True Love

Something for you to look at while you save!:D

219d1241834257-true-love-merkel-141.jpg

Model 140
Photo to come.
The Model 140 is a self cocking, Anson & Deeley boxlock with cocking indicators, side clips and receiver ledge. Greener crossbolt with double under barrel locking lugs. Double trigger with the option to have the front trigger as a set trigger. Also, a single, non-selective trigger is available on special order and at extra cost. Automatic tang-mounted sliding safety. Case ejection through split cartridge slide or Holland & Holland ejector for rimless cartridges with extractor claw. Ejectors available at extra cost. Barrel Length 600mm (23.6") and weight approximately 3.5kg (7.7lb). Classic English-style pistol-grip oil-finished walnut stock (Hogsback available on request). Receiver is colour case hardened and hand engraved in Arabesque pattern with higher grades of engraving available at extra cost.
Imported into Australia in 7x65R, .308Win, .30/06, .30 Blaser, 8x57IRS and 9.3x74R.

220d1241834257-true-love-merkel-500.jpg


Model 140A
The Model 140A is a self cocking, Anson & Deeley boxlock with cocking indicators, side clips and receiver ledge. Greener crossbolt with double under barrel locking lugs. Double trigger with the option to have the front trigger as a set trigger. Automatic tang-mounted sliding safety. Case ejection through split cartridge slide or Holland & Holland ejector for rimless cartridges with extractor claw. Barrel Length 600mm (23.6") and weight approximately 5kg (11lb). Classic English-style pistol-grip oil-finished walnut stock (Hogsback available on request). Receiver is grey-stained and hand engraved in Arabesque pattern with higher grades of engraving of African game animals available at extra cost.
Imported into Australia in .375H&H Magnum, .416 Rigby, .470NE and .500NE.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
At one time I owned a jewell of a reprobate double that I nicknamed "Sweet Thang", she made my heart sing, and she won fame among the double rifle shooters of this era...She was a 450-400 Jefferys with bores like a tramp streamer, black and pitted, outside she was a reprobate sans any blue, and a stock that had seen better days, but she came cheap and SHE SHOT ONE HOLE GROUPS AT 50, AND 75 YARDS EVERY DAMN TIME. I got offered a big bunch of bucks for that old girl and being a damn gun whore I took it and bought a near new 450-3.25 and it was a beauty and it shot 4 inch groups on a good day! so I peddled it and got me a Army Navy 450-400 and it shot 1.5 inches at 50, yeehaw! Well you would think I learned my lesson but no, someone came buy and shot it and had to have it so down the rode it went, and this trend of idiocy continues to haunt this old curmudgeon gun trader to this day...but Lord I do love those old double rifles.

AND, Dugaboy has just sat by and laughed his a$$ off everytime this revolting situation has happened to me, it also happens with bolt guns, saddles, horses, and the wife and kids live in fear! :)
 
The only thing I know of that Ray likes better than a good double rifle is #1 his grand son, #2 his wife, beyond that money rules! When offered enough, the Double rifles are on their way in short order. Of course there has to be a stack of $100 bills about 12" high to buy one of them!:eyecrazy:
 
A "Poor Man's" Double Rifle

A fine double is the absolute pinnacle of the firearms world in my opinion. Everything about them reminds us of those hunters of old.
That being said let's make something absolutely clear, I can't justify spending 15-50K on a classic big bore double. I may not be home much, but I'd like to keep the wife somewhat happy since she is such a tolerant woman when it comes to dealing with this old soldier’s hunting addiction and other bad habits.
There are alternatives, I own a pair of $900.00 Remington Spartan doubles one in 30-06 and the other in 45-70. Granted they don't hold a candle to the fine doubles we all wish for...but. I have pretty much replaced my drive hunt gun with the lighter 30-06 double. It's utilitarian for sure and not regulated in the classic means, but it does provide two quick shots from separate trigger groups just like the big names. Mounted with a good long eye relief red dot site it is just the ticket here in Europe for driven game hunts. My other "double" is a custom job I inherited from my father. It started out as a side by side Ithaca action. Pop paid a little over $3000 USD for it back in the 70s so it wouldn't count as cheap today. An old time gun maker in Ohio did the custom work as a favor. He fitted it with side by side barrel sets in 12/20 gauge, 270 Win, 300 Weatherby Mag, and 375 HH. It was my father's "one gun" solution. I've always loved it but frankly I don't hunt it much because of the LOP and general size not being suitable to my larger frame. Plus I would hate to damage it.
So, yes you can own a double, even a "fine" double. Gun makers willing to take on the job are few and far between, trust me I've looked for years. If you just want to try one out, I do recommend the Remington, for all it's ugliness it is a double rifle in every sense of the term. I always chuckle when a client or fellow hunter wants to try out one of my Remingtons. Face it, doubles are just plain fun!
 
Actually Kelly, Dugaboy made reference to the whole ball of wax when he referenced my grandson, it each case the doubles went down the road to buy him another rope horse, the grandkids take presidence over the guns and good rope horses don't come cheap..Then I had to have a couple myself, and then the granddaughter followed suit, so there ya go, you nailed it Horses are my weakness, my downfall, and we rope a couple of times a week. Anyone that lets their grandkids grow up without being right there for them, has cheated themselves in life, the only sad thing is they grow up too fast....
 
Glad you folks appreciate the gun... it sure is a good combination and works very well for me. There is no obsession with bunnies, but everyone enjoys the lighter side of the gun while on safari and if anything, it leaves a lasting impression even when not brought to use in the field. Basically, there was too many big-five engravings being done on Krieghoff's double rifles for africa and i just wanted something my own - i figure nobody is going to ever have humping rabbits on their .470 NE so that is what i got. Wait till you see whats on my 20 gauge krieghoff shotgun (will take a few years still). Cheers!
Enjoy your Valentine's Day... Let the rabbits set the tone.

Shallom,

Brother you crack me up. Somehow I missed this thread the first time around. I absolutely want to see the 20 gauge when you get it, too funny.

Why is it the funniest characters tend to live in the bush?
 
How have i missed this thread? Those bunnies are hilarious. What a great idea. I have seen some doubles coming a bit down in price lately. I am with the posters above, i would like one but at this point in my life, would rather spend the money hunting.
 
Glad you folks appreciate the gun... it sure is a good combination and works very well for me. There is no obsession with bunnies, but everyone enjoys the lighter side of the gun while on safari and if anything, it leaves a lasting impression even when not brought to use in the field. Basically, there was too many big-five engravings being done on Krieghoff's double rifles for africa and i just wanted something my own - i figure nobody is going to ever have humping rabbits on their .470 NE so that is what i got. Wait till you see whats on my 20 gauge krieghoff shotgun (will take a few years still). Cheers!
Enjoy your Valentine's Day... Let the rabbits set the tone.

@Shallom did you ever get that 20gauge yet?
 
...never stop believing in TRUE LOVE....
You wish might come true!
 
IMG_7253.PNG
I recently found a deal I couldn't pass up. 2 years ago I bought a secondhand blaser R8 in .375 in prep for a trip to Namibia. The gun served me well, but had no soul.
A month or so ago I saw on a website, a chapuis side by side in .375 which came complete with leupold scope. It was priced at £4850. I took my blaser along, and discussed a part ex. They asked me what I wanted for the blaser, I was honest and named the same price I'd paid 2 years ago, £2k. The dealer looked at me, clearly in his mind I was being very reasonable, and he said he'd see what wiggle room they had on the chapuis. He came back 2 mins later saying he'd come down to £4k and accept the 2k part ex of my blaser. So for me, at least in my head as I spread that cost over a few year effectively, my double dream came true for £2k, which in turn was almost entirely covered by selling off my unwanted reloading set-up which I'd never got the bug for, despite spending way too much on it over the years!
So don't give up, doubles are affordable, it might mean sacrificing something else, or saving for a bit, but they don't have to cost the same as a buff hunt!!
 
View attachment 199932 I recently found a deal I couldn't pass up. 2 years ago I bought a secondhand blaser R8 in .375 in prep for a trip to Namibia. The gun served me well, but had no soul.
A month or so ago I saw on a website, a chapuis side by side in .375 which came complete with leupold scope. It was priced at £4850. I took my blaser along, and discussed a part ex. They asked me what I wanted for the blaser, I was honest and named the same price I'd paid 2 years ago, £2k. The dealer looked at me, clearly in his mind I was being very reasonable, and he said he'd see what wiggle room they had on the chapuis. He came back 2 mins later saying he'd come down to £4k and accept the 2k part ex of my blaser. So for me, at least in my head as I spread that cost over a few year effectively, my double dream came true for £2k, which in turn was almost entirely covered by selling off my unwanted reloading set-up which I'd never got the bug for, despite spending way too much on it over the years!
So don't give up, doubles are affordable, it might mean sacrificing something else, or saving for a bit, but they don't have to cost the same as a buff hunt!!

Yep never give up on a dream!
 

Forum statistics

Threads
53,626
Messages
1,131,449
Members
92,687
Latest member
JohnT3006
 

 

 

Latest profile posts

Impact shots from the last hunt

Early morning Impala hunt, previous link was wrong video

Headshot on jackal this morning

Mature Eland Bull taken in Tanzania, at 100 yards, with 375 H&H, 300gr, Federal Premium Expanding bullet.

20231012_145809~2.jpg
 
Top