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So yesterday I was walking along a wooded creek looking for pigs to shoot. While walking, I kept jumping up wood ducks and mallards.

It got me to thinking how well a drilling would work for that. Having a shotgun available for the odd pot shot on a duck and rifle for pigs. However, I couldn’t decide what the right configuration would be. Double rifle with a shotgun arrow under? Double shotgun with with a single rifle? What gauges and calibers?

Also, not more than passingly familiar with drilling’s really. Anyways, this seemed like a good place to have some discussion. I may even accidentally find myself talked into trying it.

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Usually you only need one shot with a rifle but birds come in flocks. For a big game/bird drilling I'd look at a 16ga/16ga/7x57R, a 6.5x57R, 7x65R, 8x57R or on of the 9.3's wouldn't be out of the question. 16ga keeps them svelte and ounce of shot whatever will be very effective.

My 16ga/16ga/7x57R

[Linked Image from imagizer.imageshack.com]

16ga/16ga/9.3x72R I used an ounce of NP

[Linked Image from imagizer.imageshack.com]

16ga/16ga/6.5x58R Sauer another falls to an ounce of NP BB's

[Linked Image from imagizer.imageshack.com]

16ga Brennekes work well also in the shotgun barrels if you need two rounds for big game.

Last edited by erich; 11/25/21.

After the first shot the rest are just noise.

Make mine a Minaska

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How are they as a shotgun when a scope is mounted for the rifle? What are some reasonably priced options for quality type drilling’s?

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I’m glad you’re asking - I have the same questions. I’ve been jumping everything I am NOT carrying the right gun for lately. Today, I took to carrying my shotgun with my deer rifle slung across my back. Not sure how I would have handled a deer jumping out at me, but I was ready for any grouse for once…

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Scoped drillings make wing shooting more difficult. If your walking the woods an unscoped drilling is very handy as the rear sight lays flat on the rib and raises when you select the rifle barrel, the sight actuator is part of the barrel selector. So unless you've selected the rifle barrel the picture looking down the barrels is the same as looking down a regular sxs shotgun. The hammer drilling above the day after I shot the coyote I tied for first in a 16ga trap event.

Scoped drillings usually have high mounted scope BUT they are again usually mounted in return to zero mounts so with a push of a button they can be removed and carried in your pocket and you drilling will handle like a unscoped drilling and have a pop up rifle sight then attach the scope when you get to your blind or have the need for a long shot.

This is the common mounting of a scope on a drilling, quite high for the front objective housing as the scope needs to be mounted there so it can tip up to remove.
[Linked Image from imagizer.imageshack.com]

On this same rifle above I have made custom rings(shown in first post) to mount a straight tube scope low which makes target acquisition much faster. I don't think it would work for woodcock or grouse in a tangle but there wouldn't be much call for a scope in that cover either. Drillings and combos set up like this I've killed a couple ducks and pheasants as targets of opportunity returning from coyote stands.

Last edited by erich; 11/25/21.

After the first shot the rest are just noise.

Make mine a Minaska

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If buying used, Erich's recommendations are right on. If buying new, I'd personally choose a 20 ga/20 ga for the shotgun barrels, just because they are slimmer and good 20 ga ammo matches the performance of 16 ga. and is more available in the stores. I really like 16 ga. guns and own several, but they are not entirely practical any more unless you are an enthusiast and reload your own shells. 12 ga. drillings are just too large and bulky to handle for me, you may feel differently. Check the fit of a drilling before you buy. Stock fit for ideal shotgun shooting is a bit different than it is for rifle shooting. What compromise you prefer is up to you.

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Keechi Kid,

No expert by any stretch, I have one drilling...

But this is the 'Fire' so I won't let that stop me, ==> the older 16 gauges have 2 1/2 inch chambers. Some folks have them opened up for 2 3/4" shells. Some guns may be old enough that this would be inadvisable.

There are a couple of outfits that sell 2 1/2 inch shells, I bought a case and I'm good for a lot of birds, squirrels, and rabbits for quite some time.

I really like everything about mine immensely... The versatility, the craftsmanship & the ingenious design features (rifle sight pops up when you select the rifle barrel, the easy & quick scope removal & replacement).

Jerry

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]
a 1940 Thieme & Schlegelmilch Nimrod Drilling in 6.5X57R by 16 gauge


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Nice rig in a very useful configuration. I like your scope set up.


I have a short shell adaptor for my Mec 600 and reload all my 16ga shells to 2 1/2", they work fine in 2 3/4" chambers also, and never have to sort through ammo to make sure I have the right shells. Components have been available from BPI and Graf's. I fold crimp all my lead loads and roll crimp my bismuth stuff easy to tell the difference even in the dark. I shoot 3/4oz bismuth and 7/8 oz lead target/light gamebird and 1oz NP BB's for coyotes/predators.


After the first shot the rest are just noise.

Make mine a Minaska

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myself i am looking for a 20 gauge 3 inch with a stardard caliber cartridge like 30-06 -308-270 in a Kreighoff maybe ?

Last edited by pete53; 11/29/21.

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I have found it pretty easy to wingshoot gamebirds with a low-X variable on the lowest magnification--just as it's easy to wingshoot with a "red dot" or other non-magnifying optical sight. Which is why I had local super-gunsmith John McLaughlin make these claw mounts out of Talley steel bases, and fitted a 1-4x20 Leupold to my Sauer 16x16/6.5x57R. When hunting birds/big game I set it on 1x, and it works fine when wingshooting or close-range big game. But it also works fine when shooting big game at longer ranges when turned up, and there's often time then. Took my pronghorn buck this year at 220 yards with the scope on 4x, which worked fine.

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I have shot any number of flying birds, running game and even a bit of trap with a combination and with a drilling fitted with a scope, in each case used on 1.5x. Both eyes open, focus on the target, swing, mount, shoot, just as if it had no sights.

The Germans seem to make this difficult by mounting big high-magnification scopes up high, often with see-through mounts. This just doesn't work if you want the gun to be ready at a moment's notice for whatever comes along. Instead I prefer a 1.5-6x, mounted nice and low.

To answer the OP, I presently have a little Krieghoff in 16/16/7x57R, with a 1.5-6x42 scope in claw mounts. It is Waldschutz model on a Dural frame, and with 22" barrels and weighing right on 6lb bare (about 7 scoped) it is absolutely ideal for the use you described.

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Conversation here is gaining some steam. I’m enjoying the knowledge being shared here. The small low power variables seem to be the ideal way to go.

Dan_oz, what you are describing does sound pretty ideal. The weight is much lighter than I would have expected. What is the cost someone should expect on a similar setup?

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Double rifle drilling is preferrable to me.


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I am really liking my 16x16/ 9.3X72R as far as carrying and swingability ( tech term) , but have not had a chance to shoot a deer with it yet, just roosters sharptails, and ruffed grouse.
it is 6.5-6.7 pounds depending on (ammo)
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[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]


scopes are cool, but slings 'n' irons RULE!
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Originally Posted by Keechi_Kid
Conversation here is gaining some steam. I’m enjoying the knowledge being shared here. The small low power variables seem to be the ideal way to go.

Dan_oz, what you are describing does sound pretty ideal. The weight is much lighter than I would have expected. What is the cost someone should expect on a similar setup?


I'm not up with prices in the US, but here mine owes me roughly what I would have paid for a mid-range mass-produced rifle plus a mid-range double shotgun. That includes changing the scope and getting a bloke experienced with claw mounts to fit it nice and low.

If your budget's tighter, there are some good combination guns around. You give up one barrel but can have a decent one for about the price of a mass-market rifle. I'd recommend one which is hammerless and has two triggers though, to enable an instant selection and an instant second shot.

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Originally Posted by erich
Usually you only need one shot with a rifle but birds come in flocks. For a big game/bird drilling I'd look at a 16ga/16ga/7x57R, a 6.5x57R, 7x65R, 8x57R or on of the 9.3's wouldn't be out of the question. 16ga keeps them svelte and ounce of shot whatever will be very effective.

My 16ga/16ga/7x57R

[Linked Image from imagizer.imageshack.com]

16ga/16ga/9.3x72R I used an ounce of NP

[Linked Image from imagizer.imageshack.com]

16ga/16ga/6.5x58R Sauer another falls to an ounce of NP BB's

[Linked Image from imagizer.imageshack.com]

16ga Brennekes work well also in the shotgun barrels if you need two rounds for big game.


I really like that Sauer of yours and it's accurate for boot. There's nothing wrong with the 7x57 neither.


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