High end bolt vs low end double

[Tom Leoni]

I have no real dog in this fight, since I'm a single-shot guy through and through.

As I developed my love for hunting in general and Africa in particular, I of course feasted on books like Taylor's that glorified double rifles, and I have not been immune to their charm. I have owned several, all vintage--until I have sold or traded them all.

I have kept one double rifle: the first-ever Chapuis Iphisi that rolled out of the factory in the Fall of 2022. No, it doesn't quite have the allure of an early-1900 British double (what does?), but a) it's extremely well regulated, and b) it takes optics. Let's face it: most of us here are somewhat over the hill and eyes don't get better with age. Oh, and it's damned good-looking with that gorgeously-figured piece of Turkish walnut and the mirror-like glossy finish on parts of the receiver.

In March, I'm taking it to New Zealand as my only rifle. Topped by a compact Leica Amplus 1-6x24, it has all the advantages of my beloved single shot, plus that second barrel ready for a quick follow-up if and when needed. And I have no qualms zeroing it for 200 yards, since it's accurate and I have the utmost confidence in it.

Let's be honest: few client hunters, if any, truly need a double rifle. I'd see someone with a penchant for tracking down problem elephant, hippo or buffalo and the money, time and connections to do it often--but few of us fall into that category. For most of us, a double is 50% practical, 50% nostalgia, and perhaps an additional 25% a desire to stand out (no, I've never been good at math).

As far as new doubles, Merkel, Chapuis and Krieghoff are in that "good value for the money" range--depending on who you ask. I have a preference for Chapuis, but I also get paid to do so, therefore I have to confess my conflict of interest. Heym makes a truly great double, if you're willing to spend near twice as much and if you're lucky to lay your hands on a new one. The British stuff... well... it's the British stuff. Most of us would have to remortgage our homes to get a new one. The bargain Italian brands? I'd keep them at arm's length.

As far as new bolt guns, here's my philosophy in a nutshell. For anything BUT dangerous game, there are plenty of perfectly-serviceable, reliable and hyper accurate rifles below $1,500. Even for the bigger stuff, if I was dead-set on a bolt and were on a modest budget, I wouldn't see anything wrong with (say) a Winchester 70 Safari Express in any of the calibers offered. Once again, in the $1,500 range. A $12,000 Park West (formerly Dakota) is truly a fantastic and prestigious rifle, but performance-wise, the marginal returns you get from a bolt-action past $2,000, these days, are very, very slim.

My recommendation? Get a nice bolt and a nice double. Together, they'll be at most the price of a mid-grade used car, but the satisfaction and pride of ownership will last a lifetime.

 

[Rare Breed]

Extremely well said!!!

 

[Northern Shooter]

Funny enough I went through these exact mental gymnastics earlier this year when debating double vs bolt gun for around $15,000.

Having already owning a handful of dangerous game bolt guns I opted for the double in the guise of a Merkel 160AE in 470NE.

I love the rifle, I love its “uniqueness” of being a double, I love the big ol cigar-like cartridges and I love the nostalgia of hunting with two barrels out in front.

Having said that, shortly after purchasing the Merkel, I was still wanting another purchase with a little more of the “wow” and “bespoke” factor.

Your dollar definitely goes further when buying a bolt gun vs double in this price range. The workmanship and exclusiveness will feel greater on the $15,000 bolt gun vs double.

I’m currently working towards a Rigby Big Game to fill just that niche.

 

[M70375!]

I just ordered a Parkwest Arms Savanha in 416 Remington, $12,040. with upgrades. Can't wait to get it.

 

[Longwalker]

That chart of Pondoro's showing the speed of a charging elephant really got my attention. I know serious charges from bull elephant are rare, but ... I experienced a full-on charge in thick bush that only allowed my PH and I to see the bull at 15 meters. That's less than a second and a half to aim and shoot. And less time if you'd prefer that the shot elephant does not fall on you. I was using a M70 Winchester bolt rifle on that hunt. I would have greatly preferred my double, even though it was a lowly Merkel.
I do agree that muscle memory matters. I shoot a double rifle about as easily and quickly as I do a double shotgun, since I have a lot of shotgun experience and the skills are quite transferable. For those unfamiliar with double guns in general, best to stick with what you know or commit to a lot of training.
I have limited, but satisfactory experience while using a double for buffalo. The two buffalo that I shot with it were both "far" shots that were made possible because my double was equipped with a scope in good QD mounts. With my ageing eyes I can't shoot accurately at 90M with irons. But my rifle was not limited to closer range because I had the option of using the scope, and the rifle was well regulated for both scope and irons. If we'd been doing a follow up in the river brush, the scope would have come off.
A double rifle need not be "limiting" - it does need to be accurate, fit and function well, and be familiar to the shooter.

 

[Pondoro]

I scoped my .470 Krieghoff on a QD mount for the exact reasons you mention...red dot Leupold..
It worked out very well for me..shot a buffalo bull through bush at 25m...the scope allowed me to find a clear passage through the bush..

 

[Altitude sickness]

Just to be a fly in the ointment. If you had deep pockets you could have a double rifle built back in the old days and still now with; "hand-detachable sidelock," a "droplock," "bushed firing pins," or "disc set strikers".

Which would replace pretty much anything that would take a DR out of service. Not 100% of course. But the most common field issues. So the DR could also be easily be repaired in the field.

But the point still stands that very common cheap parts could also be carried for a $2000 magazine rifle.
Or a second $2000 rifle.

The fact remains no matter the pipe in your hand. Your first shot is all you. Not the weapon.

When the PH gives the go ahead. That does not mean you have a good angle, a clear shot or are comfortable with a moving target. Once the 1st shot is off the mark and the animals adrenaline is up the 2, 3, 4 shots are less effective.

It’s the hunters responsibility to not take a bad shot just because the pH gives the green light. He has no idea if you are seeing what he sees.

Many great rifle shots come unglued at crunch time. And/or many don’t have enough crunch time experience to block everything out except making the shot.

If I was a frequent elephant hunter I would choose a high quality big bore double rifle.

 

[HankBuck]

@Red Leg my wife’s $600 savage 220 20 gauge slug gun takes offense to that comment. I don’t think a double rifle at any cost has ever been made that is as accurate as that savage slug gun.

@Altitude sickness - just sell your Wife’s SAVAGE slug gun AND sell your best Car …then use that money and You can get many Double Rifles that are easily as accurate. They might require some ‘load testing’ but even my Chapuis .470NE ($12,000) would hold 2 shots to 1.5” at 100 yrds and consistently 1” at 50 yrds —- where most of your shots are will be taken at DG. Now, I certainly never ran dozens of 5 Shot Groups to prove how consistently this could be done but I was satisfied the rifle shot better then I could under any real Hunting situations.
But you’re right in that Double rifles aren’t meant for sub MOA and 2” at 50 yrds seems to be “acceptable” for many. Like you I admire some ‘cheap’ guns that are accurate and my two H&R Slug guns are an example…these single shot guns have the fine craftsmanship of a Garbage Can but they fire a slug (in both 12 & 20 ga) as accurate as any slug gun I’ve ever seen.

 

[HankBuck]

Eternal discussion, but some are for so fixated on the double rifles that they are hard to convince that they are using absolutely obsolete rifles and that they have to adapt their hunting to their rifles if they want to are successful in all cases. If I had hunted with only a double rifle, I would not have shot the most part of my buffalo due to the different presented shooting situations. The advantage in case of an attack is also a myth. You only have two shots and reloading quickly a double rifle is not easy, especially the heavy big bores.

@grand veneur - so with Double Rifles “The advantage in case of attack is also a myth”? ….and very helpful that you pointed out with a Double Rifle “You only have two shots…”. That clears up a lot of confusion about a Double Rifle’s ‘capacity’ —- PH’s could learn so much from You.
My guess is You’re Not a double rifle fan (I picked up on your subtleties) but there might be a couple of hunters on this form that could match your experience and have a different point of view….I think there’s room for more opinions

 

[Altitude sickness]

Hank,
The slug gun is a loaner for parents or kids that come hunting and don’t have an accurate farmland deer gun. we use straight wall rifles now

I agree some double rifles can be very accurate. accurate at one range. I’ll take my slug gun from 25 to 200 and we’ll see if your Double rifle holds that same group. If it is, it’s one of a kind because they will either be crossing and moving apart or coming together at some point they’re crossing or spreading.

I have nothing against double rifles and will probably own a nice one again someday

My point was you can buy a $400 H&R slug gun and they are as accurate

 

[Tanks]

When the PH gives the go ahead. That does not mean you have a good angle, a clear shot or are comfortable with a moving target. Once the 1st shot is off the mark and the animals adrenaline is up the 2, 3, 4 shots are less effective.

It’s the hunters responsibility to not take a bad shot just because the pH gives the green light. He has no idea if you are seeing what he sees.

Many great rifle shots come unglued at crunch time. And/or many don’t have enough crunch time experience to block everything out except making the shot.

Yep, I had to thread the needle on this shot (by the way it wasn't as close as it appears, about 30 yards). Not only that, but I had to account for his head being turned slightly for the brain shot. I figured if I missed the big branches, I'd be good.

 

[HankBuck]

Hank,
The slug gun is a loaner for parents or kids that come hunting and don’t have an accurate farmland deer gun. we use straight wall rifles now

I agree some double rifles can be very accurate. accurate at one range. I’ll take my slug gun from 25 to 200 and we’ll see if your Double rifle holds that same group. If it is, it’s one of a kind because they will either be crossing and moving apart or coming together at some point they’re crossing or spreading.

I have nothing against double rifles and will probably own a nice one again someday

My point was you can buy a $400 H&R slug gun and they are as accurate

@Altitude sickness - I get your point and it’s valid. The effectiveness of a Double rifle is governed by the range & accuracy. For most shooters that seems to be inside of 100 yrds and inside of 50yrds even more common.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

There are a few big advantages to a double rifle versus a magazine rifle if we're talking specifically about stopping a charge.

1.) Double rifles are heavier than magazine rifles, thus an equal power/energy/velocity round leaving a double rifle is going to have less muzzle rise and a faster recovery for the second shot than a magazine rifle.

2.) Obviously the speed of a second shot with a double rifle is much faster than a magazine rifle.

3.) If a bolt action gun suffers a critical mechanical failure, 100% of your gun is broken. A double rifle has redundancy of barrels, triggers, sears, hammers, springs, ejectors, etc. It is a more resilient technology.

4.) Dangerous game hunting rarely is an onslaught of rapid fire. Usually, you put a shot into the animal and it runs off wounded (hopefully lethally). You then go to retrieve the animal and engage in the potential for a charge. The double rifle gives you two instant shots, a reload, and then you try to recover the animal ready with two rounds to stop a charge. A magazine rifle will never get off 3-4 shots on the initial firing, two at the very most. A magazine rifle will never get off more than 1 shot on a subsequent charge, whereas the double rifle is likely to get off two.


As you read the points above, you'll realize that the double rifle is the superior stopping rifle and greatly diminishes risks. On the other hand, it is a costly, specialty tool. If you're not buying an exceptional double rifle you're probably not getting the essential benefits of points 1-4 above. (e.g. correct weight, ejectors, correct trigger to get off two instant and accurate shots, double triggers for redundancy, etc.)

Okay, whipping that dead horse a bit longer, let's look at your points favoring double rifle over bolt for dangerous game.

1) Double rifles are supposed to be heavier with less muzzle jump. Most of the double rifles I observe in videos have very short barrels, presumably to cut weight. They also appear to have considerably less wood, especially in the fore end, also presumably to cut weight. Most don't wear scopes which also = < weight. They only carry two vs four or five cartridges and that can be a not insignificant weight reduction. And lastly, though the double rifle action is shorter, I suspect the weight difference is not significantly different (extra hammers and springs = heavy bolt assembly). My 404J Mauser weighs nearly 11 lbs loaded with scope and sling. How does a stubby DGR double compare? I'm also finding it hard to believe a short barreled much larger caliber double rifle would have significantly less muzzle jump than my 24" barrel much longer action 404 Mauser. But maybe I'm wrong.

2) Speed of a second shot. You presume this is always an advantage. I can easily argue that it certainly often times is very much a disadvantage, especially if the shooter accidentally fires both barrels simultaneously or before the gun has settled on target from recoil. I have yet to see a video of double fire in a field situation but I'm sure a few are out there. I have seen several where the shooter (client or PH) fired the second barrel too quickly and badly missed the animal. Sure, a bolt hunter can also miss the second shot, but he's still got two more for correction if time allows. And reloading a bolt action on the run is a lot handier than a double rifle. By the way, I did shoot an incoming gemsbuck twice through the heart with my bolt action Springfield at <30 yards and then running by at 12 yards. And she was running plenty fast and I do not reload on the shoulder. I remount the rifle after cycling. Gemsbuck are not officially "dangerous game" but they are nonetheless plenty dangerous. My outfitter had a close call dispatching a wounded one two years earlier. And they are not afraid to scrap with lions. For an experienced hunter a bolt action can be fired quite fast.

3) Are double guns more reliable? If the first barrel fails to fire, would the hunter go ahead and take the shot at a dangerous animal knowing he doesn't have a followup barrel? And if the second barrel fails to fire during a charge, the hunter is no less screwed than the bolt guy who's gun somehow collapsed after the first wounding shot. This is all tinfoil hat conjecture. Probability of failure is obscure for either gun. Clearly double rifles have more mechanisms than bolt actions. More mechanism would seem to favor more probability of failure.

4) And some more conjecture. Wounded dangerous game do not always run off and hide, giving the double gun guy time to reload. From what I'm seeing on the videos, this is rarely the case with elephant. At any rate, my experience has been I can put two rounds into a charging animal at less than thirty yards very accurately with a bolt action rifle. Presumably Harry Selby and Wally Johnson were also capable since they preferred to stop wounded dangerous game with bolt rifles.

 

[rookhawk]

Okay, whipping that dead horse a bit longer, let's look at your points favoring double rifle over bolt for dangerous game.

1) Double rifles are supposed to be heavier with less muzzle jump. Most of the double rifles I observe in videos have very short barrels, presumably to cut weight. They also appear to have considerably less wood, especially in the fore arm, also presumably to cut weight. Most don't wear scopes which also = < weight. They only carry two vs four or five cartridges and that can be a not insignificant weight reduction. And lastly, though the double rifle action is shorter, I suspect the weight difference is not significantly different (extra hammers and springs = heavy bolt assembly). My 404J Mauser weighs nearly 11 lbs loaded with scope and sling. How does a stubby DGR double compare? I'm also finding it hard to believe a short barreled much larger caliber double rifle would have significantly less muzzle jump than my 24" barrel much longer action 404 Mauser. But maybe I'm wrong.

There is nothing stubby about double rifles. The original barrel length were 28" and occasionally 26". Today's modern doubles are 26"-25"-24". A 24" barrel is still longer than most magazine rifle barrels that tend to average at 23". As to weight, double rifles of high quality are purpose built to have exactly the weight they need to return to target for a fast follow up shot. 450-400s tend to be 10.25-10.5lbs. 470NEs 10.75-11.25lbs. 577NEs around 13lbs. They also have heavier barrels (there are two of them) which reduces muzzle rise.

2) Speed of a second shot. You presume this is always an advantage. I can easily argue that it certainly often times is very much a disadvantage, especially if the shooter accidentally fires both barrels simultaneously or before the gun has settled on target from recoil. I have yet to see a video of double fire in a field situation but I'm sure a few are out there. I have seen several where the shooter (client or PH) fired the second barrel too quickly and badly missed the animal. Sure, a bolt hunter can also miss the second shot, but he's still got two more for correction if time allows. And reloading a bolt action on the run is a lot handier than a double rifle. By the way, I did shoot an incoming gemsbuck twice through the heart with my bolt action Springfield at <30 yards and then running by at 12 yards. And she was running plenty fast and I do not reload on the shoulder. I remount the rifle after cycling. Gemsbuck are not officially "dangerous game" but they are nonetheless plenty dangerous. My outfitter had a close call dispatching a wounded one two years earlier. And they are not afraid to scrap with lions. For an experienced hunter a bolt action can be fired quite fast.

I believe its always an advantage on DG, especially Elephant, Hippo, and Buffalo. I'm not sure if you're a DG hunter but you put a perfect shot on an animal, and you IMMEDIATELY aim and take a second shot to anchor that animal if required. A bad first shot made a mess, you must pay the bill, the second shot is insurance just to anchor it down. I've only been charged once by a DG animal, a buffalo. Bull Elephant don't tend to charge, they tend to flee when struck. Anytime you're following up on a potentially wounded DG animal it can be very dangerous. DRs have a significant benefit. As to doubling a gun, that only happens with low quality DRs or poorly maintained ones. If the triggers are tuned correctly and the person has basic proficiency, they won't double the gun.

3) Are double guns more reliable? If the first barrel fails to fire, would the hunter go ahead and take the shot at a dangerous animal knowing he doesn't have a followup barrel? And if the second barrel fails to fire during a charge, the hunter is no less screwed than the bolt guy who's gun somehow collapsed after the first wounding shot. This is all tinfoil hat conjecture. Probability of failure is obscure for either gun.

They are a redundant and resilient system. Would someone continue a DG hunt that is $30k-$150k because half their double rifle is broken? Of course they would. The same person would have been content with a single shot rifle under similar circumstances so its no different. Do you think people would just go home resigned to failure?

4) More conjecture. Wounded dangerous game do not always run off and hide, giving the double gun guy time to reload. From what I'm seeing on the videos, this is rarely the case with elephant. At any rate, my experience has been I can put two rounds into a charging animal at less than thirty yards very accurately with a bolt action rifle. Presumably Harry Selby and Wally Johnson were also capable since they preferred to stop wounded dangerous game with bolt rifles.

I've hunted a fair amount of elephant and as I've said, trophy bulls almost always run off. Hunting videos are edited for sensationalism and excitement, not the stereotypical experience.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

There is nothing stubby about double rifles. The original barrel length were 28" and occasionally 26". Today's modern doubles are 26"-25"-24". A 24" barrel is still longer than most magazine rifle barrels that tend to average at 23". As to weight, double rifles of high quality are purpose built to have exactly the weight they need to return to target for a fast follow up shot. 450-400s tend to be 10.25-10.5lbs. 470NEs 10.75-11.25lbs. 577NEs around 13lbs. They also have heavier barrels (there are two of them) which reduces muzzle rise.



I believe its always an advantage on DG, especially Elephant, Hippo, and Buffalo. I'm not sure if you're a DG hunter but you put a perfect shot on an animal, and you IMMEDIATELY aim and take a second shot to anchor that animal if required. A bad first shot made a mess, you must pay the bill, the second shot is insurance just to anchor it down. I've only been charged once by a DG animal, a buffalo. Bull Elephant don't tend to charge, they tend to flee when struck. Anytime you're following up on a potentially wounded DG animal it can be very dangerous. DRs have a significant benefit. As to doubling a gun, that only happens with low quality DRs or poorly maintained ones. If the triggers are tuned correctly and the person has basic proficiency, they won't double the gun.


They are a redundant and resilient system. Would someone continue a DG hunt that is $30k-$150k because half their double rifle is broken? Of course they would. The same person would have been content with a single shot rifle under similar circumstances so its no different. Do you think people would just go home resigned to failure?


I've hunted a fair amount of elephant and as I've said, trophy bulls almost always run off. Hunting videos are edited for sensationalism and excitement, not the stereotypical experience.

The weights and barrel lengths of comparable caliber bolt and double rifles are, according to you, also comparable (my Mauser has 24" barrel, the same as my Springfield). If the weights and barrel lengths are comparable, the double rifle overall will by necessity be a much shorter rifle because the action is much shorter. With two barrels and short overall length but equal weight, I presume the double must indeed be front end heavy. While a front heavy out of balance rifle might have less muzzle jump it typically does not swing on moving targets as well as a gun balanced in the middle.

 

[rookhawk]

The weights and barrel lengths of comparable caliber bolt and double rifles are, according to you, also comparable (my Mauser has 24" barrel, the same as my Springfield). If the weights and barrel lengths are comparable, the double rifle overall will by necessity be a much shorter rifle because the action is much shorter. With two barrels and short overall length but equal weight, I presume the double must indeed be front end heavy. While a front heavy out of balance rifle might have less muzzle jump it typically does not swing on moving targets as well as a gun balanced in the middle.

I don't mean this to be disparaging, but just thought provoking. Don't you think the average Brit or German double rifle maker thinks more about perfect weight and balance by 9am on a Monday than you as a magazine rifle builder-hobbiest has considered over your whole life?

I have many times told many people on this forum they are better off getting a very good bolt rifle rather than a mediocre double rifle. However, that bit of financial advice should not be construed as a proclamation that a double rifle is inferior, it is not. Its just that to get the benefits of a double rifle of high quality and reliability, the costs are extraordinary. There is a reason that the super majority of elephant PHs shoot double rifles, as do their clients. Such hunts done frequently demand a higher quality and performance weapon than most can afford and use proficiently.

You seem to have strong opinions against double rifles and in favor of your home built magazine rifles. May I ask how many dangerous game hunts you've undertaken and what species you've hunted at what quantities?

 

[Ontario Hunter]

There is nothing stubby about double rifles. The original barrel length were 28" and occasionally 26". Today's modern doubles are 26"-25"-24". A 24" barrel is still longer than most magazine rifle barrels that tend to average at 23". As to weight, double rifles of high quality are purpose built to have exactly the weight they need to return to target for a fast follow up shot. 450-400s tend to be 10.25-10.5lbs. 470NEs 10.75-11.25lbs. 577NEs around 13lbs. They also have heavier barrels (there are two of them) which reduces muzzle rise.



I believe its always an advantage on DG, especially Elephant, Hippo, and Buffalo. I'm not sure if you're a DG hunter but you put a perfect shot on an animal, and you IMMEDIATELY aim and take a second shot to anchor that animal if required. A bad first shot made a mess, you must pay the bill, the second shot is insurance just to anchor it down. I've only been charged once by a DG animal, a buffalo. Bull Elephant don't tend to charge, they tend to flee when struck. Anytime you're following up on a potentially wounded DG animal it can be very dangerous. DRs have a significant benefit. As to doubling a gun, that only happens with low quality DRs or poorly maintained ones. If the triggers are tuned correctly and the person has basic proficiency, they won't double the gun.


They are a redundant and resilient system. Would someone continue a DG hunt that is $30k-$150k because half their double rifle is broken? Of course they would. The same person would have been content with a single shot rifle under similar circumstances so its no different. Do you think people would just go home resigned to failure?


I've hunted a fair amount of elephant and as I've said, trophy bulls almost always run off. Hunting videos are edited for sensationalism and excitement, not the stereotypical experience.

The person who hunts dangerous game with a broken double rifle using it as a single shot is accepting double the risk. I'm not sure any PH would agree to take that gun into the field. That's absurd conjecture. Similarly, if a bolt action had occasional feeding issues, should the PH let the client take it hunting dangerous game anyway? "Take this rental gun or I take you to the airport!"

 

[grand veneur]

@grand veneur - so with Double Rifles “The advantage in case of attack is also a myth”? ….and very helpful that you pointed out with a Double Rifle “You only have two shots…”. That clears up a lot of confusion about a Double Rifle’s ‘capacity’ —- PH’s could learn so much from You.
My guess is You’re Not a double rifle fan (I picked up on your subtleties) but there might be a couple of hunters on this form that could match your experience and have a different point of view….I think there’s room for more opinions

I am a fan too; I also own two big bore double rifles.

I have often explained, based on personal experience and not on YouTube videos, why I prefer scoped bolt action rifles to double rifles.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

There is nothing stubby about double rifles. The original barrel length were 28" and occasionally 26". Today's modern doubles are 26"-25"-24". A 24" barrel is still longer than most magazine rifle barrels that tend to average at 23". As to weight, double rifles of high quality are purpose built to have exactly the weight they need to return to target for a fast follow up shot. 450-400s tend to be 10.25-10.5lbs. 470NEs 10.75-11.25lbs. 577NEs around 13lbs. They also have heavier barrels (there are two of them) which reduces muzzle rise.



I believe its always an advantage on DG, especially Elephant, Hippo, and Buffalo. I'm not sure if you're a DG hunter but you put a perfect shot on an animal, and you IMMEDIATELY aim and take a second shot to anchor that animal if required. A bad first shot made a mess, you must pay the bill, the second shot is insurance just to anchor it down. I've only been charged once by a DG animal, a buffalo. Bull Elephant don't tend to charge, they tend to flee when struck. Anytime you're following up on a potentially wounded DG animal it can be very dangerous. DRs have a significant benefit. As to doubling a gun, that only happens with low quality DRs or poorly maintained ones. If the triggers are tuned correctly and the person has basic proficiency, they won't double the gun.


They are a redundant and resilient system. Would someone continue a DG hunt that is $30k-$150k because half their double rifle is broken? Of course they would. The same person would have been content with a single shot rifle under similar circumstances so its no different. Do you think people would just go home resigned to failure?


I've hunted a fair amount of elephant and as I've said, trophy bulls almost always run off. Hunting videos are edited for sensationalism and excitement, not the stereotypical experience.

Yes, if everything is perfect, the hunter probably shouldn't double fire his double gun. But in the event of charging dangerous game nothing is perfect, especially if the client has never before experienced it, or any other life threatening situation. As a kid growing up I knew of more than one "experienced" duck hunter who inadvertently double fired his shotgun ... without being charged by a wounded mallard. It happens. This summer I had my Citori somehow fire the second barrel unintended at sporting clays. Not double fire but very close to it. Not sure whether it was the gun, the ammo, or the guy but it happened. Only once. I suppose if my life was at stake, I'd stop shooting and send it in to be checked. For now I'll just keep an eye on it. It's only a range gun anyway.

 

[grand veneur]

The person who hunts dangerous game with a broken double rifle using it as a single shot is accepting double the risk. I'm not sure any PH would agree to take that gun into the field. That's absurd conjecture. Similarly, if a bolt action had occasional feeding issues, should the PH let the client take it hunting dangerous game anyway? "Take this rental gun or I take you to the airport!"

I have to agree with some of your comments regarding the double rifles. I also don't believe that they have a more resilient technology than bolt action rifles.

It is true that there are nowadays bolt actions that are highly sophisticated, but a classic Mauser system will always be far superior to an Anson & Deeley or similar break-actions and even side-lock actions in terms of reliability.