Double Rifles: Does anyone use them?

[Vince Green]

16 hours ago, Ultrastu said:

The above seems massively  complicated .and fraught  with the possibility of failure. 

Ie one barrel shoots where you want it to and the other totally off .

Rendering it pointless having 2 barrels .

Why not have one barrel and a magazine with multiple bullets .? 

I can see why they aren't popular. 

Its absolutely the reverse of what you suggest. When facing a dangerous animal you have two barrels, two cartridges already chambered, two actions and two triggers. Also with practice they are quicker to reload than working a bolt. Not much to go wrong that isn't backed up by having a complete second everything

The last thing you want is a misfeed from the magazine with a big angry tiger charging at you 

[welshwarrior]

43 minutes ago, ditchman said:

458 winchester 3 shot bolt action.iron sights....still works when its full of grit and water ....just what you need in the bush

I thought you’d have more taste than a 458 WM try a traditional 416Rigby or gentleman’s 404 Jeffrey 😜 

I’ve have/had a handful a DG rifles some bolt actions which work and are nice but there is something just nicer about a double rifle.  

Edited October 4, 2021 by welshwarrior

[old man]

21 hours ago, Ultrastu said:

The above seems massively  complicated .and fraught  with the possibility of failure. 

Ie one barrel shoots where you want it to and the other totally off .

Rendering it pointless having 2 barrels .

Why not have one barrel and a magazine with multiple bullets .? 

I can see why they aren't popular. 

Double rifles, gives the two separate firing mechanisms essential in the face of dangerous game ?

[welshwarrior]

7 minutes ago, old man said:

Double rifles, gives the two separate firing mechanisms essential in the face of dangerous game ?

For a client Hunter essential no desirable yes.  
 

Most people now stand next to a PH who will deal with the cick ups however if you hunt with clients or are a PH your requirements are very different, if your shooting normally somethings gone wrong. Coupled with the fact most of these guys shots are take at close range and in haste, most PHs shoot over express sights regularly and well so a scope will be a draw back, especially when that scope lives half its life bouncing about in a land cruiser, would you trust your life to it when express sights won’t move?

[old man]

Maybe Google OutdoorLife article "20 of the best dangerous game rifles"

Mouthwatering elegant engineering?

[Gerry78]

21 hours ago, Ultrastu said:

The above seems massively  complicated .and fraught  with the possibility of failure. 

Ie one barrel shoots where you want it to and the other totally off .

Rendering it pointless having 2 barrels .

Why not have one barrel and a magazine with multiple bullets .? 

I can see why they aren't popular. 

I think you’ll find that double rifles have been used for dangerous Game for Decades especially Africa due to simplicity of use There not complicated at All 2 barrels side by side 2 separate triggers 

[Ultrastu]

That's about the 3 person who missed understood my post  .I guess I have to clarify .

It's not the double barreled gun and 2 triggers that's overly complicated  (no that's as simple as it can be .) It's the setting the 2 barrels to shoot exactly where you want them to -to coincide  with each other .especially if you want to hit exactly the same spot with both barrels at 200 yds using a scope .- that's the tricky bit that's fraught with failure ,ie it changes when you change bullet weight /type .

If the gun is for shooting a rhino in the backside at 20 yds then sure 2 parallel barrels will do just fine .

Hope that's clearer  

[welshwarrior]

6 minutes ago, Ultrastu said:

That's about the 3 person who missed understood my post  .I guess I have to clarify .

It's not the double barreled gun and 2 triggers that's overly complicated  (no that's as simple as it can be .) It's the setting the 2 barrels to shoot exactly where you want them to -to coincide  with each other .especially if you want to hit exactly the same spot with both barrels at 200 yds using a scope .- that's the tricky bit that's fraught with failure ,ie it changes when you change bullet weight /type .

If the gun is for shooting a rhino in the backside at 20 yds then sure 2 parallel barrels will do just fine .

Hope that's clearer  

The fact you talk about 200 yards shows you don’t full get DG hunting.
 

Yes regulating barrels to converge at a set distance (normally 75 or 100 yards) is complicated but that’s the gunsmiths issue but it makes the hunters live safer and easier in the field. 
 

A skilled barrel regulator will often get both regulated with in 10 shots (this of course does something go wrong).
 

There are not loads of bullet options in these DG rifles, unlike medium bores where 308 ammo runs to pages per manufacture for example.  You spec what you want to have rifle regulated with and just keep buying that.  

[Gerry78]

32 minutes ago, Ultrastu said:

That's about the 3 person who missed understood my post  .I guess I have to clarify .

It's not the double barreled gun and 2 triggers that's overly complicated  (no that's as simple as it can be .) It's the setting the 2 barrels to shoot exactly where you want them to -to coincide  with each other .especially if you want to hit exactly the same spot with both barrels at 200 yds using a scope .- that's the tricky bit that's fraught with failure ,ie it changes when you change bullet weight /type .

If the gun is for shooting a rhino in the backside at 20 yds then sure 2 parallel barrels will do just fine .

Hope that's clearer  

Double rifles are not really designed to shooting 200 yards  that’s realm of bolt action rifles I didn’t misunderstand any post 

[Scully]

There is a rather nice back action 2 bore if I recall, in the Armouries at Leeds. That’s half a pound of lead slapped into a target from each barrel! 🙂

 

[London Best]

1 hour ago, Scully said:

There is a rather nice back action 2 bore if I recall, in the Armouries at Leeds. That’s half a pound of lead slapped into a target from each barrel! 🙂

 

Yeah, that amount of lead was necessary before they invented nitro powders  and high velocity.

[mowdy]

I used to have a 689 Beretta double express rifle in 9.3mmx74 mm o/u fast and handled very well  on boar. There’s lots of good new doubles both sxs or o/u made to day with easy to regulate barrels .  

Edited October 4, 2021 by mowdy

[Scully]

10 minutes ago, mowdy said:

I used to have a 689 Beretta double express rifle in 9.3mmx74 mm o/u fast and handled very well  on boar. There’s lots of good new doubles both sxs or o/u made to day with easy to regulate barrels .  

I’m a very limited Beretta fan, but that is very very nice. 

[mowdy]

1 minute ago, Scully said:

I’m a very limited Beretta fan, but that is very very nice. 

Glad you liked it.

Ot was a itch I had to scratch .

.sold it and bought a 9.3x62  Ba instead as I had a divorce to pay for .😳

[welshwarrior]

There we go a sbs as well. 
 

[London Best]

Now I’m beginning to dribble a bit!

[Old farrier]

4 hours ago, Ultrastu said:

That's about the 3 person who missed understood my post  .I guess I have to clarify .

It's not the double barreled gun and 2 triggers that's overly complicated  (no that's as simple as it can be .) It's the setting the 2 barrels to shoot exactly where you want them to -to coincide  with each other .especially if you want to hit exactly the same spot with both barrels at 200 yds using a scope .- that's the tricky bit that's fraught with failure ,ie it changes when you change bullet weight /type .

If the gun is for shooting a rhino in the backside at 20 yds then sure 2 parallel barrels will do just fine .

Hope that's clearer  

I’ll try to explain why the two exact points of impact arnt overly nessecary 

nor do they have to be 

it’s a big bullet delivering a massive amount of energy you will be shooting freehand at close range at a big target that’s moving and you will be moving certainly after the first shot 

[Gerry78]

4 minutes ago, Old farrier said:

I’ll try to explain why the two exact points of impact arnt overly nessecary 

nor do they have to be 

it’s a big bullet delivering a massive amount of energy you will be shooting freehand at close range at a big target that’s moving and you will be moving certainly after the first shot 

That’s quality 👍👍

[Old farrier]

41 minutes ago, Gerry78 said:

That’s quality 👍👍

Left barrel Barnes tss solid right barrel expanding Barnes tsx 

The small holes are.22

Edited October 4, 2021 by Old farrier

[Walker570]

I had a Bettinsoli double O?U which I sold to a young man on this forum.  It would shoot groups at 100yrds exactly the same distance apart as the barrels if I did my bit.

The 8x57JRS is a great cartridge and wild boar do not like it one little bit.

Edited October 4, 2021 by Walker570

[Walker570]

Fallow, free hand at 90 yrds same rifle

[NoBodyImportant]

I prefer shotgun/rifle combo

[WalkedUp]

Combination guns are useful for mixed days, but are not for similar work to a double rifle. You wouldn’t want 20 bore with bird shot as the second barrel when you need to finish a buffalo! 

[Shadowchaser]

This thread has been very interesting to read so far.  Thanks for all of the replies.

 

[bluesj]

My boss has a very nice Le Beau 9.3x 74 he uses for wild boar.

Have said I'll give him a weeks wages for it.