Just say no to doubles… For now!

[Bwgunslinger]

I have to give @rookhawk a shout out for preventing me from making a huge gun trade mistake.

He knows doubles. And I don’t lol.

I was about to buy a rifle I saw online and sell three guns to make that happen. I called him just to get his take on it and I’m SO glad I did.

Seriously, unless you are a double rifle expert or know a lot about them, you’d be wise to chat with him before buying one online.

Lesson take away for today, keep shooting the bolt guns for now!

This site is great. Thanks rookhawk

 

[Bwgunslinger]

A Heym 470 is in my future when funds allow though

 

[rookhawk]

Better to own no double rifles than bad ones. You have completely serviceable DG magazine rifles today. Be happy.

 

[duckfish]

A good double is great. Just got back from taking the big five with one, but it needs to be regulated and need to shoot it and become very familiar with it

 

[CoElkHunter]

Yes, @rookhawk ‘s knowledge and experience with DR and other higher end stuff is invaluable. Even though I’m not in the same financial zip code with the more expensive offerings, I’ve read and learned here a lot thanks to him.

 

[ChooChoo404]

OK, no fair! I can see why you may want to respect the seller, not burn a bridge, you name it. Imagination runs wild.

But dont be a tease.

What was wrong with the gun? How did @rookhawk see this dealkiller from a distance?

 

[Bwgunslinger]

OK, no fair! I can see why you may want to respect the seller, not burn a bridge, you name it. Imagination runs wild.

But dont be a tease.

What was wrong with the gun? How did @rookhawk see this dealkiller from a distance?

Haha there was probably nothing wrong with the gun. It was a .375 h&h in an old rifle. Still a Heym.

The problem was more my flawed thinking about being able to drop a 350 grain north fork load in it and go.

He explained how regulation works and how it’s not so simple and how a cartridge with a rim could be more what I’m after. Especially since it’s mainly a buffalo gun.

And how selling three guns I like for one I might or might not like was a risk.

Nothing wrong with the gun. It was me about to be irresponsible and sign up for more of a project than I realized. Lol

 

[ChooChoo404]

Interesting. And in my case not at all academic: Has he seen much in the way of hiccups with .375 HH (not R) in mid-grade german doubles?

 

[Bwgunslinger]

Interesting. And in my case not at all academic: Has he seen much in the way of hiccups with .375 HH (not R) in mid-grade german doubles?

I don’t think so but he can verify. I really do want a 470 and even though I do love the 375, I think for a double that’s going to cost a lot (for me at least), it’s probably the right call to wait until I can find the right deal on the caliber I really want.

 

[Bwgunslinger]

Lately I’ve been building up tolerance for more recoil and shooting a 458 safari express with an RMR on it.

It’s been going well. Maybe a 9.3 lb 458 will have a similar thump as a 10.5 lb 470?

 

[ChooChoo404]

Am working on getting used to more recoil myself. Got a 1957 M70 .375 that carries like a dream, jumps like a startled cat, and jolts like a car wreck. On a too light plastic stock now, am figuring out what to do with it as it is too sweet to kick to the curb. African PH provenance too. Like it a lot, makes my teeth go click.

Given I know I can sell em on, I also picked up a 550 in .375. Couldn’t be any more different. Heavy, clunky, balanced too far forward to “handle” and naturally it kicks way less and more pleasantly.

Life huh?

 

[Bwgunslinger]

Am working on getting used to more recoil myself. Got a 1957 M70 .375 that carries like a dream, jumps like a startled cat, and jolts like a car wreck. On a too light plastic stock now, am figuring out what to do with it as it is too sweet to kick to the curb. African PH provenance too. Like it a lot, makes my teeth go click.

Given I know I can sell em on, I also picked up a 550 in .375. Couldn’t be any more different. Heavy, clunky, balanced too far forward to “handle” and naturally it kicks way less and more pleasantly.

Life huh?

I get that! The light ones sure are snappy. I have been practicing getting the 458 steady, sort of “staging” the trigger with a little pressure, then a quick mental checklist of “Head position, cheek weld, don’t hold your breath, red dot, press… boom”

It has helped replace the thoughts like “this is gonna suck”. Haha

 

[Bwgunslinger]

It sounds cheesy but I use pre-shot routines in sporting clays to lower performance anxiety.

From the time of dropping the first shell in the top barrel it’s something like “Hold point 1, pull away 4 feet, get to hold point two, swing through, watch hand speed” then call “pull”.

I can still miss with the best of them but that mental checklist replaces thoughts like “I’ve already dropped 3 and this is station 5” or “if I can run this station I’ll be out with ___ score.”

Basically anything that can interrupt the focus needed in that moment.

I’ve been finding that i can somewhat combat the anticipation of recoil by giving my brain a job that makes a checklist for a positive outcome instead of just the negative thoughts of how the gun kicks.

Anyway, hoping it builds with speed and practice. Lol

 

[Altitude sickness]

Rookhawk has saved me from myself and “great deals” also.

I am now getting my DR fix with vintage British SxS scatterguns. Which can also be a rabbit hole of pitfalls and bad buys.

 

[VertigoBE]

Rookhawk has saved me from myself and “great deals” also.

I am now getting my DR fix with vintage British SxS scatterguns. Which can also be a rabbit hole of pitfalls and bad buys.

I would say that sxs shotguns need even more expertise to distinguish between a gold nugget and a rock than double rifles. At least with double rifles you can be quite certain the barrels haven’t been shot out.

 

[Altitude sickness]

I would say that sxs shotguns need even more expertise to distinguish between a gold nugget and a rock than double rifles. At least with double rifles you can be quite certain the barrels haven’t been shot out.

100%

Rookhawk has either told me directly. Or directed me to the appropriate resource.

Let’s take your shot out barrel example.

For me being a user and accumulator, not a collector. A properly sleeved gun is more valuable than a thin walled original. Now I’m carrying a re-proofed shotgun that would cost $60-$80k to build today using CNC and some hand fitting.

To a collector a sleeved gun is not even considered.

I’m slowly learning. But would still prefer the gun to be examined by a real expert in vintage SxS

 

[Bwgunslinger]

I would like to learn about the shotguns you guys are talking about. I’ve only shot over unders and the only experience I have with multiple triggers was with a crazy redhead.

 

[rookhawk]

OK, no fair! I can see why you may want to respect the seller, not burn a bridge, you name it. Imagination runs wild.

But dont be a tease.

What was wrong with the gun? How did @rookhawk see this dealkiller from a distance?

There was a nice Heym Deluxe 375HH for sale. My thoughts on the rifle as a Dangerous Game gun were as follows:

1. It was built on a small bore frame. It was very light. Further, no amount of money can buy a large bore barrel set for it.

2. It had no optics or mounts. It was not going to deliver the utility or range that makes a 375HH such a great all-arounder

3. It is a rimless cartridge, diminishing gun value and increasing an ejection issue.

4. He really wanted a buffalo and elephant gun, a 470NE or similar.

5. He was going to trade 3 guns he really liked for this gun that wasn't going to solve his requirements, plus a lot of cash.

6. As a 375HH double rifle, it is going to be finnicky to regulate. It will probably shoot a 270gr bullet at moderate, normal double rifle velocities. That is inferior to his 375HH magazine rifle that can be pushed up in energy while shooting a 350gr bullet

For those reasons, I suggested this was not the right double rifle for his purposes.