William Douglass

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

A long time ago I remember seeing some adds for WILLIAM DOUGLASS DOUBLE RIFLES. I think the price was close to $10,000.00, caliber .470N, with ejectors.

I have never seen one. Were they any good? I also remember they were regulated for Federal Premium. Why did they stop making them?

 

[WAB]

My friend had one in .470, used it for a year of work in Zim and then sold it. He loved it, regrets selling it, and continues to look for that specific rifle to buy it back.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

I will keep a eye out for it.

 

[Pondoro]

William Douglas & Sons .470/ Sometimes you get lucky

A couple of months ago I purchased a used but essentially new William Douglas & Sons .470. It is a A&D boxlock ejector. I finally took it out back to my little range and set up a target at 70 meters. I used a set of sticks that offer forearm and stock support. Sight picture was bead full in...

www.africahunting.com

 

[Red Leg]

William Douglas & Sons .470/ Sometimes you get lucky

A couple of months ago I purchased a used but essentially new William Douglas & Sons .470. It is a A&D boxlock ejector. I finally took it out back to my little range and set up a target at 70 meters. I used a set of sticks that offer forearm and stock support. Sight picture was bead full in...

www.africahunting.com

Thanks for posting. I remain very pleased with this one.

 

[Pondoro]

Joe..I had the same luck regarding regulation with my WW1 era .475...I purchased ammunition from Kynamco... 2" at 50 yards...bang on..

 

[Hunter-Habib]

They made some excellent double rifles in .500 Nitro Express & .470 Nitro Express. The barrels and action were proofed in London. They look very similar to the vintage William Evans boxlock ejectors and were imported by Cape Outfitters until 2004.

They gained a poor reputation only because some coarse fool started spreading a baseless rumor that the actions were not properly hardened.

One of Jeff Rann’s assistant white hunters uses one in .500 Nitro Express with 570Gr Hornady DGS factory loads as his backup rifle on elephant hunts. He absolutely loves it. He did, however have one minor trouble with the rifle. He was initially using 570Gr Barnes Banded Solids in the rifle, but once had both the muzzles get separated. The rifle was later completely restored, re-jointed and re-regulated. The operator then stopped using monolithic bullets in the rifle and he hasn’t had any troubles with it in the last 9 years.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

As I mentioned I just remember the ad and the price seemed to good to be true. This would have been in the 90s.

What jogged my brain was the thread about the William Evans.