Searcy PH Model Double Rifle
B. Searcy & Co. · Rifle · In Production · 1993
Also known as: B. Searcy PH, Searcy Professional Hunter
Overview
The Searcy PH Model is an American-made side-by-side double rifle chambered in the classic dangerous-game cartridge .470 Nitro Express. Built by B. Searcy & Co. on a robust boxlock action derived from the proven Anson & Deeley design with double Purdey bolting, a top extension, ejectors and an intercepting sear system, the PH (Professional Hunter) Model is a purpose-built big-game rifle favored for hunting the largest and most dangerous African game. It features 24-inch regulated barrels, express iron sights and select walnut furniture.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 5440 g (191.9 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 5530 g (195.1 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1041 mm (40.98") |
| Barrel Length | 610 mm (24.02") |
| Action Type | Break Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Double Trigger |
| Magazine Capacity | 2 rounds |
| Muzzle Velocity | 640 m/s (2100 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 6635 J (4894 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 100 m (109 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Coin Finish |
Calibers
- .470 Nitro Express · primary — also known as .470 NE
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Break Open Manual
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Intercepting Sear
- Features: Side By Side Barrels, Boxlock Action, Ejectors, Double Purdey Bolting, Top Extension, Express Sights, Engraving
Service history
Operators
- African professional hunters
Production
Production years: 1993-present
Hand-built in limited numbers; more than 40 African professional hunters are known to use Searcy double rifles.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Butch Searcy
Notes
PH denotes the Professional Hunter grade. Roughly 80 percent of Searcy's double rifles are ordered in .470 Nitro Express. Barrels are regulated to converge at typical dangerous-game ranges.
Background
Butch Searcy, a former mine welder and Vietnam veteran with no formal gunsmithing training, reportedly built his first double-rifle action in the early 1980s after overhearing two Englishmen claim Americans could not make a proper double rifle, establishing B. Searcy & Co. as the pre-eminent American maker of dangerous-game doubles.