Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Combination Guns and Drillings The Modern Drilling/Combo Gun

If you were to purchase a brand new (NIB) drilling or combination gun of modern manufacture who would get your money? Merkel? Heym? Krieghoff? Marrochi? Chapuis?

What would your chosen gauge, caliber & barrel configuration be and why?

To start off....

Merkel 96k in 16g (IC/MOD) over a 8x57mm JRS (pushing a 200g NPT @ 2500 fps) topped with a fixed 3x scope or ghost ring peep setup.

I like the Merkel 96KS drillings. I like the sideplate look and the fact I can get one in 20ga 3" over 9,3X74R.

In the I/C-Mod configuration the shotgun barrels are steel shot proofed.

20g is my back-up if they won't let me special order a 16g steel proofed barrel set. Some of the places I would like to use it require non-toxic shot and bismuth/tungsten is too damn spendy.

With two excellent combo guns now in my safes and at 66.5 yrs., I am not too likely to buy another. However, I always wanted one of these guns and have handled some superb examples, thus, I know exactly what MY "dream combo" would be.

A "Bockbuschflinte" or O/U shotgun/rifle, made by Johann Fanjoz, Peter Hofer or one of the one top Germanic makers. A boxlock, preferably with disc-set strikers, gas ports, sideclips and I prefer a "dollshead" third fastener to the usual "Kersten" or "Greener" crossbolt.

I want a Euro-"Sourdough" front sight, with the folding hood as used on some fine Brit. rifles and a Q-rib, incorporating bases for Talley-type rings and an adjustable "ghost" peep sight. I have much the same on my customized Merkel 96 in 9.3x74R.

I would go with 12x9.3x74R, the shot tube having about 15 points of constriction, 25" tubes and a solid inter-rib. I would like a "schweinrucken" comb, but, no cheekpiece and a LOP suited for RIFLE shooting as I could add a "slipon" pad for shotty work.

Two scopes, prefer Zeiss Conquest 4x models, now, sadly, discontinued and Talley screwlock rings.

I want it plain in finish, but, built with the care of a Rizzini R-2 and with extended tangs plus a top safety and double triggers, the front hinged.

Barrels from that special steel Merkel uses/used in their 300 series guns and a stainless receiver. The overall weight to be about 8 lbs.

Spare ejectors, pins and whatever, pre-fitted and that ought to do it, I would expect such a piece to cost $30-40K, if done the way I want it, all included.

Wellll, what do they say......"go big or go home"!

Is that all???




A man with good taste, who knows what he wants.

Peter Hofer is a master of masters. I've helped set up his booth at SCI several times. He designed it and the showcases so every part fits together like his magnificent guns.

Thought I'd purchased my ideal drilling a few years ago, a Sauer 12x12/.30-06 with a 6x32 Zeiss scope. It seemed like the perfect all-around/travel gun, and I was doing more traveling then, since ammo for each could be found anywhere. I even shot it very well as a shotgun: After getting used to the swing, broke 25 straight at trap in my second round.

But eventually decided it was too heavy as a scoped .30-06 and not quite right when unscoped as as 12 either. My favorite drilling now is a 16x16/6.5x57R purchased from luv2safari. It's light enough to be a lively 16-gauge without the 4x Hensoldt scope, and the 6.5x57R is plenty for anything I plan to hunt with a drilling here in Montana--which is my major, realistic use for a drilling anymore.

My other drilling is a century-old hammer Sauer-Daly back-action sidelock in 12x12/.30-30. It's pretty useful too, partly because it has a flip-up tang aperture sight. Have taken both big game and birds with both--and like 'em both.

My point, I guess, is that any shotgun gauge from 20 to 12, and any basic big game round will do the job. Admittedly I like to keep things simpler than some other hunters might....

There are so many "between the wars" and pre-WWI drillings and combination guns I lust for I can't get to "modern"!!!!!

Blaser.

It would be a 12X12 over 30R Blaser with a 5.6X57R Einstucklauf.

I'd need 2 scopes for it.

1. 30mm Short Scope/Meopta 1-5 power w/red dot. For Drive Hunts
2. A 56mm Zeiss Variable w/red dot for night hunts.

We seem to have gone the same direction, John. I sold my good old meat-stick Sauer 12/12/30-06 and my heavy 12/12/9,3X74R drillings recently.

I missed the nice little Sauer you tricked me out of and determined I needed to replace it. I did. I found one 3 years earlier than yours, but otherwise essentially the same gun. I love this 6.5X57R round. It is very much like a 257 Roberts, and there are very good 120-140 gr bullets for it.

My other favorite is the Sauer/Daly hammerless sidelock/side-cock 12/12/30-30. I had sold it to Steelhead and again regretted that mistake, so I got it back; Scott was kind enough to work with me on the deal and make it happen.

If I were to purchase a new drilling, it would be 20 gauge, only because I am not aware of any manufacturer of 16 ga drillings any more. Both my Krieghoff and my Sauer drillings are 16 ga, and the balance, proportions, and weight make them handle like a nice bird gun. The few 12 ga drillings that I have handled felt heavy and poorly balanced by comparison, and too wide in the hand for comfortable one-hand carry.
I am not a fan of the 20 ga. 3" shell, and think it is a ballistic mistake - too high pressure, poor patterning compared to the 16 or 12, etc. BUT in a drilling those small concerns take a back seat to the handiness and usability of a more compact gun. An ideal new drilling for me would be 20 ga 3" IC/MOD steel proofed, over 8x67JRS or maybe 7x65R.

I have owned a Blaser BBF97 for a few years and killed a lot of stuff with it, and if I were to buy another, I would look seriously at a Merkel or a Heym just out of curiosity.

The BBF is very user friendly and easy to regulate, and it fits me like a glove. Mine has 20" barrels and is chambered in 12 ga over 308, but I would like to have a set of 9.3x74r by 9.3x74r barrels.