I fell under the spell of the double rifle as a kid, as I pored over my Dad’s well-worn copy of Jack O’Connor’s 1961 “Complete Book of Rifles and Shotguns”. While Jack was a staunch proponent of bolt rifles, he could appreciate the double rifle concept…advantages and shortcomings alike. And, like most who had weathered the Great Depression, Jack was close with a dollar…and he described the double rifle as “fearfully expensive; in England a good one costs between $750 and $2000”! Well, it would be years before I saw enough discretionary income to be able to consider double rifles any more than academically, but since then I’ve been fortunate to toy with a few and, if anything, I’m more smitten now than when I was a kid!

Over the course of several years, I determined that what I desperately NEEDED was an “every day” double…one that I could shoot every day without fearing detached retinas or shaking crowns loose from my teeth. One that I could afford to feed without weeping over component costs. Something practical for carrying around the ranch on a day-to-day basis.

About the time that I became convinced that my misspent life wouldn’t be complete without this imagined double, I learned of Aaron Michael Little, owner / operator of AM Little Bespoke Gunmakers LLC. I contacted Aaron, and we proceeded to discuss this project: to wit, converting a SxS 28 gauge into a trim DR chambered for .30-30 WCF.

Once the basics were agreed upon, Aaron set about sourcing a donor shotgun for the conversion. In relatively short order, he located a vintage Victor Sarasqueta sidelock that, upon inspection, he determined would serve (provided that he was allowed to re-work the atrocious overly long semi-beavertail fore-end!).

I assembled the ammo for regulation, keeping things simple and affordable and in line with the “everyday double” concept. Twenty nine grains of 3031 under a Hornady 150 grain RNSP would deliver the goods on deer and hogs, at any range that a double rifle and my aging eyesight need bother with!

When Aaron texted to say that she was ready to come home, I couldn’t wait to see her…and (in my opinion at least) Aaron did wonderfully! The rifle is a svelte 6 ¾ pounds and balances just ahead of the hinge pin. Her 24” tubes wear a sculpted ramp and white bead up front and an elevation adjustable aperture at the rear (hey, I don’t wear these tri-focals for my looks!). We discussed the possibility of using one of the small red dot sights, but somehow the idea of using a Tokyo-by-night sighting system seemed completely out of place.



The She-Wolf and I promptly took her down to the barn, where I spanked the swinger twice with the first pair of shots. Dropping two more into the chambers, I handed it to Jane who promptly swatted the swinger twice more. Not bad…not bad at all!





A week later we had a cold front rage through during the night, and dawn found a crisp fall morning with temps in the high 40s. I slipped out of the house with the Sarasqueta in hand, intent to see what was moving as the sun got higher (and to look for an injured calf while I was out).

Slipping thru a dense thicket of post oaks and blackjacks, I caught movement in a clearing up ahead. Six or eight hogs were present; doubtless some of the same lot that had recently been plowing up one of my newly-planted oat patches. As I cut the distance to the pigs, they slipped further east and I lost sight of them in the trees.

Figuring they might cross a low wash nearby and head south toward that oat field, I turned south myself to parallel their anticipated course. After making about 75 yards, I pulled up short as a large black hog emerged from the post oaks, crossed a small clearing and dropped into a dry creek bottom. With the terrain covering my approach, I quickly slipped across the clearing to within 40 yards of where I’d last seen the black hog.

Seeing some brush wiggle down in the wash, I slipped the safety forward and was surprised to see not the black hog but a big brindled sow emerge walking across an opening. Swinging with her, I pasted the big, white bead behind her shoulder and leaned on the trigger. The bark of the .30-30 was followed by the squealing rush of the sow, who made about 20 steps before going down in a kicking cloud of dust.

Reloading from my belt, I dropped down into the bottom to see about the hog. Even if I hadn’t been able to see her from where I stood, it would have been an easy tracking job. The slug had taken her tight behind the left shoulder and exited just ahead of the point of the shoulder on the right, leaving a substantial blood trail.



As I climbed out of the draw to head back to the house, I spotted the injured calf I’d been looking for for the past week…still favoring its right front leg but otherwise healthy. So, a successful “proof-of-concept” excursion for the “everyday double”, a dead hog, and a found calf…not a bad way to start a morning!

Many thanks to Aaron Little...a fine young man with a bright future ahead of him and the skills to make that future a reality!

Mark

Thanks for posting,nice rifle for sure & a good hunt report.

Very nice little rifle! Little does some fine work, and this rifle is a fine example of that fact!

218BEE you live in my old stomping grounds! I was born in Coleman County Texas in the west room of a house my great grand father built in the late 1800s. Your pictures makes me wish I still owned my grand fathers place, instead of this urban nightmare!

Congratulations on both your little 30-30 double, and your hog and finding your calf!

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What a nice little double.

Thanks, Mac! Yep, Aaron is a true artisan plus he's a pleasure to work with! I gave him a Brno ZKK 601 in .223 to craft into a miniature express rifle...I'm looking forward to seeing his artistry on that project!

Heck, if you ever want to come back to "God's country" for a visit, just drop me a line. I can't imagine that the country has changed a whole awful lot!

Mark

Verry Nice!

Cool rifle!

This is a shotgun to rifle conversion I can get behind? Was it restocked? Did you consider any other calibers?

Hey Colin!

No, no restocking was involved. Aaron did remove the hideous original finish which happily revealed a stock with a bit of figure. When Aaron received the rifle he promptly wrote me practically begging to be allowed to re-work the fore-end (which was a semi-beavertail and half again as long as it should have been). He shortened and reshaped it into something much more pleasing.

I did consider some other calibers (briefly) including the .303 but never really wavered from the .30-30. My rational was that, given the game I'd hunt with it (primarily deer and hogs plus the odd coyote) and the average range I'd shoot with open sights (100 yards and under), the .30 WCF was a perfect fit. Add in the fact that brass and components can be had for a song and all my requirements for my "everyday double" were met!

Mark

I love it.

Hunter S. Thompson and I grew up in the same neighborhood, I actually met him once.

Beautiful rifle. Wish I had one like it except in .38-55

The .38-55 WOULD have been another excellent choice!

But I've got two leverguns already chambered in it!

Very Nice double and a great every day calibre.

quote:

But I've got two leverguns already chambered in it!

I have one, a Model 94 Winchester Chief Crazy Horse Commemerative.

Killed a couple of deer and my only black bear with it.

Elegant looking little rifle!

Beautiful rifle and great idea making it a 30-30.

quote:

Originally posted by wildmansix:
Very Nice double and a great every day calibre.

The very nice thing about a double rifle chambered for 30-30 Win is, any country store in the USA, and Canada will have factory ammo to fit the rifle!

I had a short barreled double rifle made on a Browing 20 ga shotgun action, that I used for a handy little rifle to carry while following my bear and lion dogs up and down the mountains of New Mexico, and when I sold my dogs, the buyer wanted the little double as well, so I sold it to him. I still wish I had kept the rifle, and am thinking about having Aaron build me another one on a 20 ga double shotgun I have!
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MacD;

What caliber was your double rifle on the Browning 20 bore frame?

Aaron; You built a beautiful little rifle.

218Bee,

beautiful little rifle. Great luck on finding such a great donor.

Very practical calibre. Will get more use than an "elephant stomper".

Kind of gun that would carry well enough to be in your hands when you needed it.......instead of on a sling.

Did you keep the shotgun barrels or use them for a monoblock ??

Have you any in progress photos you'd like to share ??

Bwana,

Thanks for the kind words...I'd have to say I completely agree with your observations regarding the practicality of the cartridge and the "tote-ability" of the rifle.

Sadly, the shotgun barrels went the way of all flesh to provide the donor monoblock.

I didn't pester Aaron for "in-progress" photos of this project but Buckstix did when Aaron was working his magic on his 600 NE Bernadelli. Since the process is the same (just a question of scale), check out the link below:

http://forums.accuratereloadin...0101804/m/3141016532

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by Transvaal:
MacD;

What caliber was your double rifle on the Browning 20 bore frame?

Aaron; You built a beautiful little rifle.

The one I was discussing here was a 30-30, but I had two and the other one was chambered for 41 Mag and both had 18 inch barrels.

I have a Laruna 20 ga that I've been thinking of having Aaron looking at to see if it is OK for a 30-30 conversion.
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quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:

quote:

Originally posted by Transvaal:
MacD;

What caliber was your double rifle on the Browning 20 bore frame?

Aaron; You built a beautiful little rifle.

The one I was discussing here was a 30-30, but I had two and the other one was chambered for 41 Mag and both had 18 inch barrels.

I have a Laruna 20 ga that I've been thinking of having Aaron looking at to see if it is OK for a 30-30 conversion.
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I have been considering building a .41 magnum on a .410 Spanish double. Was your .41 built on a .410?

I have a Smith & Wesson model 57 in .41 magnum and I have led myself to believe that the .41 is more accurate than the .44 magnum. I have liked the .41 magnum ever since I bought one in 1969

quote:

Originally posted by Transvaal:

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:

quote:

Originally posted by Transvaal:
MacD;

What caliber was your double rifle on the Browning 20 bore frame?

Aaron; You built a beautiful little rifle.

The one I was discussing here was a 30-30, but I had two and the other one was chambered for 41 Mag and both had 18 inch barrels.

I have a Laruna 20 ga that I've been thinking of having Aaron looking at to see if it is OK for a 30-30 conversion.
........................................................................

I have been considering building a .41 magnum on a .410 Spanish double. Was your .41 built on a .410?

I have a Smith & Wesson model 57 in .41 magnum and I have led myself to believe that the .41 is more accurate than the .44 magnum. I have liked the .41 magnum ever since I bought one in 1969

Both mine were built on a 20 ga Browning BSS. I have my doubts on the 41 mag in a 410 because I think the chamber wall would be a bit thin for the 41 mag, and even thinner for the 44 mag. The 20 ga would be a better for either of these rounds if the shot barrels were used to make the mono-block. A 28 ga might do, but I'd prefer a 20 ga.

You might ask Aaron Little about this. He can certainly tell you if it is a suitable system for this!

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Funny thing about this post, I have a sidelock Victor Sarasqueta in 20-gauge 3-inch that I was thinking about having Aaron build a .30-40 Krag double rifle on.

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:

quote:

Originally posted by Transvaal:

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:

quote:

Originally posted by Transvaal:
MacD;

What caliber was your double rifle on the Browning 20 bore frame?

Aaron; You built a beautiful little rifle.

The one I was discussing here was a 30-30, but I had two and the other one was chambered for 41 Mag and both had 18 inch barrels.

I have a Laruna 20 ga that I've been thinking of having Aaron looking at to see if it is OK for a 30-30 conversion.
........................................................................

I have been considering building a .41 magnum on a .410 Spanish double. Was your .41 built on a .410?

I have a Smith & Wesson model 57 in .41 magnum and I have led myself to believe that the .41 is more accurate than the .44 magnum. I have liked the .41 magnum ever since I bought one in 1969

Both mine were built on a 20 ga Browning BSS. I have my doubts on the 41 mag in a 410 because I think the chamber wall would be a bit thin for the 41 mag, and even thinner for the 44 mag. The 20 ga would be a better for either of these rounds if the shot barrels were used to make the mono-block. A 28 ga might do, but I'd prefer a 20 ga.

You might ask Aaron Little about this. He can certainly tell you if it is a suitable system for this!

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Yes, I have the same concern about the thin walls using the .410. That was the reason that I wanted to know if your donor gun was a .410.

quote:

Originally posted by loud-n-boomer:
Funny thing about this post, I have a sidelock Victor Sarasqueta in 20-gauge 3-inch that I was thinking about having Aaron build a .30-40 Krag double rifle on.

Well, none of us are getting any younger...gather ye rosebuds (or, in this case, double rifles) while ye may!

Aaron is a fine young man to work with; you won't be disappointed!

Mark

lovely gun, well done Aaron.

Nitro

Very nice. Thanks for posting.

Great story and nice wood on the rifle

I've been trying to talk my local 'smith into building me a double in .348 Win on a 16 ga double I have.

I love it, I lost a 25-35 double due to a lack of funds some many years back. Fumbled around and got stupid at Dallas SCI on a 30-40 double, as did a few others on AR at the time, then the 22 L.R. also at Dallas, and Im sure there were a few others.

A 30-30 is exceptional, and its a wonderful caliber for about anything within double rifle range.