Ether the 9.3x74R or 375F for the light and ether a 450NE, 470NE or 500NE for the heavy.
Would only depend on what the preferred rifle came in.

I've only owned a couple of 458 bolt guns for "large" bores. I guess 9.3x74 for the smaller one and 450NE for heavier. I would really like a third smaller one as well in 30-40, 30-30, 303, 30R blaser, or maybe .308 or 8X57 for deer and such.

.303 or 7x65r
and
.450/.400NE or .470NE

450-400NE with QD mounts and a 500 NE

I'd be more than happy with my .303 British and my .450 #2 NE. I've taken everything from Klipspringer to Cape Buffalo with those two and could continue to do so, no problems, or as our friends in Oz say "no worries mate!".

How many times have I pondered over this....

If you have a 9,3x74R then you need nothing else.
I'd probably combine it with a 7mm - 7x57R or 7x65R

The alternative might be 8x57 JRS + .450/400
Then you'd have the heavy for anything and the potent 8mm for everything else.

- Lars/Finland

quote:

let's say a law was just passed limiting everyone to two doubles

I could be quite happy with but one double. A light, trim SxS in .30-40-220 with 28" barrels and regulated for the 2250 fps possible with modern powders. That matches the cordite loads for the .30 Super and would be capable of slaying anything I'd care to hunt. Actually, it could slay anything; true, it wouldn't be a stopping rifle, but you must hunt with a PH anyway, and he'll have a double .500 or the like, eh? If I must try to stop my own elephant, I'll take a second double, in .450 NE.

If by "double" I'm permitted a combination rifle, an O/U in 5.6x52R over 9.3x74R could happily serve as my one and only rifle. Add a .38 Spl revolver, and I'd have all the firearms I really need.

I would choose:

1: Holland & Holland 500/465 Royal NE

2: Charles Lancaster 450/400 3 1/4" NE

Why? because I'm an anglophile & love vintage British firearms. I think
both of these would suit anyone fine on an African safari, regardless of
what you were after. The Lancaster, if scoped, could be used for any
game out to 200 yards, but also would work for any of the big stuff.
However, I would preferentially use the 500/465 for most of the dangerous
game work!

Real reason I chose this pair is because that is what I have

Otherwise I probably would choose a 375 H&H & a 500 NE, for the same
reasons I mentioned above. I think the 375 H&H would work great for
anything & ammo availability is a plus.

I would like to someday add a .375 Flanged to my .500NE.

.375 Flanged and a .577.

9.3X74 and 470 since they are in my safe now and used the other funds for hunts.

I am going to bend this new law a bit. First I am going for a Ferlach Bergstutzen with a 7x65r barrel and a 222 (or rimmed equivalent) mounted with a 3-9x36 or 42 scope in claw or swing mount. Reasonably straight stocked in a classic, rather than hogs back style. That will do for most deer, mountain game and vermin.

I would add to this a good old British built box lock double in something a bit above 375 for big stuff and heavy weight plinking.

quote:

9.3 x 74 and a .500 Nitro

+1

So, if you have a nice English double in a heavy caliber, .500, .470, etc and you were going to add a nice scoped barrels in either .375 Flanged or 9.3 x 74r, wouldn't you just need to punch the classic English caliber ticket and get the .375 Fl??
JZ

Jaz

Not many 375 Fl Magnums around,
that's half the problem.

quote:

Originally posted by 505G:
Jaz

Not many 375 Fl Magnums around,
that's half the problem.

My thoughts as well. Theoretically, and from a historic / vintage point of view, yeah, the 375 FL would be the ticket, but ammo and components are much more scarce than the easily acquired 9.3x74R fodder, not to mention that the two calibers (375 FL and 9.3X74R) are pretty much ballistic equals! For me, that makes the nod go to the 9.3 for the "light" or "medium" safari double.

I don't own any double rifles, couple of SxS shotguns but they don't count....

That said, if I was limited to only owning two double rifles to cover all future 'rifle' hunting for the future I believe I would select the 303 British for my light DR and the 450 Nitro Express for my heavy DR - both in new manufacture. I figure DRs in these two calibers would allow hunting worldwide without being much over or under gunned for anything to be encountered....

Although it is getting a little redundant I would also select a 450/400 and a 577 NE...

9,3x74R and either a 470 or 500.
Add those two to the rack along side my OM 70's in 300 H&H and 22 Hornet (a carbine) and I would be ready to spend a L-O-T of time in Africa.

Rich

A 45-70 for woods hunting, deer ,etc. and a .577 for the more serious stuff.

I chose what I could afford ... a scoped 9,3x74R with 20 gauge barrels also fitted, and a .470 NE regulated to 2250 fps w 500 Woodleighs.

Not lookin' back to second guess the choices!

As with my original post... I'll stick with the 450/400 and the 577. I recently returned from a wonderful safari in Zimbabwe with PH Thierry Labat and took 20 out of 25 animals using my Heym 450/400 with iron sights (scoped double rifles make me shudder). The 577 will get exercised to the fullest extent in Australia during July 2014!

I bought the two I most wanted and am set with them.

A Searcy 450/400 to handle, fondle and dream about.

And a little Parker conversion 30/30 for local deer out at the farm. It's devilishly accurate.

600 Nitro Express & 375 Flanged

SHOWOFF!!! :-)

But a VERY happy showoff!!!

quote:

Originally posted by mstarling:
But a VERY happy showoff!!!