Is there any interest in renting a high grade($25,000)double rifle in 470NE for upcoming safaris? They are expensive and not all can afford one but many would love to take one on a hunt. Post on here and PM me if YOU would seriously consider doing this.

Just my opinion here, but at first thought I would think that there would be some interest in this, especially for the nostalgia nuts out there.

However, taking a gun that is "new" to the user in the field against any type of animal has its limits.

I remember the scene from the movie "The Ghost and the Darkness" when Michael Douglas rips Val Kilmer a new a$$hole for taking "an untested rifle into the field of battle" (or something like that).

If a person has never hunted with a DR, than utilizing it EFFECTIVELY (two triggers, reloading, etc) without having ample time to practise, practise, practise so everything is natural, then you need to rent your DR for A LONG TIME! And I mean MONTHS PRIOR to the hunt! This way the user will have time to get it know it and be able to properly funtion with it if the $hit hits the fan.

great idea, but with my luck, i wouldn't borrow a bowling ball for fear of damaging it

quote:

Originally posted by dukxdog:
Is there any interest in renting a high grade($25,000)double rifle in 470NE for upcoming safaris? They are expensive and not all can afford one but many would love to take one on a hunt. Post on here and PM me if YOU would seriously consider doing this.

It used to be common practice to rent a heavy double when you got to Nariobi

I had a double loaned to me for my 2006 safari with conditions... I met all of the conditions and fell in love with her and she is now in my safe... 450#2 Famars
She was on loan to me for a year and I shot here 300 times before my safari...
Times factory ammo $100 a shot That is alot of cabbage $$ ...
Reloading 140 brass casings 20/$100 and then premmium Woodleigh bullets... 300 to practice and another 60 to load and take to Africa.. Plus around 5 lbs of powder and time to load the above...

Mike

Here's what I was thinking. Receive the rifle minimum 2-4 weeks before the hunt so it could be practiced with. It might be reserved a few times a year so I think time with it would be possible. Use it on safari. Honest use marks would be not a huge problem. It is a rifle to be used and not just a "Safe Queen". I think it would be cool to have photos of several guys with trophies they used it on and enjoyed a fine rifle for a dream hunt. It would have an interesting history for sure. Each mark would have a story. Honestly used yet not abused. It would be a way for another safari dream to be realization. (And they do sell insurance for rifles)

Rent it for 'X' seasons, then a drawing amongst the renters and the winner keeps it.



You get a rental and a raffle ticket for one price.

dukxdog

You have a good idea.

It would take a few logistical "items".

First it does not have to be a "High Doller Double". Might be a better idea for your "Company" to have several "more affordable" doubles. I would suggest most all of them be 470's, with a few 450/400's.

A person that has never hunted with a double would have to have the rifle 4 to 6 months in advance, with @300 rounds of ammo.

The Ammo is the big expense, as a Bolt rifle shooter cannot just "pick up a double" and go hunting.

It takes a "little practice" to transition from a bolt to a double.

Still,renting a double rifle and ammo, including practice ammo, that was set up and ready to go,would be a lot cheaper than buying your own double, and getting it ready.

When Holland & Holland were booking safaris, they would rent a Royal double rifle to their clients for use on the hunt.

I passed, but I understand that others regularly took them up on their offer.

If someone is willing to rent out doubles, that is great. But some guys really know how to put the wear and tear on a rifle during a hunt, so I would not be surprised if the rented double needed some serious maintenance after some hunts.

I like the concept, but for the rental fee, I would just as soon buy one, shoot it, hunt w/ it & then sell it off before I would pay, sy $2000 to rent one for at least 2 mths. of shooting.