I have been looking at the smaller caliber double rifles and see mostly O/U's. Is the difficulty and cost of manufacture of a SxS what drives the large price difference or, is it marketing?

What brands and models should I be looking at to find something in the 7x57~35Remington caliber range to compliment my 9.3x74R? No 30R Blaser or similar magnum'esqe calibers are desired.

Take a good look at the Zoli Z guns, as well as their combo guns. They are quality built rifles

Sid, I think it's more of a question of popularity that drives the price. Most us older hunters think of double rifles in the vein of big-caliber African SxS rifles. In Europe, O/U DRs are quite common, and calibers in the 7x57 thru 9x74 are the norm. I've seen more in the great old 8x57 Mauser than any other caliber. You can find them made by Merkel, Heym, Krieghoff, Verney-Carron, as well as many of the Italian gunmakers. Just make sure it's well regulated, and for a load that is still available.

quote:

I have been looking at the smaller caliber double rifles and see mostly O/U's. Is the difficulty and cost of manufacture of a SxS what drives the large price difference or, is it marketing?

Cost of mfg drives the difference.
Look at rimmed cases, 6.5x57r, 7x57r, 8x57r, 303, etc.
Not sure why you do not like the 30r blaser, 308 bore diameter, does everything a 30-06 will do and then some with a rim. Factory ammo can be a little iffy, but there is lots of new and once fired brass available

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Originally posted by Kebco:
Not sure why you do not like the 30r blaser, 308 bore diameter, does everything a 30-06 will do and then some with a rim. Factory ammo can be a little iffy, but there is lots of new and once fired brass available

I've got all the big boomers I can stand (300RUM, 300Win Mag, 338/378 Weatherby, 300WSM, ....) and I am on an iffy shoulder right now. I also want something older kids and older parents can shoot without getting shoved too hard. I generally don't believe I need the range or power of the 30R Blaser which seems to be a 30-06++ for where this rifle will be used either.

I have considered 28 or 20 gauge rifled shotgun but, a more traditional rifle is what I really want. I want the power and range for deer and feral hogs in the 150~200 yard maximum range with 50 to 75 yards being most likely. A common US caliber like a 30-30 or 35 Remington seems like a good choice. If I downloaded the 30R Blaser, I'd have to get it regulated as well. A more common US caliber seems like a better choice for what I want, though I would consider an established European cartridge.

Look hard at the 8x57R, mild kicker and still has plenty of juice for hunting. Then you can also look at the 7mm's, both the x57R and X65R versions. The 6.5x57R is also a cream puff but might be a little light for hogs at out to 200 yards (but I think the 30-30 is also). The 35 Rem does not have a rim, you really want a rim.

I just put together a 303 British for my self, also a mild gun to shoot.

I have a little Army/Navy .303 and really enjoy it. It will only handle the .215's so it is a load your own affair. I hope to start swagging a long round nose soon. I recently added a Burris dot sight and don't feel badly because two little screws will hide the fact any time I want to go back to the sights which I left on the rifle. I doubt I will go back and know I won't be selling it. In fact I am considering sending it in for a new stock once I get my current double rifle bills paid off.
I agree, we need more small doubles out there and even considered having Clark build one for me on a small 20 frame. I think that was around 6 or 7 K.
I also played with the Baikal or whatever it is called now, and think 45-70 can be considered a small caliber if loaded down and regulated with a 300 grain bullet at modest velocity. I have my dealer looking for one now and figure I will be back in the black by the time he finds one.

Frank

Where to look....in my gun vault ... H&H .240 flanged, 6.5x57R, 7x57R, 8x57R, .303 British, .318 W.R., .360 #2, 9.3x74R... I think you're on the right track. As much as I enjoy my big bore nitro express doubles, I can hunt deer for 6 months here in the U.S. with my little guys. BTW, they must be side by side.

I had a Merkel 8x57R Mod 141 that I liked very much and was a superb shooter when scoped. I also had Geyger 8x60RS that again was a superb shooter and a best quality gun, but ammo more or less required forming cases and handloading. The Merkel was around $4000 if memory serves.

Fabarm makes a nice little double rifle as well as a combination gun and a regulated double slug gun.
But I cant find a distributer in the USA.

Cheers, John

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I've seen more in the great old 8x57 Mauser than any other caliber.

I agree...the other that is next popular IMO is the 9.3x74R. Its very tough to criticize these medium calibers, especially at the distances most game is shot. I think the big advantage of the O/U is the cost...generally less than the SxS.
At least in Europe there are a lot of pretty decent O/U's for substantially less than almost all SxS.

Ken: Have you been holding out on us with your .303, or did I just miss the posts?

quote:

Originally posted by Sid Post:
I have been looking at the smaller caliber double rifles and see mostly O/U's. Is the difficulty and cost of manufacture of a SxS what drives the large price difference or, is it marketing?

What brands and models should I be looking at to find something in the 7x57~35Remington caliber range to compliment my 9.3x74R? No 30R Blaser or similar magnum'esqe calibers are desired.

If you're interested in a 8X57JRS, pm me. It's a very nice little Merkel model 150.

quote:

Ken: Have you been holding out on us with your .303, or did I just miss the posts?

Holding out

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Originally posted by DoubleDon:
Where to look....in my gun vault ... H&H .240 flanged, 6.5x57R, 7x57R, 8x57R, .303 British, .318 W.R., .360 #2, 9.3x74R... I think you're on the right track. As much as I enjoy my big bore nitro express doubles, I can hunt deer for 6 months here in the U.S. with my little guys. BTW, they must be side by side.

That's what I'm talkin' about!

I'd like one of those 240 NE Flanged and am trying to coerce someone into making one for me.

Failing that, I will settle for a 6.5x57R and offload my 240FL brass, dies and shellholder.

I have three doubles and all are of the O/U variety. The first is a 9.3x74r (Merkel); the second is a 30-06 (Beretta); the third is kind of a double - it's a 30-06 under a 12 gauge (Merkel).

I really like the smaller sighting plane; the set front triggers (on the Merkel's), and they seem to regulate with multiple different loads.

I'm sure I could learn to love the "sideways" version as well.

I was thinking about the small double rifles,what don't companies like Savage and other companies make small double rifles,since they are becoming very popular with Deer and Hogs which be good for that.I am thinking about buying the Baikal model 221 in 45-70 or 30-06 if i can find one.Someone posted they Fabarms make them also,but i cannot find anything on them.So if anyone have information on where i can buy an Baikal model221 would they please post.

Hi Sid
I agree with 458Win I have a Zoli combination 6.6x57 under 12g.I love it set trigger on the rifle barrel very accurate and 6.5x57r is a great cal very light recoil it's also a very good shotgun.I'd love to have a ss lighter than my 9.3x74r but the combo is really great.
Bill

quote:

Originally posted by big will:
I was thinking about the small double rifles,what don't companies like Savage and other companies make small double rifles,since they are becoming very popular with Deer and Hogs which be good for that.

Two barrels and regulation drive up cost. US manufacturers realize the domestic market is very small and leave it to people like Bailey Bradshaw and the custom world. Even in shotguns, a good side-by-side is more then most people are willing to pay.

Have you thought about a SxS shotgun? Your range is more limited then a traditional rifle caliber but, how far do you really need to shoot?

I agree with Phil on the ZOLI O/U if that is the type you want it is about as good as it gets! However I do not agree with the chambering of any double rifle with a rimless cartridge when you have the choice of a flanged cartridge that will do what you want! Any of the very fine list of flanged cartridges are a much better choice for a double rifle. One of the best chamberings for North America is the 9.3X74R, but you already have one of those. Another smaller round I have and simply love is the 8X57JR (.318 dia bullet) but the modern 8X57Jrs (.323 dia bullet) IMO is perfect for the purpose you have in mind! Easy to hand load, and cheap to shoot, and will handle anything you are likely to hunt in North America. With a 196 gr bullet it is a death ray on hogs, deer, elk, and moose, and about perfect for black bear! Also relativly very low recoil, and is a flanged cartridge!

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Does anyone have any experience with Arrieta?

I found this listing: Arrieta Sidelock Ejector Double Rifle 8x57R. Best quality. I know a lot of the shotgun advocates really like them.

I owned a 12 bore Arrieta Model 803 sidelock for several years and liked it a lot. Enough so that I recently bought another in 20 bore.

In my opinion, Arrieta qualifies as a "best" maker. When you remove the locks the inletting is as good as it gets. Fit and finish is excellent.

That said, I have no experience with their rifles. Arrieta is a small company with very low output and my guess is that they put as much or more care into their rifles as their guns.

I saw a German sxs double rifle in 8x57R on Ivory Beads website. I think they priced it at $5000. Nice looking rifle. They also list a 9x57R Belgian rifle.

Sid

I have always been a SXS guy vs an O/U guy...

However a couple of years ago I bought a Heym 26B O/U in 30/30.

It has a QD scope mount that goes back to zero 100%.

This has become one of my most favorite hunting rifles. Last year I killed 3 deer, 3 coyotes, including one at 166 yards, and 4 pigs and a turkey with it.

So far this year I have killed 2 pigs and a deer with it.

It is very accurate, slim, and trim, petite, and a joy to hunt with.

In short I have "adapted" to the O/U system.

I had mounted a Leupold 4X compact scope on it.
And that is what I have used to shoot all the game with it so far.

However I just got home from hunting this morning at 4 AM, and a while ago I mounted a second scope, a Swarovski 1.5 to 6x42 with a illuminated circle dot reticle, as this "little" hunting gun deserved a much better scope...
When I get back to the deer lease next month, the Heym/Swaro, and I are going to get "Medievial" on the deer, pigs, [and a few coyotes I hope].

You can also get this 26B in European calibres like the 7x65R, 8x57R, and the 9,3x74R, as well as 30/30 and 30-06.

Sid, this is one double gun worth a look. It is designed to shoot multiple shots, with out the barrel heat effecting accuracy and regulation.