MacD37,
Sir,
I am not angry at all old chap, it takes an awfull lot more than a minor difference of opinion get me upset. Whilst I bow to your wider experience of Double Rifles, rightly or wrongly I was just reitterating my own experience for Texas Bill.
My .577 BP Express came with the usual folding leaf sights graduated in 50 yard intervals, each with the usual Platignum inlaid centre line, to a distance of 300 yards. Given the calibre and charge I thought that anything over 150 yards was being a little optomistic on the makers behalf, or perhaps it was to try and impress the new owner.
Double rifles I think you'll agree, were designed specifically for game hunting including the most dangerous of wild animals. Now, I contend that a serious sportsman prefers to make one shot clean kills, out of respect for the animal, and I therefore submit that 300 yards, offhand shooting with a .577 is not a sporting shot by any means. You may hit the target, but can you call your shots that accurately for a one shot kill? If not, your not taking a sporting shot in my opinion. Of course more double rifles today are used for punching holes in paper just for the fun of it, than are used in the hunting field. Perhaps that's just as well for the survival of some animal species. Still there's a certain feeling of atavistic nostalgia when handling and/or shooting one of these rifles that just can't be matched by any other weapon.
One thing I would agree on though, is if the chips are down and you have a wounded and dangerous animal at close range and it is coming at you with evil intent, there's not a rifle in the world I rather have in my hands than a Big Bore British made Double.
Harry
Last edited by Harry Eales; 09/11/11 02:25 AM.
