Lever Action or Double Rifle?

[Vikram]

HKS, I broadly agree with what you wrote. That heavy bullet travelling at moderate speed will serve him the best than the .22lrs or some other cartridges that have been discussed so far.

Best-
Vikram

[hks2056]

Deear VIKRAM
Thanks for sharing your views.
Best Wishes

[miroflex]

Dear HKS,

Thanks for bringing me back to earth with a thud. With friends like you, who needs enemies?

I have been indulging in a mild flirtation with makes other than IOF and calibres other than 8 mm or .315 to be precise. It is always good to expand one's horizons and range in pastures new. In India one is confined to three weapons, or four if the authorities are kind. That makes choice of weapons and calibres very difficult.

I have benefited immensely from the discussions in this forum and hope I will continue to do so in the years to come. I look forward to fellow members' views and suggestions, including your own!

With warm personal regards.

[miroflex]

Dear All,

I had been in touch with the dealer who was selling the .405 double rifle. He recently informed me that the owner had modified the rifle to accept IOF .315 cartridges with work having been done on the ejectors. He said it would be possible to reverse the modifications.

Should I consider buying the rifle or should I drop the idea? The owner's wisdom in carrying out the modifications appears questionable.

Regards.

[TwoRivers]

Dear All,

I had been in touch with the dealer who was selling the .405 double rifle. He recently informed me that the owner had modified the rifle to accept IOF .315 cartridges with work having been done on the ejectors. He said it would be possible to reverse the modifications.

Should I consider buying the rifle or should I drop the idea? The owner's wisdom in carrying out the modifications appears questionable.

Regards.

Miroflex: The only way a double rifle can be "modified" to a different caliber is by fitting a different set of barrels. Or, if the caliber is the same, but the new case a bit larger and longer, by rechambering and re-regulating . Opening up a .405 Winchester rifle to accept a .315 shell simply ruins the rifle beyond repair. You will be able to chamber a .315, but shooting a .325" diameter bullet through a .413" bore? Throwing rocks would be more accurate. Whoever did that work should be jailed for criminal stupidity. Regards.

[Safarigent]

Miroflex,
Between all this effort of looking at .22 hornets and savages, .22 lr rifles, shotguns, double rifles, obsolete and/or obsolescent bores. Lever actions, doubles, falling blocks, what have you zeroed in on?
Have you seen the pics of that IOF .30-06? Rounds are available, accuracy is good, recoil is manageable, yet you have been calling up arms dealers and posting stuff all over the net.
Arent you tired?
You seem an intelligent man and come across as one with a lot of sense.
If i may make a suggestion, try and fire an IOF .30-06. Handle it in person, if you havent done so.
Its a great design and it cleans up beautifully. Check out the pics posted already
I have a feeling, you will eventually come around to the same conclusion.

[Skyman]

I guess 30.06 ans .315 are the most viable choices.30.06 having more ammo choices.

[Safarigent]

And being more accurate.
You get a wide range of ammunition by make and bullet weight/type.
You can pretty it up to a world class level.
And it wont burn a big hole in your pocket.
Etc etc

[Vikram]

Dear All,

I had been in touch with the dealer who was selling the .405 double rifle. He recently informed me that the owner had modified the rifle to accept IOF .315 cartridges with work having been done on the ejectors. He said it would be possible to reverse the modifications.

Should I consider buying the rifle or should I drop the idea? The owner's wisdom in carrying out the modifications appears questionable.

Regards.

I would not stand anywhere near that rifle when it is to be discharged. Perhaps I would like to watch with a pair binoculars and from a safe distance.


Best-
Vikram

[miroflex]

Dear All,

I had been in touch with the dealer who was selling the .405 double rifle. He recently informed me that the owner had modified the rifle to accept IOF .315 cartridges with work having been done on the ejectors. He said it would be possible to reverse the modifications.

Should I consider buying the rifle or should I drop the idea? The owner's wisdom in carrying out the modifications appears questionable.

Regards.

Miroflex: The only way a double rifle can be "modified" to a different caliber is by fitting a different set of barrels. Or, if the caliber is the same, but the new case a bit larger and longer, by rechambering and re-regulating . Opening up a .405 Winchester rifle to accept a .315 shell simply ruins the rifle beyond repair. You will be able to chamber a .315, but shooting a .325" diameter bullet through a .413" bore? Throwing rocks would be more accurate. Whoever did that work should be jailed for criminal stupidity. Regards.

Two Rivers,

I quite agree with you regarding the criminal stupidity of whoever tried to "modify" the .405. It shows the dangerous lengths to which import restrictions on firearms have driven the people of India. Nobody in their right senses would have done it. I was merely trying to put it in a polite and understated manner.

Regards.

[miroflex]

Miroflex,
Between all this effort of looking at .22 hornets and savages, .22 lr rifles, shotguns, double rifles, obsolete and/or obsolescent bores. Lever actions, doubles, falling blocks, what have you zeroed in on?
Have you seen the pics of that IOF .30-06? Rounds are available, accuracy is good, recoil is manageable, yet you have been calling up arms dealers and posting stuff all over the net.
Arent you tired?
You seem an intelligent man and come across as one with a lot of sense.
If i may make a suggestion, try and fire an IOF .30-06. Handle it in person, if you havent done so.
Its a great design and it cleans up beautifully. Check out the pics posted already
I have a feeling, you will eventually come around to the same conclusion.

AB,

I already have a 'sensible' rifle in the form of an IOF .315. It is more than adequate for home defence and self defence. Cartridges are reasonably priced and easily available. It was the only big bore rifle being produced by IOF for the civilian market at the time of its purchase. Had the .30-06 been on the IOF production list at that time it would certainly have been considered and most probably been purchased instead.

For the present, I am looking for a light rifle for my wife and a medium or heavy rifle for myself. The drying up of the import channel means that one has to look at second hand weapons that may be on sale either with dealers or with the owners themselves. All of them show signs of wear and tear even though many of them have been reblued and had the woodwork polished.

I have handled the IOF .30-06 at dealers although I have yet to fire it. It is a slightly bigger bore than I would recommend for my wife and not redolent with the memories that an old .404 Jeffery or a .405 Winchester brings back to me.

It has been an interesting search though a difficult and time consuming one. It has had an educative aspect too and I have learnt that the second hand route has its pitfalls and traps for the unwary. There is a fine choice of horrors at the beck and call of the buyers. There are rifles that are reasonably priced but for which fresh cartridges are unobtainable, being either no longer in production or not in the DGFT's list of calibres whose import by dealers is permissible. Rifles for which cartridges are available are generally exhorbitantly priced. The restrictive import policy has totally skewed the position.

Thank you for your advice regarding a sensible choice of rifle.

Regards.

[Safarigent]

I can quite understand your situation.
I myself was looking for two rifles, one medium bore and a small bore.
If ammo is available, it will be expensive, if ammo is not available, it will be cheap.
If it is 'brand new', it will be expensive, if it is second/third/fourth hand, it will be reblued and polished and still be cheap.
All rifles will be dabba pack, New in box, sparingly used.
You wont know whether they have been opened up by a butcher or not.
So, if you want to buy an imported rifle for a sensible amount of money for which ammo is available readily and which hasnt been buggered up, i wish you all the best! Thats the unfortunte reality that you WILL need luck for what you want.
As to what i did, i brought an IOF .22LR and an IOF .30-06
I am getting the essentials done to them and they will perform and look on par with any decent rifle.
True the calibres might not have romantic associations with uncle teddy or cousin corbett, but they will have an association with me when i pass them on to my kids

[Skyman]

I suppose the above two are the only realistic options.

[Safarigent]

Yes, they are

[miroflex]

I guess 30.06 ans .315 are the most viable choices.30.06 having more ammo choices.

You are absolutely right, Skyman. Cartridges are easily available for both and at reasonable prices. I have been exploring other options to have more choices and to step away from the beaten track. I hope I may come across a really interesting rifle in a lighter or a heavier bore than the .30-06 or the .315.

All the best and get well soon!