There is a poll about who makes the finest double rifles. I know one thing for sure that no one and I do mean no one will beat Butch Searcy for customer service. I purchased a used 470NE recently for a trip to Africa. I went out to shoot the gun last weekend. I shot it off of sticks to start with and was not satisfied so I then went to a lead sled.
Here is the email I sent Butch last Sunday afternoon.

Hi,

I just acquired one of the early field grade guns. The serial number is BL 189. Anyway I shot it today with the 108 grns IMR 4831, norma brass, woodleigh bullets and Fed 215m primers. I was shooting the gun out of a lead sled to check how the gun shoots. Oh Boy. The right barrel is shooting 3.5 inches to the right of the center with excellent elevation. The left barrel shot 7 inches high with excellent alignment with center. This was at 50 yards. I fired 8 rounds and each barrel made a group of around an inch at the point of impact described above. I purchased this gun to go to AFrica, I leave on July 20. Is there any way to get this gun back to you to regulate and back to me in the next 2 weeks?

Thanks

Clark Linn


Now comes the most extraordinary Customer Service I have ever Experienced. Butch called me that Sunday afternoon about an hour after I sent the email. He said he would fix the gun not a problem. I overnigted the gun on Monday. He received it on Tuesday. Butch called me this morning to say the gun was shooting just as I had described it. He stated he was able to get the gun shooting good enough for the trip but not perfect (shooting 2 inch group at 50 yds). We talked to see if this would be ok with me as he said he really needed to put a new wedge in to make it shoot "perfect" and that he would not be able to complete that job in the time before I left. Now the real extraordinary part of this tale is that he is shipping the gun back to me on Monday but he wants the gun back when I return from Africa to "fine tune it". Total price for all of this work and the final fine tuning when I return for a gun that I did not purchase from him - THE PRICE of SHIPPING!!!!!!!!!

Based on my experience with Butch over the last week I am going to order a left hand 450-400 for my youngest son as a graduation present. If a man stands behind his guns to this extreme then to me he makes the finest doubles available

Clark Linn

Try it out with out the lead sled. Cross sticks or a standing rest with NO contact with anything but you.
The lead sled screws up the 'harmonics'. Fine for single tubed rifles but not for DR's.

CRL,
Could not agree with you more. Butch has helped me out several times with some of his past guns, and I have never bought a gun from him directly. Absolutely wonderful service!

Butch's customer service is impeccable, he'll get it done for you quicker than anyone I know. crl, a lead sled is a no no with a DR, use the sticks or off the bench holding the forend with your hands on some bags,etc.

You are right that Butch is top drawer! Nobody I know will stand behind a double rifle that was bought used, except Butch!

Throw that damn lead sled in the lake, it is the devil's own spawn, where double rifles are concerned! The double rifle is designed to be shot off hand, and when rested on sand bags hold the fore-end with you hand. right at the end of the fore-stock wood, with your fingers warpped around the barrels, and don't let that rifle touch anything other than your hands, shoulder, and cheek! Fire the rifle for accuracy from a cool barrel set, with the other barrel fired withing ten seconds after the first shot, re-load then fire the next two POP, POP! Then let the barrels cool to ambient temprature before firing another group. The double rifle absolutly must be allowed to recoil as if fired off hand while holding the rifle as you would when hunting, shooting off hand. The recoil flip of the barrels from cool barrels is what regulates the shot placement on the target!

Good luck in Africa, and enjoy! JAMBO!

Customer service is top drawer with Butch. No doubt!

Butch's customer service is superb! If I am ever in the position to buy another double ... it will be from him without doubt.

guys [FYI] butch shoots in the regulation for THE DOUBLES using a lead sled

yes he has fixed a few for me more than once too won't take money will take whisky

Butch is a heck of a guy, and provides great customer service

CRL,
I had the same experience. Bought a slightly used PH model 470NE. Shot it and the barrels were crossing 4"-6" off a shooting stick. e-mailed Butch and he said to send the rifle to him. Got it back and just paid shipping. Gun prints 1" apart and perfectly level at 50yds now. Butch said he does the regulation himself!!!
ND

quote:

Originally posted by stradling:
guys [FYI] butch shoots in the regulation for THE DOUBLES using a lead sled

yes he has fixed a few for me more than once too won't take money will take whisky

Unless Butch has changed his procedure he does not use a lead sled for regulation. He has a fixed rest with a hydraulic shock on it. I can't remember what it is called at the moment. But Butch himself has warned me against using a lead sled with lead in it with a double rifle as it can damage the stock.

Have one Searcy (375 Flanged), one on layaway (500NE) and one to be ordered in the future (450/400 3")

Butch is great to deal with, and only living an hour away, it's easy to drop in and deal with him.

Looking at the high end English doubles at the various shows, I appreciate their status and historical past. But for an accurate, strong and good looking working rifle, you can't beat Butch's rifles. The customer service is another hugh selling point.

Purchaed my first double from butch and it was delivered the beginning of this year. Butch helped me out many times over the phone and also sending the rifle back to change the regulation due to a vairence in factory ammo. He has always been very responsive and his customer service is in a class that all business could only hope to achieve.

quote:

Originally posted by surestrike:

quote:

Originally posted by stradling:
guys [FYI] butch shoots in the regulation for THE DOUBLES using a lead sled

yes he has fixed a few for me more than once too won't take money will take whisky

Unless Butch has changed his procedure he does not use a lead sled for regulation. He has a fixed rest with a hydraulic shock on it. I can't remember what it is called at the moment. But Butch himself has warned me against using a lead sled with lead in it with a double rifle as it can damage the stock.

He calls it a Machine rest.....not the same as a lead sled!

quote:

Originally posted by ROSCOE:

quote:

Originally posted by surestrike:

quote:

Originally posted by stradling:
guys [FYI] butch shoots in the regulation for THE DOUBLES using a lead sled

yes he has fixed a few for me more than once too won't take money will take whisky

Unless Butch has changed his procedure he does not use a lead sled for regulation. He has a fixed rest with a hydraulic shock on it. I can't remember what it is called at the moment. But Butch himself has warned me against using a lead sled with lead in it with a double rifle as it can damage the stock.

He calls it a Machine rest.....not the same as a lead sled!

Butch's rest does absolutely nothing but reduce his felt recoil. It, in no way, henders the recoil arch of the rifle. The rifle depends on that flip arch to shoot to regulation. His rest simply makes his job a little more comfortable on long days regulating rifles, and lets him hold the rifle exactly the same way for every shot! Sort of like a ransom rest for pistols but doesn't hold the rifle's natural movements!

The Lead-Sled is a whole different animal, it not only restricts the recoil movement back toward the shooter but retards, or exasorbates the side, up, movement as well. That ain't good for regulating a double rifle, or working up a load for a double rifle. With the Lead-Sled the butt stock is also in danger of cracking at it's weakest point, the joint between the butt stock, and the action body! Butch's rest takes the hurt out of regulating doubles without hendering the rifle's natural movement under recoil!

Thanks for the info on the lead sled. I had read that on this board before. I used it in a fit of panic when shooting from sticks and I was seeing such erratic bullet strikes. When I talked with Butch he was not concerned that I used the lead sled to confirm the bullet hits.

Just an FYI he stated he is now regulating all his guns with 106 grns of IMR 4831 vs 108 grns. Less recoil and wear and tear on the guns.

crl