ET1775
AH enthusiast
...by the double rifle bug.
I am losing sleep. My hair is not falling out yet but I am quite certain it will be gone (or at least white) long before I am cured. I daydream about hunting nearly every species on the planet with a double rifle, occasionally mixing it up with my single shot and my long bow. Has anyone ever hunted whale with a DR from either ship or helicopter? I am starting to take stock of my worldly possessions and wondering which I can sell or pawn for quick cash to put in my "Double Rifle or Bust" jar. Do I really need a dishwasher, laundry machines, television, home, health insurance, two testicles, my wife's truck?... The list goes on. The modicum of self control the Good Lord bestowed upon me is fading fast; like the ill-fated moth to a naked flame I feel the inexorable pull of oiled wood and blued steel. It calls to me, in the gloaming of imagination distant drumbeats and hyena-laughter set the tempo for the febrile dervish playing out at the periphery of my senses, neither present nor entirely imaginary, held at bay by the waning firelight of my exhausted prefrontal cortex. Is this madness... or is madness not getting a double rifle when I have but one life to live?
Which brings me to my next point.
I have been poring over threads about double rifles, what to look for, pros and cons of different calibers, etc. At this point in my search for a double rifle I am focusing primarily on modern weapons for the benefit of modern metallurgy, machining, regulation with modern ammunition, and a lessened likelihood of dubious repair work or hidden issues in a new to 20 year old weapon than a 80-150 year old one. I love old firearms and they certainly have a place, perhaps just not at the front of the line in my hopeless spiral into the murky back-alleys of double rifle addiction.
The brands I have narrowed my current search to are primarily Heym, Chapuis, Blaser, possibly VC (don't know enough about them yet.) My budget realistically for my 1st double would be 8-15k USD (extra barrels could be added later on.) Engraving is nice if well executed but well down the list of my criteria for a weapon. I am looking for in order of importance: reliability, durability, consistency, accuracy, proper weight for largest caliber I would use, ability to get additional barrel sets in other calibers, ammunition availability (factory or components), and lastly subjective beauty; all of this in a rifle that fits me correctly.
Would it make the most sense to get a rifle in the largest caliber I would plan to use in a double first so that the receiver is the correct size and rifle the correct weight for the big gun? I have a .375 H&H single shot which I love so calibers that would compliment but not necessarily duplicate that would be ideal though I would not be opposed to a barrel set in .375 Flanged or H&H as a later set. For large rounds I would like something along the lines of 450 NE 3 1/4", 470 NE, 450/400 NE. I am sure a 500 NE would be a blast but other than cutting down trees on my property it may be overkill for most hunting. I would like to have a medium bore and a 20 guage second and third barrel sets eventually. I would love to hunt elephant but realistically I will not be a game professional in Africa culling elephants and more likely when I hunt Africa buffalo will be on the menu as well as plains game, leopard, croc, hippo etc. Until Africa, I plan to continue pursuing bear, cougar, mule deer, elk, coyote, and as I begin to travel more frequently to hunt I will eventually add moose, Brown Bear and wolves.
I don't prefer decockers ala Blaser S2 but can't say I would mind them either. I really like Heym but from my reading it sounds like if I didn't pony up and buy a rifle with factory extra barrels then I would have to send it back to Heym to have them custom make each set due to their hand fitting methods. So many things I do not know yet.
I am sure to have more questions but I am going to bed. I am going to try to call in a cougar tomorrow.
I am losing sleep. My hair is not falling out yet but I am quite certain it will be gone (or at least white) long before I am cured. I daydream about hunting nearly every species on the planet with a double rifle, occasionally mixing it up with my single shot and my long bow. Has anyone ever hunted whale with a DR from either ship or helicopter? I am starting to take stock of my worldly possessions and wondering which I can sell or pawn for quick cash to put in my "Double Rifle or Bust" jar. Do I really need a dishwasher, laundry machines, television, home, health insurance, two testicles, my wife's truck?... The list goes on. The modicum of self control the Good Lord bestowed upon me is fading fast; like the ill-fated moth to a naked flame I feel the inexorable pull of oiled wood and blued steel. It calls to me, in the gloaming of imagination distant drumbeats and hyena-laughter set the tempo for the febrile dervish playing out at the periphery of my senses, neither present nor entirely imaginary, held at bay by the waning firelight of my exhausted prefrontal cortex. Is this madness... or is madness not getting a double rifle when I have but one life to live?
Which brings me to my next point.
I have been poring over threads about double rifles, what to look for, pros and cons of different calibers, etc. At this point in my search for a double rifle I am focusing primarily on modern weapons for the benefit of modern metallurgy, machining, regulation with modern ammunition, and a lessened likelihood of dubious repair work or hidden issues in a new to 20 year old weapon than a 80-150 year old one. I love old firearms and they certainly have a place, perhaps just not at the front of the line in my hopeless spiral into the murky back-alleys of double rifle addiction.
The brands I have narrowed my current search to are primarily Heym, Chapuis, Blaser, possibly VC (don't know enough about them yet.) My budget realistically for my 1st double would be 8-15k USD (extra barrels could be added later on.) Engraving is nice if well executed but well down the list of my criteria for a weapon. I am looking for in order of importance: reliability, durability, consistency, accuracy, proper weight for largest caliber I would use, ability to get additional barrel sets in other calibers, ammunition availability (factory or components), and lastly subjective beauty; all of this in a rifle that fits me correctly.
Would it make the most sense to get a rifle in the largest caliber I would plan to use in a double first so that the receiver is the correct size and rifle the correct weight for the big gun? I have a .375 H&H single shot which I love so calibers that would compliment but not necessarily duplicate that would be ideal though I would not be opposed to a barrel set in .375 Flanged or H&H as a later set. For large rounds I would like something along the lines of 450 NE 3 1/4", 470 NE, 450/400 NE. I am sure a 500 NE would be a blast but other than cutting down trees on my property it may be overkill for most hunting. I would like to have a medium bore and a 20 guage second and third barrel sets eventually. I would love to hunt elephant but realistically I will not be a game professional in Africa culling elephants and more likely when I hunt Africa buffalo will be on the menu as well as plains game, leopard, croc, hippo etc. Until Africa, I plan to continue pursuing bear, cougar, mule deer, elk, coyote, and as I begin to travel more frequently to hunt I will eventually add moose, Brown Bear and wolves.
I don't prefer decockers ala Blaser S2 but can't say I would mind them either. I really like Heym but from my reading it sounds like if I didn't pony up and buy a rifle with factory extra barrels then I would have to send it back to Heym to have them custom make each set due to their hand fitting methods. So many things I do not know yet.
I am sure to have more questions but I am going to bed. I am going to try to call in a cougar tomorrow.
