Favorite Darling Small-Mid Bore Double?

[Wildwillalaska]

That little gem is lovely. Bet it’s a joy to shoot as well. Pretty accurate?

For a vintage rifle, Watson Brothers ranks up there pretty high on my want list. When down in San Antonio looking at a Heym I stopped in a shop that had a Watson Bros in 360EX. Really liked the weight and feel. Ideally I want one of their rifles with the bolstered frame. Love the look of the bolstered side, some Lancaster an Alexander Henry had the same lines.

Thank you for sharing.

 

[Returnspring]

Yes, the Watson is pretty accurate. It really likes 185gr Lapua .365 jacketed bullets, but those are not hunting bullets and are usually out of stock. I've got a target next to me at the moment with 6 shots in 1.75" at 35 yards, hitting at POA. The paper patched 190gr LRN bullets are almost as good and very inexpensive if I count my time patching as free. Per Watson, it was sold in 1905.

This was my first Webley screw grip action. I've since found a 450 3.25" BPE Edward Lang that was scoped some time in the past. That's also a shooter. And a 500 3" BPE Army & Navy CSL that originally belonged to an Army officer serving in India. He went on to write a few books about the uprising. Also a shooter but still probably can do better.

How long ago did you see the Watson in San Antonio? (Is it the 400/360 on GunsInternational? That's a pretty one, nitro, scoped and conveniently with a .358" bore.)

 

[Wildwillalaska]

Yes, the Watson is pretty accurate. It really likes 185gr Lapua .365 jacketed bullets, but those are not hunting bullets and are usually out of stock. I've got a target next to me at the moment with 6 shots in 1.75" at 35 yards, hitting at POA. The paper patched 190gr LRN bullets are almost as good and very inexpensive if I count my time patching as free. Per Watson, it was sold in 1905.

This was my first Webley screw grip action. I've since found a 450 3.25" BPE Edward Lang that was scoped some time in the past. That's also a shooter. And a 500 3" BPE Army & Navy CSL that originally belonged to an Army officer serving in India. He went on to write a few books about the uprising. Also a shooter but still probably can do better.

How long ago did you see the Watson in San Antonio? (Is it the 400/360 on GunsInternational? That's a pretty one, nitro, scoped and conveniently with a .358" bore.)

December 5th. Wife and I left Maui a couple days early and flew over to meet the gent selling a new 89b 450/400 to confirm everything and he agreed to drive up and meet at San Antonio. I stopped in a local shop with the Watson as I was seriously considering it if the deal on the Heym didn’t work out for some reason. And was still really thinking about it if I’m nice condition…to my inexperienced judgement on vintage British doubles. Really looked the gun over and took a few photos. Decided to sleep on it as there was an auction that same weekend with a few bolt guns and restored Westley Richards double in 450/400 I was also considering.

Bidding on cool guns while drinking margaritas and touring around River Walk proved an effective combination if one wants to spend money. So even after paying the gent for the Heym, I still bought the little Westley Richards double and a couple cool bolt guns, Needless to say, I didn’t go back to make an offer on the Watson Bros. Pretty sure the shop still has it, it’s been there a while. They also have a gorgeous Holland little round body 500NE I got to thumb over while there…insisted I check it out for fun even after I assured them I was not even possibly in the market for a six-figure firearm, even if it were a Holland double.

Here are a couple quick photos of the Watson 400/360, I have a few more and if anyone interested, I can direct where it’s at. It’s on Guns International too.

 

[double rifle newbie]

9.3x74r double for many reasons but i am biased because i have one.

 

[Returnspring]

That's quite beautiful. I'm sure it would be double the performance of my little, as that's a 400/360, and would be shooting 300grs or I believe slightly more, at 1950fps, vs 200ish grs at 1650fps for my pre-nitro 360 2.25". Between the extra velocity and the scope, I'd be more confident with that further out than I am with my Watson.

Buffalo Arms currently stocks brass for the 400/360 thin rim. Not sure which this is.

Thank you for sharing pics. The finish looks original. My only concern might be that the stock head might have some oil damage. Definitely some oil stains at the head.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

The 400/360 is one of those cartridges that is worrisome to me when looking at it in a shop, since I have no real idea which variant it might be.

I’d love to find a more modern 9.3x74, even a rimmed 8x57 at some point, if I don’t stumble into the right vintage rifle that I know more about for chambering, regulation, and such…so I have some confidence in its active use and reloading.

 

[Muskox]

The 8x57 JRS would be my first choice.

 

[MacJenkins]

The 400/360 is one of those cartridges that is worrisome to me when looking at it in a shop, since I have no real idea which variant it might be.

I’d love to find a more modern 9.3x74, even a rimmed 8x57 at some point, if I don’t stumble into the right vintage rifle that I know more about for chambering, regulation, and such…so I have some confidence in its active use and reloading.

Will, just and FYI that will be a different cartridge than my 400/360 Purdey gun from William Evans you played with. Mine uses 9.3mm bullets.

The website says that is a .358 bore. I think it will be the Westley Richards variant which was actually a .360 bore but some say they work just fine with .358 bullets. It will also have a thicker rim and and a tad larger diameter case head. I don't think I have ever seen brass for them.

The brass at Buffalo Arms is the correct brass for my gun. I bought a bit of the Bertram brass when I found it available but it didn't shoot well at all for some reason. I wanted some correct headstamp brass for traveling but no one has yet to say anything.

I form my brass that shoots well off of Hornady 9.7x74r brass. It's easy to do. Has accounted for a couple truck loads of Zebra, Kudu, Warthogs and what not.