The Mystique of the Double Rifle - Part One

[Micheal Jack]

For folks who know anything about firearms, the double rifle has always elicited awe and respect. It reminds of the early days of hunting dangerous game in India and Africa; when men pitted their hunting prowess against probably the most dangerous game on the "dark continent. It elicits respect due to the fine workmanship bestowed on double rifles along with the technology involved to make the rifle into a very efficient firearm.

Ahead of the invention of smokeless powder, semi-automatic rifles or even bolt action rifles, it absolutely was the hunter armed with an individual shot rifle and cartridges full of black powder. What was needed was a sizable and thus powerful cartridge in order to bring down an elephant or charging lion with the main one shot at the hunter´s disposal. If this shot failed, then there could be one less hunter on the planet!! Enter the double rifle. If still fired a sizable diameter projectile with black powder, but it had two barrels if the very first shot should fail. These rifles were produced in large calibers like the 12 bore (12 gauge) so that the black powder propellant could deliver maximum shock to the target. A few of the these double rifles were designed into what is called a paradox double rifle. The initial part of the barrel was smooth bore and toward the end of the barrel it absolutely was rifled to give the projectile a spin and thus give stabilization through its flight.

While the gun smithing art progressed, calibers like the 577, 577/450, 450, 470 and eventually the 600 nitro express were placed available on the market with the double rifles chambered for these cartridges. Initially a number of the these cartridges use black powder whilst the propellant but later the cartridges were full of smokeless powder and were dubbed nitro express rounds. The smokeless cartridges had several advantages: first once the cartridge was fired there is no large cloud of smoke to give away the hunters position and second they had a higher chamber pressure and thus more foot pounds of deliverable energy when a dog was hit. I might add that collects in the bore of a rifle fired with black powder can produce a caustic mix that will pit the barrels. Remember, black powder includes a key ingredient, sulfur which can form sulfuric acid when blended with water.

Witch these large powerful cartridges, there is a lot of recoil and which was transmitted to the hunter´s shoulder. These double rifles were made heavy to decrease this heavy recoil generated by the powerful cartridge and could weight in the 15 to 25 pound range 30-30 ammo for sale. This rifle would have been a heavy load for a hunter of middle age or order to transport through the tropical heat of Africa or India so gun bears were used to transport these heavy rifles. When game was spotted, the loaded rifle was handed to the hunter for the shot. Following the shot was fired, the rifle was handed back once again to the bearer.

Normally the double rifle cartridges had a tapered case with a rim at the bottom to facilitate extraction. In modern times some double rifles were manufactured with rimless cartridges, however the extraction of the rimless cases can fail with the inherent problems associated with a cartridge case stuck in the chamber.

Double rifles are made with both box locks (the least expensive) and side locks (the most expensive). The side locks cab be hand detachable and thus could be removed in the field in case a spring breaks, for instance. Of course, a supplementary ser of side locks will have to be carried in the field and this raised the price tag on the rifle with hand detachable side locks.

Besides the inherent labor required to produce a fine double rifle, most of the well to complete hunters of the era had the stocks and metal embellished with engraving, carving, inlays, and checkering. This might drive the purchase price skyward, depending on the owners taste for the top that money could buy.

Regulating a dual rifle, to possess both barrels hit within a specified area at 100 or 150 meters, was a weapon maker´s nightmare. Following the barrels were made and fitted as best that might be done, the rifle was taken to the product range and fired with the specified load for which the new rifle was to be regulated. After firing, the barrels will have to be readjusted and re-soldered and fire again, and again.... and again. the method was only stopped when the correct regulation of the barrels was achieved. Firing expensive, high intensity cartridges was a boring and expensive part of the final manufacturing process.

The double rifle is a rifle of near moderate range and is not for varmint shooting at ranges of three to five hundred meters. Once the product range is extended beyond the distance in that your rifle was regulated, the point of impact for both projectiles will deviate greatly. Not only are we speaking about the normal bullet drop as the product range increases however the lateral dispersion of the projectiles.

The idea of impact for both projectiles can also be altered depending on the powder charge used, the type of powder used, the weight of the projectiles, the type of jacket material applied to the projectiles, etc. Each time a double rifle is regulated, then this act of utilizing a standard load in the rifle prevents one from going to the gun shop and saying, "Give me a package of ammo of this caliber"! Stay glued to the regulated load for the double rifle.

To fire a dual rifle, fire the right barrel first and then a left barrel. For best results fire left barrel within five seconds of the right barrel. If not the heat generated in the right barrel can cause the barrel to maneuver with a resultant loss in accuracy. Do not support the barrel with you free hand! Lightly grasp the fore end, without any undue pressure and then fire the rifle. Do not allow the barrel rest on a fence rail, branches or the side of a tree trunk.

Why will want a dual rifle after reading the few points outlined in the paragraphs above. Well to begin with, a dual rifle is not for everyone. In reality it is just for the chosen few. You need to follow the principles carefully in the event that you are going to have any luck firing the rifle accurately. If you will find factory loads that work very well in your rifle then you can stick to these loads. If not, you might want to reload. Reloading can be a requisite when you yourself have a rifle in a total caliber or it the factory ammunition is very expensive. Cartridges for the fairly new (in double rifle years). 7000 Nitro Express may cost in a nearby of $ 70 per ROUND! Of course, anyone who awns a. 700 Nitro Express doesn´t need certainly to concern yourself with the expense of ammunition as he loads his double rifle into his Rolls Royce.

What do double rifles cost? The textbook answer to this questions is ... whatever your want to pay for them. The double rifles of continental Europe are the least expensive. The British double rifles are probably the most expensive because they are virtually handmade and hand fitted with the best possible finish, engraving and stock wood. As a ball park figure, the best British double rifle will definitely cost some $ 60,000 on the lower end. Used European doubles could be had for $ 5,000 on up. I might say, for clarification, that good quality buys could be has in Britain for used double rifles that are not of the Royal grade.

If you are thinking about a dual rifle, check the countless firearms auctions that are held around the country. Obtain a copy of the Double Gun Journal at Barnes and Noble and get some good books on double rifles. One which comes in your thoughts is Shooting the British Double Rifle by Graeme Wright.

I hope I've piqued your interest on the world of double rifles. In the 2nd part of this discussion I should go over a German double rifle that I have had for several years and continues to be the best rifle.