OK ..... what double rifles and calibers have you acquired within the last year, and for what upcoming purpose ? Me .... just ordered a new Searcy 450/400 3" for 2008 buffalo hunt, and to use for bear hunting over bait in Canada.

We ordered a Searyc .577 NE in April and should take possession of it in the next few months when it is finished at the engraver.

Right now it will be used for Texas Trees (DRSS joke), dangerous paper targets and hunts with the DRSS.

Africa is a few years away due to financial obligations for retirement and preparing for a young man's (currently 16 months) college expenses.

Frank Beller, would appreciate details of and report on the .450-400 Searcy when you get it, have been speculating about one myself, wondering whether to go to him or look for an old Brit.

That report will be a while coming ..... probably won't get the new gun until later this fall. I think Searcy will be receiving numerous orders before his price increase on 2/1/06.

quote:

Originally posted by Frank Beller:
OK ..... what double rifles and calibers have you acquired within the last year, and for what upcoming purpose ?

Frank I've only bought three double rifles this last year, and one a year or two before! One a was a trade for a Pedersoli 58 cal muzzle loader for some of our public license areas, where MLs are the only rifles allowed,I had MLs but not ML doubles. the other was a Merkel 140-2 Safari 470NE, the other was a 9.3X74R O/U Winchester Grand Europian. The one I bought the year, or so, before was a Merkel 140E, 9.3X74R S/S double.

I had to sell off some of my collection, two or three years ago, for personal reasons, but I'm slowly building back to my old collection numbers, though not of the quality I had before!

I'm looking at trying to book a hunt at the Dallas show, to blood a couple of these rifles, don't know where, or for what, yet!

I think after my Searcy 450/400, I need at least one more to round out my collection - late this year or early next, I'll try to find a .500 NE, possibly a Searcy or Merkel.

577NE,

They are great for making gravel..

Mike

What a great new site! Let's all pledge no "pissing and moaning" about anything here! I made two double acquisitions in 2005. First (please no booing or hissing) a Krieghoff 500/416. Second I bought the 470 Searcy on his web shown in the for sale group. It has a date with a Botswana elephant later this summer. I'm now looking for a nice 9.3x74. In hopes of not being banished I have the Krieghoff for sale at a local shop and will turn the proceeds into one of Butch's new models in 450/400.

very nice 9.3x74R doubles at a shop in Romorantin, France. "Lechtine" is name of shop.
If you need e-mail address...let me know.

Chapuis 470. I just signed the death warrant for a cape buffalo or two.

Dave

Searcy 500 double-taken 3 of our local buffalo so far (2 with one shot by accident!) and have a hunt booked in Sept. for elephant

i placed an order with Butch for a 450/400 PH model back in October.....now debating with myself if i should take my life further in my hands (wife already questioning my worth as it is) and see if i can have it changed to the new classic model.....help me Lord!!!!

oh, and this will be my 1st double. it will be used on deer, pigs, coyotes ect until i can get back to Africa and then mr. buff will be # 1 on the agenda. by the way, would anyone like to buy some nice single shot bpcr rifles?

quote:

.....now debating with myself if i should take my life further in my hands (wife already questioning my worth as it is) and see if i can have it changed to the new classic model.....help me Lord!!!!

cchunter just posted a picture of Butch's classic that he has at SCI - it's in the African Hunting Forum. The color case hardening looks really nice.

I can't wait to see it at DSC!

that's it......i'm dead

OOHH! was the SCI convention expensive!!!HA-ha
I was checking out all of the doubles etc.
I was thinking that I would have to waite to buy a nice double -----until I found a smokin' hot deal on a new Searcy underlever! That 470 is now mine!!!
I don't think I have seen my creditcard jump out of my wallet like that for some time! ha!

now I have work like hell to scrape up some coin to book a buff hunt!! I can't waite to torch some powder down the double pipes in Africa!!

As m,ost people on the forum know I am a big fan of the double rifle. I have also shot a Ruger No1 [an underlever] quite a bit.
After handeling a Jeffery 600 Nitro under lever, and a couple of Purdys, I am suprised they were not much more popular throught history.

Quickshot:
Congratulations on the new addition to the family! My dream gun for a long time is a Jeffery underlever in 475#2. I passed on one several years ago because I thought the price was a little high. Now I'm being punished. Can't find one for love nor money!

Frank,
Please tell me you ordered 26" barrel on your Searcy?

LJS,
Jeffery underlever 475 #2 --that would be great!

I like underlevers. I shoot several lever type guns even(dare to mention it here) the infamous 45-70! Ha-ha I enjoy them all. I don't know why the underlevers are not to popular--guess it's not everybodys cup of tea--or action.

Searcy ejectors and the underlever combo makes a nice fast field gun. I don't have financial means for the new English or the German makers.
Maybe some day

In the next couple of weeks a new Merkel 140A in .500 NE will be added to my gun safe. The rifle has my name on it and I am just waiting on the Permit To Purchase from our police (yes, sounds like a police state, doesn't it?)

This rifle will, hopefully, get a workout on another cape buffalo, later this year, and an elephant in the next year or so.

Searcy PH in 470 NE. Ordered 6/1/05. A few more months...........

quote:

In the next couple of weeks a new Merkel 140A in .500 NE will be added to my gun safe. The rifle has my name on it and I am just waiting on the Permit To Purchase from our police (yes, sounds like a police state, doesn't it?)

I have the same gun in the same caliber. You'll LOVE it, but get the recoil pad.

Yes, Rusty, I ordered the 450/400 with 26" barrels. The day I called to ask Butch to make sure the barrels were 26", he answered the phone and said why not get 26" barrels ....... he had been reading the AR posts about me questioning which barrel length was best.

quote:

I have the same gun in the same caliber. You'll LOVE it, but get the recoil pad.

This gun already has the recoil pad. I work for the Australian importer of Merkel and when the first two .470s came in, a couple of years back, I was surprised that they didn't have recoil pads so I suggested to the boss that all 140A's should come in with recoil pads - recoil pads are now standard on all 140As coming into Australia.

I have always wanted a Holland & Holland double. Finally found one at SCI. Less than perfect caliber (458 win mag), but the price was right, it appeared to be unfired, and Hollands gunsmith said it was perfect.

quote:

Originally posted by LJS:
What a great new site! Let's all pledge no "pissing and moaning" about anything here! I made two double acquisitions in 2005. First (please no booing or hissing) a Krieghoff 500/416. Second I bought the 470 Searcy on his web shown in the for sale group. It has a date with a Botswana elephant later this summer. I'm now looking for a nice 9.3x74. In hopes of not being banished I have the Krieghoff for sale at a local shop and will turn the proceeds into one of Butch's new models in 450/400.

My favorite PH in Tanzania uses a Krieghoff 500 NE for a stopper, I have a European Krieghoff 470 NE and saving for a Krieghoff in 375 flanged.

In the heat of battle, the Krieghoff the safest double out there. Your are selling the Krieghoff because why?

JIM:

My 470 came after the 500/416 and is somewhat of a duplication. I guess I've been swept up in the interest in the 450/400. I agree with you about the safety. I've spent several weeks watching PHs carry their double with that flimsy slide safety and gripped by the barrels. It's a miracle more trackers aren't accidentally shot!

LJS

Well, After listening and reading about doubles I came home from DSC and was introduced to a gentleman who agreed to sell me a Charles Osbourne 450/400 3.25. It took me several months to earn the extra income and I finally received it and shot it towards the end of summer.
Thanks to the help of Rusty and Mark and Ernest and Tony's writing and the Band of Bubbas enthusiasm I felt very comfortable buying the rifle and stepping into the game. My intention has been to take it with me to Africa which I had hoped to book at this year's DSC but plans changed and now it will be next year. In the meantime I plan to use it locally and to continue building loads and testing it. Thus far it shoots well but I need to carefully build loads for it.
I will add a photo or two when when I return from out of town later this week.
Frank

quote:

Originally posted by LJS:
JIM:

My 470 came after the 500/416 and is somewhat of a duplication. I guess I've been swept up in the interest in the 450/400. I agree with you about the safety. I've spent several weeks watching PHs carry their double with that flimsy slide safety and gripped by the barrels. It's a miracle more trackers aren't accidentally shot!

LJS

Understand, best of luck to you

I picked up two this past year. An Army & Navy grade 2 boxlock non-ejector .500 3 1/4" Nitro Express and a Woodward .450 3 1/4" Express hammergun. Love them both too!

Particularly for those of you who suffered along with me when my Holland & Holland 500/465 blew a barrel, I imported a 1928 Holland Dominion .465 from Paul Roberts of Jeffery in London this past year. It is in very good condition with excellent bores. I am getting it ready to take a big tusker in Botswana in 2007. I also bought an almost mint Joseph Lang in 400/360 from Champlin Arms, it will be my hog rifle. Oh do these English doubles handle well.

CFA

CFA ...... I thought I was supposed to be the one to buy that Lang .360 ...... well, take good care of it for me, and enjoy it .......

Placed my order for a Searcy Ph in Oct then upgraded to the Deluxe. 470 N.E.

Frank

After a DRSS hog hunt last year I knew I HAD to have a .400/.360. I had been waiting for a little space between my Holland and my next double but I also knew that Lang would not be around much longer. Originaly I thought I had paid too much for both doubles but after seeing what doubles were going for in Reno I know I didn't. Clean, completely original English doubles are not easy to find. Don't worry the Lang will get a lot of TLC and hopefully bring quite a few hogs down.

CFA

In response to the original question, I got a Merkel double rifle in .470NE right after Christmas. I've been looking at getting one for quite a while, but I had a hard time with the multi-thousand number for a single gun. I was able to trade several guns on it, so the number "seemed" much lower. Rationalization can be a beautiful thing.

The sights come up aligned for me. I really like it, and I shoot it well. I'm really happy with it. I'll eventually have to replace the slip on rubber recoil pad, though.

Steve

I ordered a Searcy Classic in 470NE while at the DSC show.

I had already mentioned buying this on another thread, but I am having fun thinking about it so please bear with me.

Doug

I am impatiently waiting for my new Searcy 470 Deluxe grade. It should be here in the next two weeks.

465H&H