I finally got to shoot a Double Rifle. My good friend lb404 had been waiting for years to get a double rifle. I don't remember how long ago he ordered it but his Searcy finally came in today. He's been on call and I've been off work so I'd been making some of the loads for the rifle. Unfortunately while we were headed to the range he got called in. Being the kind of freind he was he wanted me to go ahead and shoot his brand new rifle even though he couldn't be there - true friend!

The rifle is a Searcy Double with 2 sets of Barrels, one in 375 Flanged Magnum and the other in 450-400 3". I went to a local indoor range and shot it at 25yds with Iron Sites. Here's the 1st 2 shot group offhand at 25yds:



The next 2 shots were an even tighter group - still offhand, and then I started flinching a bit .

I do have a few questions for you more experienced double rifle owners. This rifle is really tight, you really have to pull the barrels down hard to get it to eject, especially with the 375. How long does it take a double to start to break-in? The loads used were the recommended loads from Searcy.
Two, neither load completely fills the case and the powder is loose inside the case. They said that a dacron filler wasn't necessary - is this common? The loads were for the 450-400, 400gr bullet and 82.0grs of IMR-4831 and for the 375 Flanged 300gr bullets 63.0grs of RL-15.
How do you usually lubricate your Doubles?

I'm really looking forward to getting the scopes mounted up and getting the rifle on a bench to see how well it really shoots. We might even figure out a standing bench of some sort.

Thanks for any help, and thanks again to lb404 for letting me enjoy his long awaited rifle even when he couldn't be there....................DJ

I can't answer your questions but it's a beautiful rifle.

Wel, greater minds than mine will almost certainly answer but here goes:
I use RIG grease on the hinges of all my double shotguns and double rifles.
My K 500/416 is still tight. I suspect after several hundred rounds and suitable grease it might "loosen up", but it hasn't yet.
I would not obsess about the lack of filling up the case. I don't use filler with any of my jacketed bullets. I think that when you are over 80+ grains you are OK. Now, for my cast bullet loads I do use filler, but I am under that powder charge.
lb404 must be a real friend. As has already been said, that is stunning wood!
Peter.

Definitely greease the hinge pin, the ejectors, cocking rods, bolts or lumps and any other moving or bearing surfaces, including the forend latch.

Without grease the hinge pin can wear remarkably quickly, even, imo, from just openning and closing the rifle.

I don't like RIG grease because it runs in the heat. I like Tetra or better, a gold high temp, high pressure gun grease the name of which escapes me at the moment. Any high temp, high pressure grease should work. Use it sparingly, but use it where its needed. (Best applied with a tooth pick, or lacking thar fine and suitable tool, the "center" ends of a broken in half Qtip.) Remove it when the rifle is cleaned or even wiped down so that you can replace with clean grease prior to shooting. The last thing you want is an abrasive slurry of old grease and powder residue, dust, etc.

Also, I don't like to shoot too many rounds without checking to see if a re-grease of the hinge pin is warranted.

The gun will wear in over use, and how long or how many rounds that is is unknown, but you and lb404 will become used to the rifle and the "stiffness" will not be an issue, at least in my experience.

Hope this helps.

JPK