AFreeman posted this thread in the gunsmithing forum. I wanted to alert the DRSS, about his project.

quote:

Hey guys,
We have got a few emails at Luxus that ask the same questions. Since some are coming from AR members we thought it better to answer them in a Q&A here.
A few exciting things are happening at Luxus Walnut. We have been working on some of these things for a while.
We have contracted with Butch Searcy and Co. to build us some double rifles per our designs. Very English looking in profile and details with very high grade wood (of course). We are working out some of the details but the guns are coming.
Some options are, English/oval cheek piece and a scalloped action with our own design of engraving. Silvers pad, and a shortened forend in addition to a H&H style checkering pattern that wraps. All in all a very nice gun at an attractive price. It should look very English.
Like I said some details are still in the planning stage...one of which is VERY exciting to any big bore fan...more to come on that detail later.
Hope to have some at SCI.

Happy to answer all questions.

Thanks,

Adam

http://www.luxuswalnut.com

Sounds great, but...

Butch has announced he has stopped taking orders for his PH model. That was a decent entry level double.

But the PH is no more. And with this news, it seems like a Searcy is going to at least double in price. Don't get me wrong, they are nice rifles, but he is about 2 to 5 years away in my humble opinion to being where he needs to be in terms of quality.

His rifles have gotten better each year, but to go for the big bucks now is a mistake in my opinion. There is still work to be done on the blocking and tackling.

That annoucement is NOT good news. Either for a buyer or Searcy.

I know I'll get blasted for this, but so be it. Doing the "one off" crap and trying to be everything to everyone is what took Dakota down. Quickly. Again, just my opine....

I dont see anything wrong with offering better wood and features on a high quality double at a reasonable price. The Luxus Searcy will not be that far away in price from the PH. Not sure how you came up with double in price????
Every custom gun i have ordered have been one off to suit my needs . What is wrong with that?


Clay

LUXUS!

Go for it! It is just one more option for us double rifle buyers.

465H&H

Here is a stock that Glen Morovits did for me. Its a "one off" design. Glen is at Searcy for those who dont know him. He is a very talented gunmaker. I am looking forward to the same quality work on the Searcy doubles.


www.luxuswalnut.com

That is a beautiful rifle!

Lux

Nothing wrong with a fine piece of wood. In fact, upgraded wood has always been an option with Searcy.

There is a 577 he built that has an incredible piece of wood on it.

I suppose what gave me some pause was that there was no announcement from Searcy - only a change to his website that he was no longer taking orders for the PH model. Have no idea why he decided to stop taking orders on the PH, but when combined with the Luxus announcement, it leaves one to wonder whether the Luxus project dictated that he drop a popular product in his line.

And this part of the Luxus announcement gave me some pause:

quote:

We have contracted with Butch Searcy and Co. to build us some double rifles per our designs. Very English looking in profile...

I thought Butch was headed in that direction anyway. But the statement seems to imply that he is going to need to do some retooling to build rifles "per our designs". It is that statement that has me thinking about the Dakota comparison.

As to the cost, the "double the price" comment was merely a SWAG. Close in price to the PH? Why not just end the speculation and at least give us a price or at least a price range?

It may well provide greater choices for double buyers, but it may not. I hope you can appreciate my concern with regard to having a stock outfitter dictating rifle production specs - kind of like having a tire maker telling a car maker how to design a car.

Jim,
I will weigh in here. Mostly in hopes of steering this topic to one of a Q&A about the guns.
The reason for Butch not making the PH no more is for him to answer. We do not know.

If you liked the PH rifle i cannot imagine anyone not liking what we are doing together with Butch. Unless of course you dislike the lines of an English double rifle. And in my opinion anything other than an English Double Rifle borders on an oxymoron.

There is nothing in the statement to imply that Butch will need to do any "retooling".
Anyone can take a stock design/gun design and change the profile (as the statement says) and alter it to look far more English in "profile".

There is no comparison to Dakota.

As for cost. It will be announced as soon as we know exactly where we are at.

As for choices to Double rifle buyers, yes it does offer more. Where else will you be able to buy a double rifle that looks very English for the price of Butch's guns?

And finally your "concern" is noted.
Your analogy on the other hand is off base. We are not "dictating specs" as you suggest. We are altering exterior aesthetics, quite simple really.
We at Luxus are first and foremost gun NUTS. That is why we are in this business (stock blanks). That is how we got started in this business and that is why we will remain in this business.
We like to think we have a general idea of what looks good.
I.E.
Rigby Rifles
Hoffman Arms
Holland and Holland

While these may not fit in with everyone’s idea of a beautifully sculpted rifle it certainly does ours. And in the end some of those design principals set forth by those English gun firms as well as many others is what we are looking at for inspiration with the gun we are building with Butch Searcy.

In closing i offer this, Luxus has a collection of gunstock wood that is perhaps unrivaled. We are going to use fantastic pieces on the guns for our enjoyment of seeing them turned into something we like. And that will ultimately lead to a savings for the buyer and a chance for those buyers to get some of the finest walnut usually reserved for guns costing a great deal more. .

Respectfully,

Adam

Adam

Thanks for the clarification. It is very helpful.

Regarding my comment on dictating specs:

quote:

We have contracted with Butch Searcy and Co. to build us some double rifles per our designs.

Those are your words, not mine.

Jim,
Fair enough.
I hope to have one of these guns at the DSC show. Please stop by our booth and see me.
All the best,

Adam

quote:

Originally posted by AFreeman:
Unless of course you dislike the lines of an English double rifle. And in my opinion anything other than an English Double Rifle borders on an oxymoron.

As a long time British DR user, I couldn't agree more...which is part of the reason that I've never cared for Butch's DRs, or the California Rigbys.

quote:

Anyone can take a stock design/gun design and change the profile (as the statement says) and alter it to look far more English in "profile".

mmmm, it usually isn't that easy, witness the "Mexican" Rigbys. However, a few improvements are easy. Ditch the long, deep fore-end, the thick comb, and the American Classic cheek-piece.
----------------------------------------------
"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

400 Nitro...nicely stated. you are thinking like us.
Now ADD a scalloped action, ad H&H style wrap checkering, silvers type pad, push the angle of the grip cap up a little, etc etc...

WHAM, British empire double in its heyday. Or a reasonable facsimile, and for a lot less than one from across the pond.