Your top 3 double rifle brands

[BeeMaa]

I don't currently own a double rifle, but I would eventually like to.
Just looking for a general feeling from the collective knowledge of AH.

What are your top 3 double rifle brands and why.

 

[IvW]

Westley Richards
Holland & Holland
Purdey

In the more affordable class

Verney Carron
Krieghoff
Any good used "English" double that fits you.

 

[BeeMaa]

Any good used "English" double that fits you.

"English" meaning made in England or made in the English style?
Heym and Merkel...I believe they are both made in Germany but in the English style.
And I will make the assumption that you would put these both in the "more affordable" class.

 

[IvW]

"English" meaning made in England or made in the English style?
Heym and Merkel...I believe they are both made in Germany but in the English style.
And I will make the assumption that you would put these both in the "more affordable" class.

Only the Heym will make the cut for me....

 

[4 Bore]

I can only speak about the brands which l have tried :
1) Holland & Holland .
Why : I had a chance to fire one of their .500/450 cordite Vintage Double rifles in 2015 , using handloads and they truly are a luxury gun. If l ever get the chance , l will gladly trade my .450 NE Rigby Double for one of the Holland and Holland .500/450 Nitro Express Double rifles ( provided l have access to a consistent supply of ammunition ). You really can't go better than a Holland and Holland.
2) Anderson Wheeler .
Why : They build the traditional English style double rifle , with a Modern Flair. I also like the fact how the guy who runs Anderson Wheeler is a Professional Hunter Himself. I had a chance to try one of their Double .303 Caliber rifles and it is something definitely worth having for those who like small bore double Rifles . I can't speak of their larger caliber models though.
3) Westley Richards .
Why : While l didn't try one of their rifles , l did try one of their 28 Bore Shotguns ( pictured above and below ) on this Friday. The owner is a fellow member at our local shooting club . He uses Hand loaded round ball catridges in the gun and has taken Many deer and Feral Goats with it . I had a chance to fire it too at Targets at our 25 metre outdoor range. It 's accuracy is suprisingly good and if their shotguns have such good regulation , l can only imagine what their rifles are capable of.

 

[IvW]

Only the Heym will make the cut for me....

I would look at the following three if I where to buy.

Krieghoff
VC
Heym

All good working doubles and they are all different.

 

[Dewald]

When looking at the old British rifles, anything on a Webley and Scott PHV1 or Screw-grip action. Whether the maker was Gibbs, William Evans, Holland&Holland doesn’t matter. It makes a very fine working rifle.

If buying new it would be a Heym or VC for me

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

I would look at the following three if I where to buy.

Krieghoff
VC
Heym

All good working doubles and they are all different.

+1

 

[BeeMaa]

I am very appreciative to have all of your experience and knowledge given like this.
Thank you all.

Only the Heym will make the cut for me....

I've heard of problems with some Merkel doubles.

 

[IvW]

I am very appreciative to have all of your experience and knowledge given like this.
Thank you all.

I've heard of problems with some Merkel doubles.

Yip.

Between the other three you should find one that suites you.

Irrespective if you buy one of them new or second hand or even an old"English" Btitish" one from a known maker it is imperative that you find one that fits you perfectly. An ill fitting double is of no use to the user.

If you buy new, you can choose caliber and some of them will customize the stock to fit. You can also decide on any additional features you like or even wood upgrades.

VC will actually take your measurements and build the stock to fit and as well as whatever else you want done. Small narrow fore end or larger wider fore end, ejectors or extractors and they also have great after sales service.

Krieghoff have an agent in SA, who will also send the rifle with your grade of wood(they actually send you some pictures of the wood grade availible and you can choose), They will then send it with an semi finished stock and the agent will finish the stock here to fit.

Then the Krieghoff has the cocking device which makes it very safe to use.

In the end the one that fits you and what you like is the one you should take.

 

[HWL]

In the very end, the one you can afford is the one you can take....



HWL

 

[spike.t]

Top end

Rigby used to have a .470
Holland
Westley Richards.

Medium price
VC round action
Heym round action

Lower end
Chapuis used to have a9.3x74r
Merkel

 

[mark-hunter]

Take a look at Austrian, village of Ferlach, region Carinthia, several gunmakers families owned for generations, and their doubles.
Less known to American hunters - maybe. But very very fine.

What Schul, or Oberndorf is for Germany, Brescia for Italy, Liege for Belgium, - then village of Ferlach is for Austria.

Make your research for following new doubles or 2nd hand as well:

- Fanzoj
- Borownik
- Franz Sodia
- Peter Hofer
- Koschat Jakob
- Karl Hauptman

Just like for Holland and Holland, I have never heard of any flaws of these hand crafted firearms. Worth taking look into.

Some links:
https://www.austria.info/uk/service-facts/handcrafts-and-traditions/ferlach-master-gunsmiths

 

[Pondoro]

Although I love my vintage Purdey shotgun, I do not like Purdey´s Beesley mechanism in a DG double....I handeled a few at South Audley Street a year ago up to and including a .600NE...I had to use nearly all my strength to close the .600...wich makes it slow to operate...and time is a luxury you don't have in a tight spot. The build quality was superb though..

If I was to by a new british DG double today I would pick a Westley Richards gold name model in the boxlock configuration (who need droplocks..)...in either .470/.500 or .577NE depending what quarry you wish to take...

I have a ca. WW1 british double in .475NE and recently bought a Krieghoff Big Five in .470NE, love the cocking devise for safe carrying....got it darn cheap so I could not help myself...

 

[Red Leg]

If a "best" new double, then my top three would be:

Holland & Holland Royal
Hartman & Weiss
Rigby Rising Bite
Westley Richards Drop Lock (honorable mention)

All will cost you in excess of $100K (three- well in excess) and about two-years until delivery. But they are the best that money can buy.

If you are looking for a non-bespoke, affordable but functional new double, then my top three would be:

Krieghoff
Verney Carron
Blaser S2 (discontinued, but still a lot of new guns out there at great discounts)

Pre-owned British doubles can be a great buy or a disaster (more often the later). I have seen several photographed on this site and many listed in on-line auctions that I wouldn't touch with someone else's money. Many have been badly abused, even more horribly "repaired", and far too many wretchedly "restored". Only go there with the assistance of someone who really knows how to evaluate such a rifle.

 

[BeeMaa]

Before I started this thread I had a few brands in mind.
They were of the much more affordable lot...Krieghoff, VC, Blaser and Beretta.
Your responses are continuing to reinforce my initial impressions of these brands.

In the very end, the one you can afford is the one you can take....



HWL

And if I could afford a Bespoke...well why would I have just one?
Someone else on this forum once said "I had to dig for change in the couch just to pay attention"
That about sums it up.

 

[Bas]

Before I started this thread I had a few brands in mind.
They were of the much more affordable lot...Krieghoff, VC, Blaser and Beretta.
Your responses are continuing to reinforce my initial impressions of these brands.


And if I could afford a Bespoke...well why would I have just one?
Someone else on this forum once said "I had to dig for change in the couch just to pay attention"
That about sums it up.

Check Champlin Arms website. They do some smithing on doubles. They claim Heym and Chapuis are the only ones they would "trust". Don't know why. If you called them maybe you would gain some insight ?

 

[norfolk shooter]

For me it's Sabbati (I have one) and it shoots bloody well. Krieghoff and Chapuis. I've kept it realistic for Joe the plumber because I am him. Also I use mine for what it's intended use is. That's not being a cabinet queen

 

[BeeMaa]

For me it's Sabbati (I have one) and it shoots bloody well. Krieghoff and Chapuis. I've kept it realistic for Joe the plumber because I am him. Also I use mine for what it's intended use is. That's not being a cabinet queen

Yeah, I know what you mean about keeping it real.
I fix commercial burners and boilers for a living, so plumber of a different sort.
My firearms need to get the job done as well.

I've heard good things about Sabbati.
Does Sabbati share technology with Zoli or am I way off?
Wasn't sure if there was a parent company like Beretta who share technology with Benelli...etc.

 

[putter97127]

Before I started this thread I had a few brands in mind.
They were of the much more affordable lot...Krieghoff, VC, Blaser and Beretta.
Your responses are continuing to reinforce my initial impressions of these brands.


And if I could afford a Bespoke...well why would I have just one?
Someone else on this forum once said "I had to dig for change in the couch just to pay attention"
That about sums it up.

If only Savage or Mossberg made a double, lol.
I keep threatening my wife and daughter that I'm going to haul their horses off to the auction and put the money towards something useful... Like a nice double in 450/400.…