Hi!

I am thinking of buying a double rifle and having a bit of trouble choosing which one.

Just came across two doubles. Both are Brno Super Express or Super Safari. Calibers are 7x65R and 375H&H.

They are in good condition and I like them a lot even if they are a bit heavy.

Haven´t shot with them yet but I thought I´d try and ask you guys if you have any experience of Brno Super´s??

Regards

Jim

I have a pair I bought new around 1983 in .375 and 9.3X74. I worked up good loads using TIGs and TUGs that shot 1 1/2" at 80 yards from both bbls.Had no problems, each was shot quite a bit. Agree they're a bit heavy, but are o/u's. Not a fancy British gun, but rather an excellent user gun, ....detachable locks!
~Arctic~

Arctic!! Thanks for your answer!

Those sidelocks are pretty neat!!

What type of mounts did you use! Seems the original mounts are really really high!

And I have heard rumours of barrels in 458WinMag for the Brno Super! Havn´t got confirmation on that but it gives food for thoughts alright!!

Maybe I´ll save up some more money and buy myself a used Chapuis or similar but two Super´s for under the price of one used Chapuis!!! Hmmm!!! Not an easy one!!

Jim

Arctic,
I see your address and your interest in double rifles and wonder if your name might be Paul.

Extremely durable gun with back action locks and tumblers driven by stout coil springs. Soot from an oil lamp will usually reveal equal engagement of all 4 locking surfaces. The only thing about this lovable "Volk Bockdoppelbuchse" I didin't like is the non-rebounding hammers.

I had a BRNO double in .375 H&H from 1985 to 1991 with original Zeiss Jena 4x scope (I buy new). Never concentred the shots of both barrels. With factory ammo (WW 300 Silvertip or 270 gr.) not less of 8 inches between shots of diferent barrels. With reloads (300 gr.), not less of 5 or 6 inches. Bad double for me.
Be carefoul with the BRNO, previously to buy, shot 4 or 6 shots at 50 meters of range.
I'm sorry for my bud English.
Regards.
Hector

I got rings from BRNO after 3 or 4 years wait, ...didn't find them high with the gun mounted, and have never had anyone comment on them. .....They seem to be rarer than hen's teeth though. Again, mine shot well once the proper load was developed, there was no clue as to what was the sighting-in load when they were made. The test targets were good though.

Two for the price of one does make it attractive, and they are a good starter for anyone wanting to get into doubles, ....the SXS's can come later.At least that was my thinking years ago when I ordered mine. They worked well on a lot of bears.

Although I have quite a few doubles, my name's Barry, not Paul! Is there someone else up here into doubles that I haven't met? Thought I knew most shooters here as I've been president of the gun club for years, plus I'm the oldest outfitter up here. Everytime I take doubles to the range and let a few try them, their eyes light up, but I can't get them hooked!

Since your request for the Hornady bullets, Ron, I've gone looking downstairs several times as I did have several boxes.

Arctic!

Well you don´t need to convince me that´s for sure!!
When you first start to think about a doublerifle there is only one cure!! Buy one!! And then another and....!!

A bit sceptic about the Brno´s and I´ll take my time to consider!! Meanwhile here is a link to what I would like to own!!!

http://www.egun.de/market/item.php?id=1069929

It isn´t inside my pricerange but dreaming is free!!

Regards

Jim

Barry,
I'll chalk it up to "A senior citizen's moment"! I saw someone from the NWT who loves double rifles and immediately thought that it might be Paul Rogan, the publisher of Canadian Access to Firearms, with whom I've dealt several times. Of course, Paul's in Whitehorse, not Yellowknife. Ah, well, they say that senility is a blissful state, and I'm only 63.

As an aside, I'm in the late stages of building a .450 #2 NE on a BRNO ZP-49 shotgun. They are "Hell For Stout". I started with two base guns so I have one action with both shotgun and rifle barrels fitted to it, and a separate forearm assembly for each barrel.. The quarter rib will also accept Leupold QD rings so I can shoot 350 grain Hornady's from the left barrel for lighter game at longer ranges.

My plan is to end up with one gun, in a relatively small case, that can do it all in Africa. Guinea Fowl and Francolin today with the 12 bore, Cape Buffalo tommorrow with 500 grain Hornady's and iron sights, and Kudu or Sable the following day with 350 grain Hornadys and the Vari-X III.

Ron,

Your project does sound interesting and useful, hope it all comes together. I've got a Baikal done up in .458X2 3/4" by Gary Flach that has become a virtual "carry gun" for anywhere, ...tough, and I don't mind a few scratches!
~Arctic~

huh! Says it has IRS...big deal, my 67 XKE had that 39 years ago. Needs 2.5-3mm bigger holes in the barrels.

Rich

Ron,
You are using a Brno ZP-49 for your project - does yours have bushed fireing pins? Saw one advertised that did not have it. I checked another one out that belongs to a friend, compared it to a 12ga. Sauer/Merkel and took a bunch of measurements and photos. In many ways I like the Brno better, lots of meat where it counts. Might make a nice 450-400 NE 3".

Vasa

Vasa,
I have three BRNO ZP-49's, all of which have bushed pins. I don't recall ever seeing one that did not have bushed pins but there's a first for everything. They are a very strong action, a true sidelock, and all coil springs. I don't understand why they are priced so low in this area.

Ron, I think I talked to you at the Woodstock gun show.

Love your project, and would be interested in shooting the end result.

Also wonder what your total cost/time will work out to.

PM me, if you like.

Total cost in dollars, including scope will be somewhere on the order of $2500. Total hours invested will probably be about 1000 by the time regulation and bluing are complete.I doubt that I'll be at the next Woodstock show as it's right on the tail end of the deer season. I will be at the next Woodstock show after that and the project should be just about complete by then with the possible exception of bluing.
If you're at that show, be sure to introduce youself so that I can put a face to the name.

A breakdown of costs would be something like:

$350 BRNO #1, the "host" gun
$200 BRNO #2, a parts gun which contributed the barrel set for the rifle monobloc
$400 2 Douglas Supreme .458 barrels
$400 Leupold Vari-X III, 1.5x-5x scope
$100 Leupold QRW rings
$50 Weaver steel scope base stock
$150 Front & rear sights & hood
$100 Top rib
$60 Bottom rib
$80 2 sets of Uncle Mike's swivel studs
$400 Milling machine charges
$150 Incidentals like Hi-Force solder, flux, wet or dry paper, etc.

I own a Brno Super which I bought new in 1983. According to the factory it was regulated with RWS 305gn loads. I find it shoots very poorly with any currently available factory ammo. It does shoot 2MOA composite groups with 250gn Sierra's and 300gn Woodleigh's both over 80gn AR2209 (which is sold as H4831 in the US).

BUT I have a problem which is currently being discussed in the Gunsmithing Forum https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/9411043/m/750109365.

mike

BTW a small mercury recoil reducer or 6oz of lead in the butt does wonders for the handling.

quote:

Originally posted by Arctic:
I have a pair I bought new around 1983 in .375 and 9.3X74. I worked up good loads using TIGs and TUGs that shot 1 1/2" at 80 yards from both bbls.Had no problems, each was shot quite a bit. Agree they're a bit heavy, but are o/u's. Not a fancy British gun, but rather an excellent user gun, ....detachable locks!
~Arctic~

Arctic, I would appreciate your comments on the problem I describe in the gunsmithing forum, also information on how to detach the locks.

hanks in advance.

mike

Aussie Mike,
Quite a few years ago I had a double rifle like yours, a Brno Super Express in 375 H&H. It shot very well, under 2" groups at 50 yds. To remove the sidelocks, cock it, then unscrew the large screw at the rear end of the left sidelock. I had this screw modified into a lever so that I could undo the locks by hand. My gun sometimes doubled which a gunsmith fixed. The Brno Super does not have rebounding hammers and I believe that this is the cause for sticky opening, firing pins sticking into the spent primers.
If Brno would have designed this double with rebounding hammers, bushed firing pins and for some large, rimmed cases such as the 470NE, 450/400NE, etc, they would have had a winner. But this gun appeared prior to the new popularity of all the old NE rounds. This rifle also came in 9.3x74R and 7x65R and they are both excellent rounds with rimmed cases. The rifle itself is somewhat heavy for the rounds it was chambered for, but it is very strong and well built.
Before you go and rechamber your rifle, try out some more powders, bullets, and primers.... it could all be in the components being used.
Good luck, and if you run into one in 9.3x74R, let me know, I might be interested.

Vasa

Vasa just about covered it, the pins are most likely your problem on opening. Play with various loads, it just takes time to find the right one. ~Arctic~

hanks for the comments. I'll try some different loads. he toplever sticks in the fully open position, rather than just as it opens - was your problem similar.

I had trouble with doubling when the rear trigger was used first but that has now been fixed. I'll keep an eye out for a 9.3x74R.

mike

Aussie Mike,
No, the problem was not the same, my rifle stuck while trying to open it - due to the non-rebounding hammers. Try to take the sidelock off and clean out any possible grease. Many former east-block guns used to come from the factory with heavy grease on many of the inner parts. If this does not help, take it apart, perhaps there is a burr somewhere. You need good quality gunsmithing type screwdrivers. Use a knowledgeable gunsmith if possible.
BTW, did you ever see a Brno Super in 458WM? I know that there were a few made.

Vasa,

there was a 458 advertised through an Australian gunshop but the price was about $US6,300 which is way out of line with other prices here. I saw a 375H&H, no scope and rather ugly german style wood carving on the stock for $US1,600 a few months ago.

mike