Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Combination Guns and Drillings Loading for drillings and combo guns.

I do realize that each gun is each it's own, but in general terms do drillings and combo guns require full length resizing or will neck sizing suffice? Speaking of flanged cases here.

I have now owned, loaded for a shot three combo guns since my first, purchased in 1974. Two were O/Us, chambered in .308Win. and, btw, I had ZERO issues with extraction and both guns were/are quite accurate with Nosler hunting loads.

I also have a Merkel drilling in 9.3x74R-12 Ga.but,it is being sold now as I never use it and tend to prefer my Browning-Miroku Mod. 7500 in .308W-12Ga.

The rimmed 9.3 case is a real PITA to handload as it is fragile and the case mouths distort and tear very easily. But, the ballistics make this worthwhile, IMO.

I partially size ALL my cases, set each dieset for the specific rifle it is used for and I find that this has worked best, for me, for 45+ years of handloading.

I seem to end up with loads that run 5-7% less powder than I use in my bolt rifles for the same cartridges and my Browning will handle any loads that my custom, light, sts. Classic .308Win. will, so, I treat all the cases in exactly the same manner.

Case in question is 7x57R in a BRNO ZH204 that showed up on the EE last week. The gun was only a bit more cost than the overpriced Savage equivelent but should be a much better shooter. Wolverine has Norma brass for $75/100.

I was pretty sure a partial resize would work as there would be strong extraction. Don't plan on heavy loads either.

On my 5.6x50mmR I size with a FL sizing die but just touch the shoulder on once fired. Works well for me shells just drop in the chamber and no losses of brass yet and some have been loaded a few times, haven't shot any factory loads through the gun just reloads.

With PPV and S&B factory loads so inexpensive(and they shoot so well) it will be a while before I load for my 7x57R 139gr and 173gr should cover just about everything from coyotes to bear.

Are the 7x57R chambers generally long throated?

Paul, I have owned dozens of "name" European guns plus a couple of custom ones made over there; from my experience, MOST rifles made in Yurp, ARE ...long throated... by the "standards"of the internet.

As you well know, the internet has the greatest and most outspoken experts on any aspect of the outdoors one can think of and many of these "masters" will wax eloquent, at least by their illiterate standards, on the various aspects of what constitutes an accurate rifle.....many seem to think that only certain rifles CAN be accurate and some of these have such "knowledge" as to give even a stone idol a headache....

So, again, in my experience, MOST of these long throated barrels shoot VERY well and the rifles seem to work for the little hunting and game we have here in Canada....perhaps, things might be different in other jurisdictions, but, I think that in a return to Canada's "Territories", that over-populated, hunted-out and urbanized part of our country, you will be able to "get by" with your 7x57R and it's traditional "Yurpean" throating......

I guess when you come to BC, as a guest of one of us here, it will work as well and you will get your game and share in our Canadian bounty of wildlife, hunting opportunities and enjoy it all,even with such a "primitive" tool for the task....speaking of "tools", well....I think you "get" my point,eh, bud....

I full length size for all of them. We don't load heavy, and we don't over-work brass, accordingly, so why not? I see little or no accuracy difference.

I have several guns in 8X57JR and have had in other rounds, so I just re-sized to fit any one of them.

It was a good point above that factory Previ and S&B are cheap, and they seem to regulate well for many combos. I actually seldom re-load for my guns anymore. I will work a load up for my Sauer 16/6.5X57R drilling with these new Hornady SST 129 grain 6.5 bullets. I want to use the drilling for my NV antelope hunt this August.

Laffin'

I may look for some longer 160 OR 175s for this one, but do have some 139 and 154s here as well.

I don't have the years of experience that some folks do. I've only had drillings for the past six years, so I still just love to shoot them. The new toy thing hasn't worn off, yet. I do shoot a lot of cast bullet loads, because they are gentler my older guns. I full length size all of them. Same with the doubles I had. I haven't had any problems with case life with any of the calibers I've used.
Bfly

Do you have extraction problems otherwise?

Never, ever. Even with rimless versions.

The chambers of many combo guns are a bit larger, I've experienced, especially for the rimless cartridges.

I just size to touch the shoulder, not shove it back, using full length dies. I do this for my Heym .222/16 o/u, my Merkel 7x57R/16 o/u, and my Krieghoff 7x57R/16 Drilling and my Sauer 8x57IR / 16 ga drilling. Did the same for others that have been sold, a Brno 7x57R / 12 o/u, and a Tikka 12/.308 win o/u. Worked well for them all. The Heym .222 is especially long chambered, and shoots much better with minimal re-sizing.

Drillings and combo guns are popular here in northern Sweden, so I have seen 3 of those guns being sighted in at the range.

I think you are right about a partial resize being just fine. There is lot of leverage, and those guns are strong.

By the way, all the guns shot very well and had acceptable triggers, but one had an especially good trigger. A local gunsmith had tuned it up, and judging from the fact that the owner paid so little for the work, must have been a very simple job!

By the way, another guy I know has a Sauer & Sons drilling in 7.57R and he has killed 4 moose with his over the years (plus a "Volvo station wagon load" of black grouse and capercaillie).

John

Our moose season here does not overlap with any other season incl upland game, but deer season does. My intention with this rifle was to be able to pot a few grouse on the way while deer hunting. I'd rather shoot grouse anyways.

Somehow doesn't seem right to chamber a combo or drilling for a rimless case. I guess they work ok, but .....

Well, if you ever get out here to BC and I am able to host you as a fellow Canuck hunter, which, being the good guy you have always been to me, I would be most pleased to do, I will let you use my Miroku-Browning Mod, 7500 O/U in .308Win.-12ga.

This is a much BETTER gun than MANY of the "name" Euro. combos, both those I have owned and the ones I have tested. In fact, all in all, this is among the finest guns of the 150+ I have owned and would be among the very last 4-5 guns I will ever part with.

I bought it in summer, 1989, at the major retail gun store here in Vancouver, price was just at $2000.00, not "cheap" at that time, but, far less than some Euro. piece that is less reliable, robust and needs a specially trained and equipped smith to adjust and/or repair.

I can run 180NPs at 2700ish from it and it has NEVER "bobbled" or given me ANY mechanical issues, something I cannot say about several really costly guns I have and do own. I almost always take it on any trip as it just works so well and it is also light and very nice to handle.

If.I had my druthers, I would have one of these in stainless with carbon fibre stocks and a better iron sight system and I could do most of my serious hunting with such a gun in the most foul BC weather. I would love to have a barrel set in .308x2 for it and that would be THE Whitetail gun, knock those wily little varmints on their little azzes, "tout suite".