Why are there no Double Rifles which are Over and Under?

[sureshot375]

Well I hope you all are happy. I was on the path to being a responsible adult, but then I started hanging out on this forum.

I picked up a VC over under today in .450-.400.

Y’all are a bad influence on an impressionable young man.

 

[SnowLeopard]

I am used to hunting in the UK where just about everyone uses a bolt action (saw a Ruger No1 once), but new Safari
Hunting and am learning of the passion for Doubles rifles, particularly for Dangerous Game.

The Doubles only seem to come in Side by Side? Is there a reason for this? Is there any move to Over and Under as there is with shotguns?

regards

Chris

Fausti makes a line of o/u double rifles as well as a line of sxs rifles. A very fine Italian firearms maker with a great reputation. The rifles are surprisingly affordable.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Thanks Kevin but my wife/accountant says I'm not allowed to talk to you.



I agree. If I ever get a big bore double it will have twin triggers. Being a duck hunter, a single trigger makes sense on my shotguns because it's easier to lace a cold, stiff (possibly gloved) finger into the trigger guard. With my scoped small bore double, I like the single length-of-pull especially since I hunt from elevated stands and often times have to take percision shots from contorted positions.

She is quite right, but if she likes jewelery you can always bribe her

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

As someone who has never shot a double rifle (but has shot shotguns with two triggers) I think that this question probably deserves a thread of its own!

@NewForester
Like your self I have not had the privilege of fireing a double rifle but have spent enough time with shot guns to develop my own opinion. When it comes t o triggers I prefer a mechanical single trigger as it doesn't require inertia to reset.
After a long time with both hammer and hammerless shot guns I very quickly got used to fireing the REAR trigger first. This came about as a result of getting as close as you can get to a double fire when the trigger finger comes off the front trigger under recoil and you fire the second barrel almost immediately.
Could be poor technique or just me but I have seen it happening to others. I imagine the problem would be similar with a DR.
That's my reason for fireing the REAR trigger first.
I was out with a mate and he was using a beautiful Krighof double in 500 nitro with twin triggers he touched of the front one filled incessantly but the second one.
After he dusted himself off and being severely pissed of because he missed the kangaroo he was shooting at he decided after a bit of logic to pull the REAR trigger first.
Yes he was using the 500 on pigs and roos so he could have some brass to load for his upcoming NT buffalo hunt. He went thru 60 rounds of ammo over the weekend with the help if 2 of his mates( no I wasn't offered a shot). In Australia 500 nitro is around 25 dollars a shot. This bloke had more money than brains or was just a show off. Either way I didn't help with the gent.
Bob

 

[Hallgeir Gravråk]

Most of the manufacturers is writing in their users manual that you shall fire right barell first, also the front trigger, this is because the heat and vibration have influence on the left barell and the adjustments of the pipes are done because of this,

 

[Chrisbritton]

Get and enjoy a double. I have a .470 o/u as well as .270 o/u. Breaking the rifle just a little more to reload may or may never be an issue. I'm sure there is a fractional time advantage but I think I can reload my 470 o/u about as fast as my 9.3x74r sbs. I know I can reload the 270o/u as fast or faster.

 

[Bonk]

I'm a DR heretic of the worst kind. My only DR is an O/U with a single trigger. However if the first barrel doesn't fire I can cycle the tang mounted safety to reset the trigger to the other barrel. With a double trigger gun having the ability to quickly fire the other barrel with the other trigger is a good thing but having the ability to cycle the safety to switch barrels negates that concern for me. BTW, mine is a Zoli 9.3x74R. YMMV

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Get and enjoy a double. I have a .470 o/u as well as .270 o/u. Breaking the rifle just a little more to reload may or may never be an issue. I'm sure there is a fractional time advantage but I think I can reload my 470 o/u about as fast as my 9.3x74r sbs. I know I can reload the 270o/u as fast or faster.

Hi Chrisbritton, what make is your 470 O/U? Have you had any problems with it bursting open?

 

[Chrisbritton]

Hi Chrisbritton, what make is your 470 O/U? Have you had any problems with it bursting open?

It is a sabatti. Got it new a few years ago. Have never had it open accidentally.

Is this happening to some rifles?

 

[Rubberhead]

Get and enjoy a double. I have a .470 o/u as well as .270 o/u. Breaking the rifle just a little more to reload may or may never be an issue. I'm sure there is a fractional time advantage but I think I can reload my 470 o/u about as fast as my 9.3x74r sbs. I know I can reload the 270o/u as fast or faster.

My only double rifle is a O/U Browing in .30-06 but I've shot birds with O/U and SxS guns for 35 years. I'm pretty convinced that I can reload an O/U quicker than a SxS. I can easily hold two shells or bullets vertically between my thumb and index finger and easily drop them into an open face of a O/U. When I try this same technique with a SxS but my hand rotated 90 degrees it doesn't seem to line up with the barrels as well so I usually have to work the shells in individually.

I'm a DR heretic of the worst kind. My only DR is an O/U with a single trigger. However if the first barrel doesn't fire I can cycle the tang mounted safety to reset the trigger to the other barrel. With a double trigger gun having the ability to quickly fire the other barrel with the other trigger is a good thing but having the ability to cycle the safety to switch barrels negates that concern for me. BTW, mine is a Zoli 9.3x74R. YMMV

I too only have an inertia triggered O/U rifle. Amazingly, almost unbelievably, the first time I shot it at a whitetail the under barrel didn't go off. Like you said, I had to cycle the safety to prime the gun to shoot the over barrel. If I ever get a dangerous game double it will have twin triggers. That being said, I like the constant LOP on a single triggered gun. I think it's necessary for the upmost accuracy out of a gun. Accuracy in a danger game gun is tertiary behind redundancy and reliability.

Just my opinion. I love that we all have different thought processes that lead us to different opinions on double gun configurations.

 

[HWL]

O/U doubles are out there.....

Found this on egun tonight.....

Brno Super Express O/U in .375 Holland & Holland, side locks, ejectors, set triggers!.....
Zeiss Diavari-ZM T* 3-12x56, German #4, on pivot mount.

54 rounds of RWS ammunition included.

Now, I finally will figure out, if ejectors work on belted cases....

HWL

 

[bill73]

They will eject just fine,I have the same gun plus a Stopper in 458.