I shot 3 doubles yesterday.
A 470 Rigby Sidelock, original old British gun, it fit me almost perfect.

A Chapuis in 470. Fit good but they do not handle like a British gun, however all that I have shot shoot very good.

Third a 500 Nitro Hambrush. This rifle fits me good. It is very nicely done, light weight and lively, it is the most comfortable 500 I have ever shot.

Accuracy:
All shots off hand at 25 yards.

The 470's shot with Federal Factory.
The Rigby shoots 3 to 4 inches with the left bbl above the right.

The Chapuis shoots about 2 inches, both bbls hitting side by side about 2" above point of aim.

The 500 Nitro was shot with handloads. I have shot this rifle before. It is very accurate. It hits R&L about 1 inch apart, at 2" high.
And I mean 1" exactly side by side.
It is one very accurate double.

The recoil of the 500 raises the bbls higher than the 470's, but shoulder "pain' does not seem any worse than the 470's. There is no face or finger pain with the 470's or the 500.

This 500 is much more comfortable to shoot than the Merkels that I have shot.

All 3 doubles were nice rifles.

Tony,
You still up in SLC?

Thanks for the report.

Sounds like a good day on the range.
Was the Hambrusch a sidelock? I was in his shop back in the mid 90's very impressive. He built one of the coolest big game rifles I've ever seen. It was a drilling 470x470 and the bottom barrel was a .375.
I used a loaner Rigby 9.3x74 double on a boar hunt in France a few years ago. I only fired that double 7 times but came away from that weekend with 5 pigs. It fitted me and handled as well as anything I've ever used.

quote:

A Chapuis in 470. Fit good but they do not handle like a British gun, however all that I have shot shoot very good.

I am considering a Chapuis in 470. This might not be easy, but could you expand on how they don't handle like a Brit gun?

Weight distribution is quite different from that of a typical British gun. Less weight between the hands.
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

quote:

Originally posted by Antlers:

quote:

A Chapuis in 470. Fit good but they do not handle like a British gun, however all that I have shot shoot very good.

I am considering a Chapuis in 470. This might not be easy, but could you expand on how they don't handle like a Brit gun?

I'm not assumeing to answer for Tony, but IMO, Brit double simply have that almost indefineable somtheing that turns them into an extention of one's body! Some of the other countries are close, in their finer rifles, but none are exactly the same. IMO, some are just as well made, and the fit and finish are as well done, the accuracy is just as good, and in some cases better, but the "THING" is still not there, that defines the Brit Rifle.

The Chapuis feels better to me than the Krieghoff, but not as good as the Merkel, and the Heym is even better. This, however, I think, is because those rifles fit me better than Chapuis, and could be the reason I prefere the others. I think the Chapuis is a well made off the shelf double, the to me seems a bit light for chamberings, but are serious tack drivers for accuracy. Everyone allways talks about muzzle heavy rifles from everywhere but England,and I agree in the case of the Krieghoff, but in the case of the Chapuis, I find them to be butt heavy, adding to the "TOO LIGHT" feeling for me! Opinion, only!

This is my opinion.

To jump in on the special "THING" Mac writes of in U.K. vintage

built DR's; it is the fact that in our minds we KNOW it was the

men of the U.K. who made the history in Africa and India that we

all wish we could go back in time and stand there with those men

and shoot/hunt with them and make that history our selves. There

is no getting around it. We know these old rifles were THERE

in the original GLORY DAYS and when we touch them a little piece of

us mentally gets to fulfill our dream. Hunt with one in AFRICA TODAY,

on a PAC elephant or what ever and you might just think you have died

and gone to heaven, especially as you start the trigger squeeze while

aimed at your FIRST BIG FIVE beast, it's that 1/100th of a

second before detonation of the primer and your mind is filled with

the words, " I can't believe me, average Jack, is about to kill

of an elephant...!"

The Hanbrush is a boxlock.

Mac and 400 Nitro summed it up. The "feel" is just different.
I have shot 4 different 470 Chapuis rifles. All of them have been great shooters.

Some people like blondes, some like redheads. I suggest you handle several different double rifles and get the one you like the best.

Rusty
I was in SLC, I am in Denver now for a few days.

It's been said that the Merkel is more "English", generally speaking, and that the Chapuis is well, a Chapuis.

Chapuis examples look to me to be prettier in general, nicer wood. Hate the beavetail. Hate all relief engraving by any maker at this level. Dislike the small bead on the Chapuis or any rifle. I LIKE the honking big front post on the Merkel. I've heard more comments about Chapuis handling poorly than Merkel.

I was torn between the 470 & 500 Merkel. I've settled on the 470 no matter what. Was torn between extractors & ejectors. It was close but I'll choose ejectors. Now it's back to Chapuis or Merkel, both having ejectors.

Have handled both, shot neither. I think the Merkel may handle better but that's only from memory. A stock Merkel fits me like a glove. May still have to get both and sell the 2nd place winner.

Showbart
Try to shoot a Chapuis and a Merkel
Get the one you like the best.