Not counting abuse and neglect...

How many dangerous game doubles have been worn out by shooting at game ?

The stock will crack (particularly on a sidelock) and the gun will shoot loose long long before the barrels wear out. Particularly with nitro powder. Black eats up barrels unless you stay on top of them, assiduously cleaning them shortly after every shot.

Here is Jimmy Sutherland's Westley-Richards .577 Nitro Express. You won't find many doubles that got more use and abuse than this one.



Well worn but apparently still tight on the face when sold at auction in London earlier this year.

I've been reading a lot of African history lately and there were a number of doubles that were worn out by their hunters. Seems like Cedergren did so and I know there were others if I can think of them. Someone else will come along and remember more of them.

Alot of the old Parks and tsetse dept .450 & 500NEwere pretty worn in the right barrel. Saw several where shots from the right Barrel made oval holes in the targets - still tight on the face, but unusable for real dangerous game work.

I think I read that Paul Grobler wore out his right barrel; may have the wrong hunter, since lately I seem to have trouble remembering what I did yesterday

Most of the old doubles that were worn out by the oldtimers,and game departments were more because of the conditions the rifles were subjected to,as well as shooting the barrels till they were too hot, and continueing to shoot them, culling, and the distance between the rifle, and good supplies, than anything else. There are many double rifles around that have been in the game fields for well over 120 yrs, that are still killing dangerous game regularly! Improper care, by not knowing, or by cercunstance, is like throwing acid on a double rifle!

Don't worry about wearing out a new double rifle by useing it, as long as you take proper care of it!

I doubt that anyone today will wear out a double. Some might shoot one off the face with a lot of hot loads but thats an easy fix.

I have seen a lot of old doubles with cordite bores that looked real rough and they shot really well. I have seen this same thing on old Winchesters. I would say that until they start keyholing there good to go in many cases..

I believe cleaning rod damage is the real monster of shot out double rifle bores that were cleaned for years by camp staff??