Double barrel rifles sxs or o/u

[Smoky buck]

I have been looking into the idea of a double barrel rifle but not a combo gun. Not interested in spending 10k+ and don’t plan on hunting elephant. The only option I have seen was made by baikal but they are no longer imported

Who makes a reasonable price double in a caliber that reasonable for hunting in North America and ammunition is commonly available?

Anyone have experience with the baikal double rifles?

[Pioneer2]

I looked at one in 45-70 but found it crudely made and almost impossible to get open.No provision for scoping etc

[Smoky buck]

Are you talking crowbar or do you believe it could become smoother with time and a little love

[West O'5]

Replica maker Davide Pedersoli offers Colt 1878 dbl rifle in .45-70 but I believe they cost around 3x as much as the Pedersoli Kodiak muzzleloader....$3-$5k just guessing?
They are cannons at 10lbs might need to order it with wheels to drag it around hunting.

[Arctic]

A "great" double will set you back a fair bit of coin, but for general hunting out to 150 yards, I picked up a Baikal at a show. Didn't expect much out of it for under $1000 compared to my Merkels or Kleingunthers, but was surprised!! It's in 30-06, did a bit of tuning on it, now shoots well, triggers are great, and if it gets damaged, it's no great loss money-wise. If you look around, you may find one. A few years back lots were into them, but most were in 45-70 as a novelty, expecting them to compare to a great British double. They were disappointed. But I do suggest trying one in 30-06 for a starter, .....low cost, and you can decide if a great one at more bucks is for you!!

[Smoky buck]

I have seen the odd 45-70 for sale but the 30-06 baikal’s seem hard to come by

Too bad no one seems to make a 30-30 double it’s just one of those things that should exist

[yukon254]

I've been thinking about getting one too. Check out Tradex they have quite a selection of brands. Some of the O/U are very reasonable.

[Smoky buck]

Most o/u seem to be combo guns but have seen a few Valmet rifles in the US at a reasonable price

[yukon254]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

Most o/u seem to be combo guns but have seen a few Valmet rifles in the US at a reasonable price

Check out Tradex they have quite a few O/U rifles, some new, some used.

[Altaboy]

I have seen a couple of SxS rifles built on shotgun frames. A buddy has a .470 Nitro built on a Browning BSS frame. He had it up for sale a while back and I think he was asking $6500 for it.

[fps plus]

There is no inexpensive way to make a good sxs or ou rifle or shotgun. One has to remember the is basically 2 of everything built into the firearm .

2 barrels
2 hammers
2 extractors
2 firing pins etc etc
They all must be put together so the firearm functions . Also the barrels must be regulated for point if impact .So there is a reason they are expensive. So one must wonder why are the inexpensive ones inexpensive ? What’s lacking ?

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

I have been looking into the idea of a double barrel rifle but not a combo gun. Not interested in spending 10k+ and don’t plan on hunting elephant. The only option I have seen was made by baikal but they are no longer imported

Who makes a reasonable price double in a caliber that reasonable for hunting in North America and ammunition is commonly available?

Anyone have experience with the baikal double rifles?

SDVC hunts with a 45/70 double sometimes .
Last animal was over 200 yards away and got a slug through both shoulders .
IIRC the first one went into the lungs and it made for the bush/ second was a miss and the their anchored it .
Baikal 45/70
He teally likes it
I have a friend with one for sale .
I hunted with an O/U FAIR Safari500 in6.5x55 that was a fantastic gun as well.
I have also hunted with an O/U Tikka 412S that is a great rifle and it also has shotgun barrels .

Cat

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by fps plus

There is no inexpensive way to make a good sxs or ou rifle or shotgun. One has to remember the is basically 2 of everything built into the firearm .

2 barrels
2 hammers
2 extractors
2 firing pins etc etc
They all must be put together so the firearm functions . Also the barrels must be regulated for point if impact .So there is a reason they are expensive. So one must wonder why are the inexpensive ones inexpensive ? What’s lacking ?

I understand this and the fact most are built to be fancy with a lot of ingraving, casted/carved parts and many other decorative options. Most are also beefed up big bore rifles

It is looking for double rifles that are smaller caliber and built with function to flare in mind. I don’t expect it to be a cheap rifle even with that in mind

[catnthehat]

The Baikal and Tikkas has a jack screw to regulate the second barrel after zeroing the first barrel .
Cat

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

SDVC hunts with a 45/70 double sometimes .
Last animal was over 200 yards away and got a slug through both shoulders .
IIRC the first one went into the lungs and it made for the bush/ second was a miss and the their anchored it .
Baikal 45/70
He teally likes it
I have a friend with one for sale .
I hunted with an O/U FAIR Safari500 in6.5x55 that was a fantastic gun as well.
I have also hunted with an O/U Tikka 412S that is a great rifle and it also has shotgun barrels .

Cat

Thinking bush gun so 200yards more than fits the bill. 45/70 is going to be more of a last resort hope to find something more like 30-06. I OCD research before I jump into things

If I understand you need to sight in one barrel then regulate the other to match correct? Do yo succeed to get a reasonable grouping?

[yukon254]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

Thinking bush gun so 200yards more than fits the bill. 45/70 is going to be more of a last resort hope to find something more like 30-06. I OCD research before I jump into things

If I understand you need to sight in one barrel then regulate the other to match correct? Do yo succeed to get a reasonable grouping?

Smoky check these out. I've heard good things about them. The caliber is very similar to the 30/06

https://www.tradeexcanada.com/conten...-rifle-8x57jrs

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by yukon254

Smoky check these out. I've heard good things about them. The caliber is very similar to the 30/06

https://www.tradeexcanada.com/conten...-rifle-8x57jrs

Thanks my wife may kill me before this thread is done

[yukon254]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

Thanks my wife may kill me before this thread is done

Ha ha good luck to you man, I've been in your shoes numerous times and probably will be again! That little O/U 8x57will be my next rifle.

[calgarychef]

All I know is shooting a British made double rifle is so sweet. I think that getting into a cheap double would have a fellow always being unhappy about fit and finish, crude sights etc. I’d save up for a decent one...notice I didn’t say nice one because they’re awfully expensive. One thing a good double rifle is something you never really own, you use it for awhile and sell it to the hext generation. You’ll Seldom lose money on them if you buy them right in the first place.

[calgarychef]

Butch Searcy makes a nice double and as an American maker I’m sure his guns will only increase in value. http://www.searcyent.com/for_sale.html

[32-40win]

At the moment I think the FAIR Iside rifle is the cheapest on the market other than Baikals, for a SxS. There are some o/u Chapuis and VC and Zoli, the odd CZ, around, but, the bulk of them will be around the 2-3000+ area. There are a few drillings around in the 2-3 zone as well. What kinda shape they are really in????

[Pioneer2]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

Are you talking crowbar or do you believe it could become smoother with time and a little love

Crowbar wouldn't even open more than a crack.Didn't try to force it.

[yukon254]

Some friends in Alaska tell me these SIACE doubles are very good rifles. My dream rifle is the Alaskan in 444. I've seen them for under 10k so although expensive, they aren't 50k like some.
https://www.siacearmi.com/en/product...le-rifles.html

[bobtodrick]

Can't speak for their rifles but I've owned a Baikal O/U for years that I use mainly for trap shooting. I've a couple of friends (much better shooters than I) who shoot Beretta, Browning and one with a Perazzi. They have all tried mine and commented that with a little tuning and the stock fitted to them (a very individual matter) they could be very competitive with it.
If their rifles are the same, as in as dependable as a T-34 tank (and about as sophisticated ) I'd try and find a used Baikal.

[colroggal]

I know of one guy who sleeved a stoeger coach gun with 20" inserts chambered in 45-70. He had express sights and a set of rubber grommets that were meant to regulate the barrels. I watched him wack pop cans off hand at about 40 yards with both barrels.

Good enough for government work.

Colin

[Smoky buck]

I have seen the shotgun mod double rifles and don’t think I trust it enough to go that route

I just may need to sell a some of my dust collectors before I start a true search

[oldgutpile]

I hunt with doubles every year. Vintage mostly, although I have three or four modern as well. I find real satisfaction in taking a 100 plus year old gun out with hammers, and taking game with it. My 577/500 has accounted for a number of whitetails, two bears and a moose. (It sounds large, but has the ballistics of a '06)
This last year, I managed to take my whitetail buck with an old hammered sxs in 450 bpe(black powder express). Again, the satisfaction is in restoring and resurrecting these old guns and putting them back to use in the field.
The over/under double rifles are definitely cheaper, but they have a bad history of being hard to "regulate" . That means getting both barrels to shoot to the same point of impact. I have even heard of cases where the shooter resorted to having two different loads, one for each barrel, so that they would shoot the same. For the most part, doubles are meant to be a short distance gun, with a quick follow-up shot. They are typically regulated for fifty yards, and at that distance, we are talking "minute of moose" for accuracy. With the old black powder sxs guns I hunt with, two inch groups at fifty yards are considered fairly acceptable, and one inch groups, impressive!
I have a merkel 9.3x74 sxs that I shot a bison with the first year of the Zama hunt. I could print an honest 1" group through the scope with that gun, but it took a LOT of load development.
Some people have fairly good luck with grouping the baikal guns, and they do have a system in place to help regulate the barrels. They are a cheaply made gun however. Very functional, but roughly fit, and don't even think about trying to impress your friends with their "good" looks!

[Prophet River]

https://store.prophetriver.com/used-...gral-dovetail/

[wolfman403]

Bettinsoli over under in 30/06 3000$ Canadian. I’d love to shoot one.

[32-40win]

Searcy started out on rebarreling the stubs on Browning BSS's. See the odd one for sale around. Think it was Clark custom guns that were doing 5000.00 conversions on CZ's, but at that time you could get Sabatti's on the fire sale at Cabela's for 4000, just had to take your chances on them not being the Dremel'd muzzles. Still have to watch for those in used guns, but, apparently IFG has a fix for them, for a price of course. And the price of SXS's has tanked a bit in the US, not a bad time to buy if you have the loot. Aaron Little has been doing some as well, what I've seen on those is pretty decent, his price wasn't terrible either.