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I only have the first edition of Graeme's book, so cannot comment on his later writings! Like most folks here over 50 yrs old, I have been playing with double rifles, and hand loading for them since I bought my first in 1958, but have had an interest in them since the age of six yrs, when I saw my first one! I am 71 yrs old so that was a long time ago!

Like most from that era, I've made some mistakes, that didn't turn out well, but have never ringed a chamber, or burst a barrel on a rifle of any kind. Back in the fifties, there were very few who understood how regulation works, and some real off-the-wall statements were, and to some extent, are still are being made, and not only in gun rags, by self appointed double rifle experts! This phenomenon is not, nor was it, unique to writers, or hand-loaders in the USA. In the first place Ross Seyfried is not an American, and though I loved old Elmer, he was not overly flush with knowledge on double rifles himself, though he, and Ruark were responsible for a continued interest in them by Americans, and others. Bell did a big favor to those of us who had fine old double rifles for which components were no longer available, but he didn’t know everything either. Still with the proliferation of double rifles, from the India market, in OZ, and to some extent in the USA as well, caused a great deal of experimentation. That experimentation, benefited us all, and let others make the bad mistakes, and tell us why they happened, so we didn’t do them as well. Graeme is one of those people, IMO! I’ve never been partial to Ross’s writings, though I don’t agree with his take on H-4831 in double rifles, or some others take on fillers, they all have something to offer. It is up to the reader to separate the wheat, from the chaff!

To make a point, there is one post on this thread, the shows a total lack of understanding of the concept of double rifles, and the regulation of them, though well written, and seemingly informative, to a less than knowledgeable reader. This is not uncommon, even among some very well respected gunsmiths, custom gun makers, and gun writers alike. There are amateurs right here on this web-site, and on AR, as well as others, who know more about the workings of double rifles, than 90 % of the gun writers and custom gun makers everywhere. One such myth, fostered by gun writers, and others, is that because the barrels are physically converging, that all double rifles are designed to cross fire at a given range! This is caused, partly, by the language used by British double rifle makers, in their literature. The statement that a rife is regulated to 100 Mtrs, or 50 Mtrs , is not a clear statement. Many take this to mean the shots cross at that range, with is absolutely not the case. This is in reference to where the standing sight is cut for point blank zero, in the center of a composite group of both barrels at that range, nothing more. People read this statement to mean the barrels are regulated at that range, but in fact are regulated so the barrels shoot side by side, at any range. Gun writers make the same mistake, and further the misconception, among readers, and so-called gunsmiths alike! Is it any wonder people new to double rifle make this mistake?

I, for one, think the Graeme book is a jewel, and though not complete by any stretch of the imagination, it is a far better reference over what ever is second. His second edition is no longer available in the USA. I’m looking forward to a second printing of N0 2, and the availability of N03.
This web site, and AR as well, offer a lot of REAL information, not available anyplace else in the world today! People like Marrakai, 400Nitro Express, Cptcurl, and others here, and also on AR are well informed, and are willing to share their knowledge with those of us who are woefully lacking in some of the history, and finer points of the different makes, especially the Britt rifles! No single person in the world could write a book that covers it all, but between the folks on these two websites, anything can be found, simply by asking questions!

………………………………Good Show, Mates!

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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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