My first double rifle - I love it

[Opposite Pole]

So last week, after a year’s worth of waiting, my double rifle was finally ready for a pick up from the dealer.

It all started one bloody hot day in Australia’s Northern Territory. I was on a buffalo hunt and in addition to using my Blaser R8 in 375H&H, the outfitter offered me to have a go with his double Merkel in 470 N.E. (damn you Matt, you cost me loads of money!). I have never handled a double and considered them to be something of a curiosity and a relic of the past. This all changed the moment I handled the gun. I loved how it pointed and how easy it came on the target, how fast and surprisingly accurate the open sights were. After shooting it at a target I realised that the recoil was easily controllable and not anywhere near as fierce as I feared. Later that day I shot a buffalo with it and this sealed my fate – right there and then I knew I had to get me one of those.

And so few years have passed, I have moved between continents but the obsession didn’t go away. Finally I’ve decided to order one. I knew I absolutely needed to get a classic nitro express calibre for Africa and Australia. However the impracticality of such a cartridge for European game was just too obvious to ignore and so I’ve gotten two barrel sets for it: 470 N.E. and 9.3x74R. I visited the factory and had the stock made to measure and it fits me really well. So well in fact that I now know I will have to get a new shotgun stock made, or get a new shottie altogether (signs of an addiction perhaps?). The difference between a well fitted gun and “standard dimensions” is unbelievable. I knew fit was important but didn’t realise just what a difference it makes, and I am what one would call a regular sized guy.

Looking at various guns at the factory

Choosing a blank

And a year later

The standard front bead is tiny and only good for target practise

However there is a large and clear pop up front bead that is easy to see, quick to use and appears to be staying up once opened

50m (55yds) off hand. The two holes covered with black stickers are 9.3x74R the remaining four 470 N.E. I have to get plenty of practise before I can hunt with it because I'm very slow with the open sights - I was shooting scoped rifles from day one.

 

[Hunting Sailor]

Wonderful looking rifle and a great story!
Congratulations!

You make the rest of us dream and drool... ;-)

//Gus

 

[Opposite Pole]

Thanks

 

[zephyr]

Congrats .....
Welcome to the club

 

[bassasdaindia]

welcome to AH , good luck with your new double rifle .

it appears to be a Krieghoff , is that correct ?

 

[cpr0312]

Very nice, awesome looking double!

 

[cagkt3]

Very beautiful double, congrats!

 

[crs]

Beautiful rifle. I hope you take all the animals in the engravings.

 

[sierraone]

Gorgeous rifle.....I am so jealous!!!

 

[Opposite Pole]

Beautiful rifle. I hope you take all the animals in the engravings.

That is the plan/dream

 

[Opposite Pole]

welcome to AH , good luck with your new double rifle .

it appears to be a Krieghoff , is that correct ?

Yes, it's a Krieghoff

 

[rinehart0050]

Wow. I love the engraving. Very nice!


Congrats!!

 

[GA Hunter]

Gorgeous gun. Congrats.

 

[BenH2016]

That is just beautiful through and through.

 

[CAustin]

Congrats sir!

 

[MartyJ]

You poor bastard ! You think this ends with one double ? You see, this is how it starts . . . You get one, and the you manufacture a need for one in 30/06 for deer. Then the 9.3x74, well, it's not a 375 for that one gun safari so . . . Poor guy.
Well, all the best. Hope your happy getting all your rifles restocked.

 

[ScottG]

Congratulations you must be as gitty as a school girl. Good for you enjoy your new toy.

 

[Opposite Pole]

Congratulations you must be as gitty as a school girl. Good for you enjoy your new toy.

Indeed!

You poor bastard ! You think this ends with one double ? You see, this is how it starts . . . You get one, and the you manufacture a need for one in 30/06 for deer. Then the 9.3x74, well, it's not a 375 for that one gun safari so . . . Poor guy.
Well, all the best. Hope your happy getting all your rifles restocked.

I have high hopes in my strength. I did get a 9.3x74R set of barrels for it and have a bolt action 375H&H. However evil thoughts have started about a month back and I keep thinking a set of 20G barrels would be nice but... This is a reasonably heavy gun, realistically too heavy for a shottie so perhaps I could get one with the exact same dimensions made but in a lighter frame - Krieghoff offers a light alloy version of the gun for lighter calibres (up to 375 I think) and since they already have my details on file it would save me the trip to the factory. I could get a 20G and something along the lines of 30R Blaser barrels for it with a nice low power scope for deer. Then I remind my self that one double is enough and I already do have a shotgun. My wife said that knowing me now that I finally have a double rifle I'll probably come up with a need for a single rifle - I had to correct her and said that it is called a single shot rifle and that indeed I do need one, particularly for chasing Roe Deer and for mountain hunting so with a few sets of barrels - 5.6x52R, 30R Blaser, 9.3x74R (since I already have that calibre and am getting reloading gear for it anyways) + something for longer range. Blaser makes a lovely one called K95 but Krieghoff makes a decent on too called Hubertus and Merkel makes one as well. I wouldn't terribly mind Dakota Model 10 but it might be hard to get my hands on one here and importing into EU would be very costly but no, I'm not really thinking about getting another gun am I? As for resocking, my bolt action Blaser is a synthetic so can't really restock it but I could get a timber version, I do like their new Classic Sporter stock. They would not fit in my current safe because the six handguns in there take up too much space so that would also mean another safe (legal thing). "My name i Jakub and I'm a rifleholic...

 

[MartyJ]

It's ok Jakub. There, there now. I want to say that it will be fine, but it won't be.
Your safe will never be big enough. I know, I have 3.
Another rifle, well, we confuse NEED and WANT, not that it's a bad thing.
I don't know how things are in the EU, but here, your limit is dictated by your wallet. Common sense has nothing to do with it.
Example: you know the Blaser system of switching barrels ? It really should (logically) mean you need only one rifle with different barrels.
Well, I started with the R93. Then needed a synthetic. Then walked into a store and seen one with an outstanding piece of wood . . . The madness is not over, four Blaser rifles in the safe.
Do not want to talk about doubles. That's a special kind of illness

 

[Opposite Pole]

Well, I do have a limited amount of firearm slots on my licence here but I do still have more then 10 slots available and could always extend it, which although annoying is possible. The real limit is 50 firearms as above that storage requirements get stupid although not impossible. I do have a valid permit in Australia as well so could always buy it through there if the need be... Luckily there's one thing I enjoy more than buying guns - I'd rather use them and so I'm going to wrap up things at work and go boar hunting tonight.