I'm sure this subject has been covered before, but I haven't seen it. . . While going thru my copy of Hatari Times, I saw and ad for a Big Game Double Barrel Repeater rifle. What an interesting looking piece of equipment!!!

Although VERY pricy, they appears to be quite the piece of workmanship.

Has anyone one on this forum had any experience with these rifles?
-Mr Mike

I saw and handled one of them at the SCI several years ago.....looks like a malfunction waiting to happen. I would not take one in the field without a gunsmith walking behind me....plus the price was frightful.

I saw one at SCI also. It was a fabulous piece of engineering and a beautiful example of fine European craftsmanship. Given the thought and care that went into both the engineering and manufacture of the rifle, I suspect it would be far more reliable than an off the shelf Rem 700 or Win M70, although I would not recommend the rifle for combat use.

I heard from a PH that this rifle malfunctioned seriously on the first prototypes.

In my opinion this rifle is of a platypus type, i.e. it is neither a good double nor a good bolt-action. It is clumsy, heavy and very expensive. Murphy must love it...

One disadvantage of this design, at least as far as I understand it, is that supposing you shot one barrel, and you want to reload quickly, you are forced to eject both cartridges in the chamber, the spent and the live one. So your best bet is to always fire both barrels and reload quickly. I think in a double with extractors it is very easy to reload one spent cartridge without having to extract the other at the same time.

Antonio

It appears to me to be something that someone created just to prove it can be done.Interesting but not desirable except for the novelty aspect.

Great German engineering.

Great Austrian cookoo clock!

Actually, these technical curiosities were initally designed and made by an immigrant now living in Canada. I forget his original nationality, but the last name was relatively unpronounceable (if I recall, it had lots of z's and not many vowels... perhaps Polish?)

I've heard that in recent years that he has struck a deal with some European company to produce the rifles commercially.

For myself, I will stick with my boring bolt-actions (and dreaming of 450/400 doubles...

jpb

[This message has been edited by jpb (edited 12-08-2001).]