.Some say Searcy's are a popular internet gun but basically a one man show. Echo heard- What if something happens to Butch?
What are the technical features present or absent on a Searcy that seperate it from other DR's.How does it stack up against a Chapuis? How about a Heym?
Are we talking about personal preference or objective differences here?
Anyone have functional specifics to discuss that seperate various DR's?
Thanks to all for any input---
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An armed man is a citizen of his country, an unarmed man just a subject.
Edited by hoppdoc (17/11/06 01:20 PM)
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500grains
.416 member
Reged: 16/02/04
Posts: 4732
Loc: Salt Lake City, Utah USA
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I can't answer all of your questions but here's a stab at a few.
Searcy is now a company of 6 or 8 guys building guns. Some are located in South Dakota and some are in California. Searcy guns are stout with receivers made from a large block of steel. They are very accurate. However, they are not as slender as some European guns, but they are not as finicky either. And Searcy says you can shoot Barnes X bullets or Barnes solids in his rifles if you want to, but that is likely to destroy any other double. Searcy rifles also have a lifetime warranty. Try presenting your used H&H to H&H for a free repair and see what happens.
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mickey
.416 member
Reged: 05/01/03
Posts: 4647
Loc: Pend Oreille Valley, Idaho
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I think you are talking personal preference. I think they are all entry level Doubles.
Any Lifetime Warranty is only as long as the Life of the Company. I used to have an old Fenwick Fly rod with a Lifetime Warranty. Until Fenwick was sold and the new owners decided that they would no longer honour the Lifetime Warranty.
Buy the rifle you like. Mechanically, reliability wise and performance wise they are all the same.
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Lovu Zdar
Mick
A Man of Pleasure, Enterprise, Wit and Spirit Rare Books, Big Game Hunting, English Rifles, Fishing, Explosives, Chauvinism, Insensitivity, Public Drunkenness and Sloth, Champion of Lost and Unpopular Causes.
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bigdog
.375 member
Reged: 05/02/06
Posts: 559
Loc: Southern Illinois
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I am sure that if something happened to Butch, his company would make good on whatever it was. I guess you could always call and ask him. Every time I have talked to Butch, he has been honest, knowledgeable, and a very straight shooter, no bullshit.
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Kyle, I love you buddy, Dad
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bonanza
.400 member
Reged: 17/05/04
Posts: 2335
Loc: South Carolina
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I can't provide any cons about a Searcy, but this is what I can say are pros
A: American made.
B: Cheapest new sidelock DR
C: Custom stock dimentions
D: 577 'nuf said
Regarding Merkels:
They come with an unlimited one year warranty.
Dude I know droped his 470, cracked the stock and they replaced for free.
Merkels will shoot Barnes X and TSX. I have shot nearly 500 in mine.
Merkels will regulate below spec velocities if you know why that is important.
Merkels come with a splintered forearm (thank God!)
Merkel sells the cheapest new 500NE
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"Speak Precisely" G. Gordon Liddy.
"Life is absurd, chaotic and we must define its purpose with our actions" Abert Camus
"I''m the dude playing a dude disguised as another dude."
"Yo! Mr. White"
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bulldog563
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Reged: 21/10/05
Posts: 1153
Loc: California
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I would call Butch and speak to him about your questions/concerns. He will be honest and forthright with you. I would also do this with any other DR companies/dealers you are considering. Then go to SCI or DSC and handle all the different makes. Then make a decision.
Also try to shoot the calibers you are choosing between if you haven't shot them before.
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Join the National Rifle Association:
https://membership.nrahq.org/forms/signup.asp
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400NitroExpress
.400 member
Reged: 26/11/03
Posts: 1154
Loc: Lone Star State
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I consider the quality of Heym, Chapuis, and Merkel to be commensurate with price, and the Searcy overpriced. I've never been a fan of the Merkel, but it's a better gun than the Searcy for less money.
With most of the Searcy's I've handled, comparable build quality simply hasn't been there. Metal work, inletting, and finishing should all be better on a $10,000 gun, and worse (unforgiveable), they're often poorly timed. Not my cup of tea.
Custom dimensions are also available from Heym and Chapuis.
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."
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Double_Trouble
.375 member
Reged: 27/04/06
Posts: 577
Loc: Canada
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400Nitro .... can you please explain the term "poorly timed"
my guess on the defintion is a "lag" between trigger and firing pin strike but i am not sure ....if this is a dopey question, then i'm guilty
thanks
DT
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Double Trouble,
Speak not of what you do not know.
Listen up when it's time to.
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butchloc
.300 member
Reged: 18/12/04
Posts: 230
Loc: faribault mn
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my experience with searcy was pretty bad, opposite hold true for the merkel, but that's been all gone over in the past
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400NitroExpress
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Reged: 26/11/03
Posts: 1154
Loc: Lone Star State
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DT:
It's how the relationship between the moving parts are "timed" during the opening and closing of the action, and it effects just about everything - retraction of the firing pins, ejection, "springback", etc. For example, on a "best" gun, the ejectors will kick and the sears pop into place just as the barrels reach the bottom of their downward movement, and there's no "springback". Good quality double guns are well timed, "best" guns are perfectly timed, in addition to having best quality finish.
With several of the Searcy's I've handled lately, as the gun was opened, the top lever moved out to the right, but then back almost to center as the barrels reached bottom, instead of staying right. Further inspection confirmed that the bolts did not remain retracted as they should. Then, as the gun was rotated shut, there was a significant hitch as the barrel lugs struck the unretracted bolts, having to force them back against their spring so that the gun could close. This would be unacceptable on a double gun that costs a quarter as much.
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."
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bonanza
.400 member
Reged: 17/05/04
Posts: 2335
Loc: South Carolina
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400,
The strikers should always be cocked BEFORE the ejectors kick. If you knew this you did not make it clear in you last post. Apart from this, I agree completely.
B.
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"Speak Precisely" G. Gordon Liddy.
"Life is absurd, chaotic and we must define its purpose with our actions" Abert Camus
"I''m the dude playing a dude disguised as another dude."
"Yo! Mr. White"
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Double_Trouble
.375 member
Reged: 27/04/06
Posts: 577
Loc: Canada
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AH HA!!
thanks for the explanation 400!
this would explain the piece of crap Brno DG that i had to file in excess of .020" off of the the firing pins so the gun would open.( after i opened it over my knee during a hunt) now i know the term for this.
you are absolutely right,,,, this is unaccepatable in any price gun! and that Brno isn't inexpensive but it sure is CHEAP!
Thanks again 400!
DT
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Double Trouble,
Speak not of what you do not know.
Listen up when it's time to.
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400NitroExpress
.400 member
Reged: 26/11/03
Posts: 1154
Loc: Lone Star State
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My point was that, on a best gun, they're so close together that they seem simultaneous to the user.
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."
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Double_Trouble
.375 member
Reged: 27/04/06
Posts: 577
Loc: Canada
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yes ,, the sensation should be one of smooth and fluid motion
i have handled enough best guns to know the feel,,,, just wasnt familiar with the term
DT
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Double Trouble,
Speak not of what you do not know.
Listen up when it's time to.
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bonanza
.400 member
Reged: 17/05/04
Posts: 2335
Loc: South Carolina
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Ok, fair enough, but it is fascinating that there an order in the sequence.
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"Speak Precisely" G. Gordon Liddy.
"Life is absurd, chaotic and we must define its purpose with our actions" Abert Camus
"I''m the dude playing a dude disguised as another dude."
"Yo! Mr. White"
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bwana600nitro
.224 member
Reged: 13/02/06
Posts: 41
Loc: San Antonio, Texas
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The one Searcy I had.
Pro: was very accurate
Con handled terrible. The weight was not between the hands. Too barrel heavy.
I think Butch has a winning idea, I would be proud to have one of his guns if he ever does a screw grip type action. until then I shop used.
bwana600
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"The big ones look big" Jack O'Conner
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400NitroExpress
.400 member
Reged: 26/11/03
Posts: 1154
Loc: Lone Star State
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In reply to:
"Con handled terrible. The weight was not between the hands. Too barrel heavy."
Every time I say that I get lambasted.
We're of a mind regarding the screw-grip. One of mine is a Webley built boxlock DR that I've had for years. Best boxlock DR action ever designed.
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."
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hoppdoc
.400 member
Reged: 02/03/06
Posts: 1791
Loc: Southeastern USA
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400 nitroexpress--
Searched previous threads and you obviously prefer the screw grip.
I'm no engineer but the PHV1 would seem to both cam the barrels upon closing and be a ?third fastener offering more resistance to the forces that would tend to blow the action apart. Is one type better than another or is the choice irrevelant? Does any modern manufacturor make either type presently?
Thanks!!
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An armed man is a citizen of his country, an unarmed man just a subject.
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Peterb
.333 member
Reged: 07/07/04
Posts: 288
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Let's consider the options. The last new H&H DR I saw was over $200,000. Purdey out of reach, too.
The Blaser S-2 and Krieghoff are not really dangerous game rifles. They don't cock with the barrels closing. They require a second cocking mechanism to be cocked. That gives the dangerous game far too much advantage in my opinion.
The Heym is a really nice gun, but more expensive than the Searcy.
The Chapuis is a real piece of crap. Look at it in person. It looks cheap and feels cheap. I wouldn't ever trust one in a life threatening situation.
The California gun guy that bought out the Brit outfit (forgot the name) is twice the price it should be. It uses a Merkel action. For the same price, you could have 2 real Merkels.
The Merkel is a nice gun. However, I believe quality has gone down a bit in the last 5 years.
That means three real possibilities: Searcy, Merkel, and Heym. For the price, I'll take the Searcy. Perhaps 400 hasn't held one in a few years with his odd preference for the Chapuis.
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400NitroExpress
.400 member
Reged: 26/11/03
Posts: 1154
Loc: Lone Star State
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Quote:
Perhaps 400 hasn't held one in a few years with his odd preference for the Chapuis.
Nope. I shoot all of the above fairly often.
I hear you're still trying to flog your Searcy. How long have you had it for sale now, a couple of years?
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."
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