Interesting topic. You are much more likely to need to reload quietly than speedily. Be quiet, smooth and quick. In that order.

Mickey1
You are correct. Also you can SILENTLY change from softs to solids or vise versa with a double. Several times when hunting plains game or buff we would "bumb" into a heard of elephants. The first time that happened the PH turned to me and very quietly whispered "Two Solids Please". So from then on when we "bumbed" into elephants I would always change to 2 solids whether I had my 450 No2 or my 9,3x74R, BOTH doubles.
There is no hunting rifle that can compare to a Double for DG. They work real good for "regular" game too.

quote:

Originally posted by Mickey1:
Interesting topic. You are much more likely to need to reload quietly than speedily. Be quiet, smooth and quick. In that order.

Very true.

I had just this necessity a few weeks ago. I had shot a very large scrub bull with an angling shot way too far back. The correct angle but at the time I didn't consider adequately whether the 480 gr Woodleigh Weldcore RNSP would make it to the 'vitals', having to pass through a lot of gut (etc) to get there. The bull turned on the shot allowing a second round to the chest. He had the height on me, being up hill from me and ran maybe 20 steps down hill swinging his head around to look for me or whatever had just slapped him.

I was behind a tree and carefully and easily loaded another round into my double. Only one as I decided the bull was the perfect angle to me now to break his shoulder. I could have loaded the second barrel but I was worried the bull might try to run off so decided to chance it.

On the third shot he spun around spraying blood several metres into the air and then collapsed. I never saw the blood spray but the observers 50 metres behind did. They got some of it on film too.

If the bull had spotted me at that point I am sure he would have come down the hill.

An example of a quiet, smooth and careful reload being more important than blind haste.

NitroX
Well done.

NE450No2

With hindsight it might have been fun to step out from behind the tree and let him catch sight of me.

Maybe next time when I have more experience and knowledge of my double .450.

anyway who shoots over 300 hundred meters,thats not fair hunt,i shot buck at 323 meters with my merkel double rifle,it was lucky shot but i knew where i should aim at