I know the comparison might seem strange ( due to to price difference), but I was wondering what would make a more accurate and more reliable rifle of the two? I'm only taking into consideration accuracy and rugged reliability/dependability. I know many say Butch's rifles are the most accurate and toughest doubles around, which has impressed me. There's also just something about the drop lock that captures the romance of the good ol' days though. I guess I've decided that someday I hope to have one of each regardless, but I was just curious what some of you think (for fun).Thanks so much and it's good to be here on the forum.
Nitro EXP, First let me say that Westley Richards are my favorite name double rifle from the UK. But the least favorite of the WR doubles is the æ³¥ROP LOCK featured double action. The reason for this is the convenience for cleaning and lubricating of the locks is over shadowed by the amount of steel that has to be removed from the action body to accommodate the drop locks! That being said the WR rifles seem to just point themselves, because I find WR rifle to be balanced as well or better than most other Britt double rifles, regardless of price!
On the B.Searcy doubles, and especially the CLASSIC are what they are and Butch will tell you himself that he is not trying to compete with WR, H&H, PURDEY or any of the old names in the world, but what he will tell you is the his rifles are the only brand in the world that carries a life time warranty, and that is not the life of the original buyer but the life of the rifle! That is a very big plus for the B. SEARCY! In my experience there is no double rifle name in the world that is MORE accurate than a Searcy double rifle!
Below in this post you will see a couple of quotes that indicate a real problem that shows it ugly head in, not only amateur hunter shooters but many very well respected gun smiths, and gun writers, the misconception that the advertised phrase by makers of
THIS RIFLE IS REGULATED AT 100 YARDS , OR 50 YARDS This only is in reference to the sights only, doesn't mean the rifle barrels were regulated to hit the same spot on the target at that range! This only refers to the distance that the SIGHTS were cut to be dead on at that range for windage, and elevation, and just like any rifle with fixed iron sights one holds over for longer range, and under for closer range! Most flatter shooting rounds like a 9.3X74R, or 375 Flanged magnum will be cut for 100 yards, and most big bore stoppers like 450NE up will be cut for 50 yards!
MORE below the quotes to answer the question these quotes have brought on BARREL REGULATION!
As far as I have read, one difference is that Searcy regulates his doubles for 100 yards as opposed to 50 for WR. If this correct, then that to me is a plus for Searcy. It means I could use my double to hunt other game as most of us don't go on safari every week.
Perhaps in the Classic model Butch regulates at 100 yards, but I know the Field Grade is regulated at 50 yards (or so the letter he sends with the rifle says). He includes some very good information on care, dealing with recoil, the load and bullet information used during regulation, etc .... He turned mine (Field Grade) around in 5 months, but I ordered a month before he made it to the SCI convention, which I believe is where most of his orders get placed.
The two quotes above give the mistaken impression that the barrels are regulated to both hit the same hole on the target at the range engraved on the standing rear sight! This is one of the things so often posted not only by the layman but by long time gun writers who should know better!
The barrels on a double rifle are not regulated to cross at any range, and if a bullet from both barrels are hitting the same ragged hole at any range, then the rifle is crossing at that range! This doesn't only apply to a side-by-side double but an over-under double as well.
This thinking is born of peoples knowledge of single barreled rifles, and a complete ignorance of how a double rifle is regulated to shoot! That single barrel is supposed to hit the same hole as much as is possible, but this is not the case with a double rifle regardless of barrel configuration. If the centers of each barrels bores are 1 inch apart, then the center of each barrels group should be inch on away from the aiming point on its own side of that aiming point for the S/S double rifle. In other words the barrels are regulated to shoot SIDE-BY-SIDE, with the aiming point half way between the centers of each barrels individual group on the target. The only difference between the O/U, and the S/S is in relation to the aiming point! The barrels are still regulated to shoot One over the other the distance between the bore centers of each barrel, but the iron sights are different. The sight on the O/U is set so the top barrel hit where the sight is pointed at the sight regulation range, but the bottom barrel is regulated to hit the distance between the centers of both bores below the top barrel, but still shooting parallel no matter the range .
The double rifle makers are responsible for this misconception by stating that the rifle is regulated to so and so range with out explaining this only applies to where the sights are cut not the barrels regulation. By using the word
REGULATE in relation to the cutting of the iron sights and with the convergence of the barrels both leads folks to think it applies to both the same and it doesn't. A better way to say this is to use regulation for only the barrels physical regulation, and say the sights are SET dead on at so-and-so range!
The second thing that makes for the confusion about barrel regulation is that the barrels must
CONVERGE, so they will shoot
SIDE-BY-SIDE! Now I know that sounds silly to the unschooled, but is true nonetheless!
In this regard simply take a barrel set off the action on a S/S double rifle and lock the under luggs in a padded vice with the muzzle end of the barrels supported! Now line the sights on an aiming point at the range engraved on the standing rear sight! Now with an empty cartridge case with no primer, chamber this case in the right chamber of the rifle and look through the primer hole. What you will see is, the line of sight through the right barrel will be pointing to a place on the target that is
LOW, and on the
LEFT of where the sights are aligned, and vice-versa for the
LEFT barrel with will be pointing
LOW and ON the
RIGHT of where the sights are pointing. Without thinking one would think the barrels are that way so they will cross but that is not the case!
They are that way so they will shoot side-by-side! This is because of the way the barrels move while the bullet is traveling down the bore! This is called
"BARREL TIME" ! Barrel time in conjunction with the way the barrel move under recoil is the reason for the convergence and low pointing of the barrels. When the trigger is pulled on the
right barrel the sights are aligned with the aiming point on the target, but as the barrel moves down the bore of the
RIGHT BARREL, the barrel is moving
UP, and to the
LEFT away from the other barrel, and by the time the bullet exits the muzzle it is pointing at a point that is just
RIGHT of point of aim, and at the right elevation printed on the sight, and is just exactly the reverse for the
LEFT barrel. With this in mind now it should become clear in you mind that the double rifle is designed to shoot parallel from muzzle to infinity and is just as accurate as any iron sighted rifle of the same chambering, with only hold over for longer range just like an iron sighted single barrel rifle! This is the reason the changing of the powder charge will destroy the regulation, because it chamber the recoil movement of the barrels!