I am going to have Bailey Bradshaw build me one of his new double rifles I am looking for help. I need help on picking a all around caliber, it must be rimmed and the ammo must be easy to locate, and should be able to handle anything but the largest big game.

Cant go wrong with the 9.3X74R

Get a 450-400 and that will handle anything but doesn't kick as much as a light 9.3. Some of those little (7.5 pound) bastards smack you hard. Then later you won't wish you had more power.

rnb,

Regarding "...the ammo must be easy to locate..." and
that the rifle is for all but the largest game makes me
ask do you want to exclude only the elephant? Or, are
you also excluding hippo, rhino, lion, cape buff, leopard,
the biggest white and brown bears and American Bison
too? Maybe the 45-70 is your best bet? Are you NOT re-
loading at all?

Jack,

He reloads, but doesn't want to pay $5 a piece for brass.

My vote is for the 9.3X74R. The rifle will weigh about 9lbs with a scope, so recoil won't be too abusive. Hard to argue it's effectiveness, availablity and...it's pretty cool looking. :-)

I would lean toward the 9.3X74R. The main reason is I think it will be trimmer than the 450-400. I would talk to Bailley as you can specify what weight you want. I would have it fitted with one of his scope mounts. I would think 8.5 would be nice without the scope. You will have a great rifle that will work on anything including the occasional ell.
Bill

Bill, good choice. I was contemplating on having my 2nd in the set chambered to 303 British, but the "hole" between a 500 NE and a 303 British is pretty cavernous. Plus, a DR isn't a long-range weapon, so a 9.3x74R makes the most sense for a "light" rifle.

I would recommend 9.3X74R too or the 375 Flanged mag.

BTW I was scanning an old issue of the DGJ and saw this article on the Hagan(??) falling block DR in 375 Flanged made by a former Hartman & Weise gunmaker based in Canada. Beautiful rifle.

Please all these orders coming in to Bailey
I will never get my first 6 rifles done.
For now just buy 2 Ruger #1's and duct tape them together.
I have Luxus getting my second piece of driftwood picked out.
Bailey get them whittling tools out.
Larry

9.3x74R

I have two double rifles chambered for 9.3X74R, one an O/U with facility for a scope, and the other a S/S Merkel 140E-1 So I think you can see my opinion of double rifles chambered for the 9.3X74R.
One thing I'd mention here is My Merkel weighs in at 8.3 pounds with Iron sights and came with a solid butt plate. It simply rattled my brain with the unexpected recoil till I installed a Pachmayer Decellarator recoil pad. With that in mind I don't think I'd want a 6.5 or 7 pound double in that chambering especially with a solid butt plate!

The caliber is a very versatile one and for all of North America's wild life it is top of the line, and in Africa I would say it is perfect for the cats over bait, with a good lighted scope, and I'd not hesitate taking cape buffalo with it, with good hand loads with a proper bullet. The 9.3X74R is a good down range chambering as well for even large plains game. With practice you will be able to make good hits at some fairly long range shots!

I use my Merkel 9.3X74R 140E far more than all the other doubles I own! It is just plain fun to hunt with! If you want a larger double in future don't get rid of the 9.3 because it will make a fine pair with a larger double for the big boy elephant. My travel pair are a pair of Merkels, the 140E-1, 9.3, and a 140-2 Safari 470NE!

after reading all the responce I will go with the 9.3x74r I have a double rifle in 30-06 and another on in 375 H&H so this is the middle ground. Thanks

Excellent choice!

quote:

Originally posted by rnb:
after reading all the responce I will go with the 9.3x74r I have a double rifle in 30-06 and another on in 375 H&H so this is the middle ground. Thanks

rnb,

Am I understanding correctly that you have a Double

Rifle in the 375 H&H belted magnum caliber or in H&H

flanged magnum? (in addition to one in 30-06) If that
is the situation 9.3x74R is not in the middle.

I have a Heym 55b in belted mag and I know it not a rimmed case but I have never had it fail to eject the fired cases.

http://heymusa.com/55_b.htm

I always find O/U's to look So ELEGANT! Do you
have a Q D Scope set up for it?
If you have BB make you a SxS in 9.3 won't it, &
the 375 be in each other's space so to speak?

it came with the old style soldiered on half scope rings with a modern 1x4 nickell scope and its a lot of fun to shoot too

Two choices come to mind..The wonderful 375 Flanged and the 450-400-3"..I see no other option based on your post.

The 9.3x74 is a fine caliber, but a tad on the weak side or shall we say very borderline for buffalo, Hippo and definatly not for elephant. The .375 H&H IMO is not a double rifle caliber and can and has jumped the ejectors or extractor, whichever the case may be. I believe all doubles should be on rimmed cases.

The best of all doubles IMO is the 450-3.25, it has tolerable recoil and is more than suitable for any animal on this planet.

I have heard of the possible problems of a belted case or rimmeless case with a double rifle, but I have never had any problems with either by 30-06 Browning or 375H&H Heym. So if I ever go hunting over seas I would never hunt any of the big five(wife bought new $400,000.00 house the week I was to retire) anyway so if the I do have problems it woun't matter when I go I will only be hunting and shooting plains game and as for the 375 H&H it being a border line caliber on the larger animals my grandfather went in the early sixty's with two H&H double rifles one in 375 H&H belted and one in a 470 NE caliber and he later told the Grandkids that he shot all of the big five with the 375 H&H. He later told me before he died that he hated the recoil of the 470 NE so much he only fired it about 30 times. So I guess like cars everyone likes different things

rnb, ( wow, that looks so much like mb !)

So which animals will you absolutely NOT hunt
for with this new Bradshaw Farquharson double?

I wish I was able like some of the members here to be able to hunt dangerous game trip after trip that being said I am way to cheap to hunt the dangerous game so no Buffalo, no hippo, or lion and no way would I spend the money for a elephant tag, I want to go to Africa only once because at my age I am 63 and still work full time I will never have a second chance , this means the gun will probably end up in the safe after that one trip I will use it only to get ready for the trip and the trip itself. I will then probably go back to a a single shot rifle you got to remember I live in KS and there only large game to hunt is deer .

Well I think you should shoot it there in Africa and HERE TOO!
Heck if you go 9.3x74R you can hunt every thing in North America
and at least one of us on AR has shot Elephant with that round.
Lock it away after Africa; NO!!! SHOOT THE DANG BARRELS OUT!!!

RNB
Think positive Iam 64 and I am having Bailey building me 450 NE.
As for Africa hey you only live once. Go for one of those Jumbos on a PAC or Use permit
usually less than 10K. Once you go to Africa you will want to return
On the double I would not go smaller than 375
Maybe a 416 Rigby
Good Luck
Larry