I feel right or wrong, that maybe my tales of hunting with double rifles and especially my experiences with 9,3x74R Chapuis might have in fluenced some of you to buy one, and baised on some recent posts I thought I might better relate a little info.

When moving from Bolt Rifle Trash to the DRSS there are a few things that might help.

First, the double rifle is the best hunting rifle on the Planet, for most hunting.

Most people think of the DR as a speciality item... I did too till I started using one.
I never set out to prove anything, I have only discovered it through my use of the DR.

I have found that the immediate second shot is of far more value than the larger magazine capacity of a bolt rifle.
For most hunting I have not found the double rifle to be any sort of handicap over a bolt rifle.
In fact I now regard the bolt rifle to be the "speciality" hunting gun, better suited than the double only when shots at long [over 300yds] are most likely.

However there are some things about the double that will require you to have a different mind set.

The double rifle mind set.

First of all, at the range the double rifle will not usually group on paper as good as a bolt rifle. After all you have 2 different barrels.
The double rifle is not a Bench Queen.

If you get groups at 100 yards 3" or under, that is plenty good enough. Shoot your double at 200 yards and see what happens.

Also there are no benches in the field. Take your bolt action rifle of similar recoil and shoot it side by side with your double and report on what occurs.

I used to have to Qualify with a bolt rifle, from field positions, in 458 Win, scope and iron sights at 25, 50,75, and 100 yards, then I would shoot my 450 No2 double [iron sights only], and compare targets. There was not any difference.

I would suggest to anyone gettikng their first double tifle that you do the following.

Buy 40 rounds of factory ammo [ for a 40 and over double factory is $$$$ so get 20 rounds].

Shoot half of it at 25 and 50 yards. 40 cal and up start at 15 yards.

If your double is scoped shoot some with iron sights some with scope.
This is so you can learn the triggers and the feel of the gun.

Shoot the other half off the bench, perfecting your double rifle bench technique.

If you cannot get factory ammo load 40 rounds of a starting load.

Durring this time you are not really testing you or the gun just breaking both of you in.

Then, start reloading. I usually load at least 6 rounds, shooting them RL, Rl, RL.
I put up 2 targets shooting all the right bbl shots on the right target the left on the left so I can tell which is which.

I start low and work up.

With a scoped gun under 40 cal I start at 100 yards, wikth a 40 and up or an iron sighted double I start at 25 yards, moving farther out as i find the best load.

With proper loads the right bbl shbould hit on the rifght and the left on the left ie no crossing.
If your gun shoots really tight grouups and your bbls overlap it is acceptable if the groups are nice and round. Test at longer ranges to see if they are diverging badly at distance.

Keep GOOD records as yhour double rifle might show certain trends.

ie some dopuble rifles might put nearly ANY bullet/load from one bbl into the same group, with the other bbl being "finiky" as to how close to the other bbl it shoots different loads.

For instance I use 65 grains of IMR 4831 with 286gr Woodleigh Softs, and Solids, 286 Nosler Partitions, and 285 gr Hawks.

All 4 of these bullets shoot close enough that I use them for hunting with the same zero.

However the double shoots its best groups with Noslers in the left bbl and Woodleigh Softs in the right.

So while I can shoot better groups off the bench at the range, with a bolt rifle, I consider the double to be the better hunting gun in the field by a wide margin.

On all 3 of my Safaris I have used double rifles, except for 2 animals I shot with the Blaser R 93 in 308 that my wife was using for plains game.

I really like the Blaser R 93, and as I previously reported I "tried" to take it to Zim on my last Safari, but just could not do it.

I just prefer the Double rifle.

If you use one a little, you will see what a SUPERIOR hunting rifle it is.

For those of you that have bought a 9,3x74R double rifle... We all know what a 375 H&H has done and is capable of doing...
The 9,3x74R cartridge with 286 grain softs and solids is equally effective in the field, with the same hits on the same animals.

When you compare a 375 Bolt with a 9,3 double, the 9,3 is the superior hunting gun in my experience.

Remember I did not set out to "prove" that, I have just "learned" it.

Let it be written, let it be done.

I have shot quite a bit of game with the 9,3x74R

For a "cheap" bullet the 270 speer is ok on deer and wild pigs.

The 286 gr Woodleigh solid performed perfect on turkeys, baboon and caracel [minimum damage] and on buff, giraffe, and elephant, excellent penetration, no deformation.

My favorite Soft is the 286 Woodleigh RN followed by the 286 Nosler Partition.

I have killed several deer and wild pigs with Norma 286 gr Alaska factory load with perfect results.

The Norma 232 Vulcan factory load has performed excellent on pigs.

The 193 gr Norma factory load was VERY HARD on a racoon and a skunk.

The 293 RWS TUG factory shot through a deer front to back, again perfect results.

With the 286 Sellier & Belliot factory load I have taken turkey, bobcat and wild pigs, again with perfect results.

The 9,3 x74R is an awsome cartridge.

I think that about covers it!

Shooting the right barrel on the right target and the left barrel on the left target.....rather than trying to spot them individually.....that's so simple and so brilliant it makes me feel like

Although in my case it might work better the other way around....

One way I seem to be finding for keeping records of how various loads shoot is to write the info on the target and snap a digital pic of the target, then file the pictures when I get home.

"""Might work better the other way around""""

Don't go messing with my "Technique".

Just that with the barrels crossing I'd end up with all the shots between the two targets doing it your way


Left...............All................Right
aim...............shots...............aim
point..............here...............point

LRH270
You just have to use bigger targets until you find loads that do not cross. Try some IMR4831.
Start with 62 gr and the 286 nosler partition.

Is there currently a group buy that is open, or has the deadline passed?

YOU CAN PROBABLY GET IN ON THE GROUP BUY IF YOU ACT NOW. 20 % off list prices

CONTACT DALE NYGAARD 320-963-5551

EMAIL :

dln@lakedalelink.net

I received my 9.3 x 74r from Dale, it is love at first sight! took it to range & jost had time to shootit 6 times with open sights, wonderful!