Any double rifle owners here?

[mickb]

Just wondered about the reality of owning one. Should someone manage to afford one, does he then have a typical open sighted gun he can shoot and muck around with like any open sighted bolt action, or are there hidden realities?
Stuff like is regulation a lot harder or rarer in real life than books make out, is it a constant hunt for the load the gun likes, are they temperamental beasts? I ask as considering getting one and I know some things in life you just don't know what you are getting into until you get one. Id like to enjoy plugging everything from pigs to scrub bulls, and that is another thing, whether it really works as easily as that.

[mchughcb]

Yes I got one. I also have a triple with 2 rife barrels. Yes I've regulated both. Yes I've shot deer with both.

What model and calibre are you looking at?

[mchughcb]

Here you go

https://youtu.be/1s7Va5bL-X8?si=FtQfPVHiCddgdsii

[mchughcb]

But wait there more

https://youtu.be/AoFCc5_EjnI?si=X6ekDq76ZGWWdFHY

[bigpete]

I had one for years and sold it out of frustration after spending hundreds of dollars on ammunition trying to get it regulated. Mind you,not exactly the finest double around,it was a baikal mp221 in 45-70. Still should've been better than it was. The straw that broke the camels back was taking it goat hunting in some thick scrub and completely missing a goat at 30m.....this is after spending a day and 40 odd rounds of ammo regulating and sighting the thing in till it shot a 4" group at 70m with both barrels.....I sold it to my mate the very next day......

I think if you spend the money though you should have a vastly easier time than I did. One day I'd like another double rifle,but next time I'll go the mid range option,not the budget option

[bigpete]

Long story short is they can be finicky beasts and once you find a load it likes STICK WITH IT !!!!! Even if that load doesn't really do what you want.
Also I've been told by a couple of other double rifle owners that some doubles need a different load for each barrel....what a frigging pain in the arse !

[9.3x64]

I have two double rifles, both Merkel.
Yes they can be a challenge, but to be honest I enjoy the process. They can be frustrating and rewarding.
One is in 9.3x74r and the other 470NE.
I have only worked up two loads for the 9.3 so far, but it shoots really well. Under an inch at 100m without crossing.
I wouldn’t recommend anyone get one unless they do some research and reading first. But once you have a good load they are fantastic rifles to hunt with over short to moderate range.

[mickb]

Thanks gents I was thinking of a Merkel in 9.3 x74 so not too brutally expensive. I'm thinking from what I am reading on a few forums I may not be the type of shooter to enjoy doubles . I look after my guns, but look after them in a military way aka they are going to see some service including dunking , mud and put down in a hurry. Yeah I'm too much of a yob : D

[mchughcb]

Merkel have nice wood , too nice for every day hunting abuse.

[mickb]

I think you are right

[bigpete]

A gun is made to be used

[mickb]

You are also right bigpete. : ) I probably wont get one, I think I am too bolt/lever oriented, however were I to, it would get a bashing like anything else. I ding guns getting them out of safes regularly, I just dont care.

[Wyliecoyote]

I did a double with a difference for s**ts and giggles around 10 years ago. What i did was get a very light and tight shotgun action but unlike other double conversions using shotgun actions i kept the 12 gauge barrels and cut them to 26 inches and inserted 30 cal barrels into the bores and made an ejector to throw out the cases. Think of it as a pair of full length shotgun adapters. The muzzle of each barrel was threaded and had lock rings and eccentrics that fitted snugly into the 12 gauge bores. I fitted a good set of iron sights to the rib and set them down the centerline of both barrels. The cartridge was 444 Marlin sized to a 308 Winchester front that made a cartridge that was rimmed and between 308 and 30/06 capacity that shot 220 round nose Sierras at 2500 fps with very mild pressure.
From there i fired the first barrel and tweeked the eccentrics to get impact to POA. Second barrel same till i got snake eyes at 50 metres. At no time were the sights touched as i could manipulate windage and elevation with the eccentric cams. The process is silly simple and took less than twenty rounds that made for a very nice shooting double that was ultra reliable and could easily be regulated to any load and if you wanted it back as a shottie the rifle barrels could be removed and the original ejector put back in. The only draw back was the gun was heavy at 9 pounds.
If i were to do it again i would go 9.3x74 where i would like something with a 275 or 300 grain bullet and keep the gun at that 9 pounds.
I must add i did it on an action with two triggers so i could if i wanted to go to a squib load in one chamber.

As for regulating doubles there was one smith, my old mentor in Les Popham that did doubles for many shooters that went to the top end or Africa. What i can tell you is a quality double comes regulated from the factory with a specific load and the load data (bullet weight and speed, it's all about the velocity, not the actual load) should accompany the rifle on sale. The thing with doubles is like, say Holland&Holland, is they regulate to available ammo, theirs or some customer designated ammo. You go outside of that, best of luck. One barrel is easy, shoot, set sights. Second barrel with same load could be anywhere, and usually is.

[9.3x64]

What i can tell you is a quality double comes regulated from the factory with a specific load and the load data (bullet weight and speed, it's all about the velocity, not the actual load) should accompany the rifle on sale. The thing with doubles is like, say Holland&Holland, is they regulate to available ammo, theirs or some customer designated ammo. You go outside of that, best of luck. One barrel is easy, shoot, set sights. Second barrel with same load could be anywhere, and usually is.

This is exactly what my experience has taught me.
Velocity is the key.
My Merkel came with the below regulation target.
It was regulated at 100m for RWS 293 grain UNI projectiles.
If I drive those projectiles at the same velocity they mirror the factory target perfectly.
However if I shoot 320 grain Woodleighs at the same velocity , regulation is also very good.
I am extremely happy with how my double was regulated.
It just goes to show you don’t need to spend a $100,000, to get a properly regulated double rifle.

[mchughcb]

My blaser doubles I've regulated with an Allen key for any load out to 200m.

That's the beauty of that system.

[9.3x64]

My blaser doubles I've regulated with an Allen key for any load out to 200m.

That's the beauty of that system.

Absolutely. Very useful feature.