Caliber for my Double Rifle

[thriller]

go smart or go home....

HWL

Learn when to spot a joke or stay home haha

 

[HWL]

Learn when to spot a joke or stay home haha

It's not a joke...

HWL

 

[thriller]

It's not a joke...

HWL

I am sorry you have your feeling hurt over a joke I made..... I hope you feel better now I will do my best to purge myself of any sense of humor in order to better fit your needs......

 

[Red Leg]

Do you have a scoped .500/416 NE that you have used?

I do in my Blaser S2. I have mine currently set up with a 2 MOA red dot shooting 2 - inches LxR/LxR 4 shot groups at 70 meters. I am sure it would do better with a scope. To be fair, I have not yet used it in Africa. I have used the .375 and 30-06 barrels and have taken PG out to nearly 250 yards with them. Ballistically, the 500/416 is a .416 Rigby and it obviously has proven track record and dedicated following in Africa. I am sure the Krieghoff version would prove just as effective. In a scoped Blaser, it would be particularly so because of the rifle's inherent accuracy.

 

[Tanks]

I do in my Blaser S2. I have mine currently set up with a 2 MOA red dot shooting 2 - inches LxR/LxR 4 shot groups at 70 meters. I am sure it would do better with a scope. To be fair, I have not yet used it in Africa. I have used the .375 and 30-06 barrels and have taken PG out to nearly 250 yards with them. Ballistically, the 500/416 is a .416 Rigby and it obviously has proven track record and dedicated following in Africa. I am sure the Krieghoff version would prove just as effective. In a scoped Blaser, it would be particularly so because of the rifle's inherent accuracy.

My main question in regards to scopes was maintaining regulation for distances that require a scope and still have that regulation without a scope at DG distances. Now, I have been told by people with greater experience than I that the extra half a kilo of the scope changes the regulation, so once you go with a scope that's it, you can't take it off and have both barrels regulate. A red dot has no perceptible weight to speak of to make that much of a difference. As mentioned earlier Cal Pappas solved it by sighting his scope in for just one barrel and turning his double into a single shot for distance shots.

Of course, Blaser being state of the art (not being sarcastic here) they might have solved that issue with their engineering.

 

[Red Leg]

My main question in regards to scopes was maintaining regulation for distances that require a scope and still have that regulation without a scope at DG distances. Now, I have been told by people with greater experience than I that the extra half a kilo of the scope changes the regulation, so once you go with a scope that's it, you can't take it off and have both barrels regulate. A red dot has no perceptible weight to speak of to make that much of a difference. As mentioned earlier Cal Pappas solved it by sighting his scope in for just one barrel and turning his double into a single shot for distance shots.

Of course, Blaser being state of the art (not being sarcastic here) they might have solved that issue with their engineering.

I can only speak for the Blaser, a pre-war German 9.3x74R double, and a Pre-war German double rifle drilling in 9.3x74r/9.3x74r/16 bore.

Somewhere buried in this site is my field report using the Blaser in Mozambique. As I noted above, the .375 and ‘06 barrels are scoped. Both shoot non-crossing four shot LxR groups at 100 meters into around 2.5 inches. Both barrels individually shoot MOA. Like Cal, I also sight-in using the right barrel. However, in both calibers, the second shot is no more than a couple of MOA off the original group out to 200+ meters. I did a LxR into a buffalo in Mozambique and both shots were maybe 3-inches apart. I have also taken a pair of warthog and a pair of Reedbuck with two shots. I have the open sights of both barrels set to be on with a six-o’clock hold at seventy meters. Since, they can only be used when the scope is removed it doesn’t matter what their regulation might be with the scope in place. With the scope off, both calibers shoot into no more than 3-inches at seventy meters without crossing. In other words, the regulation has seen no meaningful change.

The pre-war German double does the same 2.5 inches at 100 meters with the scope in place. I will admit it took Lance Hendershot and I a while to discover that load. I have only fired it out to fifty yards with open sights, but it is accurate at that range.

The double rifle drilling is far more finicky. I purchased it years ago from Tony Makris who featured on his show “Under Wild Skies” slaying a lion and a Cape Buffalo. I regret to say I have only killed a feral hog with it. It will seem to shift its regulation slightly due to time of day, and phase of the moon, much less whether the scope is in place or not.

The jury is still out on a scoped VC OU 9.3 which has yet to tell me what loads it truly likes.

My others are open sighted.

With respect to regulation, I don’t think any of us likely shoots so precisely with open sights, that scope removal will make a difference at any meaningful range.

 

[Tanks]

...

With respect to regulation, I don’t think any of us likely shoots so precisely with open sights, that scope removal will make a difference at any meaningful range.

Fair enough. My concern was if the rifle was regulated with the scope in place, then whether removal of the scope impacted regulation enough at < 75 meters to make a difference (e.g. 6+" instead of 2" standard at 50m). It seems not to make much of a difference if you just sight it in without changing the original regulation.

For me it doesn't matter at this point. If in the future I do get a 9.3 double for PG, it would be scoped and the scope most likely would not come off.

 

[HWL]

I am sorry you have your feeling hurt over a joke I made..... I hope you feel better now I will do my best to purge myself of any sense of humor in order to better fit your needs......

I am sorry you have your feeling hurt over a joke I made..... I hope you feel better now I will do my best to purge myself of any sense of humor in order to better fit your needs......

Give your best.....



HWL

 

[Kenneth McMillan]

Not yet but what is the point?

I am seriously considering one however and if I pull the trigger it will be a VC...

VC could build one which will regulate so can these fellows...or is this a bad idea?

New Westley Richards .500/.416 Droplock Double Rifle

An interesting rifle completed this week, is this lovely scroll back droplock double rifle in .500/.416 calibre. The round so it goes was developed to replicate the power of the legendary .416 Rigby, but in a flanged case that could be used successfully in double rifles. Developed by Kriegoff in the mid 1990’s, the round was based on the tried and tested .500 nitro express case in 3 1/4″ format. In Norma ammunition, the cartridge propels a 410 grain Woodleigh bullet at a very respectable 2325 feet per second so generating 4922 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle. All round a great cartridge for general African use, from the larger plains game all the way up to the largest of the most dangerous game.

Only the second rifle in this calibre to be built by us, we have to say that the lines of the rifle are only enhanced by the profile of the barrels which have a very nice and gentle sweep tapering down to the muzzle. The rifle weighs in at 10lb 6ozs which makes it extremely comfortable to shoot. The rifle has been regulated at 100 yards, hence the fitting of a scope, the whole package complete in a dark green canvas and leather trimmed lightweight case.

Vivid case colour hardening complements the traditional house scroll engraving and gold details.

The rifle comes complete in a dark green canvas and dark tan leather trimmed case.

Quick detachable scope mounts.

The rifle has lovely sweeping lines!

I didn't know that Westley Richards made a 500/416 double rifle. I bet it will be expensive to have made.

 

[John Telford]

470 and be done! Many available on the market new or used and still one of the top 3 doubles of all time.

 

[RayAtkinson]

You opened a can of worms, It is opinion and opinion only, Most of them are very close any way you cut it...Ive shot more buffalo with a couple of 450-400-3" guns and one 3.25 and I like the 3" best..Mine were Jefferys, Army Navy, and a Searcy, also a .470 Searcy and a 450-3.25 and I can't say which one I liked best, but the two Searcys I owned shot one hole groups and that's important to me..the coined "minute of grapefruit" for accuracy just stinks, I may need to shoot something coming my way in the eye, minute of angle is great plus...The 470 is recoil border line for me and I liked the 450-400s best, and never had any problem with them on any of the big 4.. If one is not talking Africa then id opt for the fun gun doubles in 9.3x74, 30-40 Krag, 7x57 rimmed for instance. fun guns.