New double rifle maker in the USA

It seems that Clark Custom Guns is making doubles in a variety of popular calibers at prices from $5,000 to $6,000. Here is a link to their web site and to a Gun Talk TV film clip showing them shooting a .405 WCF double with 300 and 400 grain loads - the latter at 2150 fps - enjoy :

Clark .405 Winchester Double Rifle

Thanks for the info and link just watched the vid man i want a double gun!
That is a improvement on price but still a lot of money for me. Any opinions on the 405 Winchester is it a good choice for dangerous game they are offering it in several calibers.

I looked at the website and would recommend the 450-400, 470 Nitro-Express or 375 Flanged. I think I would get the 450-400. Teddy liked the 405 Win. but I think the caliber is overrated.

>>>It's an improvement on price but I still think they are plenty high. Take away the engraving etc. & It surprises me that someone hasn't came in & offered an affordable product out for the working man. There seems to be a lot of people with a double on their wish list but the price prevents it from becoming reality.
,,, Myself my choice would be the 450 - 400!

Clark builds an excellent pistol. He seems genuinely excited about the rifle.

I am not sure what price you are looking for in a double. A true quality double (K-gun, Merkel, etc being on the low end of quality) cannot be built and sold for much less than 8000 or so in a DG caliber. Too much hand fitting, regulating etc.

There is the Remington for around $1000.00. It looks to be a good fun gun.

Shotgun actions, single triggers can help keep cost down, if that is what you want. Hopefully Mr. Clark's rifle helps get some people shooting doubles.

One easy upgrade would be to move the rear sight forward about 6 inches.

Originally Posted by Mike70560

Clark builds an excellent pistol. He seems genuinely excited about the rifle.

I am not sure what price you are looking for in a double. A true quality double (K-gun, Merkel, etc being on the low end of quality) cannot be built and sold for much less than 8000 or so in a DG caliber. Too much hand fitting, regulating etc.

There is the Remington for around $1000.00. It looks to be a good fun gun.

Shotgun actions, single triggers can help keep cost down, if that is what you want. Hopefully Mr. Clark's rifle helps get some people shooting doubles.

One easy upgrade would be to move the rear sight forward about 6 inches.

Mike - another would be to provide a pistol grip and while we are at it, cut the price inhalf.

Originally Posted by enysse

I looked at the website and would recommend the 450-400, 470 Nitro-Express or 375 Flanged. I think I would get the 450-400. Teddy liked the 405 Win. but I think the caliber is overrated.

didint TR carry the 450-400 for the big DG?

Originally Posted by Big5er

didint TR carry the 450-400 for the big DG?

Yes, TR did use the 450/400 for elephant in a double rifle. I thought he did use the 405 Win pretty extensively though. I haven't had time to read his whole book.

The one thing I do remember reading about Teddy and Kermits adventures, is that there was a lot of bad shooting and wounded animals. Probably due in part to the poor powder and bullets available back then. And I'm not suggesting they were bad hunters, just that things don't always go perfect.

Originally Posted by enysse

Yes, TR did use the 450/400 for elephant in a double rifle. I thought he did use the 405 Win pretty extensively though. I haven't had time to read his whole book.

The one thing I do remember reading about Teddy and Kermits adventures, is that there was a lot of bad shooting and wounded animals. Probably due in part to the poor powder and bullets available back then. And I'm not suggesting they were bad hunters, just that things don't always go perfect.

I'm actually in the midst of reading his book now and his double rifle was a 500-450 Holland.

I shot the .577 Nitro and I'm just not man-enough to hunt with it regularly. Wow.

The book, Any Shot You Want, covers all the calibers on all trajectory, speed, etc. Nice book.

I think you'll find that Teddy used a 500/450 H8H double rifle given to him by a group of rich business men for his 1905 hunt in Africa. His other rifles were the model 1895 winchester chambered for 405 Winchester, and a springfield 30-06 bolt rifle. Kermit used a 450NE 3 1/4" double, and a springfield 30-06.

The Buffalo, elephant, rhino were all taken with the 500/450 H&H double, the 405 took a couple lions, and a leopard, and this was the rifle he called his lion medicine,untill he shot a couple of lions with it. He wounded more game than he took with the 405, and the 30-06. Still in the 9 months he and Kermit hunted they took a very large bag, of animals.

The 450/400NE doubles were the favorite of John (PONDORO) Taylor not TR, and he didn't wound very mush of what he shot at.

When Hornady came out with the 405 Win ammo a couple years ago, they made one big mistake! They pictured Teddy on the box standing over a large rhino, with the 1895 Win. This was a sceen that never happened, and gave customers the idea that the 405 Win is an African dangerous game cartridge, which it most certainly is not. It is fine for the cats, or Bears but is certainly not Buffalo rihno, or elephant medicine. The 450.400NE 3" is minimum in the running for things like Elephant and then only in very experienced hands. But is about perfect for buffalo hunting.

The Clark double rifles are converted shotguns, and not particualrly well done IMO. The only chamberings I would even consider is the 45-70, and the 405 Win. IOM $5K is about $3K too much for this double.

Sorry but that is not a very well done conversion, and certainly not well suited to anything larger than the 45-70, or 405 IMO. However if it floats your canoe, the cough up the bucks and set sail, you can have the one they were going to sell to me!

Dugaboy that was a very informative post thank you! Buying a double is just one of those things a guy will just have to cough the money up and do it. Iam going buffalo hunting one day it will happen and i want to use a double but damn you can get a hunt for what one costs.