Finally took the plunge....Searcy .500 NE

14 January 2014, 06:38

Eland Slayer

Since I was a little boy, I have dreamed of owning a big bore double rifle. I'm sure some of you have noticed all the questions I've been asking lately. I didn't expect to be in a position to buy one so soon....but the time has arrived, and I am quite excited.

There is a well-known gun shop in Houston called "Collectors Firearms", and I was browsing their website last week when I found what I thought was a great deal. I drove to the store Friday evening to see the rifle in person, and it had everything I've been looking for at a price I simply could not pass up. So I am happy to announce that I am now officially a member of the DRSS and the proud owner of a Searcy "PH" in .500 NE, complete with ejectors, beautiful wood, and a custom-fitted Americase!! The gun fits me extremely well, better than any other double I've handled.

I want to say a big "Thank You" to everyone on AR who has helped by giving me advice, and tolerating my many questions. This is truly the best hunting/shooting forum on the web.

Now I am anxious to get out and shoot my "new" arrival.

Here are a few photos....let me know what you guys think!!

14 January 2014, 06:47

JDA-CO

Goodness Eland Slayer... That sure is a nice first DR for anything on planet! Congrats on the purchase, I know you'll be happy with it!

Welcome to the club!

14 January 2014, 06:59

BenKK

Wade, what a beaut rifle you have! Congratulations! Enjoy! The perfect calibre, too...

14 January 2014, 07:04

pagosawingnut

That's pathetic! A Searcy for your first DR???
You should immediately send it to me and I will shoot it for you.
Actually, that is a very nice looking rifle. I have one of Butch's .500's and it is a real shooter. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do mine. I also am anxiously awaiting a .470 he is putting together for me.
Congratulations.

14 January 2014, 07:06

Rusty

Congratulations!

Rusty
We Band of Brothers!
DRSS, NRA & SCI Life Member
"I am rejoiced at my fate. Do not be uneasy about me, for I am with my friends."
----- David Crockett in his last letter (to his children), January 9th, 1836
"I will never forsake Texas and her cause. I am her son." ----- Jose Antonio Navarro, from Mexican Prison in 1841
"for I have sworn upon the altar of god eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." Thomas Jefferson
Declaration of Arbroath April 6, 1320-“. . .It is not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.”

14 January 2014, 07:09

Use Enough Gun

Very nice!

I have one of his 450-400's that looks a lot like yours. I am waiting on a 375 H&H Flanged screw grip action due to be here in March.

14 January 2014, 07:32

MJines

Well done Wade. Enjoy it.

14 January 2014, 07:55

PSmith

Congrats on a great rifle and great cartridge.

Paul Smith
SCI Life Member
NRA Life Member
DSC Member
Life Member of the "I Can't Wait to Get Back to Africa" Club
DRSS
I had the privilege to fire E. Hemingway's WR .577NE, E. Keith's WR .470NE, & F. Jamieson's WJJ .500 Jeffery
I strongly recommend avoidance of "The Zambezi Safari & Travel Co., Ltd." and "Pisces Sportfishing-Cabo San Lucas"

"A failed policy of national defense is its own punishment" Otto von Bismarck

14 January 2014, 08:14

Rockdoc

What a beauty! Congratualtions. I like that case too!

Would like to see some shooting results.

Best wishes, Chris

14 January 2014, 08:23

Todd Williams

Congrats on a fine rifle and caliber. You're hooked now, like you can't believe, but just don't know it yet!

14 January 2014, 08:36

505ED

Congrats Wade...you will enjoy it. I bought my first double at 28...and have not been the same since..10 years later and I have owned,traded over 7 different ones...I still have not found the one....but it has been a fun quest.

Ed

14 January 2014, 08:39

ExpressYourself

Wade...I am genuinely happy for you. Great looking rifle! Take your time to learn and understand her and then have fun.

Best always,
Shawn

Shawn Joyce
Diizche Safari Adventures
P.O. Box 1445
Lincoln, CA 95648
E-mail: shawn.joyce@diizchesafariadventures.net
Cell: (916) 804-3318

Shoot Straight, Live the Dream, and Keep Turning the Pages to Your Next Adventure!™
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14 January 2014, 09:30

Mike Brooks

Very NICE!

14 January 2014, 09:57

Bockhunter

...what a great day for you.
All the best.

The "B."

14 January 2014, 11:18

Jefffive

Don't believe in starting at the bottom, do you?

Very nice indeed.

14 January 2014, 14:16

Pondoro

Beautiful rifle and a great calibre..

14 January 2014, 16:31

GOB

quote:
Originally posted by Eland Slayer:
Since I was a little boy, I have dreamed of owning a big bore double rifle. I'm sure some of you have noticed all the questions I've been asking lately. I didn't expect to be in a position to buy one so soon....but the time has arrived, and I am quite excited.

There is a well-known gun shop in Houston called "Collectors Firearms", and I was browsing their website last week when I found what I thought was a great deal. I drove to the store Friday evening to see the rifle in person, and it had everything I've been looking for at a price I simply could not pass up. So I am happy to announce that I am now officially a member of the DRSS and the proud owner of a Searcy "PH" in .500 NE, complete with ejectors, beautiful wood, and a custom-fitted Americase!! The gun fits me extremely well, better than any other double I've handled.

I want to say a big "Thank You" to everyone on AR who has helped by giving me advice, and tolerating my many questions. This is truly the best hunting/shooting forum on the web.

Now I am anxious to get out and shoot my "new" arrival.

Here are a few photos....let me know what you guys think!!

You have got yourself a lovely gun indeed and thank you for sharing the photos which are all great. Keep the files away from the sights please (joke). It is great that you were able to locate such a great looking piece and I am certain it will shoot as well as it looks.

Please keep us posted on the progress with your shooting.

Cheers,

Glenn

14 January 2014, 16:38

Muletrain

Congratulations! Thats a very pretty rifle. Have you got the front sight filed down yet?

14 January 2014, 17:20

Trapper Tom

Nice rifle but it would display better laying on an old cardboard box

14 January 2014, 17:50

Zephyr

Well done and congrats...
Seems there is a wealth of DR shooting experience in Texas, take advantage of their reloading knowledge look into reduced loads for practice and certainly check out Trail Boss.
The best compliment you can give Butch is to bring it to him and say I wore it out.
Hot Barrels

14 January 2014, 17:50

Double BC

Beautiful riffle I hope you enjoy it.

14 January 2014, 18:16

Safari James

Welcome to the other side! Excellent caliber choice. As as been discussed on many threads, double rifles are addictive so prepare for additional purchases in the the future! Can't wait to see a hunt report.

14 January 2014, 19:02

The Norwegian

Congratulations ! Nice piece ! I know the feeling of planning, studying, testing and finally deciding and buy ..

14 January 2014, 19:29

Biebs

Wade, very nice piece! It was good meeting you and the Missus...hope you'll remember our secret "shortcut" to the show :-)

14 January 2014, 19:51

Eland Slayer

quote:
Originally posted by Biebs:
Wade, very nice piece! It was good meeting you and the Missus...hope you'll remember our secret "shortcut" to the show :-)

Biebs,

You must be thinking of a different Wade. I wasn't at DSC and I'm not married.

Hopefully there is not someone impersonating me....haha

14 January 2014, 19:56

fla3006

Excellent, very nice looking rifle.

14 January 2014, 20:59

jwm

Beautiful gun, but your photos are terrible.

You need to get yourself down to the local Walmart or Dollar Store and take some proper pics in the stockroom, or maybe out back by the dumpster!

14 January 2014, 21:11

Biebs

quote:
You must be thinking of a different Wade

DOH!

14 January 2014, 21:16

Eland Slayer

quote:
Originally posted by jwm:
Beautiful gun, but your photos are terrible.

You need to get yourself down to the local Walmart or Dollar Store and take some proper pics in the stockroom, or maybe out back by the dumpster!

I think only canucks use those photography techniques. We Texas boys know better

14 January 2014, 22:29

ledvm

Nice rifle Wade!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
J. Lane Easter, DVM

A born Texan has instilled in his system a mind-set of no retreat or no surrender. I wish everyone the world over had the dominating spirit that motivates Texans.– Billy Clayton, Speaker of the Texas House

No state commands such fierce pride and loyalty. Lesser mortals are pitied for their misfortune in not being born in Texas.— Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to Texas in May, 1991.

14 January 2014, 22:35

FLGrizzy

That's a beautiful rifle!!!! Congratulations !!!

15 January 2014, 00:19

Dutch44

Elandslayer:
Need a range report to see if this Searcy needs the sights adjusted/filed down (or up) different sight beads, point of aim affected by the warmer climes of Texas or the lunar position of Uranus 4th moon, the point of aim affected by ingesting week old bean burritos, all for the soul purpose so that we can assist Mangia Merde with his sighting in problems on his Searcy .500......sorry, couldn't help myself. Actually, congratulations on a great rifle.

Dutch

15 January 2014, 04:35

subsailor74

Wade - welcome to the double rifle club. The bad news is that is is tough to stop at owning one double. It is a sickness, and I, for one, am terminal. I already own 2 Searcy doubles and have a third on the way. Butch gives first class customer service, and the fact that you are not the original owner makes no difference. He will treat you like you are the only customer he has.
As a BTW, I killed my first eland with a Searcy double in .500NE. They are not just for dangerous game!

15 January 2014, 06:45

Jaglav

Congratulations on the rifle. I read your original thread many times as I'm basically looking, and hemming and hawing, for a double as well. I also received lots of great input thanks to you.

Enjoy!

15 January 2014, 07:05

D R Hunter

Enjoy your new to you rifle to the MAX.

Clearly you and another recent 500 NE buyer did
not get your photography training from the same
instructor.
Please tells us the numbers; weight, bbl length,
LOP, load info and so on.

15 January 2014, 07:11

Bill Cooley

Congratulations on the rifle. Now if we can get Shoots some way to give you some lessons on how to properley shoot it.
Bill

15 January 2014, 07:17

JDA-CO

Bill - I wouldn't let Shootacow in the same zip code with that rifle.

15 January 2014, 08:21

Eland Slayer

quote:
Originally posted by D R Hunter:
Enjoy your new to you rifle to the MAX.
Clearly you and another recent 500 NE buyer did
not get your photography training from the same
instructor.
Please tells us the numbers; weight, bbl length,
LOP, load info and so on.

Weight: approximately 11.25 lbs (according to my Rapala digital fishing scale)
Barrel Length: 24"
LOP: 15" (from front trigger)
Trigger Pull: Front - 5 lbs, Rear - 4 lbs (rough average numbers from my Lyman trigger pull gauge)
Regulation Load: 110 grains IMR-4831, 570 grain bullet, Federal 215 Primers (as per Butch's file data)

I have a box of Barnes Vor-TX factory ammo 570 gr. Banded Solids arriving this week to test out. Butch told me he highly recommends the Barnes factory ammo in his rifles.