With a few (hundreds of thousands actually) extra pennies being saved and a lot of help from my father. I was able to get my first double. It arrived today and I picked it up from my dealer. It is a Merkel 140 in .470 Nitro that I got a screaming deal on. It has the Scroll engraving on it and fits like a glove. Now the problem is I don't have any ammo!!!!! I got brass and bullets on the way from Huntingtons, Snap Caps coming from Cabelas but no loaded ammo!! I am heading to a Cabelas tomorrow and I will probably have to break down and buy a box of ammo, just so I can shoot it a bit. I will have a ton of questions in the future, but I will start off with a couple of quick questions.

1. Do you normally keep your Double broken down or stored put together?

2. What type of case do you use? I just bought a ICC aluminum case for it but is there something better? What recommendations do you have?

3. What type of break in should you do on the barrels?

I want to thank you all for the help. I did lots of searches and read lots of replies and it all helped me pick out a double to start. I know some of you will say that it doesn't have ejectors but I will make the extractors work, and I am kind of young getting into this anyway so there is always room to upgrade!!! Thank you all again!!

(I guess I have to wait to put the DRSS on my signature until after I shoot it!!!)

Way to go....BTW the Federal Ammo is expensive however the Federal Brass is the best there is in my opinion. I have never lost a federal case...but have lost a bunch of the Norma after only 2 reloads. You should make plans to come to TX for the DRSS shoot...You will not regret the trip.

I need to read closer, I missed the 470NE in your post! SO, now you need to get a 9.3X74R as well!


SierraBravo45, you couldn't have made a better choice for a first double rifle! I ASSUMED it is chambered for 9.3X74R, and if so, it is the most usable chambering you could have picked, being perfect for a one rifle for all things in North America, and is very well suited for most of Africa's hunting as well. Is a great back rifle for a larger double when you get another, for Africa!

Congratulations, and welcome to the DRSS!

Congratulations!

Damn soild rifle!

You might want to check Grafs and maybe Midway - they are usually cheaper than Cabelas even with the shipping. One of them was carrying Lapua ammo for the 9.3 X 74 - talk about great brass.

I don't break mine down for storage, but do use snap caps to release the firing pins.

Any high quality case is a good bet - I would, however get one that allows you to store the rifle broken down.

As far as barrel break in goes, I at least did not follow the benchrest deal where you spend the entire day at the range cleaning the barrels while firing 20 rounds. Just shoot it!

One thing I would do is clean the barrels before you shoot it. I have found that gunmakers are not gun cleaners. There will probably be at least some copper left, and it is good to get it out before you shoot.

For storage, most safes don't have enough room to store it in the case laying flat. If you store the gun assembled, always do so muzzle down, so that lubricants don't run into the stock head which, long term, is a major problem with double guns. I store mine with the barrels lying flat on the shelves above, and the action and butt standing on the knuckle below. Use snap caps to ease springs before disassembly.

For break-in, clean it thoroughly, inside and out, paying special attention to all bearing surfaces. Re-grease the hinge, knuckle, lugs, and third fastener (grease only, never oil), shoot and clean normally.

For cases, a hard case of the traditional type, or one of the newer ones like the Americase, plus a good, well-padded soft case for use in the hunting car. A canvas outer cover for the hard case is a nice extra.
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

Sorry Guys, I was so excited I forgot to put in that it was in .470 Nitro....

SB45 -- I own the 'same' rifle and love it. Great looking wood, nice fit-n-finish, tight as a drum, and accurate as all get out. You're gonna love. Go buy Graeme Wright's book and some reloading kit and you're set.

If it's 470, your factory ammo options at this time are pretty limited. Federal ammo can be found at any number of places. Norma is supposed to be coming out with some this year.

You can also buy Wolfgang Romey from Westley Richards (more expensive) and Knyoch from Galazans and a couple other places.

A Square makes it as well, but I would not put that through my rifle.

Avoid the Federal solids!

Like Roscoe pointed out, Federal's nickel plated brass is good for many reloads.

SIERRABRAVO 45

LAD, YOU DID MENTION IT WAS A 470 !!

THE GUYS WERE SO ANXIOUS TO REPLY THEY MISSED IT.

YOU CAN PUT THE DRSS NEXT TO YOUR RIGHT NOW -

CONGRATULATIONS ON JOINING US !!!

YOU WILL JUST LOVE YOUR 470, I HAD A MERKEL AND IT SHOT AS GOOD AS ANY DOUBLE CAN SHOOT. I PERSONALY BELIEVE IT IS EASIER TO GET TO REGULATE THEN ONE OF THE CHERISHED OLDER GUNS.

I USED TO SHOOT IN PISTOL MATCHES SO THE SIGHTS WERE A NATURAL FOR ME. YOU WILL REALLY ENJOY SHOOTING IT.

YOU WILL GET A LOT OF ATTNETION AT THE RANGE

Graf's for Federal. That's what those guns are regulated on but it should shoot the standard load from other makers/loaders to the same poi.

Stopped by Cabelas today in Boise. They were having a deal for being signing up to be a Cabelas Club Member, I signed up and I signed up my fiance' so then I got $35 credit a person plus an additional $20 off for spending over a hundred so I got a box of Federal TBBC for right around $220 which I thought was a steal!

I took it to the range tonight and touched off 5 shots, the gun groups within a inch of each other and barrels were regulating perfectly. The gun didn't kick as much as I thought it would and it was really pleasant to shoot. I probably could have shot the whole box but I thought dropping $200+ on ammo in a day is WAY to much. Actually I thought $50 in a evening was bad enough but it was fun to shoot.

I am totally addicted now to doubles........

That is outstanding regulation. Just what you want.

And it sounds like Cabelas actually lost a couple of bucks on that deal.

And now it begins...

SB45,
Great choice on the Merkel IMO the best double you can buy for the money, good choice on the ICC case, especially if it's short and made for doubles. The Federal brass is beyond a doubt the best brass and should last for many reloads. Part of the reason is their great nickel plating job they do on their brass. Get some hard cast bullets (Huntingtons, LTD, CPB, etc.), AA5744powder 45g loads, and have some inexpensive fun letting the lead fly. You can shoot that rifle for under 70 cents a pop.

Congratulations, again!

Welcome to the DRSS!

sierrabravo45,
Congratulations, and welcome to the DRSS!!!
That regulation is outstanding.
Bill

Don't know what it is, But I agree that the Federal brass is the best I've tried...For some reason Fed brass is always good.

We once had problems with brass for our .300 RUM long range guns (aside from rampant throat erosion) and got Federal to custom build us brass. It worked and our brass related issues were gone!

Maybe we could get an AR "group" buy on Fed brass going and all of us could get in on some "primo" .470 cases...

Anybody interested let me know.

I'd buy 500 or so...

JW