Your favorite new production double rifle manufacturer?

[adriw]

I currenly have a Verney Carron 500NE and love it.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I currenly have a Verney Carron 500NE and love it.

Spent a bit of time in VC booth at SCI this year drooling uncontrollably over their wares. Jerome is certainly a nice gent and very patient with a would be newbie to the DR world. He was telling me that felt recoil with in a 500NE he fells is less than a 470. Curious to know your thoughts on this.

 

[Jono Joseph]

Blaser S2 470NE is what i shoot currently and i really enjoy it.
however Hyme 577NE or 600NE is very eye catching.
The local dealer here had the Mark Sullavan edition i must say i really liked the sights and the feel of the rifle.

Shot Shot

 

[adriw]

He was telling me that felt recoil with in a 500NE he fells is less than a 470. Curious to know your thoughts on this.

They have balanced the rifle so well that you have a roll instead of a kick which makes it pleasant to handle.

 

[Jono Joseph]

Hold the rifle firmly and wait for the buff to get inside of 10 meters
you will not feel a thing i swear...

shooting on the range there is a bit more felt recoil than in the field this i can tell you.
I agree they roll more than snap (say like a 416 rem)

Shot Shot

 

[DUGABOY1]

i dunno, most of the antique doubles ive seen had 27-30 inch barrels. short barreled doubles are more of a recent concept as far as ive seen. granted these longer barrels were likely used to try and eek out every last bit of power possible from black powder and cordite cartridges.

even if its no longer needed, i find the longer barrels to be more attractive. you also benefit from a longer sight radius which leads to more accurate shooting. having said that, i think if i was a professional hunter who spent all his time chasing wounded dangerous game in the thick bush i would probably use a short barreled rifle.

-matt

In regard to barrel length, the long barrels were a carry over from the black powder days where the long barrels were needed to get the velocity needed from black powder. When smokeless powder came along, slowly it was found that the barrels could be shorter and still get even more velocity so we began to see the 26 rather than the 28, and 30 inch barrels. with the powders we have today , nothing more than a 24 inch barrel is needed. Many today order the 26 in barrels but it is simply a matter of taste and there is no real need for them, other that to gain a long sighting distance between the sights. The most often excuse for the long barrels to claim it is necessary for balance. That doesn't hold water because a double can be balanced no matter the barrel length.

Back to the most favorite double asked for in this thread my favorite maker is Westley Richards. That being said, the price makes the new WR doubles out of my reach, and the Heym, and Searcy are also out of my reach when I can own two Merkels (I have a 140E-1, and a 140-2 safari) for about the price of a new Heym

SO! I guess my choice is a Merkel ! If I could afford it, however it would be a new Westley Richards 500NE.

 

[sestoppelman]

One of those Russian made Baikal Remmies for me!! Why you ask? Well, its cheap, ugly, barely functional, not very accurate and has that little wheel between the barrels that is supposed to bend one barrel one way or another or something like that. Oh and did I say it was cheap?? I could go on but you see where its going.... I mean right?

 

[matt85]

One of those Russian made Baikal Remmies for me!! Why you ask? Well, its cheap, ugly, barely functional, not very accurate and has that little wheel between the barrels that is supposed to bend one barrel one way or another or something like that. Oh and did I say it was cheap?? I could go on but you see where its going.... I mean right?

you oughta buy that 450 NE ive got for sale!

-matt

 

[edward]

The only double I've ever fired is Pieter's Blazer S2 in 500 NE. I liked it but would want a recoile reducer installed for regular use! To Pieter's point it is a heavy rifle but felt very comfortable on my shoulder! Good looking but not over the top.
I would buy one for sure!

going to work a double shift at wal-mart???

 

[Heym 88]

I love my Heym.....but also love my Searcy. I love things about each of them, so I'm hoping I don't have to pick lol.

 

[CAustin]

going to work a double shift at wal-mart???

That why I can't get any hours Edward ......you keep working all the double shifts!

 

[edward]

That why I can't get any hours Edward ......you keep working all the double shifts!

hey, a guys gotta eat.

 

[Excessexpress]

One of those Russian made Baikal Remmies for me!! Why you ask? Well, its cheap, ugly, barely functional, not very accurate and has that little wheel between the barrels that is supposed to bend one barrel one way or another or something like that. Oh and did I say it was cheap?? I could go on but you see where its going.... I mean right?

Cheap, easy and ugly. That's why I started my double journey with one that was just like me.

 

[sestoppelman]

I was being facetious of course. I did in fact play with one for several months and it actually did for the most part, work and shoot pretty well. The barrel adjust thing is pretty hokey and came apart on me once, and took some noggin scratchin' to get back together but all in all it was a fun rifle.

 

[Excessexpress]

Oh really? I was dead serious

Actually I'd been thinking about the Chapuis X4, since it seems it will adjust vertically as well as horizontally.

It's a nice, fun little jigger, although it never failed to smack me in the face.....

 

[IvW]

Verney Carron with 2 sets of barrels 1st set 500 NE 2nd set 450/400 NE.

 

[spike.t]

Verney Carron with 2 sets of barrels 1st set 500 NE 2nd set 450/400 NE.

and the evidence?.....

 

[dwboso]

I have to second SANDMAN on Butch Searcy rifles. I have a P.H. boxlock in 500NE and I love it. Beautiful wood and workmanship,and of the test targets I've seen from other doubles here on A.H., I think it is more accurate than most double guns ! 1/2 to 2 inches @ 50 or 60 yds is not uncommon in my gun shooting alternate bbls. JMHO

 

[IvW]

and the evidence?.....

In progress. Jerome from VC is flying in to SA after a hunt in Zambia late Nov. He will be in SA 2nd Dec, we then have a get together to discuss a few things. There are 5 of us interested in his doubles. He will then at the same time if we decide to order rifles, take our measurements with regards to custom stocks etc. and details regarding who wants what.

I am also in discussion with Ralph Badenhorst, a local SA double rifle builder but am leaning towards VC.

Calibers are pretty much fixed as to what I want but not completely decided.

500 NE 3" or preferably the 500 NE 3 1/4" and then 450/400 Jeffery or 500/416 3 1/4 NE(better bullet availability and versatility than 450/400 3"), fitted with QD scope mount system. My favourite bullet manufacturer in SA, Rhino bullets, do not make a .411 projectile otherwise it would be 450/400 3".

Hopefully things work out as planned and this dream will come true.

 

[lockingblock]

If money is on my side...which it might be if the market performs, a Jeffery underlever in 470NE will have my name on it. I'm not sure of the status of Jeffery rifles as they seem to be in a bit of a state of flux at the moment with some substantive changes in staff...but there are photos of an underlever floating around that is breathtaking.

That is my grail.

Failing that...I bet WR could build it...and may have actually built the one on the net with the WJJ name on it.

So...a WJJ if they are in the business or a WR if they are not.

If money is an issue, Heym rifles are perfectly functional and durable. No problems with a Heym.