Double Rifles ---- Side-by-Side or Over & Under ?

19 February 2004, 05:34

DB Bill

Aesthetics aside and please don't get bogged down on side issures like "stopping power" or "you prefer a bolt-action" as I'm curious as to the "pros & cons" of each and is one stronger than the other?

19 February 2004, 06:45

Tim Carney

Bill,

The classic arguments favor the sxs. Reason is the o/u must be broken through a wider arc to reload. That takes more time, gives more opportunity for leaf, dust to get into the action. Additionally, mechanically, the sxs doesn't require so inelegant an arrangement of hammers and firing pins. Finally, the o/u double rifle is usually an Austrian or German gun and they just weren't sufficiently well made or reliable in the BIG bores, at least in the 70s and 80s when I got into hunting. FWIW: before going to AFrica in 1983 I called a leading French maker that was then making 9.3x74R doubles as their biggest caliber. They told me they did not (since changed) make a .375 because "they were not satisfactory from the point of view of longevity...!"

I am not a gunmaker so cannot evaluate the mechanical arguments, but I have three used British double rifles (came to hunting late in life in Africa and am a lefty)and all are sxs.
Regards, Tim

19 February 2004, 06:46

<JOHAN>

DB Bill

The arguments are pretty simular to the ones regarding SXS or O/U shotguns. I guess you know something about that

Some say a O/U are stronger and will not be off face like a SXS. I guess it depends more on the construction of the action, quality of the material and work than SxS or O/U

Pick what you shoot best with.

I guess the aesthetics doesn't matter since you will most likely destroy it with a scope

Cheers
JOHAN

19 February 2004, 07:11

DB Bill

Did I tell you I ordered a Blaser hat?

19 February 2004, 07:29

<JOHAN>

Quote:

Did I tell you I ordered a Blaser hat?

Bill
If blaser can't make guns I hope they are a bit better at hats, if not you are in trouble

Who knows, perhaps it's infested with bugs fleas

/ JOHAN

19 February 2004, 10:18

Atkinson

Historically the bottom round loading of a O/U has been a problem and prone to require held force to load the 2nd round....It is very seldom that one sees or that the O/Us were ever used much in Africa for that reason.

The only O/Us I have seen in Africa were in 9.3x62, admittedly by the clients, because they were the only double they could afford...They killed their Buffalo with them...

I do know they require a longer arc to open, and the barrels do not drop open like a S/S double rifle will, especially without selective ejectors, one of the reasons I still like extractors.

19 February 2004, 10:55

MacD37

Quote:

Aesthetics aside and please don't get bogged down on side issures like "stopping power" or "you prefer a bolt-action" as I'm curious as to the "pros & cons" of each and is one stronger than the other?

DB Bill, I have both types, and both are good at different things!
Where double rifles are concerned, there are many features that are very individual as to who like them, and who doesn't. This is one of the reasons S/S double rifles are mostly custom made for the person who will be useing them! This, and the complicated skills required to build them properly are the largest reason for their high prices, when compaired to other types! The O/Us are mostly made by "one size fits all" type of manufacturing, much like the off the shelf bolt rifles, hence the cheaper price! Though no quality double rifle is cheap!

My doubles, for dangerous game are all S/S, and are all 9.3X74R, or larger! Of the O/Us, none are larger than 9.3X74R. These choices is not mine alone, but follows the thinking of many double rifle usesrs, the world over, and from the begining of the last century, till today! The reasons for the likes,and dislikes of features on the verious doubles, on my part are:

# 1 Preference for S/S for large dangerous game is ease of quick re-load, because of the shallow opening of the action to expose the chambers, for re-load!

#2 I prefere extractors, over ejectors for a couple reasons. a. they seldom break, b. they are silent, and c. they save $10 per piece brass!

#3 I prefere double triggers, to maintain the "Two completely seperate, and indipendant rifles on the same stock" reliability! If a single trigger breaks in any way, the rifle then becomes a 10 to 13 pound club! With a broken trigger for either barrel, you still have a single shot!

For The O/U I am more open to gadgits,but not to heavy recoiling cartridges. things like single triggers, ejectors, scopes, and smaller chamberings, are more acceptable to me on an O/U. I do not like O/Us chambered for heavy kiking chamberings, because of the way an O/U dishes out it's recoil! The top barrel dishes out some horrendous recoil when compared to the bottom barrel. However, the O/U is best suited to forest hunting of deer type game, when paired with deer type cartridges! They must be broken very wide to reload the bottom barrel, and that is the barrel that should be fired first, because it is fired more often, and is more in line with the center of the action, where the action is strongest! this handicap in the re-load, is seldom a danger to life and limb, from a whitetail!

I like both, but for different reasons, and if asked to have only one type it would definetly be a S/S, even in small chamberings! As NitroX says, "S/Ss make sense, That's why your eyes are "00' instead of "8"!

I suppose it is simply a matter of, what ever floats your boat, when you get down to who is paying for the rifle, and who's butt is on the line if it doesn't work out!

There are more reasons, but it would take a longer book than I've written here!

20 February 2004, 00:13

mehulkamdar

As an amateur learner, I remember reading somewhere that John Dickson made side opening O/U shotguns and at least one rifle. I know I have a picture of the shotgun somewhere but have no idea what the guns were like from the viewpoints mentioned here.

Apparently the side opening O/U was designed to tackle the acute firing pin angle and long opening arc of conventional O/U guns.

Just my much less than 2c!

Good hunting!

20 February 2004, 00:38

Bwanamich

I have a buddy ph that uses a BRNO o/u in .458 win mag. It has a short barrel (20 " i think)and looks real ugly. He has been using it for over 8 years hunting in several African countries and terrains. He loves it!

I keep teasing him.....

Happy hunting!

23 February 2004, 18:50

MARK H. YOUNG

Bwanamich,

I hunted this last year with a PH that uses one of the BRNO O/U's in 458 WM. I asked on AR what was wrong with the rifle as it seems very handy to me. I got a bunch of reasons why it was a peice of crap and all sounded like they had merit. Nevertheless my PH loved the rifle and it has saved his butt more than once.

Regards,

Mark