Here is a quote from Pierre Van der Walt's book entitled "African Dangerous Game Cartridges"

Page 11:

"A double rifle is a high maintenance mistress. Hell hath no fury like a women scorned, and if either the rather costly maintenance or diet of the double is scorned, that hellish fury will be visited upon you."


I think that I will stick with the bolt action....and keep the mistress!


dale

My double loves to be caressed.

Mike

quote:

rather costly maintenance

Yes, since when ?

Scorned Woman: Maintenance (Alimony), emasculation, bankruptcy, STD's, familial alienation, come home to an empty home syndrome, anti-freeze in my tea, keyed car, flat tires, etc...ad nauseum.

My Double Rifle: Joy indescribable, coolness factor, a little grease, joy or reloading, accurate, reliable, and, most importantly, forgiving for my indiscretions (when shooting a bolt gun).

Think I'll take the double rifle.


Dutch

The only problems with double rifles I see are they are expensive and way too cool which makes us want them.

I agree with all of the above! LOL!

My K-Gun has never scorned me, has stood at my side when I was ganged upon by a pair of Buff, and only asked to be wiped down when put to bed. She cradles well, points fast and always shoots where pointed.

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by JBoutfishn:
My K-Gun has never scorned me, has stood at my side when I was ganged upon by a pair of Buff, and only asked to be wiped down when put to bed. She cradles well, points fast and always shoots where pointed.

I shot my PH`s once and was really impressed with the thing-the K-gun.May not be the most popular thing but the German guns have a beauty of their own!Those wide butt stocks and those arched and pointy pistol grips!That beautiful oak leaf engraving!

Every time I see a guy with a double I weep just a little thinking of the trophy fees that rifle could have paid for. AND no in most cases I make nothing on trophy fees.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
Every time I see a guy with a double Iweep just a little thinking of the trophy fees that rifle could have paid for. AND no in most cases I make nothing on trophy fees.

Mark

Having paid for both I have no regrets about either. Point is though since you mentioned money. I can sell my double tommorow for more than I paid most likely. Doubt that's true for my memories and taxidermy.

No problem with the Double Rifle. If you can afford them, use them for your hunt and have a successful hunt...there is no problem. I can not afford one nor can handle one therefore I choose my fail safe bolt action which has brought me much pleasure and success.

Hmmmmm .... I wasn't aware there was a problem with double rifles. Except that they are addicting as hell.

As soon as I see my wife looking the other way I'm going to steal some of her butter & egg money & get 1 for myself.
Not having 1 is the only problem I see with them.

quote:

Every time I see a guy with a double I weep just a little thinking of the trophy fees that rifle could have paid for.

Every time I see a guy with a synthetic bolt gun driving a 60K SUV, an RV, pulling a boat, ATVs, or snowmachines, I weep just a little thinking of the double rifles he could have paid for.

Bob

There is a problem with double rifles?????

No the only problem is not owning one, and/or trying to own only one!

................................................................. ...............

I have to admit that I was lusting for a .470 ne dbl rifle at one time. Then, my roaming hands fondled a McMillan Prestige in .416 and my cheating heart quickly followed. So, like an old girlfriend, the dbl rifle has been thrown out and a new love (McMillan rifle) is the focus of my affection. This will probably last until some other rifle catches my fancy (I'm a real rifle slut, aren't I)

The only problem with a double rifle is that the hard to get to lock mechanisms and action internals need to be cleaned and lubricated annually, at least, if they are not just safe queens,
and I do not have the right screwdrivers or training for this ... so am dependent on a competent gunsmith for mere maintenance cleaning and lubrication.
Of course this is easily cured by a WR droplock "hand detachable" with spare locks.
It's only money.
WR .500 NE for about 60K?

Gents:
I think of the doubles that have passed through my hands and are with me no longer far more than I think of the many women that have also passed through my hands and are no more. And, with much more affection, too.

Women age with years, become cranky, want more and more, gain weight, and are high maintenance. My doubles gain class and character and age gracefully with no maintenance except on oily rag and a good rub down. (Well, maybe there is something in common here).

As Lettermen said about guns being better than women: A fella can trade in his old 44 for a new 22, a gun will not get angry if you ask a friend to try out yours, a gun does not get jealous if you want to try out another gun, a gun never asks, "Do these new grips make me look fat?", and my gun will still stay with me if I run out of ammunition (which happens more and more at my age).

And, what do they have in common? Keep a rifle and a woman around long enough and you will want to shoot both.

If I had to hunt with a synthetic stainless wiz-bang magnum with only one ugly barrel with flutes and ugly glass sights, I would stay at home and watch Oprah. But, that's just me.

Doubles rule! Single barrels are a passing fad and will be forgotten except in the pages of history.
Cheers, fellas.
Cal

Even better, you can swap a .44 for TWO .22's without occasioning comment (except from the Greenies, whose opinion doesn't count with me anyway).

And you can sell a gun and not pay maintenance on it for the rest of your life.

But to get back to the thread, the biggest problem with double rifles, is so few belong to me.

A double gives you two big quick shots in a close and dangerous contact situation.

And they are very very sexy.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
The only problem with a double rifle is that the hard to get to lock mechanisms and action internals need to be cleaned and lubricated annually, at least, if they are not just safe queens,
and I do not have the right screwdrivers or training for this ... so am dependent on a competent gunsmith for mere maintenance cleaning and lubrication.
Of course this is easily cured by a WR droplock "hand detachable" with spare locks.
It's only money.
WR .500 NE for about 60K?

One great advantage of buying a Searcy is that Butch will take apart and lube any double you buy from him once a year for free. You only need to pay the shipping.

465H&H

quote:

Posted 05 December 2012 11:43Hide Post
A double gives you two big quick shots in a close and dangerous contact situation.

From page 14 of the book:

Regarding reloading double rifles after first 2 shots:

"By the time you need to reload a double in a crisis, the animal will be all over you in a rash." " For example, a lion charges you from a distance of 33 yards you will not even with a double get a second shot in."

Note: according to the books measurements/stats...a lion charges 33 yrds in 1.36 seconds.


You double fans best kill your lion in first 2 shots....or you are toast!

quote:

Originally posted by daleW:

quote:

Posted 05 December 2012 11:43Hide Post
A double gives you two big quick shots in a close and dangerous contact situation.

From page 14 of the book:

Regarding reloading double rifles after first 2 shots:

"By the time you need to reload a double in a crisis, the animal will be all over you in a rash." " For example, a lion charges you from a distance of 33 yards you will not even with a double get a second shot in."

Note: according to the books measurements/stats...a lion charges 33 yrds in 1.36 seconds.


You double fans best kill your lion in first 2 shots....or you are toast!

A friend of mine (who happens to be one of the top Lion PH's) reckons the two shots of a double are about as ideal a Lion "follow up" rifle as one can get and having enjoyed using this type of rifle, I tend to agree.

Gibbo with Aussie Sportsman's 500NE;

quote:

Note: according to the books measurements/stats...a lion charges 33 yrds in 1.36 seconds.

Plenty of time for a double tap. Book according to Andrew.

quote:

Originally posted by daleW:

quote:

Posted 05 December 2012 11:43Hide Post
A double gives you two big quick shots in a close and dangerous contact situation.

From page 14 of the book:

Regarding reloading double rifles after first 2 shots:

"By the time you need to reload a double in a crisis, the animal will be all over you in a rash." " For example, a lion charges you from a distance of 33 yards you will not even with a double get a second shot in."

Note: according to the books measurements/stats...a lion charges 33 yrds in 1.36 seconds.


You double fans best kill your lion in first 2 shots....or you are toast!

Seems a bit contradictory, arguing in one sentence that a double owner will only get one shot off, then arguing a double has only two shots anyway ... compared to a bolt action ... I think the difference in a hurry is a double has two shots available, without working a bolt, has normally two triggers, two locks, two barrels ...

Funny most professionals would love a good double rifle for follow up on dangerous game if they could have one.

quote:

Posted 05 December 2012 16:10 Hide Post

quote:
Posted 05 December 2012 11:43Hide Post
A double gives you two big quick shots in a close and dangerous contact situation.



From page 14 of the book:

Regarding reloading double rifles after first 2 shots:

"By the time you need to reload a double in a crisis, the animal will be all over you in a rash." " For example, a lion charges you from a distance of 33 yards you will not even with a double get a second shot in."

Note: according to the books measurements/stats...a lion charges 33 yrds in 1.36 seconds.


You double fans best kill your lion in first 2 shots....or you are toast!

Looks to like Mr Dale needs to spend a bit more time on the range and in the field and bit less time reading books. The reality of the subject and the quote don't seem to be in conjunction with each other.

With a bit of work and practice a shooter can get off two aimed shots in a second with a double. How many shots can you get off in 1.36 seconds with a bolt gun? And how well can you work your bolt with a lion on top of you? reloading is kind of a mute point once you've been swatted.

This fuzzy logic comes from a perspective of ignorance and envy. That's how it appears in any case.

I love mine, they are in a class of their own and there is nothing better as long as you keep withing their designed "envelopes." Craig Boddington says and I tend to agree that in the case of buffalo, hunting with a double (unscoped) effectively reduces your chances by at least 40%

quote:

Originally posted by daleW:

quote:

Posted 05 December 2012 11:43

Regarding reloading double rifles after first 2 shots:

"By the time you need to reload a double in a crisis, the animal will be all over you .... "
the key word being "NEED" - I won't be needing to reload.
You double fans best kill your lion in first 2 shots....or you are toast!

Well yeah, I can't say I'm a freshly baked loaf but haven't been toasted yet so I'll stick to my trusted DR and you can go play with your bolt

quote:

Originally posted by fujotupu:

quote:

Originally posted by daleW:

quote:

Posted 05 December 2012 11:43

Regarding reloading double rifles after first 2 shots:

"By the time you need to reload a double in a crisis, the animal will be all over you .... "
the key word being "NEED" - I won't be needing to reload.
You double fans best kill your lion in first 2 shots....or you are toast!

Well yeah, I can't say I'm a freshly baked loaf but haven't been toasted yet so I'll stick to my trusted DR and you can go play with your bolt

Very very funny

Dale,

Although Pierre's book contains a lot of good data, it is painfully obvious early on that he has a strong bias against doubles. All of the performance parameters he lists for getting off shots with a double, I find very easy to best. Take much of his comments about doubles with a grain of salt.

-----------------------------------------------

QUOTE]Originally posted by daleW:


You double fans best kill your lion in first 2 shots....or you are toast![/QUOTE]

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As to your comment above, all I can say is: "I did, thank you very much"!

I apologize about being rude about it but sometimes this keyboard expert business needs nipping in the bud!

I've never even held a double rifle in my hands, but from watching hunting videos, I know you can get a second shot off awfully fast. Check out this video:

Charging Elephant

BTW a friend of mine uses Ruger no.1 single shots in a number of big bore to very big bore cartridges in various big game rifle club events including rapid fire events. He often beats with the number of shots and accuracy scores people using bolt action rifles.

Guess it is practice and experience.

quote:

If I had to hunt with a synthetic stainless wiz-bang magnum with only one ugly barrel with flutes and ugly glass sights, I would stay at home and watch Oprah. But, that's just me.

+1

My, my, a photo of Gibbo with a double. And to think that he told me last July that he didn't care for them! That will be grist for the mill come January!

actually i can think of 3 things
#1 the cost of a decent one
#2 - pinpoint accuracy if you really need it (you just ain't gonna get a double to shoot 1/2" groups)
#3 - after completing one this year they are a royal bitch to restock

quote:

Originally posted by Tim Ferrall:
My, my, a photo of Gibbo with a double. And to think that he told me last July that he didn't care for them! That will be grist for the mill come January!

Just tell him that Aussie says he secretly fantasises owning one.
I think its hunters unfamiliar with the use of one not the rifle that Gibbo has a grip over.

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:
I love mine, they are in a class of their own and there is nothing better as long as you keep withing their designed "envelopes." Craig Boddington says and I tend to agree that in the case of buffalo, hunting with a double (unscoped) effectively reduces your chances by at least 40%

Maybe so, but after my bolt action froze after the first shot on a buff (who got away after 10 hours of tracking), I went out and bought a double.

One other thing: there is no doubt in my mind that I could sell it for DOUBLE what I paid.

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:
I love mine, they are in a class of their own and there is nothing better as long as you keep withing their designed "envelopes." Craig Boddington says and I tend to agree that in the case of buffalo, hunting with a double (unscoped) effectively reduces your chances by at least 40%

Boddington's statement above is probably correct. However, all buffalo hunts are not equal!! Check my video here that's still on the first or second page right now to see what I'm talking about. For me, a buffalo hunt should be up close and personal, for which an open sighted double is just perfect. I have ZERO interest in sniping a buff or elephant at 100 yards with a scoped .375. I've done it before on a buff and it was a total waste of my money and time as far as making for an interesting hunt.

My first buffalo in Dande North was one hell of a tough hunt. Whacked him on the morning of the fifth day after MILES of walking. All I had was an 80 plus yard shot and I took it. I had a scope 416 and without it I could not have threaded the needle through the thick Jess and made the killing shot. My next one will be with a double or none at all. And with a 450NE of course, you know the one with better penetration than a 500

Buff kill

I certainly agree with those that want their DG hunt to be up close & personal, me too.
My 1 & only experience so far, I shot my buff at about 100yds.
We had been within 40yds for a long time while they were laying down, this was living! Then the wind changed & they were off to the races. When we caught up with them, the only shot I had was longer than I had hoped for, but it was still my 1st buff & I am very happy with the outcome.
My next 1 will be within 50yds or I will come empty handed.
But it will be with a 375 or 416 bolt gun unless Obummer starts giving out double rifles to hunters like he has given cell phones to everyone else.