Looking to offload some unused guns and reinvest in a drilling or double rifle. $2500 range. Probably stick it in the safe but I’d like to take it for a walk on occasion for Small game or big game. Just something cool about sneaking thru the woods with a double rifle looking for game. I have a blast doing that with a .32 cal muzzleloader.....looking for the elusive eastern grey squirrel Not exactly sure what to look for or more importantly, what to avoid. Is there any good reading material to help me educate myself or better yet, does anyone have some experience they’d like to share? I’ve read thru this forum and you guys have some drool worthy rifles but I suspect they’re way out of my price range.

I've owned a couple drillings, but other than the pride of ownership, they weren't the best hunting guns for me. To me they were heavy and just didn't feel right. I much preferred hunting with a Tikka 12 gauge/223 over and under. It was an ideal turkey gun.

For 2500$ I would recommend you get a Drilling. Ideally with an Einstecklauf to add versatility so you can reach the squirrels just a little farther out. The double rifles in that range can give you trouble with barrel regulation and "fixing" that, or at least having them regulated to a load you like can be quite expensive when the barrels are soldered in the traditional way. A Drilling won't have this issue since you'll only have one rifle barrel anyways and an Einstecklauf can be regulated at the muzzle independent of the other barrels and with tools at home. So unless you find a double rifle regulated for a load you like and you have the opportunity to shoot it before buying, I'd go with a Drilling. In the end it's all about what you like, of course.

John Barsness has an article coming out soon in Shooting Sportsman. I'm sure it will answer a lot of your questions regarding drillings.

Searching for a decent double rifle for $2,500.00 is a fool's errand. It doesn't exist.

A drilling or cape gun for around that price is certainly realistic. As has been mentioned, a drilling with an einstecklauf would give you a gun of three dimensions in one package.

This wonderful package is now in John's worthy hands. It's a drilling in 16ga 2 3/4" chambers and 6.5X57R with an added Kreighoff einstecklauf for the right barrel in 22 Mag. The scope is on Suhler claw mounts for quick removal and re-attachment, going right back to zero. The rifle will kill anything a Swede or Creed will. With the 22 Mag insert installed (a matter of seconds to do) it's a bunny & skwills gun, and without the insert it's a nimble upland bird shooter. I know of another like it that's very close to your budget. If you don't mind some heft I know of a 12/12/7X65R with 3.5-10 Leuplod in swing mount that can be had.

I regularly use a drilling for coyote hunting, 16ga/16ga/6.5x58R Sauer(25-35 equivalent) I did put a low straight tube scope on it for a better cheek weld but it handles great, one of my favorites in the thick stuff. Someday I'll find one I can afford in 16/16/5.6x50R or 52R



I do have a couple of combo guns rifle/shotgun that serve me well also.

John sure has a sweet set up. That seems like the prefect gun I’m looking for. It seems to be universally agreed that the 16’s handle much better than the 12’s. I’ll focus in that direction unless a screaming deal pops up for a 12.
I’ll check back here everyday to see when you’re listing something again. You always have neat stuff


I’ve seen your gun on here. It’s been part of my inspiration to spend a bunch of money. Right now my only combo gun is a savage 24 .22mag/.410. Killed lots of stuff with that at camp but looking to step up my game

"I’ve seen your gun on here. It’s been part of my inspiration to spend a bunch of money. Right now my only combo gun is a savage 24 .22mag/.410. Killed lots of stuff with that at camp but looking to step up my game."


I've had the pleasure of handling erich's drilling. He had a hard time getting my fingers pried off it! It just feels right in every respect.

Same for me. I much prefer a well built European O/U combination gun to a drilling for the same reason, they don't feel "right" to me.

That said, I don't like the Russian Baikal IZH-94 combination guns. Cheap, but rough, and no way to regulate the rifle barrel.

A nice drilling that fits is a pleasure to hunt with. Combo guns have a place in my heart too. I have my Bernardelli combo gun set up with Bismuth BB's and Lead Free Nosler Ballistic tip so I can haul it out to the duck blind with me an make coyote stands behind the blind and on the way back to the landing.

This is with the Bernardelli on the way back home from a duck hunt didn't have it in the boat that day as I was still loading lead for it. 100 miles south of the Canadian Border.


A little NM southern border action


And my other combo favorite, great travel rig BRNO 12ga/5.6x52R(22 Sav Highpower) plus it has a set of Tula Choked skeet barrels

A little AZ southern border action


And they can be very accurate 300 yards with the BRNO minute of coyote.


The drilling shown further up the page.


My big game drilling 16ga/16ha/7x57R at 100 yard wit factory ammo

Great stuff erich. Good to see someone actually out using one successfully