I my search for a Big BORE double to add to my 9.3x74R, Ive run into a few guns made on shotgun actions. Some were as "simple" as sleeving the original shotgun barrels (and presumably regulating before soldering, brazing, etc). Others used the monoblock to mount the barrels and everything forward was new. One smith said he "avoided" problems with regulating by keeping a space between the barrels. There was no rib in front of the monoblock. He used a small red dot instead of sights.

Some I have seen were built on English or German actions while others on Spanish guns. I realize even the biggest "Big Bore" cartridges have lower pressures than modern magnums; but it is a bit disconcerting. I know Searcy started building on Browning SxS actions and I know some manufactures make their shotguns as strong as rifles; but its hard to know on some guns Ive never heard of before. Id be FAR less concerned if the guns were chambered in BPE cartridges as opposed to 500NE, etc. Id also be be less concerned and more interested if I saw one built as a Gauge Rifle in something like 10 gauge or larger with custom brass cartridges.

I hate to pass up a good deal. So far my rule of thumb has been if I can see any visible solder or brazing then I pass, on the assumption that a quality smith would clean up the job especially at the breach and muzzle.

THOUGHTS

My first question would be who had done the conversion. With the price of DRs these days, the temptation is there for any garage gunsmith to take his old beater Zabala or Stevens, get a couple of rifle barrels hung on it, and try to make a few thousand $$$.

Yep thats a concern, a HUGE concern; but even when Ive asked or the seller has offered, its a name Ive never heard of, so Im still a square one. Frankly most arent THAT cheap; $4K is tempting but a Sabatti isnt that much more for a new gun and some of the "name" brands arent too much more for a used gun.

There are two ways, fist is to buy inlay barrels and the shotgun remains untouched.
www.einstecklauf.de

You can even regulate the two barrel indipendently it is tricky as I have heard and many does not touch it any more.

Second is to put on two new barrels into the monobloc , like here
http://www.zimmermann-ohg-der-...ialist.de/40650.html

As you can see eitherway it cost over E2300 and for 5500 you get a sidelock DR in 9,3.

I think it is not worth the troubles, Mr. Lienert was just on a rebarreling of an old Sys shotgun with 9,3 barrels, the action (Spanish one was so weak that the gun not passt the proofhouse - to much play - when you have a shotgun with a greener cross bolt it works better but when there are only two locklugs below the barrel which have demensions for a 20ga round that become very weak).

My first 450 NE was a JP Sauer 12 ga SG that was reworked into a rifle. It's a very good shooter! I've run alot of full power loads thu it and it's still tight and accurate.
Mine was done by a gent in Wisconsin.

My Searcy 470 NE is a BSS conversion. It shoots better I can shoot it with irons.

Rich

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
My Searcy 470 NE is a BSS conversion. It shoots better I can shoot it with irons.

Rich

It is my understanding that those early Searcy double rifles built on the Browning BSS action were only done after Browning told butch the actions were strong enough for NE rounds like the 470NE. The shotguns were Mono-bloc barrels so the shot barrels were removed and the rifle barrels sleeved in and regulated!

There is one of those BSS 470NE Searcys that was bought to experiment whith the 470NE cartridge, and was fired several thousand times by the first owner, and was sold to a PH in Africa and may still be working for him today all with no problems.

Those rifles were a little rough looking, and not very well ballanced, but they were hell for strong, and were accurate!

The general run of backyard double rifle makers on shotgun actions are mostly poor to worthless IMO! However, there are some that are just fine! It is, however, a mine field market for the un-schooled!

I think there is only one way to get a quality working double rifle, and that is to buy a good used double rifle made by a factory that is in the business of making double rifles from scratch! With the exception of "ONE", the SABATTI, that one I would forget all together!

I have one of those early Searcys as well. I'm sure I have run 1000 rounds through it, maybe 1500, and it grows on you. A bit clubby, hell for stout. The more I shoot it, the more I like it.
Butch told me once that the BSS was of an appropriate steel that he could re-heat treat. What I don't know about metallurgy is most of it, but I believe this added strength?
Mac, I thought these shotguns, and by extension rifles, had chopper lump barrels. Am I wrong in this?
It's been with me to Africa four times. Even though I have one of Bailey Bradshaw's falling block doubles on order in the same caliber (470) I probably won't part with the Searcy, I'm just fond of it. When I need the money for something else.....

quote:

Originally posted by Marty:
I have one of those early Searcys as well. I'm sure I have run 1000 rounds through it, maybe 1500, and it grows on you. A bit clubby, hell for stout. The more I shoot it, the more I like it.
Butch told me once that the BSS was of an appropriate steel that he could re-heat treat. What I don't know about metallurgy is most of it, but I believe this added strength?
Mac, I thought these shotguns, and by extension rifles, had chopper lump barrels. Am I wrong in this?
It's been with me to Africa four times. Even though I have one of Bailey Bradshaw's falling block doubles on order in the same caliber (470) I probably won't part with the Searcy, I'm just fond of it. When I need the money for something else.....

You may be right on the chopper lump, but I don't think so! It is easy enough to tell by simply examining your old Searcy! However you will have to look very closely because Butch fits barrels into mono-blocks very well and the seam is hard to see!

(MONO-BLOC)


The example above is the way most makers fit the barrels into the mono-bloc with the roll engraving to hide the seam. Butch fits the barrels without the engraving over the seam.

Below is two pictures of chopper-lumps
(CHOPPER LUMP seam in the lumps)







If your rifle has seams around the barrels it is mono-bloc, and if it has seams as pictured above length wise in the under lugs it is chopper-lumps!

I wasn’t aware that any of his BSS actioned rifles were chopperlump, and today he only offers Chopper-lump as a special upgrade! Nearly all his double rifles are Mono-block!

....................Let me know what you find, and maybe Butch will post and make corrections in my schooling here!

Mac-
It's kind of a mixed picture. There is a lengthwise seam in the front underlug as pictured, but I cannot discern a seam in the rear underlug. There is a barely visible circumferential seam where the barrels are joined to the chambers. The chambers appear to be sleeved.
There isn't much of a view of the area between the barrels at the breech, as a doll's head third bite has been added.
As I had read that the BSS shotguns were chopper lump, and had assumed that the barrels were joined to the pre-existing chambers, that this construction would have been retained.
I had interpreted the lengthwise seam through the front lug as confirmation of this.
I tried taking some photos, but all I get is glare.
In fact, it's just academic. I just like to know about my rifles, being kind of a gun crank.

Mac, and Marty, The Jap made BSS Brownings were all chopper lump. So that is why you see both the linear and circumferential seam.

quote:

Originally posted by Butch Searcy:
Mac, and Marty, The Jap made BSS Brownings were all chopper lump. So that is why you see both the linear and circumferential seam.

So Butch if I'm reading you right the origenal shot barrels were Chopperlump, which you turned into Mono-bloc and added the third doll's head extention. Sort of a Chopper-lump/mono-bloc with a third bite!

Thanks Butch for the explanation!

In any event I have not heard of one shooting off face after hundreds , and even thousands of rounds! They were tough little rifles!