i have looked at prices of new english double rifles prices some of which are 25 times the price of my merkel 470 140.21,do they shoot 25 times better? ,are they 25 times stronger? ,is the wood 25 times better ? i doubt it ,i know some of the engraving on merkels isnt brilliant but i have seen bad engraving on old english doubles , and the steel in old doubles would not be anywhere as good as a new double<new english double steel of course would be excellent > .how do the prices of doubles years ago 1900s onward compare to now ?have they got cheaper or more expensive ,realtive to wages?

I would bet bog money that double rifles are A LOT cheaper in REAL terms now than they were 100 years ago. The mechanization of some of the manufacturing processes should all but assure us of that. Sure, regulation is largely a trial and error sort of proposition that demands human attention but how long before that is no longer the case? Not long I would wager.

JMHO,

JohnTheGreek

JTG, you are correct in your take on modern technology of the CNC for instance, takeing some of the labor out of the process. However the CNC can only take the hogging of the excess mettle down to the basic shape of the pieces. A large saveings, I agree, but the fitting, and regulation is still done the same way it was 100 years ago, by hand, the hands belonging to VERY skilled mettel smiths. The largest saveings comes from the availability of very consistant steel quality, from bulk suppliers, who's volume of sale makes these fine steels more reasonably priced. No two double rifles made by the same man will be regulated exactly the same way, each barrel assembly being a intity untoo it's self. All that can be done, initially, is to give a starting point, for the fitting, and regulation, derived from past practice, but the human hand is neccessary to build a double rifle, and I, for one don't see that changeing for some time to come! To me, it is a wonder that a good double is not twice the price they are today, considering the wages of a tool& die maker, who is askilled machinest, but still doesn't have the skill neccessary to fit a double rifle. 400 hours of skilled labor to build a top of the line double rifle at USA prices would make them even more expensive. The acceptable bottom is still expensive, and the finer the finish work is,fitted to the thickness of a layer of smoke, the higher the price will be. Granted a bunch of the English price of NAME, is pure hogg wash, to be sure, like I went into the H&H store, and when I looked at the price, of a necktie with the H&H logo on it, that read $175 pounds. That necktie took no more skill to make than the rest of the "MADE IN CHINA" ties at K-mart.

English double rifles have gone to an all time high in price and demand...I know of a gun I could have bought for $2500. ( a holland royal grade) in 1980 that sold recently for $55,000.00..Geez I wish I'd of bought that old wall hanger.

Lets look at your statments from another perspective..Agreed yours may shoot as well or better than an English gun, then again it may not..What is for sure your gun after its shot is worth a lot less than you paid for it...The same gun in an English rifle will go up a $1000 every year you own it in the cheapest grades, In the higher grades they are a better investment than the stock market...

Based on that why would I drop $8000 into a Merkel and not have as good a gun...will that Merkel be shooting 100 years from now like an English gun, no it won't, they fall apart and they are built in calibers that they never should have been built in such as 416 Rigby and 375 H&H, and the company is suffering that decision...

I don't want to aleanate you, but you asked the question and I'm trying to answer your question as honestly as I can.

I have to agree with Ray here. I have had some experience with German/Austrian doubles. Every one I have fired has been regulated well enough to put R/L, R/L into no more than 2.5" @ 100 meters, including an old J.P. Sauer 8X60RS I still have that was made in 1912, and in which I shoot a handload using 200 grain Noslers (it was regulated with 198 grain loads of some sort, who knows what??). So as just shooters, I don't see how an English double could be better. But for the "snob appeal" that makes 'em go up in value, the British ones have it all over anyone else's product!

i dont claim to be a double rifle expert ,because i am not, but i agree wih elgeudo ,most of it consists of snob value with english doubles i.e to keep the peasants out of it !keep the price exorbitantly high!!!!!! most doubles dont get much ''real use '' against big game but against paper ,because most of us arent rich or pro cullers ,so mega engineering is not necessary on little used doubles,although searcy doubles seem to be the best in regard to strength and price!!!!

Kos,
I don't think SNOB value has anything to do with anything, I know a lot of folks who have a double rifle as opposed to 10 bolt guns...All the folks I know are not snobs and most of them are not rich, and many of them are on this board...I know many folks on this board and in the hunting world that have bolt guns that are extremely expensive...Every one has priority and many double gun folks don't drive a new car every year, or spend a lot of money on boats etc, the buy and shoot doubles guns..I know a lot of folks that are rich beyond your wildest dreams and they are not snobs, just down to earth good folks, some do shoot and own double guns others own SS plastic stock guns...Your simply off base with that remark.

BTW, most of the good English double guns that exist today are in your home country, Aussy land has them all and some of the owners are not all that rich.....Simple facts are you would have been better off picking up a good Australian market English double for $8000 to $9,000. than your Merkle..I know folks hate to hear that but it is the truth.