Thinking about getting a DR SxS. I have two of the Remington/Baikal O/U's, a Valmet 412 and a Tikka 512, both in 9.3 x 74R and the Beretta O/U in 4570 elko mag.
Just think the SxS guns are a thing of beauty. Leaning towards trying to find a used Chapuis 9.3 after I sell my 412, but since I have the 512 in that caliber, maybe something else, like maybe a used 450NE. As on another post, only Elk so far, but you never know what the future may bring.
Almost bought a 500NE Merkel at the Tulsa show ($8500)as I like the larger calibers (I have 50 alaskans, 50-70 and 50bmg) and cast for all of them, but like the 45cals also. Think the 450NE would be all I need or ever want, but everyone here has knowledge I don't possess. I need to tap some of that information.
Any and all ideas/suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks


Would probably scope it too.

Send Butch Searcy a deposit for the Field Grade of your choice built to your specs before the end of the year and beat the $1,500 price increase.
http://www.searcyent.com/field_grade1.htm
Caliber? Easy decision, 450 Nitro. The huge choice of .458 bullets and it has that "Wow" factor as well made it my choice. While a 500 Nitro would be a great choice from what I understand its a huge step up in recoil. I've shot the 450 and while it pushed hard I didnt find myself afraid of it.
If your like me, ordering the rifle now will give you 8-12 months to sell off a few guns to help pay for it as it is being built.

Trust me on this one. Kick myself every day for not doing this a couple of years ago when his rifles cost less and offered some engraving as well.

The .450 offers a great veriety of loads if you like to load yourself. At the end of the day though there are only a limited number of bullets that will group well and regulate. However, 350grn .458 bullets are available and I found I could get these to regulate reasonably well for practice loads.

I must say I have never been able to tell the difference between a .470 and a .500NE. They are both above my comfort level on the range!

I chose a 500/416 for my own modern double- just more versitile - just better for lion and better penetration on ele's (which as a PH when you are backing up is a real consideration that need not bother a client- you shouldn't be taking quatering away shots on elephant)- but have recently swopped it for a .375FL which I can shoot faster and better

Ganyana,

How much does your shoulder injury from the poachers bullet affect your choice of caliber for a double rifle?

465H&H

Standing the recoil doesn't hurt - except with a scope as my shoulder is far more mobile than it should be (When I shot Saeeds Tyranasor the bolt hit me above the eye!). But, I often shoot left handed- I was forced to for a year after getting hit and had always shot target rifle left handed anyway. These days I normally shoot left handed if we are looking for something wounded and the other guy is right handed.

My 'complaint' about rifles with heavy recoil is I cannot get a fast second shot off. Of course when things go wrong you never normally notice the recoil- but that assumes you are stading and facing forwards. Three of my closer calls were a) A buffalo charge from about 10 paces. I was squatting peering under the mopane scrub (looking for legs) when he charged. I took a snap shot, got lucky and hit the brain - but the recoil had knocked me onto my backside...I couldn't have got a second shot off if I had needed to.
b) An elephant at 2m that came and kicked over the blind while we were bow hunting. I took a snap shot up under the chin- and brained it with my 9,3...it was a very awkward shot as I couldn't get clear of the blind (a pop up type) to shoot.
c) A lioness that charged from the side when I was walking forwards. She came from my left when I had my left foot forward...and I was shooting left handed that day. I had the butt tucked into my shoulder and spun and fired as she came. It wasn't a great shot and the rifle was a very lightweight .375. I sliped on the wet grass and went down...which was very awkward as there were two other incomming lionesses and the one I had shot wasn't fatally hit. The other (more experienced parks officer) with me neatly dropped one of the others, fluffed the second shot and the morning rapidly got worse...ended up with one lioness on top of my (empty rifle) a few seconds later and me still trying to stand and use my revolver.

So..out of three close runs, two were hampered by recoil and the third made much easier by using a lightweight rifle that was easy to manouver with one hand out of the slit door in the blind.

I have never personally seen an elephant properly 'turned' by a poor shot from any rifle. On Buffalo, a bigger hole always helps when you get down to it, but not if it slows you down in any way.

If you can fire two shots from the .375 with a split of say .1 seconds...then the splits from our big bore must be no slower (say keeping shots in the A zone at 10 paces).

In a heavyish double like the Krieghoff, the spits with the .416 barrels on were the same as with the 28guage shotgun barrels on (and same as the .375FL - I just shot 50 rnds from the new rifle today practicing.)

Shooting my mates .470's and .500's my times were nearly three times as long..yet the increase in recoil is not actually that much - but obviously just over my 'threashold'.

Of course that 6 bore I sold in london a couple of years back lent a whole new meaning to recoil....Tryng to get Saeed to buy one to replace the tyranasour

I agree with Snowwolfe and ordered the same rifle, but without Talley rings, a week or so after he did. Beat the price increase and order your .450 NE Field Grade now. Ask for 26" bbls.

Well GANYANA has been "through it" and has concluded

that .375 Flanged Mag is his best choice based on his

ability TO PROMPTLY shoot it twice. I'll wager he's deter-

mined it's power to be enough, and that getting the fast

second shot off is quite important. Stuff any man might

well include when choosing a rifle.

Ganyana,

Neither Stewart Granger nor Gary Cooper ever slipped or fell. I guess that is the difference between movie make-believe and real life. Your post was great reading.

Apart form a 416 cal DR, I own DR's from 9.3 x 74R, 375 FL Mag, 375H&H, 455/400, 450NE, 470 and 500.

I would agree with Ganyana on his statement re recoil affecting the speed of the second shot.

I have one 450/400 that is heavy for calibre and that isn't too mad but I doubt I would want to carry it that far !!!

500N
For someone who's considering buy a DR, which rifle listed above, is somewhat manageable with regards to recoil... I don't believe I could handle a 500?

Gentlemen,

Please clarify what caliber has less recoil: 8x57JRS vs 9,3x74R? With the same DR and type/weight bullets.

Personal experience wanted

tks in advance

Since I own both the 8X57Rin a Bernardelli and a Chapuis in 9.3X74R I can attest that the felt recoil in the 9.3X74R is much greater than the 8X57JRS.

quote:

Originally posted by Oryxhunter1983:
500N
For someone who's considering buy a DR, which rifle listed above, is somewhat manageable with regards to recoil... I don't believe I could handle a 500?

You don't say what you would be hunting but I would suggest a 450/400 for your first and possibly only double rifle. Great penetration, great selection of rifles, both vintage and modern, relatively low recoil and big enough to take elephant.

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty:
Since I own both the 8X57Rin a Bernardelli and a Chapuis in 9.3X74R I can attest that the felt recoil in the 9.3X74R is much greater than the 8X57JRS.

thanks a lot for your input, Rusty!

one more question - do the SxS DR producers guarantee minimal accuracy of their double rifles?

I would say that double rifle makers regulate the rifle with one particular factory load and bullet weight. Most of us hand load a reasonable accurate load of our own. My 8X57JRS shoots handloaded 200 Grain Nosler Accubonds very well.

With double rifles you need to set away from the tack driving, drive 'em hard concept to regulation frame of mind. I refer to my double shooting ability as "Minute of Grapefruit"!

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty:
I would say that double rifle makers regulate the rifle with one particular factory load and bullet weight. Most of us hand load a reasonable accurate load of our own. My 8X57JRS shoots handloaded 200 Grain Nosler Accubonds very well.

With double rifles you need to set away from the tack driving, drive 'em hard concept to regulation frame of mind. I refer to my double shooting ability as "Minute of Grapefruit"!

thank you once again, Rusty!

I found the "search" button working on this great forum - so will be quite busy for some time. wealth of info

I have both rifles one is a 8X57JRS in a Merkel o/u express and two 9,3X74R in a Heym 55 o/u and Merkel s/s and indeed the 9,3 is more powerful than the 8X57 hands down.
as for game stoppage in MHO there isn't anything on this hemisphere that you couldn't stop and drop I load 180 Nosler Balistic tips in 8x57 and Nosler 250 for the 9,3X74R
The 8x57 is a very comfortable gun to shoot.

quote:

With double rifles you need to set away from the tack driving, drive 'em hard concept to regulation frame of mind. I refer to my double shooting ability as "Minute of Grapefruit"!

Good to keep in mind.
Thanks