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I am about to place an order for a new double rifle. It will be my first. I chose 470NE due to ballistics and ammo availability. Here are a list of my spec.s Please advise on my choices. Weight 10 lb.s, articulated front trigger, 23 1/2" chopper lump barrels, Extended trigger tang, Top tang extended over comb, bushed firing pins(with extra set), ejectors, 1/4 rib, hand detachable side locks, hidden 3rd fastener, semi-beaver tail, semi-pistol grip w/ palm swell, 1 standing 1 folding rear sight (folding for looks), since I was already spending a kings ranson, I figured I would add a set of 28" shotgun barrels IC/M, Bring some francolin back to camp. Any thoughts or advice? Thanks David | ||
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Hello Jager, Lot's of options, who is the maker?. I'd go with longer barrels, at least 24" if not 26". I have double rifles with 24" inch tubes and wouldn't want them any shorter. My 470 Evans has 28" barrels and is the most balanced of all my Double rifles. If I was ordering a new gun I'd go with 26" tubes. I prefer a spinter forend, pistolgrip and wouldn't go with the palmswell. As far as weight, my 470 weighs 10lbs 12oz and my 500/450 weighs just over 10lbs. I wouldn't want them any lighter. Good luck and enjoy | |||
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David, If that is what you like, great. It is fun ordering a bespoke rifle. You get what you want! You will find if you ask "double rifle guys" there OP on somthing and there are 10 guys you will get 10 OP. I just ordered a double too, I differ'ed abit form you choices, by going with longer barrels (my at 25in) and I went with a splinter forearm. Other than that like all the options, mine is a boxlock though!  Ed DRSS Member | |||
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David, Sounds good. I'm with those who would go with slightly longer barrels, at least 24 inches and a splinter forend. Depending on your age and eyes, you might want a fold down aperture sight built into the screw that attaches the top lever. Purdey makes one like that and a good pix of one is on the double rifles and paradox guns forum of doublegunshop.com. Yes on the shotgun barrels although it's likely to be a bit of a crowbar. Have you thought of another set of rifle barrels? Maybe scoped .375 flanged? Regards, Tim | |||
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I assure you it won't be your last!
There are several reasons that is the best chambering to order! #1 is, as you say, ammo availability, But the 470NE is the darling of the double rifle crowd, and so is the easiest chambering to sell when you want to sell the rifle or trade in on another you want more later, and that chambering brings a premium price.
Too light! You need at least 11 pounds!
Good choice with this chambering, ESPECIALLY, if you go ahead with your 10 pound weight! 
Like others here I'd not go under 24" barrels, and would prefere 26"
Very good choice!
This is a costley item, that has some draw-backs. If the rifle ever needs the cast off to be adjusted, it can't be done without either replaceing the stock intirely, or shortening the tang. It serves no purpose other than cosmetic.
Bushing is a good idea, with (an extra set of pins)!, which is a good idea, along with a trap-door grip cap to store them. Almost all newly made doubles today have bushed pins standard! Ejectors are fine if you want them, most do! I have both, and can live with,or without them.
Also standard on most newly made double rifles!
Sidelocks are very expensive, but not as expensive as hand-detach side locks. Nice to have, however!
Good choice as well!
The beavertail or simi-bevertail are not well thought of on a double rifle! There are structural reasons not to have a B-T, or Simi B-T forend on a double rifle, but if that is what you want, then do it. I however, can't stand the looks of a beavertail forend even on a shotgun! The palm swale is a very personal thing, and if it fits your palm it's OK, if, however, it doesn't,it will be removed at some time in the future. It serves no particular purpose.
This is a good idea, and not just for looks! The multiple flip-ups are not just for looks, they are fine advantages for a standing long shot, where a bullet needs to be place well! If a double is regulated properly, and the load one is shooting in the rifle shoots to regulation, the only thing one needs is a proper sight for long range, because the bullet paths are parallel, and do not cross at any range! windage is fixed, all one needs is elevation for down range shooting.
The shot barrels are a good idea, but a pair of 375 H&H barrels with a QD scope mount is more to my likeing! If aske a shotgun can be in camp for you if you ask for it! A King's ransom is an understatement! The extras you list will be thousands over the cost of the rifle it's self, which is already high for any double rifle on a side lock action, and chopper-lump barrels! Welcome to the DOUBLE RIFLE SHOOTER'S SOCIETY fold!  ....Mac >>>===(x)===> MacD37, ...and DUGABOY1 DRSS Charter member "If I die today, I've had a life well spent, for I've been to see the Elephant, and smelled the smoke of Africa!"~ME 1982 Hands of Old Elmer Keith  | |||
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The only flies on the 470 NE are the slower than 1:20" twist barrels most have. Any hope for "progress" on a new twist?  | |||
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FWIW, I would change to 450NE 3 1/4", better actual ballistics, new Hornaday ammo. Easy reloading, no fillers, common, cheap, easy to come by bullets for everything from plinking to smaller game to elephants. I would make the barrels 26". My own big bore has them, I prefer the carrying easy of the longer barrels. I also have a rifle with 24" barrels, I prefer the 26"'s. Maybe compromise at 25" if you think 26" is too long. Nothing wrong with another 50fps either. Doubles, even with long barrels are pretty short rifles. No problems in the jess with 26" tubes. 10lbs = good weight for 450 or 470. Definitely go with a splinter forend. You want to hold the barrels. Barrels on a 450 or 470 are sufficiently wide to make that perfectly comfortable while eliminating any tendency to overlap the barrels and impair your sighting which may occur with a very slim set of barrels in a smaller bore cartridge. Yes on articulated trigger. You will probably never need it but if your grip slips or if you shoot from an awkward position it will save your day. Mine has. Yes on the extended tangs, but make sure you get the stock measurements right, it is hard or impossible to bend long top tang guns. Extended top straps on sidelock rifles have their purpose and it isn't just cosmetic. Absolutely ejectors! Yes! to bushed strikers. Yes to spares, unlikely to need them in the next decade or half century, but they're not expensive and cheaper done when ordered new if you do need them. Worthless in the field without the tool to unscrew the bushes though. No to hand detachable locks. In my experience the lever will begin to wear and you will need to retighten increasingly frequently. Also, chances are excellent that apart from looking at the very atractive locks there isn't much you can do, in the field or otherwise to get one repaired if its not working. Yes! to third fastener. Yes!!! to 1/4 rib. Yes to one standing for 50yds, one folding for +/-125yds, but not essential. No to plam swell. I would make the grip an open grip, but finished off with a steel trap grip cap, which is traditional. I'm abivelent about the shotgun barrels. I would add a leather cover recoil pad, use pigskin, but have the butt of the leather lightly sanded so it won't slip at all. I would also have an extra front sight blade supplied with the rifle. These are subject to mishaps and can be changed out in the field or back in camp if required. Keep it in the trap grip cap. BTW, my elephant rifle is a sidelock Marcel Thys, with 26" barrels and the features I recomended! I'm biased!  Best of luck! JPK  Free 500grains | |||
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I agree with the 450 3 1/4 or even a 450/400 sweet to shoot and a 40 cal and 4K + energy per shot Both the brass is readily available... I an biased to the 458 caliber there are so many bullets availble to shoot.. Your new double should be able to shoot TSX and it will be devistating as a double rifle.. Mike | |||
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If I knew he was open to a caliber change I'd go with the the 500/450. Best bullet selection, bottleneck design, low pressure and best of all....Teddy Roosevelt's caliber! | |||
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Both of the 450 NE's, the 3"1/4 thin-rim-Grandpapa-model-of-1898 and No2 3"1/2 Eley and both of the 450/400 NE's (3" and 3"1/4) and 500 NE 3" all have twist of 1:15" by CIP spec. These are the best, from my twisted perspective.  Then there are these: 500/416 NE 3"1/4: 1:16.5" 500/465 NE: 1:28" 470 NE: 1:21"  475 No2 NE 3"1/2: 1:18" 475 No2 NE 3"1/2 Jeffery: 1:18" 577 NE 3": 1:30" 600 NE 3": 1:30 700 H&H NE 3"1/2: 1:28.9" (a pipsqueak cartridge smaller than a 12GaFH) | |||
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Will this rifle be mainly for one type of beast, say buff, and once in a rare while used on elephant or kudu or what ever? It's said to shoot the biggest caliber that you can carry all day and shoot well at the end of the day. [I think it's generally recomended that a 470 should weigh 10.5 pounds at least by the way, but some guys will say to H&%$ with the recoil I am NOT carrying more than 10 pounds rifle weight all day through Africa.] Is the grip going to have the rounded off look on the bottom, or the more typical, [for DR's] flat bottom? I'd vote for the flat bottom. Hidden third fastener; if I was going new, I'd have FAMARS make me a new Webley A&WC screw grip third fastener type action and a scalloped boxlock, I like that look better than S/L's and I am convinced that the above Webley design does the job better than any other. Unless YOU are a very short fellow I'd vote for barrels as long as 28". Re- member 28" bbls on a DR means the rifle overall will be about as long as a bolt action rifle will be with 24" bbls. Minimum bbl length 25". I forgot the palm swell, not traditional but if you shoot better with it do it. Back to caliber, if you're going to shoot all kinds of game all the time I'd suggest 450/400 3" regulated with Hornady ammo, and a max rifle weight of 10 pounds, a few ounces less being OK. If this rifle is for elephant, rhino, buff and lion ninety plus percent of the time, OPT FOR THE BIGGEST CALIBER THAT YOU CAN MANAGE UP TO 600. [700'S got invented because a guy wanted a 600 and H&H told him NO, so as an after thought this guy conceived the 700, since his ego would not allow him to opt for the wonderful 577NE] If this rifle is NEVER for the four BIG dangerous beasts but will be used for plains game, and leopard, 9.3x74R caliber. Exclude leopard and I'd pick 375H&H belted mag because that ammo is all over the planet and the question of the "iffy" ejection, which some folks assert exists with non rimmed cartridges, is no longer a worry because you're not shooting at dangerous game per say. All just my opinion. Have a great time hunting with your new bespoken rifle. Please post picks for us when it's ready.   Jack OH GOD! {Seriously, we need the help.} | |||
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Jaeger! I would definately go with a splinter forearm and 26" barrels. The semi beavertail forearm just adds weight and makes it less easy to carry while providing no good things. The 26" barrels will give you a double as long as an 18 or 19" bolt rifle with a much higher velocity.. plenty short enough. You missed three critical things in my opinion. Intercepting sears will make it safer if you should drop it while it is loaded. Ask for a non-automatic safety and insist that the rifle fit you and is balanced with about 60% of the weight between the hands. The last two items are non-negotiable in my opinion. 465H&H | |||
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David: I agree with 465 H&H entirely. A beavertail adds weight, doesn't carry as comfortably, and interferes with a proper hold on the barrels. The fore-end on a double rifle isn't the handle, the barrels are. Likewise 26" barrels will swing better, give you a bit more velocity. A double rifle with 26" barrels is already short, and cutting the barrels shorter does not improve handling. Since it's a sidelock, I assume that it will have overhanging sears anyway. I'll differ with Mac about the Baker extended top tang. He's right about not being able to bend it, but since we assume this rifle is being built to fit you, I see that as an issue for a subsequent owner. You should know that if the stock is damaged, the long tang will make it more expensive to re-stock. However, since this is a sidelock heavy rifle, I think it needs it. Aside from being a neat feature if done well, the extended top tang is largely ornamental on a boxlock, but I view it as quite functional on a sidelock, which is weaker in the stock head. Personally, I'd order a .470 at 10.75 lbs, and I'd dispense with the palm swell. -------------------------------------- "Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder." | |||
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Guys Thank you so much for your good advise !! Will lengthen barrels to 26",86 the beaver tail, and make sure safety is non-automatic. The extended tang over comb stays. Thank You again David Off to Argentina in 1 hour to decrease the dove population !!!!!!! | |||
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