Impossible to find used heym double rifle

[Rare Breed]

1. I have had very good communications and discussions with Chris at Heym and while I have never bought a rifle from him(so never spent a penny with him yet), I would not hesitate to recommend him. His knowledge of doubles is vast and he has been kind enough to teach me quite alot.

2. So my guess is here in Texas, the gun is $32k sticker plus taxes and shipping and potentially tariffs. Taxes in Texas are 8.25%, shipping is going to add on at least another $100-200, perhaps more. I believe there is still a 10% baseline tariff. So my guess is this PH version will be $38k-ish when all is said and done.

3. Generic advice we all probably know buy dislike and sit in denial - they will never be cheaper. Ever. Maybe the tarrifs come off...that would be awesome. But the cost of goods and services is massively more sticky than what I was taught in university. I know recessions happen and folks may price cars and other luxury goods a bit cheaper but I believe the slow 2-5% annual March is on and has been dang near my whole life.

If you want a new ________, it will cost you more next year than this and while there are exceptions to this, hand/manual labor of a luxury product where demand outstrips supply by multiples, me thinks in 2 years time the starter price has a $4 handle.

No disrespect to Heym but for that price I am close to the new Rigby DR. Yes they are new many will say but I have found their customer service to be superb versus what I constantly hear about Heym

 

[MacJenkins]

No disrespect to Heym but for that price I am close to the new Rigby DR. Yes they are new many will say but I have found their customer service to be superb versus what I constantly hear about Heym

I would really question that. And very few new boxlock Rigby’s have been delivered from my readi bf. Seams that 45-50k buys you a very nice HEYM. And you know where it’s made. What is a 75-100% engraved, case colored Shakiri going to cost you landed in the US? I don’t think it’s anywhere even close to that of a Heym. US customer service I do get. Very valid argument. I personally get good service from HEYM but the comments and discussions on this forum is too much to ignore for sure.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

If Rigby’s Dbl rifle starting at 45k-ish was remotely close to that in the US I’d agree wholeheartedly. Problem is that entry price is near blank slate without a case. The proposal Jerome put together for me in Nashville with very modest scroll and no game scene came to around 78k pounds sterling, then another 10k pounds for a case. So their double rifle starting at 45k pounds, with modest scroll and case ends up being much closer to $145k US after conversion from pounds, taxes, fees and tariffs, far cry from 45k.

I can get into some amazing doubles from Westley Richards, Holland and Holland, and Rigby for less than $140k US.

 

[Hornedfrogbbq]

I have bought all of my Heym's from this site. Being patient pays off and honestly, the gentlemen on here that i have bought from will make you believe in America again...if that ever faded for you.

Honestly, I became a supporter because of the value i receive on here. The knowledge shared, the ability to buy ammo, scopes, tripods, guns, etd. Really a special place honestly.

 

[SStomcat]

I can get into some amazing doubles from Westley Richards, Holland and Holland, and Rigby for less than $140k US.

For sure yes, The Rigby Rising bite with many premium features starts at 149.5K pound sterling. So, if you were priced for the Shikari at 145K you were close to the Rising Bite territory. I'm just surprised, not questioning though.

 

[19_A_CPT]

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1174638290

 

[SStomcat]

For a starting price of $32K for a Heym, I personally find them overpriced. For a few thousand more — or perhaps even the same money if I’m fortunate — I’d rather own an excellent British double rifle with far greater heritage, character, and intrinsic long-term value.
BTW, I’m perfectly OK with banging the hell out of my Krieghoff and not having to worry about it

 

[MacJenkins]

For sure yes, The Rigby Rising bite with many premium features starts at 149.5K pound sterling. So, if you were priced for the Shikari at 145K you were close to the Rising Bite territory. I'm just surprised, not questioning though.

You do understand there is a difference in the pound and usd?

And yes Will had a legit quote from Rigby on a boxlock.

 

[SWARA]

I have been following with interest, as my story is a little different.
After more than 3 years of waiting, my Heym 89 finally waits for me to pick it up from the Heym agent in Australia.
I had ordered a 89b in .500 nitro and payed for it directly from the Heym factory in Germany on the condition that I would travel to the factory, where Heym would organize for pick up transfer to the airport so it could travel back home with me to Tanzania when it was finished. The work was finished in less than two years but things didn't work out as planned, as for whatever reason they did not secure the export permit even though I had the import permits for Tanzania ( lots of stories). After a year of trying i gave up and asked them to ship it to their Australian agent. So there it sits till I can travel back to Australia and pick it up.
Im not sure if I will keep it or sell it as after all this time I have kind of moved on.
I thought i would attach a couple of photos sent to me by the Agent.

 

[SStomcat]

You do understand there is a difference in the pound and usd?

And yes Will had a legit quote from Rigby on a boxlock.

I think I do. . I misread 145K USD as 145K Pound Sterling. Still 145K USD, is a whole different ball game

 

[BAY]

I have been following with interest, as my story is a little different.
After more than 3 years of waiting, my Heym 89 finally waits for me to pick it up from the Heym agent in Australia.
I had ordered a 89b in .500 nitro and payed for it directly from the Heym factory in Germany on the condition that I would travel to the factory, where Heym would organize for pick up transfer to the airport so it could travel back home with me to Tanzania when it was finished. The work was finished in less than two years but things didn't work out as planned, as for whatever reason they did not secure the export permit even though I had the import permits for Tanzania ( lots of stories). After a year of trying i gave up and asked them to ship it to their Australian agent. So there it sits till I can travel back to Australia and pick it up.
Im not sure if I will keep it or sell it as after all this time I have kind of moved on.
I thought i would attach a couple of photos sent to me by the Agent.
View attachment 763770View attachment 763771View attachment 763772

That gun is beautiful!

 

[Wildwillalaska]

I have been following with interest, as my story is a little different.
After more than 3 years of waiting, my Heym 89 finally waits for me to pick it up from the Heym agent in Australia.
I had ordered a 89b in .500 nitro and payed for it directly from the Heym factory in Germany on the condition that I would travel to the factory, where Heym would organize for pick up transfer to the airport so it could travel back home with me to Tanzania when it was finished. The work was finished in less than two years but things didn't work out as planned, as for whatever reason they did not secure the export permit even though I had the import permits for Tanzania ( lots of stories). After a year of trying i gave up and asked them to ship it to their Australian agent. So there it sits till I can travel back to Australia and pick it up.
Im not sure if I will keep it or sell it as after all this time I have kind of moved on.
I thought i would attach a couple of photos sent to me by the Agent.
View attachment 763770View attachment 763771View attachment 763772

Lovely rifle for sure. If you decide to sell it, should export it to the US and have it sold here. And not joking even in the slightest. I don’t need it as I just imported one quite similar…it doesn’t have the gold Heym on the sides but has an extended top tang that I think is cool…but believe you’d likely get more for the rifle in the US AND I like seeing more Heyms make their way here.

My 500 89b finished early 2025.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

For a starting price of $32K for a Heym, I personally find them overpriced. For a few thousand more — or perhaps even the same money if I’m fortunate — I’d rather own an excellent British double rifle with far greater heritage, character, and intrinsic long-term value.
BTW, I’m perfectly OK with banging the hell out of my Krieghoff and not having to worry about it

Sstomcat, have you spent much time behind a Heym 88b or 89b? You are always downplaying Heyms as over rated or somehow subpar, which every gent is entitled to their opinions and feelings, even inherent bias of Ford vs Chevy, but since it’s a consistent comment/theme in every post of yours that I can recall, I was just curious of the source or basis of why you dislike Heym so much. I get why you like K-guns, you liked it enough to spend your money on it, so of course you like it, and it seems from your posts that it has served you well so far, so having a preference for what you know and have makes total sense, just wasn’t sure if you had a Heym that failed you in some way or if it’s just something you woke up one day and were like to hell with Heyms. lol.

Whatever your answer, totally cool, just had to at least ask. Even if it’s just that you don’t like brands that begin with H or end with M…really.

I’ve met a lot of experienced folks, that have owned and even currently own a variety of doubles, and I have never once met someone who owned one and thought they were overpriced or in any way substandard. I’ve met some that were not happy with our customer service here in the states, which admittedly seems to ebb and flow as it relates to return calls and pricing and ordering, but the guns themselves I’ve not heard a single complaint. Even service when folks have had an issue, they seem to get sorted super fast, and Heym has JJ P. handle all their warranty and service work.

Even talking with Buzz Charlton as he took delivery of his gorgeous Shikari, he said he couldn’t imagine liking the new double as much, let alone more, than his beloved Heym 88b. He did share a less than favorable sentiment for our US service though. And who knows, give him a year behind the Shikari and he may well change his tune.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

One thing I found shocking at Nashville was talking to Mike Fell about his pair of Heyms that are in construction presently, one the new framed 89b in 600NE and then another 450NE. I was asking roughly when he expected delivery and about booking a buffalo hunt…he starting going on about how much he loved and relied on his Heyms. I figured he’d say that since Heym had him in several social media advertisements, and jokingly said so.

He was adamant that he agreed to the endorsement because he loved the rifles not vice verse…and mentioned that he actually just bought a 89b in 470 just before Christmas from Safari Outdoors in South Africa. That he stopped in and they had it on the shelf, so no way he was leaving it behind. As a tool for his trade, he could use the back up. WHICH…led to me asking if he got some special pricing since he was just buying another one while he already owns one and has two in construction…and he said no discount, not a cent. He paid full price and was happy to have it.

To me, that speaks volumes. You have a guy who’s carried a double for work countless days. Who has hunted along side and seen all quality makes and models of doubles in real life action…also likely countless times. And after all that, when buying, he still laid down his own cash for another Heym.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

No disrespect to Heym but for that price I am close to the new Rigby DR. Yes they are new many will say but I have found their customer service to be superb versus what I constantly hear about Heym

Rare Breed, being a fellow Rigby fan, I absolutely think you should pull the trigger on a Shikari. I will have to own a Rigby double at some point, but leaning more towards a clean/restored vintage boxlock or Rising Bite.

Since there seems to be some reoccurring confusion in their pricing, I’ll just post what I was sent, which isn’t any kind of secret, Rigby is open about their pricing, it’s just that the basic build doesn’t include all the scroll. My quote also has additional amount for an extended top tang which I quite like.

So the basic quote for the build I inquired about was 71,350 pounds excluding VAT since it would directly export to US. That equates to $97,300 US as it sits in London. Then another $13,650 if I want a case for it, bringing it to a rounded US figure of $111,000, still sitting in London.

You’ll have export and import application and fees, customs clearing fees, etc., but expect Rigby and Blazer US have those reduced through economy scale given all the imports they do each year, so say it’s as cheap as $1,500 (likely too low but for the sake of conservative hypotheticals), and then figure 10% tariff, 3.5% duty, and 11% excise tax, on the $111k, which puts you at $138k and some change plus the $1,500 importation/shipping costs, gets you right to the even ballpark figure of $140,000 in hand in Alaska (for me) but then add sales tax if your state charges such. (Granted if so, you’d also pay sales tax on a Heym or whatever you decided upon)

A really nice dressed up Heym isn’t approaching the price of a similarly spec’d Shikari. You can literally buy two very extravagantly appointed Heyms, or three nicely appointed ones, for the price of one Shikari with case.

 

[SStomcat]

Sstomcat, have you spent much time behind a Heym 88b or 89b? You are always downplaying Heyms as over rated or somehow subpar, which every gent is entitled to their opinions and feelings, even inherent bias of Ford vs Chevy, but since it’s a consistent comment/theme in every post of yours that I can recall, I was just curious of the source or basis of why you dislike Heym so much. I get why you like K-guns, you liked it enough to spend your money on it, so of course you like it, and it seems from your posts that it has served you well so far, so having a preference for what you know and have makes total sense, just wasn’t sure if you had a Heym that failed you in some way or if it’s just something you woke up one day and were like to hell with Heyms. lol.

Whatever your answer, totally cool, just had to at least ask. Even if it’s just that you don’t like brands that begin with H or end with M…really.

I’ve met a lot of experienced folks, that have owned and even currently own a variety of doubles, and I have never once met someone who owned one and thought they were overpriced or in any way substandard. I’ve met some that were not happy with our customer service here in the states, which admittedly seems to ebb and flow as it relates to return calls and pricing and ordering, but the guns themselves I’ve not heard a single complaint. Even service when folks have had an issue, they seem to get sorted super fast, and Heym has JJ P. handle all their warranty and service work.

Even talking with Buzz Charlton as he took delivery of his gorgeous Shikari, he said he couldn’t imagine liking the new double as much, let alone more, than his beloved Heym 88b. He did share a less than favorable sentiment for our US service though. And who knows, give him a year behind the Shikari and he may well change his tune.

I'm not going to duck your question. I have never owned a Heym. However, I have fired about two dozen rounds through an 88B in .500 NE at the range, and I have also handled another 88B in the same caliber at Gordy’s. I’d say everything is relative and ultimately comes down to personal opinion.

Heym certainly makes good rifles, and I don’t recall ever calling them substandard. There are reports of a Heym rifle cracking at the action, for whatever reason.

Yes, I do feel they are overpriced for what they offer — again, relative to the Krieghoff that I’m comparing them to.

When I was shopping for a double rifle, I absolutely had the option of buying a Heym, but I chose the K-gun mainly because of the roughly $7K price difference, which my eyes simply could not justify. I do not find the Krieghoff in any way inferior to the Heyms that I have handled.

BTW, I’m perfectly OK banging the hell out of my Krieghoff and not worrying about it, something that I could ill afford to do for a 35 K rifle.

 

[Hornedfrogbbq]

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1174638290

At $17,500, with the claw mounts and scope and JJ having genuflected over it, I'd say this is a strong value for a .375. Flanged would maybe be better considering the break rifle but still. Solid value.

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

That Heym 88B Sidelock is owned by one of our AH members. With the claw scope mounts, and recent JJ Perodeau inspection, It is a solid value at $17,500 !

It this sidelock Heym was a 450/400 or 470 Nitro, I think it would in time sell for $10k more.

Best of luck to the seller!

 

[Hornedfrogbbq]

That Heym 88B Sidelock is owned by one of our AH members. With the claw scope mounts, and recent JJ Perodeau inspection, It is a solid value at $17,500 !

It this sidelock Heym was a 450/400 or 470 Nitro, I think it would in time sell for $10k more.

Best of luck to the seller!

100%...maybe more than $10k more.

 

[mitch4570]

Tempting but I am going to hold out for a larger bore.