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I've been lurking for a while on this board mostly because I didn't often feel I had much to add. Never owned a double rifle and never been to Africa, though I dreamed of both.

I sure did learn alot and want to thank all the members for so freely sharing their experience, knowledge and opinions. Just today took delivery of my new to me double rifle and wow feels and points better than I had hoped. Also finalized plans for a trip to Zimbabwe in October too. I'll cut the check tommorow for the deposit. Big day for me!

The more I read here and the more research I did the more I realized how little I knew. I've got several sxs shotguns including a pair of English sidelocks but double rifles are a whole diferent ballgame. Also I'm a lefty and like a pretty long stock which makes things pretty tough with any rifle or gun that has any serious collectors value since almost all the time I've got to bend or restock.

This pretty much ruled out the vast majority of English rifles, at least for a first rifle. Following advise on this board and AR I relied on advise from way more knowledgeable people like JJ Peredeau at Champlin and Paul Chapman at G&H. The rifle I found is a Marcel Thys sidelock. It went to JJ for eval before I got my hands on it and he gave a great evaluation and a thumbs up. I will shoot it tommorow.

Oddly, and against the sage advise on this board the rifle is 458win. I actually bought the rifle with the idea that JJ would recut the chambers and rework the ejectors to 450NE 3 1/4" and reregulate if nesseccary. I actually priced up the work with him before wrangling price with the seller. When JJ got the rifle he checked it out and shot it as well. His opinion is that the rifle was made in mid 80's and has hardly been used. The action is still "new" stiff and other than a couple of handling marks and the need for some linseed oil and hand buffing on the stock it appears new.

The most intresting thing is that JJ suggested leaving the rifle as a 458 win mag. He was impressed with the blade extraction/ejection system and really happy with the way it shot.

JJ sent me his target and, from what I've read here, it seems good. At 50yds the rifle printed two rights and two lefts in just less than two inches with the barrels crossing about an inch and a half. Three shots are on the same hoizontal plain with one left about a quarter inch below the other three. That horizontal plain is about 2 1/8" above point of aim. The center of this two inch long group is about 1 1/2" to the right of POA. The two rights are 5/8" apart horizontally on the same plain and the two lefts, overlapping in a figure eight tilted to the right. The most right right is 5/8" left of the most left left and obviously the most left right and the most right left are just shy of two inches apart and constitute the max group size.

JJ used ammo from an old box of Winchester 500 grain softs. In his opinion with modern factory ammo the crossing will decrease and the group come down since he thought the old ammo was loaded slower than new stuff and JJ thought a little hand loading would really make the rifle shoot. I don't handload though - at least not yet. JJ also thought that on the 458wm velocity issue this gun with either new factory ammo or a suitable handload, ie matching the original regulation load, would about equal the velocity of a 24" 470 shooting the Federal loads since this gun has 26" barrels.

Another intresting thing is that although the rifle has maybe 1/4" or 3/8" cast off it comes up well for me. In a shotgun I take about 1/4" cast on. The sights are not quite perfect and I do need to do something about the cast but not much. the front bead is too small too. the front bead comes up 1, maybe 2 bead diameters to the right of the bottom of the V. the drop at comb seems right on and matches some of my shotguns at 1 5/8" but drop at heel is a bit too much at 2 5/8", the front sight diapears unless I think about when mounting the gun. As ussual for me though the faster I mount the gun the better it comes up since I tend to bring my face forward when mounting pronto. My ideal for a shotgun is 1 1/2" at comb and 2 1/4" at heel. Length of pull is 14 15/16" and 15" is perfect for me with a srtaight gripped shotgun. I thought it would be a bit too long with the pistol grip but it feels really perfect.

Some neat fetures of the rifle are its a back action sidelocks with bolsters and about 90% English style scoll engraving. I has an extended trigger gaurd tang and an extended, over the comb top tang. I also has a bolted non auto sefety. The photos the seller sent do not do the rifle justice, not even close. One standing and two spring loaded folding rear sights on a quarter rib. The front bead is too small for my 43yr old eyes but is similar to the NEGC beads for their masterpeice style banded front sight and is held with a set screw at the muzzle end, ie, into the ramp fore and aft.

I'll post photos soon if I can. My digital went tits up a couple of weeks ago and I'm heading out of town for two weeks Sat but will try to post photos before I go.

I'm hoping to take this rifle with me to Zimbabwe and use it on two cape buffulo. I'll be hunting with Roger Whittall's group in Chewore and then at Humani, or at least that is the current plan. I'll also take my 375H&H for backup and everything else.

Any thoughts or comments apreciated, on the safari plans or the rifle, really apreciated. Especially the sugestion by JJ to leave the gun as a 458wm.

Just noticed how long this post is... sorry but I'm bubbling over!

JPK