Kreighoff double rifles - worth buying?

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SRvet

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I would greatly appreciate the collective wisdom on the Kreighoff double rifles and especially the classic big 5. I am considering ordering one in .500 NE and would appreciate the experiences others have had warts and all. I handled my PHs Kreighoff in Namibia and was very impressed, more so than with the Merkel.
Many thanks in advance
 
I purchased a used Kreighoff big 5 in .500/.416 NE, I fitted an RMR red dot sight on it, I have to say that the gun exceeded all expectations. I found it very accurate from both barrels and have shot quite a lot of animals out to about 75 / 80 yards. 400 grain bullets were really effective, recoil is more than manageable. It is a keeper.

Some people do not like the safety / cocking lever set up, I have to say that I do like it as it's great to carry it closed but not cocked.

I have had no issues and no complaints.
 
I like mine; it shoots solids exceptionally well. Also a .500/.416 with a red dot.
 
Didn't know there was a new player in town...

Krieghoff
 
SRvet said:
I would greatly appreciate the collective wisdom on the Kreighoff double rifles and especially the classic big 5. I am considering ordering one in .500 NE and would appreciate the experiences others have had warts and all. I handled my PHs Kreighoff in Namibia and was very impressed, more so than with the Merkel.
Many thanks in advance
Click to expand...
A PH friend of mine swears by his. Also in 500NE
 
Everyone I know that owns one loves it, including Philip Glass I got to see his in Zim.

I stumbled across a deal too good to walk away from on my Ken Owen Sabatti, but while looking around it seemed like the K doubles sell at a severe discount when used.

So deals can be found if your patient and look hard.
 
I had two. I liked them both very much. Fit was great for me and the recoil was very reasonable for the calibers. I know not everyone likes the cocking device, but I found it intuitive. Both were very accurate with factory ammo. My only complaint is I felt that the triggers were too light giving the calibers. (I didn’t measure the pull weight.). And agree with the above. May be easier to find a deal with a used Krieghoff.
 
I have liked both of the models I owned...500/416 and 470. I just got back last night from Africa and one of the PHs had an older Krieghoff that is now in its 2nd generation of PH daily use. I really appreciated how it had aged well and was reliable to its PH users. The grandfather of this PH was one of the founding members of PHASA. I asked how he liked his Krieghoff 470 and he said he wouldn't trade it for anything. That should tell you a lot.
 
I’ve never owned one but have shot several.

They are high ability well made rifles. I really liked all the ones I shot.

The quirk or what we you want to call it is the safety/cocker. Some people love it and some people hate it. A few people are in the middle. I’m one of those. I would buy one if I found one for the right price and right configuration, but I’m not actively looking for one specifically.
 
Kynoch2015 said:
I had two. I liked them both very much. Fit was great for me and the recoil was very reasonable for the calibers. I know not everyone likes the cocking device, but I found it intuitive. Both were very accurate with factory ammo. My only complaint is I felt that the triggers were too light giving the calibers. (I didn’t measure the pull weight.). And agree with the above. May be easier to find a deal with a used Krieghoff.
Click to expand...
Before I first handled one I thought I would dislike the decocker despite also owning a Blaser R8 because I sometimes push down too hard on the R8 cocking slide which then fails to latch. The K gun didn’t seem to be able to do this at all which was a big relief on a DG rifle. I was very impressed indeed and liked the decocker. It seems much safer than having a normal safety with compressed springs held by sear engagement only, especially as I will be second or third in a line whilst carrying the rifle pretty much all of the time.
Has anyone had regulation issues when swapping ammunition types?
 
deewayne2003 said:
Everyone I know that owns one loves it, including Philip Glass I got to see his in Zim.

I stumbled across a deal too good to walk away from on my Ken Owen Sabatti, but while looking around it seemed like the K doubles sell at a severe discount when used.

So deals can be found if your patient and look hard.
Click to expand...
Extractors sell cheap but try finding a nice used one with ejectors. Pretty rare and tells you something!
 
Bringing this one back up. Looking at a 470 ejector model now. Weight is 10lbs 8 ounces. Has anyone found the krieghoff at 10 and a half lbs to be too light?
 
That’s about right…10 1/2 to 11 lbs. it’s too light for a proper 500 but good for a 470 in my personal experience. You can also add a bit of weight if desired and some prefer that.
 
Philip Glass said:
Extractors sell cheap but try finding a nice used one with ejectors. Pretty rare and tells you something!
Click to expand...
This is true, I know from my used double search, if there were any cheap K-guns out there I would have come across one and I most certainly did not
 
There is one in my area for 20K
revturbo9967 said:
Bringing this one back up. Looking at a 470 ejector model now. Weight is 10lbs 8 ounces. Has anyone found the krieghoff at 10 and a half lbs to be too light?
Click to expand...
Ideal weight for a 470 ne British gun is right around this mark
 
revturbo9967 said:
Bringing this one back up. Looking at a 470 ejector model now. Weight is 10lbs 8 ounces. Has anyone found the krieghoff at 10 and a half lbs to be too light?
Click to expand...
As mentioned you can add weight of new as all built to order
 
.

My first Krieghoff was / is a double in .375 H&H. Hunted it a ton in Africa & have taken everything from steenbok (could not pass him up - he was a beast) to buff up close. A joy to carry, hunt & shoot. No issues with various ammo but have now settled on Norma African PH.

Then graduated to .470 NE, also a great gun & joy to hunt. Shoot it open sights & have taken buff & ele. Felt recoil is not an issue & ammo also not an issue.

I look occasionally at the non big bore calibers 9,3s & .30-06 simply because I like Krieghoff doubles & would enjoy a medium caliber for driven shoots in Europe.

Summary - a well built gun, I like the cocking mechanism, fits me well & has its own Krieghoff style!

My 2 cents .....


.
 
Thanks for the info. What is the finish on the barrel of the big five classic? It doesnt looked to be blued but a Matt finish of some sort.
 
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