Guys,

Looking for a medium bore double to be scoped for hunting lighter game in more dense areas of Africa and for use in NA.

Have a .470 NE Searcy for serious work.

Cost is an issue.

There seem to be a number of O/Us available. Many less than $5k. Question in 2 parts:

1) For rimmed cartridges like 9.3x74R is an O/U a reasonable field gun?
and
2) Are non-rimmed cartridges like .308 Win and 30-06 acceptable in a light double?

Also, anyone have any experience with Zoli O/Us in these light calibers?

Thanks,

Valmet is pretty reasonable option in the mid-price range. The one Bakail 30-06 O/U I shot was OK; CDNN has some cheap. Snobs will laugh at you, though. I'm waiting to see the EAA SxS ($700) which comes in 308, 30-06, 270, 45-70 and others 'cause I can't spend a lot right now. On the other hand, most people won't laugh at a man when he's holding a gun, eh?

mstarling
Since you already have a 470 SxS, and your eyes go like this
00 and not like this 8 I think you should get a SxS 9,3x74R.
In all seriousness I think that having 2 SxS doubles will be your best choice in the long run.
As you know I have a Chapuis 9,3x74R with a Leupold 2.5x8 with Heavy Duplex in QD mounts. This has proved to be a most excellent hunting rifle. I would look at the Kreighoff the Merkel, and the Heym and get the one you like the best. Just be sure and get a QD scope mount.
My Chapuis only weighs 7 1/4 lbs [without scope]. As I have stated before, this is my favorite rifle under 40 cal.

I beg to disagree. My FN-Browning CCS25 O/U in 9,3x74R is a perfect mate for my B25 shotguns and both bbls. shoot in 1 hole at 50m. I've yet to find a more suitable gun for drive hunting.

mstarling
Do not listen to Andre his eyes go like this 8.
Actually I have handled a couple of Browning O/U rifles in 9,3x74R, and 30-06. They are nice rifles and had a good feel to them. They would be especially nice with a set of 20ga. bbls. Wish I had a pair for my Chapuis.

NE 450 No.2,

I also have a 12gauge Citori that I love ... 8's or Infinities aren't going to matter too much to me I think.

Anyone used or looked at a Zoli Express Rifle?

Thanks Guys!

The Zoli double rifles look cheap. If on a budget, have a look at the Beretta o/u in 9,3x74R.

Andre....I didn't know Browning made O/U rifles...tell us a little about yours...weight, balance point, etc.

I am not into cheap double rifles, prefer a good bolt gun..If I am going to hunt with a double it doesn't have to be a million dollar gun, but it is going to be a darn nice one in the $10,000 range give or take a grand....

Inexpensive good doubles? that is an oxymoran! can't be.

Ray,

In the end, I went higher than lower after finding a nice Chapuis with a well known heritage. I must admit that getting too cheap worried me a lot. I've shot this one in the past and liked it very much. Is factory scoped and shoots very well.

Pick it up Friday or Saturday ... really looking forward to it.

Amen to what Ray says !

Stay away from cheap doubles, especially in rimless cartridges.



I have owned a sizeable variety of doubles over the years and personally am only happy with the s/s versions. For one thing they are measurably quicker to reload than O/Us, as the barrels need not drop nearly as far to get both rounds out and in. For me, they also balance better though the better O/Us, especially the pricey round actioned ones, do balance nicely. I guess if I always used O/U guns as well as rifles, I would find them acceptable, but for me, they are not. Personally, I do not find anything that shoots as instinctively well as a good English s/s, whether rifle or shotgun.





With truly cheap doubles, like the Valmet 412 series, the ones I owned were notoriously poor at extracting even mild factory cartridges. The 7x65 and 9.3x74 were not as bad as the .308 and .30-06 versions, but they were still very poor in that department. The firing pins would drag, and sometimes prevent the rifles from opening at all.



With the .308, Valmet told me it was my barrels and replaced them with another set. No difference. After firing the first two rounds they would open with some reluctance. The second two fired would cause them to open with difficulty. After the third two they would open only with all my strength across my knee. If I fired a fourth pair, I could not get the guns open until I waited at least 5 mintues for them to cool off. Not exactly a situation I would like in the field.



On the other hand with my side-by-sides, whether Simson, WR, A&N CSL, Purdey, or whatever, they always worked flawlessly with either factory ammo or regulated handloads.

That has been my experience with both extractors & ejectors, top-lever and under-lever too.



I cannot think of a worse rifle to take to Africa than a cheap double. You'd probably be safer with a 6.5 Mannlicher-Carcano!



Best of luck in your search,



AC