Any Problems with "Heym"?

[Daniel Cary]

Thank You.

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

My 88B is 37 years old with worn finish especially where the former caretaker and I carried it by the barrels over the shoulder. She is just barely broken in!

 

[NJC]

The only problem I have is that I always want more

 

[frog stealer]

The only problem I have is that I always want more

Ditto

 

[Red Leg]

No.

 

[DLSJR]

A PH I hunt with has had problems with his Heym occasionally ‘doubling’ unexpectedly. But, it’s only a 500 NE, so I’m sure not too unpleasant! . When I hunted western Tanzania with him last October, I asked him why he was carrying his bolt rifle and he mentioned the doubling problem.

 

[Inline6]

I'm on the hunt for a double, I tend to be one of those people that researches things way more than needs to be done at times. From everything I have read and the experts in this field. Heym is one of the most solid built doubles. That said anything man built can have a problem.

Is your question to find someone that has a problem that you might be experiencing? Or just a general question knowing the reliability of the maker? With the way the question is asked I feel their is more to the question than you are asking.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I used one of their Heym Jumbo sidelock ejector double rifles in .600 Nitro Express (loaded with a 900Gr Labor Fur Ballistik copper jacketed soft point in one barrel & an FMJ solid in the other) to down a hippopotamus (on land). The photo is on these forums. I was extremely satisfied with how well balanced the 13 pound rifle was (even when firing 900Gr bullets at 1985fps). Recoil was no stouter than firing a 12 Gauge 3 " Magnum 56 gram shell.

Heym makes a solid product, and amongst African white hunters ... Their wares are the second most popular brand of double rifle that I see nowadays.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

A PH I hunt with has had problems with his Heym occasionally ‘doubling’ unexpectedly. But, it’s only a 500 NE, so I’m sure not too unpleasant! . When I hunted western Tanzania with him last October, I asked him why he was carrying his bolt rifle and he mentioned the doubling problem.

Only a .500 NE? I like the way you think. Very hardcore. Doubling should only be a cause of concern in real calibers like the .600 NE or (at the very least) the .577 NE.

Jokes aside ... In all seriousness, I'm very much appalled to hear of a double discharge issue in a Heym double rifle. Could you please share a few more details? Such as which model (i.e Jumbo, 88B, 89B) your white hunter's double rifle is? And if he was using hand loads or factory loads? And what the general condition of the rifle was, when you last saw it?

 

[JvW]

I have seen a video of someone doubling an 88B in .500 NE. He initially blamed the rifle but on slow-mo video you could see that his trigger finger (the guy was quite tall with big hands) touched the back trigger under recoil. He started pulling the rear trigger first and problem solved.

I have an 89B in .450 NE myself and it has been a source of endless pleasure since I parked it in my safe. I have yet to shoot something with it but it regulates beautifully with 480-grain Woodleigh softs and IMR-4350.

I visited the Heym factory in March and saw first-hand how they put their rifles together. From the boss down to the workmen there, they are proud of their products and the 89B, especially.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I too over researched them before I bought one. I also handled and examinrd a new Purdey double and a Holland and Holland double but didn't shoot either. I also examined an older Westley Richards double and a Rigby 500 double, which I shot. And several Verney Carrons and Chapuis doubles that I handled but didn't shoot.
I concluded that the Heym is the best designed of them all, particularly with the stout Greener crossbolt, the long water table and the intercepting sears.
Now that I have a Heym 89b and have not only used it, but taken a magnifying glass to it I am blown away by the accuracy of the execution, it is perfect, everywhere. There is not a micron of slackness anywhere. The balance is great, it feels lighter than it's 4.5kg weight. So my personal conclusion is that you cannot find a better double at any price.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

My wife has used her 88b .450-.400 for close to 10 years now. She would love to have a 89b in .470.

 

[DLSJR]

Only a .500 NE? I like the way you think. Very hardcore. Doubling should only be a cause of concern in real calibers like the .600 NE or (at the very least) the .577 NE.

Jokes aside ... In all seriousness, I'm very much appalled to hear of a double discharge issue in a Heym double rifle. Could you please share a few more details? Such as which model (i.e Jumbo, 88B, 89B) your white hunter's double rifle is? And if he was using hand loads or factory loads? And what the general condition of the rifle was, when you last saw it?

Habib, I think it’s an 88B but I’m not positive about that. I’m almost certain he shoots handloads. The rifle is in very good condition. He’s a PH of 31 years experience, has only had this double the last 10 or so years.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Habib, I think it’s an 88B but I’m not positive about that. I’m almost certain he shoots handloads. The rifle is in very good condition. He’s a PH of 31 years experience, has only had this double the last 10 or so years.

Thanks for your prompt response, @DLSJR . This is very alarming and upsetting.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Only a .500 NE? I like the way you think. Very hardcore. Doubling should only be a cause of concern in real calibers like the .600 NE or (at the very least) the .577 NE.

Jokes aside ... In all seriousness, I'm very much appalled to hear of a double discharge issue in a Heym double rifle. Could you please share a few more details? Such as which model (i.e Jumbo, 88B, 89B) your white hunter's double rifle is? And if he was using hand loads or factory loads? And what the general condition of the rifle was, when you last saw it?

Hi, Habib If you can could you contact your PH and find out if in fact that the double he owns is really a Heym 88b. Possibly if may be something else, I would really hate to see some possible misinformation reach the internet, where it will stay forever.

When a double rifle doubles you have a worthless rifle after one pull of the trigger, for a PH who only fires when he must that is a very serious problem.

Cheers, Lon

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Hi, Habib If you can could you contact your PH and find out if in fact that the double he owns is really a Heym 88b. Possibly if may be something else, I would really hate to see some possible misinformation reach the internet, where it will stay forever.

When a double rifle doubles you have a worthless rifle after one pull of the trigger, for a PH who only fires when he must that is a very serious problem.

Cheers, Lon

But Lon, I think you got the wrong guy. It was @DLSJR Whose white hunter experienced a double discharge issue in their Heym double rifle. Not me.

I personally used a Heym Jumbo sidelock ejector double rifles in .600 Nitro Express (loaded with a 900Gr Labor Fur Ballistik copper jacketed soft point in one barrel & an FMJ solid in the other) to down a hippopotamus (on land). The photo is on these forums. I was extremely satisfied with how well balanced the 13 pound rifle was (even when firing 900Gr bullets at 1985fps). Recoil was no stouter than firing a 12 Gauge 3 " Magnum 56 gram shell.

Heym makes a solid product, and amongst African white hunters ... Their wares are the second most popular brand of double rifle that I see nowadays (second only to Merkel).

 

[rookhawk]

Hi, Habib If you can could you contact your PH and find out if in fact that the double he owns is really a Heym 88b. Possibly if may be something else, I would really hate to see some possible misinformation reach the internet, where it will stay forever.

When a double rifle doubles you have a worthless rifle after one pull of the trigger, for a PH who only fires when he must that is a very serious problem.

Cheers, Lon

@Tokoloshe Safaris There are a lot of African PHs that shoot unsafe doubles incorrectly (due to doubling) and then instruct others to shoot doubles incorrectly as well. We know PH instructors that do this.

Reasons why Africans pull the back trigger first:

1.) Failure to maintain their rifles properly resulted in bore/throat erosion of the right barrel so they switched to back trigger first to use the less-worn left barrel as a more accurate shot.

2.) Lack of maintenance over decades resulted in worn triggers that were not attended, thus out of fear of doubling they shoot the back trigger first which creates a slower second shot and a lot of fumbling to get your finger out of the much smaller second trigger area of the guard that was never intended for quick removal the way the front of the trigger guard on front trigger was.

I find that Heyms from the factory have from 6.5lb to 7lb front triggers and many people have them worked on immediately to get the "london standard" of 5.5lb front, 4.5lb rear. If a shadetree gunsmith was involved in Africa it could explain why a heym now doubles.

 

[DLSJR]

@Tokoloshe Safaris There are a lot of African PHs that shoot unsafe doubles incorrectly (due to doubling) and then instruct others to shoot doubles incorrectly as well. We know PH instructors that do this.

Reasons why Africans pull the back trigger first:

1.) Failure to maintain their rifles properly resulted in bore/throat erosion of the right barrel so they switched to back trigger first to use the less-worn left barrel as a more accurate shot.

2.) Lack of maintenance over decades resulted in worn triggers that were not attended, thus out of fear of doubling they shoot the back trigger first which creates a slower second shot and a lot of fumbling to get your finger out of the much smaller second trigger area of the guard that was never intended for quick removal the way the front of the trigger guard on front trigger was.

I find that Heyms from the factory have from 6.5lb to 7lb front triggers and many people have them worked on immediately to get the "london standard" of 5.5lb front, 4.5lb rear. If a shadetree gunsmith was involved in Africa it could explain why a heym now doubles.

Rookhawk, I absolutely assure you that the PH to whom I referred is very well experienced with all sort of rifles, including doubles of various manufacture. He’s been hunting dangerous game professionally for 31 years. And, the fellow who does all the work on his guns is a bit unusual in Africa as he’s not only a vastly experienced PH himself, he’s also a very skilled gunsmith. He definitely not a shade tree gunsmith.

 

[Red Leg]

I too over researched them before I bought one. I also handled and examinrd a new Purdey double and a Holland and Holland double but didn't shoot either. I also examined an older Westley Richards double and a Rigby 500 double, which I shot. And several Verney Carrons and Chapuis doubles that I handled but didn't shoot.
I concluded that the Heym is the best designed of them all, particularly with the stout Greener crossbolt, the long water table and the intercepting sears.
Now that I have a Heym 89b and have not only used it, but taken a magnifying glass to it I am blown away by the accuracy of the execution, it is perfect, everywhere. There is not a micron of slackness anywhere. The balance is great, it feels lighter than it's 4.5kg weight. So my personal conclusion is that you cannot find a better double at any price.

Better than a new Purdy or Holland & Holland? I too think a Heym is a fine rifle, but lets not get too carried away.

 

[VertigoBE]

Better than a new Purdy or Holland & Holland? I too think a Heym is a fine rifle, but lets not get too carried away.

Have there ever been any straight comparisons/reviews between a Holland&Holland, a Purdey, a Westley Richard’s, and a Krieghoff and Heym?

I could imagine something like the car industry. Where an Aston Martin, a Ferrari and such sports cars, are the more desirable cars, the more expensive ones , with the longest history, but when looking for a sports car, you are better of getting a German Porsche as the quality all over will be much higher. Resale value will be better, reliability will be higher.

Just an idea in my head this morning.

V.