Over/under rifle/rifle configuration?

[Luchtaine]

My dad keeps talking about an over under rifle rifle not, rifle/shotgun, he thinks it was made by savage in the 60s or 70s. If anyone knows of one and could enlighten me on maker and model that would be much appreciated thank you.

I've searched around a little bit comming up empty.

 

[rbernie]

Savage made the 24 in over/under rifle/shotgun, but I never heard of a rifle/rifle version. That's not a definitive answer, I know.

The Izhmash line picked up by Remington has an over/under rifle/rifle combo, if I recall correctly...

 

[Okiecruffler]

This is interesting. My father, who seems to remember things quite well, swears that he once held in his hands and was seriously considering buying a Savage rifle that looked just like a mod24, but it was chambered in 30/30 over 30/30. I've looked in every reference I can find, but I've never found mention of one.

 

[CB900F]

Fella's;

I don't know about a Savage, but there most certainly was a Winchester. The Winchester Double Express Rifle, made in Japan by Olin-Kodensha. Only two calibers that I know of, .30-06 & 7 X 57. I'm sure of the 7 X 57, I've personally held one. All literature that I've seen confirms the .30-06, though I have not personally seen one.

I believe that the production run was limited to 1982 and maybe one or two more years. More likely, was that the production run was 1982 only, and it took a couple of years for even that very limited run to sell out.

900F

 

[sbow]

I have no direct knowledge of a Savage-branded double rifle, however, there might be several ways the following facts could be combined to give the impression of the existance of one, whether or not Savage ever sold it:

1) Savage used to import Valmet shotguns and combination guns, the latter of which was called the 2400 in Savage's catalog, not to be confused with Savage's own model 24.

2) While I don't know if it had the same action as the guns sold by Savage, Valmet also sold an over-under long gun (model 412) marketed as a "shooting system" with various interchangeable combinations of shotgun and rifle barrels, including double rifle barrels. Some of these were 2 x .30-06. Not sure about .30-30.

3) The Savage "2400" and the Valmet 412 both bear a passing resemblence to the Savage 24.

A phone call to Savage might answer the question of whether or not Savage ever sold a double-rifle, Valmet-built or otherwise.

 

[epijunkie67]

There have been several companies that made over/under double rifles. A hundred years ago double rifles were very popular, especially for things like safari hunting.

Just do a web search for over under double rifle and you'll find all kinds of listings.

 

[dfaugh]

I remember (through the mists of time)

When I first got into shooting (60s and early 70s) handling a O/U rifle...Either .22 or .22 WRM upper and larger caliber (30-30?) lower.

Savage rings a bell, but I could not swear to it...Actually thought it was neat idea...small and big game in one package...Rememeber that I considered buying it at the time, but I already had a .22, and ended up saving for a Model 70 Winchester in .270

 

[BigG]

CB900F: I've seen the 30/06 Winchester. Guy wanted like $3000.

 

[Tony Williams]

There have been several companies that made over/under double rifles. A hundred years ago double rifles were very popular, especially for things like safari hunting.

The overwhelming majority of double-barrel hunting rifles were side-by-sides, not over-unders. In fact, I can't offhand recall ever reading of a big-bore safari over-under rifle.

Tony Williams: Military gun and ammunition website and discussion forum

 

[teCh0010]

The overwhelming majority of double-barrel hunting rifles were side-by-sides, not over-unders. In fact, I can't offhand recall ever reading of a big-bore safari over-under rifle.

There were many european over-under doubles made in 9.3x74r and hunted in africa as well as europe. I wouldn't take one after an elephant or hippo but it has a reputation for really getting the job done on Buff and big cats with the 286 grain loading.

Here is a pic of a current production Merkel, this gun ca be purchased used with a VXIII 1.5x5 for 5K.

 

[Tony Williams]

Thanks, I didn't know about that one. Nice looking gun. But most big-game double rifles have historically been British IIRC, and they didn't go for over/unders.

Tony Williams: Military gun and ammunition website and discussion forum

 

[Luchtaine]

Thanks, appreciate the info. The Valmet via savage or the winchester even sounds like what he was talking about he said it was in 30-06.

Not really my thing, though admittedly interesting. For 5g I'd rather have an HK 91 and a couple thousand rounds of ammo.

 

[BigG]

Westley Richards U/O Rifle

I'm operating off my failing memory, so don't quote me on this, but, IIRC, African Rifles and Cartridges, c. 1948 cited one British firm making the O/U configuration (called there U/O in typical British fashion) in dangerous game rifles. I think it was Westley Richards.

Pondoro stated they were not all that popular because 1) British are veddy conservative and don't take well to new things. 2) you had to open the breech further to extract and replace that bottom round.

It may have also had a single trigger, which Pondoro viewed with a jaundiced eye. YMMV

 

[Combat-wombat]

http://www.fabarm.com/prodotti.htm

 

[Snake Eyes]

C-W:

That's way cool. Any idea on pricing?