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No, you are correct, if we keep it 'old and English.' The belted rimless cartridge emerged (in DRs not bolt actions) as a choice only after WWI and then most strongly after WWII in doubles. This was especially so when many of the older Nitro cartridges became hard to get and the 375 H&H was easy to obtain. (This is about the same time you begin to see DRs in calibers such as 300 H&H, 300 WinMag and (although I have never fathomed this) the 458 Win Mag.

I got my figures on H&H from their London location when I went there to drool over a DR one of my British counterparts who was picking, up a new double in 375 H&H from the mothership. I asked them how many 375 Flanged they had made recently and came up with my numbers from that source. The lack of readily available ammunition and the fact that you can find the belted rimless anywhere seems to be the deciding factor. Apparently, since the mid-war period and through today, the belted rimless does outsell the flanged version by the factor I noted.

I do keep my eye on both types of DRs, SXS and O/U and get some of my thoughts from that source. The latter seem to come primarily from German and Austrian makers, and the number of 20s and 30s O/Us in 375 H&H predominate, and from the later 40s on, if it is a 375 in an O/U it is almost always the H&H rather than the flanged version. (Come to think of it, I can't recall seeing an O/U in a 375 Flanged, but I do recall a WR Ovundo in a 375 H&H.) If you do not restrict yourself to 'old and British', you will see most post 1950 DRs that are chambered in 375 in the belted iteration and virtually nada in the Flanged.

Of course, most Continental O/Us and even SXS for this type of usage would not be in any 375, the 9.3X74R filling the niche of the less-often seen 375 Flanged very nicely. Given the ready availability of the excellent 9.3X74R and the lower prices of the number of post 1950 through modern guns you can buy 'off the shelf' today, the equally-elderly German developed 9.3 is by far the dominant cartridge in today's double market.

(And, not too shabby a choice at that. I love my Hoeing Rotary, and George's choice of the 9.3X74R as the largest round he chambers this unique and special DR for was not just based on his German heritage, this is one fine choice and loaded by Norma, Lapua, etc, it is consistent and accurate.)

But if you have a nice, 1910-1930's vintage gathering dust down there, and want to get it out of your hair, I wouldn't say no.

Dave

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Time Wounds All Heels

Edited by dnovo (16/04/07 11:25 AM)

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