.500NE Double Rifle - "Artisan Belge"

[AN.87]

The P* is the inspector indeed. The greek letter the date. Could be a delta or theta, but it isn´t 100% conclusive...

 

[375Fox]

So you ever get to shoot this rifle yet?

 

[VertigoBE]

It is still in the twilight zone… all firearms purchased abroad must first pass a check by the Liège Banc d’Epreuves. I have a date in two weeks with them.

 

[Frederik]

@VertigoBE I am sure that one day I will see this double of yours here in Africa.
I think you will find some good wood underneath if it is cleaned up a bit it might not be top level but sure that any rifle built in that era would have gotten proper wood to last that long.

We can start by getting you to fire my 458 Lott a few times with 500gr bullets to feel a tiny bit of recoil!

 

[DieJager]

@VertigoBE and no heads up you bought this . If it is ready and working and for whatever reason your not happy with it. I know someone

 

[VertigoBE]

@VertigoBE I am sure that one day I will see this double of yours here in Africa.
I think you will find some good wood underneath if it is cleaned up a bit it might not be top level but sure that any rifle built in that era would have gotten proper wood to last that long.

We can start by getting you to fire my 458 Lott a few times with 500gr bullets to feel a tiny bit of recoil!

I'll first bring my small double

But yeah, this caliber is even more complicated for me to find a place to be able to practice with, it is very likely that the only way of actually getting some real practice in, is coming over to one of the BASA shoots

 

[VertigoBE]

@VertigoBE and no heads up you bought this . If it is ready and working and for whatever reason your not happy with it. I know someone

We need to find a way for you and your wife to come visit

 

[Dewald]

It looks to me like a standard Anson & Deeley action with a Greener cross-bolt and double under-lugs.

Many FN S/S shotguns were built on this action, and probably even more fore the trade, so a Belgian gunsmith of that era would have been very familiar with the action to build a double rifle on.

 

[Frederik]

It looks to me like a standard Anson & Deeley action with a Greener cross-bolt and double under-lugs.

Many FN S/S shotguns were built on this action, and probably even more fore the trade, so a Belgian gunsmith of that era would have been very familiar with the action to build a double rifle on.

Dewal, when Vertigo does get the chance to join one of our shoots you have will have to join us.
You coukd catch a lift with Deon @DWB driving up to his town if you need to he doens't miss a BASA shoot.

Next time I'm down on your side of the woods will let you know.

 

[Dewald]

Dewal, when Vertigo does get the chance to join one of our shoots you have will have to join us.
You coukd catch a lift with Deon @DWB driving up to his town if you need to he doens't miss a BASA shoot.

Next time I'm down on your side of the woods will let you know.

I will Frederik. By the time I drive up to Pretoria in the Land Cruiser, the price of fuel could buy this double.

Luckily DWB is a dedicated Prius man

 

[DWB]

I will Frederik. By the time I drive up to Pretoria in the Land Cruiser, the price of fuel could buy this double.

Luckily DWB is a dedicated Prius man

You still wanna drive up to the CAR with my in my Prius

 

[Dewald]

You still wanna drive up to the CAR with my in my Prius

We’ll get a yearling red river hog free in exchange for your Prius there as food for the week.
#hitchhike back

 

[VertigoBE]

Hello esteemed members,
just got back from the gunshop, where they have:
- Added a nice thick red rubber buttpad, to lengthen and to cushion
- removed the fraction of a mm of play between barrels and action
- redid the third bite, so there is again enough security margin
- bored the two striker disks out, and rebuilt these from scratch, as the firing pins were loose.
- still remaining is the timing of one of the ejectors. should be ready in the next few days.

I did learn something quite new today about double rifles/guns with a third bite, in the style of a Greener cross bolt. The cross bolt is not a cylinder but is slightly tapered. For it to lock sufficiently well into the third lug coming from the barrel rib, no play should be noticeable between the cross bolt and the hole itself. To accomplish this, the cross bolt is "over-lengthened" and will tend to stick out a few mm from the action, to show that it is pushing fully against the third lug. The gunsmith called this "there is enough safety left" (we spoke French: "il reste suffisamment de securité") . Through (heavy) use the cross bolt will thin, and advance further. Until the moment that the back of the cross bolt is no longer sticking out a bit from the action. That is then the sign to get back to the gunsmith to have the cross bolt worked upon, because it might not be doing anything anymore. I had never read about this and was at first a bit skeptical about this cross bolt now sticking out (together with the action key being slightly to the right already), but he showed me some very high-dollar examples of other guns in the shop which all had this as well. Basically, if the cross bolt, can fully slide in and becomes level with the action, it means that the cross bolt, is no longer making contact with the lock, and becomes useless.

My Heym 88b does not have this cross-bolt sticking out, it is rather perfectly flush with the action. Either they are way more advanced in their construction, or more likely, it is not doing as much as many think. As it is a .375/7x65r action, however, this should not be a dealbreaker either way.

Once I have it back in my hands, I'll show a picture of this cross bolt slightly protruding from the action of my .500NE

Another thing I would like some input from members from is the following:
The original LOP of the stock being quite short, and now being lengthened with the rubber pad, means also that due to the angle, my face is lower and when perfectly pressed against the stock, the front sight drops a bit below the rear sight. The gunsmith did not want to try to bend the stock a few millimeter higher, as it is a 80year old double rifle and a .500NE to boot. He was too fearful that he would weaken the stock by doing so.

So I'm trying to find solutions:
1. I do not perfectly force my face against the stock, and learn to shoot it with lower pressure cheek weld
2. I get the stock replaced
3. I get a red dot installed. As long as I can see the dot on something, even if a bit higher than the barrels, I should be able to shoot accurately and fast
4. I get a straight tube scope (Swaro Z6i 1-6x24) installed

For option 3 (my preferred one for the moment), I had suggested to have a front Recknagel pivot mount installed just behind or in front of the rear iron sights. Then a then quick detach lever mounting plate would allow me to have whichever red dot installed as I would like.

Using this:

And this:

I would love to hear some people's thoughts on this. So if you have tried this before, or found better solutions for my issue, I'm all ears!

Cheers!

V.

 

[VertigoBE]

Btw, @Hunter-Habib your guess that this would be a Francotte action, seems to gain a lot of probability. I found this one on Dorleac&Dorleac:

Double Express Safari | DORLEAC & DORLEAC

www.dorleac-dorleac.com

Apart from some small engraving differences, looks identical to mine.

V.

 

[375Fox]

I have no experience with double rifles but with my 450 Rigby CZ 550 I had to uncomfortably force my face into the stock to be able to look down the open sights. I had a trijicon RMR installed and I’m really impressed. I can keep both eyes open while I shoot and it doesn’t restrict any of your overall view of the target. I wish the alignment was better on my rifle so I could have used the open sights more comfortably but I really think the red dot is better for a variety of reasons.

 

[AN.87]

I have a mount for the back piece of a swing mount. Best pictures I could find on my phone:

I don´t remember the brand by heart. But is a pretty standard thing I think. With a red dot the line of sight is higher versus the irons though. But indeed, the red dot just has to be visible somewhere.

 

[Rare Breed]

I have a mount for the back piece of a swing mount. Best pictures I could find on my phone:
View attachment 585774

I don´t remember the brand by heart. But is a pretty standard thing I think. With a red dot the line of sight is higher versus the irons though. But indeed, the red dot just has to be visible somewhere.

Interesting…a single trigger on a DR SxS

 

[AN.87]

Interesting…a single trigger on a DR SxS

It is an 8x57. So is not intended for DG. But never had any problems with it. Bought it second hand at a price I couldn't resist

 

[Tex .416]

Vertigo,

Blackhaek makes a strap on cheek pad that works well. The pad has a velvro opening with thin foam pads inside. They can be stacked, removed, and or trimmed to improve fit. It is the easiest to adjust I’ve tried on rifles with low combs.

Perhaps they will ship to you or there is something similar in the EU.

I really enjoy seeing rifles and knives used in the field. Beautiful rifle, congratulations.

Buy Tactical Cheek Pad And More | Blackhawk

Shopping for the Tactical Cheek Pad? Learn more about the latest Cheekpads and more at Blackhawk.

www.blackhawk.com

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Btw, @Hunter-Habib your guess that this would be a Francotte action, seems to gain a lot of probability. I found this one on Dorleac&Dorleac:

Double Express Safari | DORLEAC & DORLEAC

www.dorleac-dorleac.com

View attachment 585732


Apart from some small engraving differences, looks identical to mine.

V.

@VertigoBE
Then, you have absolutely nothing to fear. Those Auguste Francotte boxlock actions used to be the pride of the Belgian gun making industry. According to my research, roughly 90% of all the double barreled shotguns and rifles built during the heyday of the Belgian sporting arms industry employed actions sourced from Auguste Francotte (similar to how Webley & Scott actions were almost universally employed by the British gun making industry).