Just thought i'd inform you guys about this Searcy .500 NE. Seems like a very cheap price, $9000.


Searcy Double

Nice looking wood on that rifle.
peter.

Just the thing for an ELEPHANT hunter....or 9+k 'moneypit' to almost anyone else.

Hard to believe a company like Cabela's would misspell professional as proffessional in their add.

Paolo,

just like the Mona Lisa is a picture of some goofy italian broad with a smirk on her face.

Esthetics, and a really fun rifle to own and enjoy shooting. It took me two weeks working with my Krieghoff .500 3" NE I had, to get a 475gr cast bullet shooting under 4" at 50yds out of both barrels with 3031 at about 1800fps.

There are a lot of us that just enjoy shooting big bore rifles...nothing kills a frozen milk jug full of food dyed water like a .458+ rifle. Looks like somebody blew up a snocone stand!!

A good double is just a joy to sit in front of a fire and fondle of an evening.

Rich
DRSS

Is is just me or does something look funny with the action. Maybe it is just the photos but it looks like the stainless has been polished or buffed. Looks like the engraving and lettering is not crisp and there appears to be polish marks on the rear of the action? I wonder if there is a reason why it is listed at $9K.

quote:

Originally posted by ROSCOE:
Is is just me or does something look funny with the action. Maybe it is just the photos but it looks like the stainless has been polished or buffed. Looks like the engraving and lettering is not crisp and there appears to be polish marks on the rear of the action? I wonder if there is a reason why it is listed at $9K.

I'd say the rifle is most likely on consignment, and the $9K price is $1000 more than the rifle cost new, but $1500 less than they cost now! The owner will likely be proud of the profit he made selling it! This is a bargain for someone!

If you are in the market for a solid hunting double, don't let this one slide by at this price. A bargain like this doesn't come around to often.

And of course if you do buy the rifle it automatically comes with Butches 100% no bullshit product service just like if you'd bought it new.

You really can't lose on this deal.

What's real interesting is that Cabelas is now a distributor for Chapuis using the Cabelas name. Go to the Fine Rifles Link and there are a few "Cabelas Chapuis" rifles listed for sale.

I don't know what Chapuis' capacity is, but between Cabelas, the group buys, and other dealers who are hawking Chapuis rifles, Chapuis must be working overtime.

It's great to make hay while the sun shines, but this looks like a major increase in output, and that is not always good for quality.

Mac, it is a great deal. But to Roscoe's point, it does look like someone took some 000 or 0000 steel wool to the action.

And if you blow up the first picture take a look at where the barrels meet the action toward the breech. Looks like a lot of carbon. And a little further left on the action it almost looks like someone has removed the beginning of some rust???

With the carbon on the picture, it would be pretty tough to get that amount from just shooting the rifle a lot. Assuming the barrel fit was still tight.

The thing that occurred to me with the carbon and the scrubbing was that it may be a clean up as a result of a fire.

One of the unenviable jobs I has trying to pay for college was post fire clean up. The black soot mixes with oils from things that burn and puts an oily coat of carbon everywhere. It is virtually impossible to wash off, so what you do is wipe the walls or whatever with a clean rag and throw that rag away after one pass.

We never bothered with household contents since they were not reclaimable.

If this rifle was in any way associated with a fire, I would pass. It may be that all it was exposed to on the outside was smoke damage, but intense heat tends to do some funny things even to the best steel. Like start rust spots on stainless.

I am not saying that this is the case with this rifle, but for some reason that thought struck me while looking at the pictures.

And looking at the picture again, the stock to me looks "newer" than the action. Maybe refinished. Maybe someone who took really good care of the wood. Just looks like it is of different vintage than the action and barrels.

The rifle could be one of the best deals we have seen in a while. If someone here is looking hard at it, ask a lot of questions.

One of the main importers of Chapuis double Rifles was Hershel Chaddick in Terrell TX.
I heard a rumour, the other day, unconfirmed that he was trying to sell his business, adn may have done so.

It appears that Cabelas may be either the new importer or at least "an" importer.

I think that is great, as the nChapuis doubkes will get more exposure.

As most of you know I hage had a Chapuis 9,3x74R double rifle for several years.

It had been one of the best hunting rifles I have EVER used.
It has been EXCELLENT.
Especially considering its price.

I have shot 3 different Chapuis 470 double rifles belonging to friends. I have shot all 3 of them with Federal Factory, and 2 of them with handloads.
All 3 have shot as well, and better than most ANY other double rifle I have shot.

The other 9,3 and the one 375 H&H shot very good as well.

quote:

Originally posted by Jim Manion:
Mac, it is a great deal. But to Roscoe's point, it does look like someone took some 000 or 0000 steel wool to the action.

If this rifle was in any way associated with a fire, I would pass. It may be that all it was exposed to on the outside was smoke damage, but intense heat tends to do some funny things even to the best steel. Like start rust spots on stainless.

I am not saying that this is the case with this rifle, but for some reason that thought struck me while looking at the pictures.

And looking at the picture again, the stock to me looks "newer" than the action. Maybe refinished. Maybe someone who took really good care of the wood. Just looks like it is of different vintage than the action and barrels.

The rifle could be one of the best deals we have seen in a while. If someone here is looking hard at it, ask a lot of questions.

JIM, I'm not about to say I know exactly the history of this rifle, but I seriously doubt it has been in a fire! First off if fire damage was done to the rifle, it would have been hot enough to disasimble the barrel set, and if that had happened this rifle would not look the way it does today!
IMO, the rifle has simply been cleaned for sale, and to me, looks exactly like every PH model I've ever handled. The PH models were simply bottom of the line working rifles. the fit and finish was only done VERY WELL in the places where it had to be machaniclly, to assure it as solid working rifle, and the minimal engraveing was not very well done, and is sophmoric at best, when they left Butch's shop. The polishing of the action's outside was a little wavey, and very little time was taken on cosmetics, to hold cost down. These rifles sold for $8000 NEW! Even with the cosmetic indeference, in the old PH models, Butch had to raise the price to break even on the sale! There is nothing shabby about the internal fitting of the barrel set to the action, or the fitting of the barrel set themselves. These rifles were accurate, and as intended, were aimed at the PH in Africa, costing as little as Butch could make a solid rifle. Butch will tell you himself, these rifles are not intended to compete with H&H, or any of the top of the line makers of the world, but to offer a solid working rifle that will drag you butt out of the fire, when needed, every time, nothing more!

The person who buys this rifle should have it sent to Butch for inspection, and any needed maintainence. I doubt it will be needed in this case, and I see no worry about fire at all.

The black in the low spots, and in the engraveing, I think, is some sort of black, that was wiped on to try to bring out the engraveing, by cleaning, and leaveing the black in the cuts. In this case the little waveiness, also retained the black! I don't believe this rifle has been closer to a fire than the owner sitting in front of his fireplace, while admireing it! In fact, I doubt this rifle has been shot that much,being a 500NE, if at all!

I will say this if that rifle was chambered for 450NE 3 1/4", or 375H&H flanged magnum, I'd be calling Cabela's right now, and I'm tempted to call anyway for the 500NE ! However I have a 470NE so I really don't need it, still what does NEED have to do with buying a double rifle?

I suggest anyone who is interested in this rifle give Cabela's a call, for the serial No. then call Butch, and ask him about this rifle. He will give you the rifles history! I'd buy it in a heart beat, if I needed a stopper!