"Affordable" Double rifle

Status
Not open for further replies.
T

TehK1w1

Member
Joined
May 21, 2007
Messages
869
Location
Where the Wild Things Are
I am looking into the idea of getting a double rifle, most likely in 375 H&H mag. Is there anyone who makes a good quality double for under 10 grand? I really like the Merkel doubles, but at 11,000K they are a bit out of my price range. Any suggestions? I am NOT looking for a cheap double such as the imported remmie O/U doubles-this rifle would see some serious use. Suggestions from knowledgeable people *Cough H&H Hunter cough* would be greatly appreciated :D
 
Nope. And that's the long version of the answer unfortunately.

I hope I'm wrong but I've been searching for the same for a number of years now with no luck.
 
Searcy used to have a double for right around $10,000, but I see he's raised his prices.

If you can find a Pedersoli Kodiak IV , they are right around $5,000-8,000.

S890.jpg


http://www.shooterschoice.com/pedersoli/pedkodiak.htm
 
Google the "Baikal Express double rifle". It is an over-under rather than a side by side, but I saw some reviews that weren't too bad.
 
If you are dead set on the traditional Dangerouse game rifle, then no and in fact $10K is the bargain version ya can go for the O/U variety for alot less but forget the hand fitted lock work, tubes etc... think assembly line type quality
 
Ther are severl good guns under $10K, check the classifieds at accuratereloading.com, there have been several listed there.
 
Cruise Gunbroker. There's a Blaser on there for like $8000. Used ones pop up there as well. And whoever suggested watching the boards at accuratereloading had a good idea. There was a thread on thefiringline where a member had a double built on a Ruger Red Label action. Something like that may work out more affordable for you.
 
I would pick up a few issues of doublegun journal and look at the adds. Most of the used guns have seen little to no use and many vendors have a variety of used quality guns in a spectrum of pricing.
 
Chapuis Armes makes a nice-looking line of doubles, starting at under $10,000 new in the US (and here). Calibres include 375 H & H too, though personally I prefer rimmed cartridges in break actions.

In O/U there's a few other choices, such as Fabarm's Asper, as well as sundry Berettas, Tikka/Valmet, and Brownings and Winchesters on the used market.
 
The Valmet 512s (now Finnclassic from Marrochi) start at about $2000, but they are O/U's and the largest cartrige is the 9.3x74R. I wouldn't hesitate to use mine on anything except elephant. Also a big plus is that shotgun and other rifle and cape barrels can be fitted for about $1200 each (includes barrel set). Mine is in 9.3X74R and a 26" 12ga barrel set with tubes. It cost me $2200 and that included the $200 worth of scope mount. It is the most fantastic shooting rifle I have, probably because the barrels are Lothar Walther. No it isn't fancy, or have hand fitted wood (1/2 inch gap between the barrel and fore end sides) or gold inlaid charging lions and driven grouse but it does get the job done VERY well. Plus Hornady just started making loads for the 9.3X74R (softpoint only though).
 
I don't know of any affordable double rifles in .375 H&H, but EAA/Baikal makes some fairly large affordable double rifles in 30-06 and 9.3X74R. Maybe they might do it for you.

baikal_double_barrel_rifle.jpg


http://www.gunsandammomag.com/long_guns/bear_simplicity/index1.html

http://firearms.rifleshootermag.com/detail/gun_536/DoubleRiflesCombinationGuns_21/eaa_141

Remington is also supposed to have come out with a double rifle in 45/70 (also made by Baikal for their Spartan line) that supposedly retails for around $600 new, I haven't seen them yet though. Maybe one of these two will fit the bill as I don't think that you'll find a .375 H&H for less than several thousand dollars (maybe you'll get lucky though).
 
Would you trust an old double rifle over something that's new (and that's been built using modern manufacturing methods)? It seems to me that just because something is more expensive because of ornate engraving that it doesn't mean that the lockwork is necessarily better or that it would be more reliable for actual use in the field, in fact it would actually seem like it would be reversed to me because it's an older gun that's been used for who knows how long with an unknown maintenance record by whomever.

But maybe you just don't like the caliber or you think the brand cheap, that's fine. From what I understand brown bear has been taken with 30-06's loaded with higher grain bonded bullets without too much trouble, but some feel that more is better.

If you're willing to spend more to get something really nice (engraving, wood and finish wise as it's not going to be 9,000 times more reliable just because it's that many dollars more in price) instead of just going for something that's strictly ulitarian try Kreighoff, they're usually around $7,000 to $11,000 and they're pretty good. I've never fired a Merkel, so I don't know anything about them.

jmar_kr2x.jpg


http://www.chuckhawks.com/double_rifles.htm

http://www.krieghoff.com/pages/3.2.1/pages/3.2.1.html

http://www.krieghoff.com/pages/3.2.7/pages/3.2.7.html

My father in law has two doubles that he uses over in Africa for big game.

One's some $15,000 English made job in some .50 Nitro caliber and the other one's a Kreighoff in .375 H&H.
 
Last edited:
If the Pedersoli Kodiak is anywhere near as nice as what the picture looks like it would be a heck of a gun. That thing is beautiful...if I was a single man I'd buy one.

Of course, I'd probably also own a .50 BMG, a Ducati, and a Corvette, too. :)
 
i read somewhere that someone took a spartan double 12 gauge and added a pair of 20" 45-70 chamber insert. silver soldered some sights on it. POI was pretty good. as i recall, they shot and turned the inserts one at a time to adjust. i believe they used some lock tight or something to keep the inserts in. but i could be mistaken on the whole affair
 
I also sent an email to Remington. I suggest you all do the same.

Customer (danny fletcher) - 12/18/2007 01:49 PM
Will Remington make these double rifles available in a cartridge that is suitable for African game?
The rifle design is for hunting the big 5, but these cartridges (30-06 and 45-70)are not powerful enough.
375 H&H, 458 winmag, 416 rigby, etc.. would be good.

Reply:
Thank you for your interest in our products. We have received several suggestions similar to yours and appreciate you taking the time to write in. We routinely forward all suggestions to our marketing departments for review. Consumer feedback allows us to understand consumer perception of our products. The greater the number of suggestions for a particular issue, the greater the likelihood of implementing the suggestion.
Gloria
 
A Ruger double rifle for $1500? Add a zero.

Remington has not delivered the plains game double from their pals in Russia yet. I don't even see it listed on their site any more.
A bigbore would have to be an all new gun; I have read reports of the .45-70 Baikals being rechambered to longer .45s as .450 Nitro wannabes and not holding up.
EAA couldn't deliver before Remington bid the Baikals away from them anyhow.
 
Sorry, I don't even want one. I have shot real British safari .450 and .500 doubles and they kick like a SOB. I am good for about a pair and a half. If I couldn't put any given critter down in three shots, I had just as well catch the steamer back to civilisation.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

S
  • Locked
double rifle questions
Replies
3
Views
446
TaxPhd
T
B
  • Locked
Double Rifle
2
Replies
39
Views
2K
BigG
B
G
  • Locked
affordable .45-70 Double rifle
2
Replies
39
Views
6K
barnbwt
barnbwt
troy fairweather
  • Locked
Dream double rifle cartridge
2 3 4 5 6
Replies
128
Views
4K
Skoghund
S
B
  • Locked
Regarding double rifles
Replies
6
Views
419
elmerfudd
E
Back
Top