Most doubles are big bores. Got a picture or two of your small (preferred) or medium bore to share? Say, 6.5 to .338-ish. Higher end wood preferred as usual. CB

This one is close to your criteria.

Westley Richards 350No.2

A great start on the thread. Not being fond of the mustache typical on many doubles, this action is very tastefully done. Thanks.

Here's my 8x57R cal double built by Friedrich Stendebach in 1913. This Small Bore Double weighs 8-1/2 pounds, and has a really COOL action.

Now that's interesting. I do like to see something 'different' once in a while.

Food for thought......I'm amazed at how few lightweight slim/trim medium caliber doubles are on the market. Might be a tough request here. But, I think a nice slender 7 pound double in 7X57 rimmed or Mauser would be something great. My guess is that that may not be doable unless it was skeletonized extensively.

All 9.3s are classified as Medium bores; and some say that the 40 cals are Mediums; and everyone has one. So, really they are very common.
You might mean Small Bores; the definitions are different for DRs, and bolt actions.

This is my Rigby in .350 no2. Bought this a couple of years ago and its mild recoil has made it my favorite shooter.
Cal

Here's another one of my interesting Small Bore Double Rifles. It was built by Casimire Lefaucheux in 1897 in 8mm Lebel caliber. It weighs 7-1/2 pounds. Lots of Gold and Platium decoration on this one.

That is an interesting gun. Kind of reminds me of Liberace.

Here's one of my Small / Medium Bore doubles. Its an Eduard Kettner from 1913 in rare 35 Winchester caliber. It weighs only 7-1/4 pounds. Although its rather plain looking, it has a very unique patented "pop-up" cheek piece for when the scope is to be used. Pushing the small triangular projection behind the grip activates it. These Small Bore and Medium Bore Doubles are perfect for hunting Whitetail Deer here in Wisconsin. Being in the 7 to 8 pound weight range, you can carry them all day long with little effort.

Damn Double Rifle Porn!

Small bores it is then or what the hey, small or medium. It's all good. Thanks for the heads up. CB

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
All 9.3s are classified as Medium bores; and some say that the 40 cals are Mediums; and everyone has one. So, really they are very common.
You might mean Small Bores; the definitions are different for DRs, and bolt actions.

Thanks. Very interesting work on the cheek piece. I like the exposed adjustments and appreciate innovative work like that although I am first and foremost attracted to fine walnut figure. We are fortunate to have a solid hardwood furniture place nearby. Earlier today I stopped in to look for a solid cherry jelly cupboard for storage and they had these huge slabs of solid hardwood about 8/4 thick. I had to pry myself away. Prices are reasonable too. For example: one flawless walnut slab was 38 wide at the trunk portion, 9' tall with a crotch near the top. Price was under $2,000. Not worth considering for gun stocks. But, it made me weak in the knees.

quote:

Originally posted by buckstix:
Here's one of my a Medium Bore doubles. Its an Eduard Kettner from 1913 in rare 35 Winchester caliber. It weighs only 7-1/4 pounds.

7.5 pounds is not bad at all.

quote:

Originally posted by buckstix:
Here's another one of my interesting Small Bore Double Rifles. It was built by Casimire Lefaucheux in 1897 in 8mm Lebel caliber. It weighs 7-1/2 pounds. Lots of Gold and Platium decoration on this one.

I bought a 318 Westley Richards double a couple of months ago. It's very pleasant to shoot after being pounded by 450's and 470's.

Love that one, Cal!

How about a Greener is .360 No.2 NE. More pics on my website. Check the the .500 NE single shot while you are there.

Johann Springer 8x57r

Some very cool and unique rifles on display here...

quote:

Originally posted by Huvius:
This one is close to your criteria.

Westley Richards 350No.2

Is it or how odd this WR has a Greener safety?

I guess not that odd since there is no other safety...

Thank you. Love the rose and scroll.

wow! and awesome display of eye candy doubles..In medium bores I had a large number of client book with me that took the 9.3x74 and it performed with excellence on Cape Buffalo in every case..I got to shoot a 25-35 double, a 22 HOrnet and a 30-40 Krag over the years..A small double is fun fun fun to shoot..

I got to fondle a 22 L.R. at the Dallas SCI show some years ago, I sat at my table and slobbered, grinched, muddled, ranted, and raved and thru my hands up and ran back to the table and said I'll take the 22!! It sold during my state of confusion..Remember that Rusty!!

quote:

Originally posted by custombolt:
Most doubles are big bores. Got a picture or two of your small (preferred) or medium bore to share? Say, 6.5 to .338-ish. Higher end wood preferred as usual. CB

Hello custombolt,

Here is one of my doubles that fits your definition of a "small" double rifle. Its a Westley Richards with 16" Factory Barrels.

Overall length of the rifle from Muzzle to Butt, is only 33 inches".

Its a medium caliber being 375 - 2.5" Nitro Express and was shipped to Bombay, India, for use as a "Howdah Rifle".

Buckstix,
That is a very cool howda rifle. I like it. I have not noticed many T serial numbered Westley guns with the snap action lever work. Great condition too! Enjoy it in good health.
Steve

It is very interesting that W.R. used existing guns and reworked them to a new buyer's specifications.
That is the same thing they did with my 350.
I assume it was originally a droplock rifle which was converted to fixed locks and sold to the Maharaja of Alwar.
The ledger for my rifle shows that it was built on a previously numbered gun but they didn't tell me anything about the specs of that original build. I guess I should have them do that to know the whole story.
I surmise that W.R. did this to fill orders more quickly for demanding clients (and by all accounts, the Maharaja of Alwar was quite demanding...).
Makes one wonder about the short double above.
Was the original build a smaller bore rifle? The engraving of Muntjac and the antelope would point us in that direction and since the trigger guard is the only component of the action that has a serial number on it (at least that's the case with my rifle) it is very easy to take a used action, add a new trigger guard with a new number - and engraving to suit - rebarrel and out the door.

Buck, the letter on yours confuses me a bit. Was rifle #T7848 sold by M. Saleh& Co. or was your gun, T9590, in it's current configuration sold by them?
Maybe both - I can imagine a buyer with a smallbore rifle for jungle stalking could, due to age or health, turn to hunting from a howdah or horseback when hunting on foot became difficult. Sending your prized double back to its maker to be transformed for the purpose would be a natural thought one would think.
Whatever the real story, it sure is a cool double and just pondering it's history adds to it's allure.

Buckstix;

Thank you for sending the photos and letter about your wonderful WR Holland & Holland .375 2 1/2" flanged NE caliber. I wish that it could talk, and that I could listen. How much unburned propellant does it spit out when you fire it? I would like to see the muzzle flash when it is shot at night. I have read that before H&H placed its later H&H .375 magnum nitro express cartridge into the market in 1912, that this older 2 1/2" H&H .375 flanged cartridge was used even to kill elephants by some hunters. This is quiet amazing as I have hand loaded cartridges for my .38-55 McPherson Express double rifle up to the same range of ballistics of the old H&H 2 1/2" .375 cartridge, but using 255 grain bullet instead of 270 grain bullet.

Regards

quote:

Originally posted by Huvius:
Buck, the letter on yours confuses me a bit. Was rifle #T7848 sold by M. Saleh& Co. or was your gun, T9590, in it's current configuration sold by them?

Hello Huvius,

Thanks for the reply.

When I purchased this rifle, I called Westley Richards and inquired about its History.

I was told the rifle was started as serial number T7848, but the order was canceled before it was completed, and the action was shelved. (no additional information about T7848 was recorded in their ledgers)

Then, a considerable time later, (1742 serial numbers later) M. Saleh & Co. ordered a 375-2.5" Howdah rifle, with 16" barrels, and it was then that it was renumbered to T9590 and recorded in their ledger. I asked WR if they had made any other double rifles with 16" barrels. They said to date, they had not run across any others in the ledgers, so it might have been a "one-of-a-kind".



I researched and discovered that M.Saleh & Co. was still in business. I sent photos of the rifle and then called M. Saleh & Co. in Bombay, India. (now Mumbai, India) I spoke with M. Saleh's Grandson. He told me that most of the sales records from 1928 and earlier were lost. He went on to say that the rifle was likely purchased by his Grandfather himself, who was an avid Tiger hunter.



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quote:

Originally posted by Transvaal:
Buckstix;
How much unburned propellant does it spit out when you fire it? I would like to see the muzzle flash when it is shot at night. I have read that before H&H placed its later H&H .375 magnum nitro express cartridge into the market in 1912, that this older 2 1/2" H&H .375 flanged cartridge was used even to kill elephants by some hunters.
Regards

Hello Transvaal,

Thanks for the reply.

My best groups have been using 270g and 300g bullets with IMR4895 powder, resulting in 4-shot groups of 1-1/4" to 1-3/4" at 50 yards, at velocities approaching 2000fps. Factory Ammo specs for the 270g bullet is 2050fps from a 26" barrel. Since Kynoch offered "solids" for this caliber, I'm thinking it was used on Elephants at times.

I never noticed any unburned powder with IMR4895.

Buckstix, I see your rifle still bears the 7848 stamp on the flats.
Mine doesn’t have any previous number on the action, just on the bottom strap and inside the hinged bottom cover.

Here's a .303 double that H&H finished in late 1897. I've had JJPerodeau return regulation to the 215 grain bullet. He has the barrels now to see how best to add a scope to it to return it to the "patent telescope" that the gunbook notes record as original to the rifle.

Must say that I asked JJ to regulate to a slightly hotter 2125 fps for the 215 grain bullet.






Regards, Tim

Beautiful gun.

Lots of nice guns here!

Yes. There are some interesting classic doubles here. I enjoy them all. OK, so I like highly figured wood best and had hoped to see more modern medium light frame custom SxS rifles.
But, class is class. Tons of class right here.

Hello buckstix. I'm not ignoring you friend. I had been distracted by my other posts the past several days. That gun is way cool as is your story on the original owner. When I saw it, I pictured some guy in a jungle hat stalking through the bush. Thanks for posting it here & thanks to all for keeping the subject flowing.

quote:

Originally posted by buckstix:

quote:

Originally posted by custombolt:
Most doubles are big bores. Got a picture or two of your small (preferred) or medium bore to share? Say, 6.5 to .338-ish. Higher end wood preferred as usual. CB

Hello custombolt,

Here is one of my doubles that fits your definition of a "small" double rifle. Its a Westley Richards with 16" Factory Barrels.

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Tim, Tim, Where did you find this super clean double? Is the metal as built? Wow.
Thanks for sharing. CB

quote:

Originally posted by Tim Carney:
Here's a .303 double that H&H finished in late 1897. I've had JJPerodeau return regulation to the 215 grain bullet. He has the barrels now to see how best to add a scope to it to return it to the "patent telescope" that the gunbook notes record as original to the rifle.

Tim

quote:

Lots of nice guns here!

http://www.facebook.com/profil...p?id=100001646464847

Hey, I've heard of him!!! :-)

quote:

Originally posted by custombolt:
Hello buckstix. I'm not ignoring you friend. I had been distracted by my other posts the past several days. That gun is way cool as is your story on the original owner. When I saw it, I pictured some guy in a jungle hat stalking through the bush. Thanks for posting it here.....

Hello custombolt.

This was my very "first" double rifle. Its a Daniel Fraser, and today its still the Favorite double in my collection. Although its a medium bore, 9.3 caliber, it has the kind of ... "Higher end wood preferred" ... that you mentioned in your original post.

This Daniel Fraser left the factory as a 360EX, but was later re-chambered in England to 9.3x74R when ammo for the 360EX became obsolete. There are 4 pages of color photos of my rifle in Jonathan Kirton's book about Daniel Fraser rifles.

An interesting note about this rifle: I never found out the significance of the "Silver Inlay" with the "Hand" on the bottom of the stock. If anyone recognizes this, please let me know.

When I received the rifle, the stock had loosened a bit from 100 years of wood shrinkage. Before attempting any adjustment, I had to determine exactly how the stock was attached, so my Doctor friend and I took an X-Ray of the stock. As you can see, the tang-bolt had to be removed "before" the draw-bolt could be adjusted. Upon disassembly, I was surprised to find all the inside action parts were gold plated, and they still looked "new" over a hundred years later.

My medium bore love is my Searcy 375 H&H Flanged Double. What an accurate sweet little gun and caliber! (I also love my Searcy 450-400 )

Two more nice ones. Thanks gentlemen. Nice touch with that X-ray buckstix.
Use Enough Gun: What is the weight on your 375 Searcy? Looks nice and trim.

Just a utilitarian hunter this Browning "Continental" caliber .30-06, now regulated to 200 grain bullets because of the addition of the claw mounts for the Leupold 3X Duplex.