Author Topic: Butch Searcy Double Rifles? (Read 5584 times)

2Mbogo · « **on:** June 15, 2011, 03:53:57 PM »

Anyone shooting a Searcy double rifle in 450 3 1/4 and 450-400?

Drilling Man · « **Reply #1 on:** June 16, 2011, 03:56:02 AM »

Searcy builds a GREAT DR, wish i had one! Folks that do have them, sure like them.

DM

dougk · « **Reply #2 on:** June 16, 2011, 08:46:38 AM »

I looked at their site the engraving is amazing. For me they are too expensive to take into the field, but I said that about the Valmets several years ago.

2Mbogo · « **Reply #3 on:** June 16, 2011, 04:05:12 PM »

I have a 450-400 3" and just love it. I've had it for almost three years and have about a thousand rounds through it without a hitch. I recently started working with Trail Boss and it is almost to much fun then. I am now waiting on 1000 cast lead, gas check bullets to arrive as a less expensive alternative to jacketed bullets. Anyone with experience with lead bullets in the 450-400?

Thanks for all information.

Drilling Man · « **Reply #4 on:** June 16, 2011, 04:33:05 PM »

Quote from: dougk on June 16, 2011, 08:46:38 AM

I looked at their site the engraving is amazing. For me they are too expensive to take into the field, but I said that about the Valmets several years ago.

What did you pay for your Kubota?? Couple hundred bucks??? You take that into the field all the time!! lol

DM

2Mbogo · « **Reply #5 on:** June 16, 2011, 04:52:31 PM »

Thus far it has accounted for three mulie bucks, one cow elk and an untold number of praire dogs as well as the odd gopher. Nothing like a charging gopher. The 400 gr. softs really slows em down. There is no use havin' it if ya don't shoot it.

dougk · « **Reply #6 on:** June 16, 2011, 06:29:23 PM »

Quote from: Drilling Man on June 16, 2011, 04:33:05 PM

Quote from: dougk on June 16, 2011, 08:46:38 AM
I looked at their site the engraving is amazing. For me they are too expensive to take into the field, but I said that about the Valmets several years ago.

What did you pay for your Kubota?? Couple hundred bucks??? You take that into the field all the time!! lol

DM

Which one?

2Mbogo · « **Reply #7 on:** June 16, 2011, 06:59:05 PM »

I assume you are asking which model? Mine is a Classic. Butch Searcy was nice enough to post some of my groups with the rifle on his web site. It has been a wonderful rifle.

dougk · « **Reply #8 on:** June 17, 2011, 04:29:54 PM »

hey 2Mbogo

do you have pictures you can post of the gun?
thanks
Doug

2Mbogo · « **Reply #9 on:** June 18, 2011, 07:57:58 AM »

Doug,

I have lots of photo, but am not exactly sure how to post them. However, my wife is quite good at this sort of thing and will help get some posted by tomorrow.

John

2Mbogo · « **Reply #10 on:** June 18, 2011, 10:33:13 AM »

Doug,
Thanks for the information. Hopefully photos are attached to this posting. I was able to reduce their size I hope.

2Mbogo · « **Reply #11 on:** June 18, 2011, 10:34:08 AM »

More photos.

2Mbogo · « **Reply #12 on:** June 18, 2011, 10:34:54 AM »

More photos.

dougk · « **Reply #13 on:** June 18, 2011, 11:47:21 AM »

That is one very nice looking gun... wow

thanks for posting the pictures...

pastorp · « **Reply #14 on:** June 20, 2011, 06:39:13 AM »

2Mbogo,

How does the cast bullet reduced loads shoot. I asume the gun was regulated with factory jacketed bullet loads. Have you found a cast bullet load that shoots to your sights?

Regards,

2Mbogo · « **Reply #15 on:** June 21, 2011, 04:09:22 PM »

Byron,

Thanks for the reply. I am sorry to report the cast bullets have not arrived yet. I am working with Todd Harrison, a Montana bullet maker to have some made up. He informs me he has worked from one die that produced a 430 grain bullet. I felt this was too heavy and he is making another that will have the finished bullet at 400 grains. I hope to have them by the middle/end of July.

With Hornady factory loads the rifle groups into three inches with both barresl at 75 yards. With handloads it does substantialy better. I have several groups that run 1.5 to 2 inches at 75 with solids and 2.5 to 3 with softs at 75 yards. I have several sup inch groups at 50 yards. The rifle has been very easy to work with.

I have a 9.3X74R from Sabati that has been a nightmare, so I really appreciate the Searcy. I know they are not in the same class of workmanship, but still.

Regards

John

pastorp · « **Reply #16 on:** June 21, 2011, 05:34:35 PM »

What's the bore diameter on your 450/400?

Regards,

dougk · « **Reply #17 on:** June 21, 2011, 06:04:40 PM »

Quote from: 2Mbogo on June 21, 2011, 04:09:22 PM

I have a 9.3X74R from Sabati that has been a nightmare, so I really appreciate the Searcy. I know they are not in the same class of workmanship, but still.

Regards

John

Hey John,
thanks for sharing your insights into the Sabati. I know Drilling Man has a view similar to yours about the Sabati.

2Mbogo · « **Reply #18 on:** June 22, 2011, 08:01:52 AM »

Byron,

The bore diameter of the 450-400 is .410. I have made up a plinking load using the the 210 41 mag bullet and Trail Boss powder. It actually shoots to the sights at 50 yards and is an absolute pleasure to shoot besides being cheaper.

John

2Mbogo · « **Reply #19 on:** June 22, 2011, 04:39:47 PM »

Doug and Drillingman,

What is about the Sabatti? By the time I had 100 rounds of factory loads through my it had changed it's regulation substantially. Is the metal soft in the action, are the barrels improperly soldered/regulated or is it something else. For 3 grand you would expect it to at least be a solid working gun. Any suggestions for a fix our should I just pass it on?

John

pastorp · « **Reply #20 on:** June 22, 2011, 09:45:03 PM »

I read somewhere that Cabelas returned some to the factory for their customers. I think it was on accurate reloading forum.

Regards,

Drilling Man · « **Reply #21 on:** June 23, 2011, 04:02:31 AM »

They are having serious QC issues! Then when you have a problem, they are haflazzing the fixes, so lots of guys are returning their rifles. You have to ask your self, where are all those rifles going? I know in at least one case, Cabela's put the problem rifle back up forsale, problems and all.

I wouldn't buy one, as i'm NOT living with a disposable income.

DM

2Mbogo · « **Reply #22 on:** June 23, 2011, 05:45:03 PM »

DM,

Any idea what the problems have been. I am curious of all the rifles suffer from the same issues. As mentioned, for the first 100 or so rounds my was great. Now it is consistent in shot placement, but the barrels shoot about six inches apart latterally and 8 inches vertically at 50 yards. Each barrel shoots about a two inch group individually, but nowhere togather.

I spoke to Cabela's and they refused to take the rifle back or assist in returning it, but they did give me contact for Sabati in Alabama I think. Regardless I am planning on trying to get them to do something with it.

John

Drilling Man · « **Reply #23 on:** June 24, 2011, 05:08:55 AM »

Biggest problem i keep hearing is, poor regulation. Many were regulated by grinding out the rifleing on one side of one, or more bbls, so the excapeing gas would tip the bullet, to try to improve regulation. This causes all kinds of other problems down the road... Some will misfire, mostly from junk being left in the actions.

Those are the two main problems i keep hearing lately... And the BIG problem is, warranty had been reported to be VERY poor. They make claims to take care of the problems, but they just return the guns. One guy was told his would get sent back to the factory for new bbls, but now it looks like it never went back to the factory. The bbls were cut shorter, crowned and then never re-regulated...

If you bought the gun new from Cabela's, i think you need to go up the chain of command until someone agree's to take it back.

Buying a Sabbati is a huge expensive can of worms, that will bite you later. There's a lot of problem guns out there right now, some haven't even been found yet. What do you think all of the above is doing to the resale of those rifles??

DM

pastorp · « **Reply #24 on:** June 24, 2011, 07:15:29 AM »

DM, the double rifle community is a small one. Word gets out fast. Of course it will devestate a company, especially without good waranity work.

John, It sounds like your Searsy DR has been a good experience for you. Did you use the Searcy in africa?

Regards,

dougk · « **Reply #25 on:** June 24, 2011, 12:35:23 PM »

I looked at a Sabatti but remembered Drilling Man commenting about problems so I passed. The Sabatti was very comfortable to hold and mount. Who would have know about the problems DM is talking about....

pastorp · « **Reply #26 on:** June 24, 2011, 01:10:01 PM »

Doug,

DM dosent limit hisself just to graybeard. The forums that deal more with African & Alaskan hunting talk a lot more about double rifles. These problems have been discussed quite a bit on the African hunting boards.

Regaurds,

2Mbogo · « **Reply #27 on:** June 26, 2011, 06:55:46 PM »

Bryon,

Can you provide some information on the african and alaskan sites/forums you mention? I am attaching some photographs of the Sabati fence and barrel breaches. There are some interesting "chatter" marks on them. None of the other doubles I have looked at (that have been shot alot) have them. Does anyone have a theory?

I also will post some photographs of the rifle I took to Africa. It is a bolt rifle on one of Dennis Olson's actions and chambered for 426 Rigby. I killed two Cape buffalo in Tanzania and a slew of plains game in South Africa with it. The double has not been out of the US, although I hope to change that soon. I have two rifles built by Mr. Olson and they are top notch rifles.

2Mbogo · « **Reply #28 on:** June 26, 2011, 06:58:01 PM »

More Sabati photos.

2Mbogo · « **Reply #29 on:** June 26, 2011, 07:01:23 PM »

DM,

I posted a photo of the muzzels on the Sabati. I have looked them over as carefully as I can, but cannot see any indication of the the rifling being ground. Have a look and let me know what you think. Perhaps this one hasn't qualified for that treatment yet.

John