What do you think? This could be for Africa only. I was thinking 9.3x74R, 450/400 & 500. Maybe don't need to go quite that high and maybe need to go smaller, a battery for the world. Like maybe 7x57, 450/400 & 470.

My double battery is a scoped 9,3x74R, a scoped 450/400 3 1/4", and my 450 No2 [iron sights only].

This has worked for me so far, not only in Africa, but in Canada, Alaska, Montana, Idaho, and Texas.

Showbart,

Do you really need 3 DR's?

I understand that wanting/having is much different than "needing"

Three rifles on safari is a pain!

I think one could get by with a QD scoped 9.3x74 and something in the 450/470 class.

Qualifier: more Double Rifles = More Fun !!

I should say for a personal battery, so North America and Africa. And it's all about want too. I love 'em! Odd thing I have a 470 but have not gotten into it yet but still dwell on the 500. Had a Chapuis 9.3 and loved it as a package, didn't like Chapuis as much as others and will get this again by Siace, so the 9.3 is likely a given. So is a big bore but it won't top off at 450/400, it'll be at least the class I have now - 450-475.

I think Tony hit the nail square on the head ..... maybe swap the 450 for a .470 or .500 if you like, but only as a personal preference ...... the .450 has the best bullet choices though, & definitely has the power.

300 H&H Flanged Magnum

375H&H Flanged Magnum

450 NE 3 1/4"

Or if you want similar performance and still easy to find ammo, even in the remotest of hunting areas:

30-06

375H&H Magnum

458wm

I have the later two. Still looking for the 30-06.

JPK

5.6x52R (22 savage HP)
9.3x74R
500/450 H&H

The choice of a noble man

.333 Jeffery Flanged
.476 Westley Richards
.577 Nitro Express

(So far i only got the .333 Jeffery Flanged, a Belgian Jansen Sons and Co. (Handloading recommendations are appreciated, the rifle is regulated for the 300 grain bullet, but shoots 250 grainers quite well)

JPK

Chapuis makes a 30-06.

As does Merkel. The new Merkel on the 28ga frame with the 21 something inch bbls sure would be handy.

I have shot one of them in 9,3x74R.

There's a Borovnik SxS 30-06 at Champlins too.

Caliber - H&H 30 Flanged Magnum at under 8 pounds,
[traded out in a later post after seeing a better idea]

Caliber - H&H 375 Flanged Magnum at under 9 pounds,

Caliber - 577 NE at 13+ pounds or 600 NE at 15 pounds,

[or more] depending on how well I handled the 600.

[I've not yet had a chance to fire a 600.] Dreaming is

FUN!

I'd only very briefly thought, and then just toyed with the idea of a 577 at the top end, it's so specialized.

It'll likely end up; 9.3, 450/400, 470. Unless I pull the plug on a 470 in favor of a 500. And collecting these becomes much easier in the lower calibers due to price.

quote:

Originally posted by JPK:
300 H&H Flanged Magnum

375H&H Flanged Magnum

450 NE 3 1/4"

Or if you want similar performance and still easy to find ammo, even in the remotest of hunting areas:

30-06

375H&H Magnum

458wm

I have the later two. Still looking for the 30-06.

JPK

JPK, I admire your conviction. 3 rimless chamberings.

JPK's rifles are very, VERY fine examples.

The "rimless" caliber characteristic is made

a bit less of an issue by the quality of the

rifles. And the weight of his 375 makes it so

much more "carriable" than many other 375 DRs.

On the light side I'm surpised no one has yet mentioned the 8x57jrs.I really like mine and most everyone who builds doubles chambers the 8x57.

For a medium double 9.3x74 is hard to beat. Mine is a .338 but these would be hard to find.

On the big side it depends what your hunting and how much recoil you want to deal with. I haven't purchased mine yet. I like the looks of a 450#2 and a 500/416 but for practicle concerns I'll probably go wih a 470.

You need double rifles chambered in

1. 22 Long Rifle or 22 Hornet
2. 9.3X74R
3. 450/400 3 inch

A set of 20 Ga. barrels and you are set to go.

All the rifles need to have 26 inch barrels with EAW Claw mounts for scopes.

Just my opine.

Yes I remember JPK recounting what JJ had said about the ejector design on his 458 (Thys?), that it was the best example he had seen to date for a rimless setup and appeared to be foolproof and utterly reliable.

I think my choices would be...........

303
375 flanged
500 NE

Fred

I bought a used Krieghoff 3 barrel set.
7x65R, 9.3x74R and 470NE.
I would think I'm covered. I have now hunted with all three sets though not all at the same time I think it's an all around hunt for anything double.

quote:

Originally posted by Akshooter:
On the light side I'm surpised no one has yet mentioned the 8x57jrs.I really like mine and most everyone who builds doubles chambers the 8x57.

For a medium double 9.3x74 is hard to beat. Mine is a .338 but these would be hard to find.

On the big side it depends what your hunting and how much recoil you want to deal with. I haven't purchased mine yet. I like the looks of a 450#2 and a 500/416 but for practicle concerns I'll probably go wih a 470.

I have a Chapuis Rex in 8x57IRS with the Fortner-barrel-regulation. I used it in this autumn and winter season on red deer and boars with great success! Beautifull and great shooting rifle!

My 3 gun battery consists of a 500NE, 9.3x74R, and a 54 Muzzleloader (for those places that don't allow centerfire rifles).

OK I'll play to.

8x75RS
.375 Flanged
.577/500 Hartmann-Weiss No 2 (12,7x75R)

Cheers,

André

quote:

Originally posted by Showbart:
What do you think? This could be for Africa only. I was thinking 9.3x74R, 450/400 & 500. Maybe don't need to go quite that high and maybe need to go smaller, a battery for the world. Like maybe 7x57, 450/400 & 470.

Your first choice is as good as it gets! Worry no more!

Ok here are my choices

300H&H flanged

450/400 NE

.577 or .600 NE. Make them heavy enough so the gun porter will call you bad names all day. Then load him down with belts and belts of ammo for all those charging trees after the hunts over.

Corbin

For a light rifle I am much better served by a bolt gun any way you look at it. For a medium for use in the thornveld/bush of Africa a 375 Flanged would be perfect. For elephant and buff in the Jesse, a 500/465 Nitro of course.

465H&H

quote:

375H&H Magnum

458wm

JPK, how many rounds through them...I have seen pix of your .458 (a Thys?), what is your .375?

I would like opinion in light of the complaints about pressure, which in more modern doubles seems to be less of an issue, or am I wrong?

My choice:

7x57R

9,3x74R or .375 Fl

.476WR (and odd bird, but hey, its 'dream list'!)

Cheers

Kyaker,

The 476WR is a unique and great choice. 520gr bullet for better performance. Too bad they are as rare as they seem to be.

My 375H&H is an A&S Farmars (Abbiatico & Salvinelli) sidelock.

I've got about 800 rounds through the Thys.

The A&S is new to me and I've only shot about a half box of ammo through it. But that should change over the next several months.

I am planning a Safari for the upcoming season and hope to have the A&S sorted out for the trip.

It will have either a set of claw mounts or Joe Smithson's new mounting system installed shortly.

Anyone seen Smithson's new system? I'd post a link but can't find his website.

JPK

JPK

I am very happy with the claw mounts JJ Perodeau did for me on my Drilling and on my 450/400.

I used a S&B 1-4 with Flash Dot reticle [JJ can get them] on both guns. I am very happy with them too.

On both guns the scopes are mounted very low.

The Claw bases do not interfere with the sights.

They both go back to zero 100%.

On the 375 the new Swarovski 1.5-6 would be a good choice as well.

450NE No2,

I have a S&B just like yours waiting to go on the 375H&H. I looked at it based on your earlier recomendation. I like the smaller, less obtrusive scopes and I'm no long range shot so I don't loose much if anything to the max being 4x.

I also have the Swarovski version on my 375 bolt rifle, but the S&B is really, really nice. I like the three turret feature, the battery etc, are always right there. Not so with the Swaro. I had a big business deal come up just before my last elephant hunt and really wasn't sure I was going to be able to go until the night before my flight. In the rush to pack I left the Swaro screw on battery at home, rendering the scope all but useless, especially for a try at leopard. Had to trade out for my spare 1.5x5 Leupold first day of the hunt. Thankfully, I had gone to the trouble of working with a good local gunsmith to machine the Talley bases, maybe rings too, can't recall, so that both the 1" and 30mm rings fit on the 30mm bases, which the 1" rings do not do from the box.

I am going to call Joe Smithson about his mount. It is really slick. Very low profile and unobtrusive. Minimal machining of the rifle's rib. There is a photo showing it installed in the rib of a vintage H&H Royal, a 375FL I think, in this month's Shooting Sportsman if you get that mag. According to the brief write up, return to zero is 100%, but I'll do some research. If I'm not confident, it will be the claw mounts for sure.

BTW, the Talleys do not return to zero all that well. If I sight in at 100yds, then remove and replace and shoot and repeat enough times... I end up with a target with a box 2" high and 3" wide. Good enough for most hunting but I wouldn't hunt leopard after removing and replacing the scope without a sight in. The 375H&H bolt rifle is very accurate, well under an inch for three or five shot groups so its definitely in the mount's repeatability. I tried diferent tightening regimes with the levers too to no avail.

Best,

JPK

JPK

With JJ's claw mounts return to zero is 100%.

And they go on and off silently.

They have made my 450/400 a MUCH, MUCH better hunting rifle.

Showbart

I think, baised on several years of use, that the BEST hunting calibre for a double under 40 cal. is the 9,3x74R

However I did recently get a Blaser D 99 Duo in 308x308x20ga to use on my deer lease just because I have a lot of 308 ammo.

However I have found the 9,3x74R to be a most excellent hunting calibre for all game from the very small, up to even cape buff and elephant.

I have EAW QD mounts on my Chapuis. Expensive, but the return to zero every time!

Merry Christmas to everyone Im new and not from English speaking Country so by tolerate with my
my Double Rifle is
Beretta Silver Sabel II 8x57JRS
Works fine with my and my hunting.
thanks erlingurj

Welcome, and a Merry Christmas to you!

For my three DR battery, I would have:

A 9.3 X 74R for all around hunting use;

A .470 NE for everything else; and

A .577 NE because I have one, it is fun to shoot, and says, "my pecker is bigger than yours."

(Really, I find it more pleasant to shoot than some of my .400+ caliber bolt trash rifles.)

Now, this will take me to the gas chambers, but I think a bolt rifle in .30-06 is needed too.)

375 Flanged, 500 Nitro 3", and 577 Nitro.

Someone suggested the three should include a muzzle loader.

I'd like to join him in that idea. I'll update my list to be:

.54 caliber SxS M/L
.375 Flanged Magnum
.577 NE [or 600 NE if it turns out I can handle one]

For me,
375H&H Winchester M70
470N.E. Double
577N.E. Double
These give me a CHUBBY!

My imagination (and budget) doesn't extend to three double rifles. My congratulations to those of you that do.