Doubles are made in such calibers as .458 Winchester and .375 H&H. OK, I understand there is less camming action than for rimmed cases, but how much of a disadvantage is this really, when you're hunting in the dry season and take reasonable care to keep stuff out of the chambers?

And how do they work? Do they use the belt as a mini-rim or what?

The belt...yes thats the problem. There is less to grab on to so the extraction is LESS positive. A major disadvantage when the horn is in your torso. Furthermore, they have terrible resale value and they are hard to get rid of. Thats why they are cheaper to begin with.

Save up and buy a DR the way there were meant to be. RIMMED.

Conventional wisdom of double rifles states that you have a large relatively moderate pressure rimmed cartridge to insure ease of extraction/ejection.

In a double it is all about regulation not how fast you can drive a bullet!

There are lots of doubles made with rimless rounds. As long as you are not hunting dangerous game with a rimless I think you will be alright.

In any break-open gun style there should be a rimed cartridge - especially as You are DG hunting...!

Of course, todays extractors may be better then the old ones, but they are not the same strength than a bolt-action, so problems may occur...

So why buying a "maybe problem" instead of going with a real classic? - for me there is a MUST for a rimed cartridge in any double, Drilling or Büchsflinte...

Doubles have been made for true rimless cartridges. Jack O'Connor mentions a Westley Richards made 270 Winchester double rifle in his writings.

All that is needed is a spring loaded stud shaped like the tip of a conventional screwdriver inset into the rim of the extractor.

However a rim, or flange is best.

i duno i've got both a 375 & a 3006 in doubles and they both work just fine

i duno i've got both a 375 & a 3006 in doubles and they both work just fine

Moderator, ban this guy from the forum!!!!!
Peter

quote:

Originally posted by Peter:
i duno i've got both a 375 & a 3006 in doubles and they both work just fine

Moderator, ban this guy from the forum!!!!!
Peter

Now Peter, it's not like he's proposing a .45-70 lever-action with hard-cast bullets for thick-skinned dangerous game or anything.

George

Belted rimless cartridges work fine in double rifles, most all of the time. The higher the quality of the rifle, the more likely it will be reliable.

They make fine dangerous game rifles too.

BTW, if you are not convinced, or looking for a bargain, look for a fine quality 458wm double rifle. Try it, it might just be perfect. If not, it is pretty inexpensive to rechamber to 450NE if required.

I have two belted rimless double rifles, a 458wm and a 375H&H. The 375H&H is relatively new to me and unblooded. The 458wm double has 18 elephant, 4 cape buffalo, one zebra, one klipspringer and a baboon mercy killing to its credit. More than 800 rounds through it, perfect, flawless function. 500grs at 2145fps, ammo available anywhere, who could ask for more?

Try finding 450NE or 470NE ammo down at the local gunshop, it ain't there, even in Zim or SA.

JPK

OK Ok just to make you feel better I've got doubles in rimmed rounds as well - they work good too. BUT i also scope doubles

don't let any of this pass into the double rifle forum

Indy:

I have posed this question as well. I think JPK is right. I think that 99.999999% of the time you would not have any problem with a .375 H&H in a double but most guys do prefer rimmed cartridges and there is just no reason to get a rimless cartridge now. If you want something light like a .375, you would be better off going with a 9.3X74R which would be so close to a flanged .375. If you want to go heavier, think 450/400, 500/416, 450, 470, or .500 NE. There are so many rimmed options with readily available brass that there is just no reason to select a rimless cartridge.

Dave

quote:

Originally posted by Dave Bush:
Indy:

I have posed this question as well. I think JPK is right. I think that 99.999999% of the time you would not have any problem with a .375 H&H in a double but most guys do prefer rimmed cartridges and there is just no reason to get a rimless cartridge now. If you want something light like a .375, you would be better off going with a 9.3X74R which would be so close to a flanged .375. If you want to go heavier, think 450/400, 500/416, 450, 470, or .500 NE. There are so many rimmed options with readily available brass that there is just no reason to select a rimless cartridge.

Dave

I'll just add that if the 458wm is ubiquitous and available nearly anywhere, the 375H&H is even more so, and availble everywhere.

JPK