The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Rifles Double Rifles Butch Tends To Build Them How He Likes ThemGo | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
| Butch Tends To Build Them How He Likes Them | Login/Join |
| One of Us |
And He has dam good Taste if I do say so myself. I would like to show you guys my first double: I went to SCI Last year in Reno hell bent on buying a double. Tried them all, decided on a Searcy. I sat down with Butch and immediately got the impression he would take care of me. He did and makes one hell of a nice gun. Originally it was going to be a field grade in 450 and a stalking rifle in 375. Although that would have been an excellent combo this was going to be my only chance for a long time to buy a really nice gun. My grandfather passed last year and left me $10,000 so it defiantly softened the financial blow. My grand father would have approved of Butch and loved My new Rifle! I probably should have put the cash on the mortgage but WTF eh. Fits me like a glove, did the fitting in person and it didn't take him long either. So I went back three times just to make sure. The third time I went back before I could open my mouth Butch just held up his finger and said "Kelly.... I got you figured out". Apparently he did. I hope you guys enjoy:              This is going to be my moose hunting set up:   These are the first two shots ever taken with the rifle 25 yds full house loads 500grn softs. Yes it was a total fluke if the fifty shots afterwards (not in one day) are any indication. This is my first big bore and I got very exited during range sessions blasting away. Did not take my time and did not take notes. I'm going to the range tomorrow and will post a proper range report.  | ||
|
One of Us |
Yes, no doubt, he builds very nice, and very accurate DRs. (I have one in 450 as well) What is that stuff on top of the recoil pad? | |||
|
| One of Us |
Looks like a leather covered pad. Butch does very nice work. I'm waiting on a lightly engraved .470 NE myself. I bet it shoots just as well as my .500 NE Nice looking rifle. Congratulations and a fine choice. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Yup leather covered pad. As you can probably tell I'm still pretty exited about the gun. I've had it for about six months. Lots of fun. | |||
|
One of Us |
That's a very nice rifle! I suspect that your Grandfather is tickled with what you've done. Congrats!  NRA Life ASSRA Life DRSS Today's Quote: Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Give a man a welfare check, a free cell phone with free monthly minutes, food stamps, section 8 housing, a forty ounce malt liquor, a crack pipe and some Air Jordan's and he votes Democrat for a lifetime. | |||
|
One of Us |
So did you get the Stalking rifle built as well? I'm interested in one of those at the moment myself. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Sorry Todd no, not in the budget I'm afraid. | |||
|
One of Us |
For sure Butch is a great guy, and he builds truly fine rifles. My stable of Searcy rifles consists of a Deluxe Boxlock in.470NE, a Classic in 450/400 3"NE, and a stalking rifle in 9.3x74R. I also have a double on the way in .375 Flanged Magnum that Butch is building on a Webley screw grip action. Assuming the engraving on it completes in another couple of weeks, I should have it by the end of January. | |||
|
One of Us |
Dang… Ya'll are killing me… I keep telling myself that I would just bang it up so I need to stick with my Merk's... | |||
|
| One of Us |
Wonderful classic caliber and very nice build! | |||
|
| One of Us |
Ive banged it up quite a bit already, including ripping the protective coating off the bottom of the receiver (scotch taped my scope on to test the fit before ordering rings)not one of my finer moments. Its a hunting rifle although it hurts its going to get banged up more. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Scope? On a 450 NE? There are differing opinions on that. For DG; probably not. Or maybe. For moose; yes. I see the pad now; those are wrinkles in the leather. One thing about Searcys that has not been mentioned is that he builds them as did the old English makers; with fat breeches and skinny muzzles, putting the weight "between the hands". Unlike some modern rifles designed around chrome moly steel where you can have skinny breeches and straight barrels; balance is not the same. Krieghoff is a good example of this. For those who have not handled a Searcy, you should experience it. | |||
|
| One of Us |
I plan on trying to get a regulating load with 400 grn pills for North American hunting. The scope will not be primary as I prefer the irons right now. I think it adds versatility and was not intended for DG. I haven't sighted the scope in yet. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Hi Todd, I looked at Butch's stalking rifle at the last SCI. WOW!! Pointed like a fine 28 bore shotgun. Makes my Ruger #1's feel like a fenceposts. I'm in the same market also. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Excellent rifle and nice to see another true lefty rifle. Butch has the fitting thing down to a science. I gave him the measurements he requested and my 450 NE fits me like a glove. Supplied the exact same measurements to a different builder and the rifle fit like a Chapuis with the annoying high comb. If Butch ever offers his $8750 special again I would be mighty tempted to order a 500 NE. One never knows how much bigger those killer squirrels can get. A DR makes a fine moose rifle. My Chapuis 9,3x74R accounted for the last two I killed and one was lazered at just over 280 yards away. My biggest fear is when I die my wife will sell my guns for what I told her they cost. | |||
|
| One of Us |
..at some point I'm going to see if Butch will build a set of 12 ga barrels for my Classic...that'll make a beautiful combo piece and add no telling how much value to the set. A wood presentation case is something I've been mulling over too. But I'd want it for a two barrel set gun. | |||
|
One of Us |
Great looking rifle. I have the same rifle in the right hand version.  When you get used to it ,the first two shots you showed will be your target. Mine shoots just like that(if i do my part) Congrats on a great purchase  | |||
|
| One of Us |
Excellent rifle Left handed I am envious | |||
|
One of Us |
Yes, Butch does build an accurate double rifle. I love my 450-400 and he's currently building me the twin to subsailor's 375 H&H screw grip action. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Thanks Mike it means allot, I imagine he is. | |||
|
One of Us |
Best wishes for you to enjoy your new rifle to the utmost! May it provide the very finest service as the decades roll along... D/R Hunter Correct bullet placement, combined with the required depth of bullet penetration, results in an anchored animal... | |||
|
| One of Us |
Cheers and thank you very much. | |||
|
One of Us |
Nobody seems willing to ask the question, what's happen to the leather covered pad. Very first photo appears to show no wrinkles, all the rest look awful. That is not good workmanship. Also the rear view photo of the pad seems to show blemishes where the screws would be? Very nice double but I would not be happy with that pad looking like that. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Congrats on a nice rifle. I like the color combination between the light brown yellowish wood and the darker color case hardened steel. I am about to visit the VC factory in France and I am thinking of that caliber you have chosen. Any excperience with that caliber or any reason for chosing 450 NE ? Morten The more I know, the less I wonder ! | |||
|
| One of Us |
Respectfully I submit as an "outsider": 1- Expert wildcatter Ed Hubel here asserts that non-bottlenecked cases inherently tend to last longer, 450 NE is an example 2- .458" diameter bullets can be had very easily from many manufacturers 3- Classic elephant round generating about 5000 FPE at the muzzle with 480 grain bullet at 2150 FPS 4- Brass available from Hornady and a number of other manufacturers 5- Brass is the same basic foundation as 450/400 3.25" and 475 NE" so usable in diverse ways 6- Great history attached to it, as it became the benchmark elephant round as soon as it was loaded with cordite, (as a black powder round it was a favorite DEER round) 7- Rifles using this brass may be built slimmer than those in 500/450 NE, 470 NE, 450 #2 NE, 475 #2 NE, all of which deliver about the same energy to the animal being shot D/R Hunter Correct bullet placement, combined with the required depth of bullet penetration, results in an anchored animal... | |||
|
| One of Us |
I dont know I have nothing to compare it to, there are holes in the back side where the screws go into the pad. | |||
|
| One of Us |
All of the reasons above. I was stuck on 375 fl, 450-400 and 450 NE for quite a while flip flopping back and forth. I still want a 375 but decided I wanted something with more power and a true NE caliber. As for the 450-400 (which I think is an excellent cartridge) I just thought I could load down the 450 (400grn bullets) using the 75% rule, and have the best of both worlds. Maybe it will work maybe not I haven't tried yet. I had allot of help form the members on this forum deciding caliber. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Yes, and I chose the 450 as well for all the above reasons, EXCEPT; you do not get a smaller framed rifle in this case; Searcy frames are very large. That is why the rifle balances between the hands and has very light muzzles. The wrinkles in the pad? I mentioned those way up in the posts. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Double BC, you'll be able to use the 75% rule with the 450 NE also. Just use the readily available 350 grn Hornady's or others. They work fine. NRA Life ASSRA Life DRSS Today's Quote: Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Give a man a welfare check, a free cell phone with free monthly minutes, food stamps, section 8 housing, a forty ounce malt liquor, a crack pipe and some Air Jordan's and he votes Democrat for a lifetime. | |||
|
| One of Us |
I don't think the leather wrapped pad looks bad. I think it's at least equivelant to others I've seen. Having said that, I'm not a huge fan of them and probably wouldn't order one anyways. Again... Beautiful gun - Nice job Butch! | |||
|
| One of Us |
Yes there will be holes through the pad where the mounting screws go but in a well fitted pad the screw holes are usually almost invisible slits or some pads use plugs to fill the holes, again can be virtually invisible. With respect those wrinkles on the pad look awful, you wouldn't accept something like that in a car with leather trim. Personally a nice orange or red Silvers or Pachmayr pad without leather and invisible screw holes would really finish your gun. That's only my thoughts, each to their own. | |||
|
| One of Us |
The leather pad is just not of the standard you would expect. I have seen them done on VC, WR and H&H and they do not have any wrinkles! A silvers or pachmayer would have been far better in this instance. Nick | |||
|
One of Us |
Agreed. The one JJ did on a Merkel I just sold was proper looking. Mac | |||
|
| One of Us |
I also have a Searcy 470 NE Classic, however due to shoulder problems that arose after it was ordered it has never been fired and is being offered for sale along with accessories and other necessaries. It is listed in the AR Classifieds. I love the rifle but due to shoulder reconstruction was only able to dry fire it after it arrived. It was the rifle Butch used as a showpiece at Reno. Bob Nisbet DRSS & 348 Lever Winchester Lover Temporarily Displaced Texan If there's no food on your plate when dinner is done, you didn't get enough to eat. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Agreed! I do not think, for five times the $$$, that you can get a better quality double rifle than Butch builds. And, if it matters at all, he builds them in Boron, CA. That's American made! I would love to have another one, but Africa keeps calling me... The Searcy gets delayed another year. Good Man, and a good product. Rich | |||
|
one of us |
I am so jealous! Frank "I don't know what there is about buffalo that frightens me so.....He looks like he hates you personally. He looks like you owe him money." - Robert Ruark, Horn of the Hunter, 1953 NRA Life, SAF Life, CRPA Life, DRSS lite | |||
|
| One of Us |
Visited the VC factory yesterday. Went for the 450 NE. When back home I am going to post some pictures. The more I know, the less I wonder ! | |||
|
one of us |
| |||
|
one of us |
+2 NRA Life Member, Band of Bubbas Charter Member, PGCA, DRSS. Shoot & hunt with vintage classics. | |||
|
| Powered by Social Strata |
 | Please Wait. Your request is being processed... |
|
The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Rifles Double Rifles Butch Tends To Build Them How He Likes Them
Visit our on-line store for AR Memorabilia