Guys and Girls, what calibers would you choose for a Combo Gun?
Keep in mind that some people are restricted by various laws, etc.

Personally? I favor the 7x57R/12g at the moment, simply because it meets the legal requirements for all deer hunting in OZ.

Doubtless, other people will see it differently. What would you choose to cover all your average hunting conditions?

Cheers, Dave.

For BBF 30R Blaser and a 12/70 shotgun, maybe with a change barrel in 5,6x50R and 20/76

For a Bockdrilling a 8,5x63R, a 6x62R Frères and a 16/70 shotgun

In the States the combination gun more often serves as a small game gun. To that end I wonder why 22 rimfire over 20 gauge guns are common but 22 rf over 12 ga are unheard of. To make my Valmet 412 more generally useful I have pondered the merits of rechambering the 223 Remington barrel to 220 Swift and having the 12 ga improved modified barrel fitted with choke tubes.

Simply because of where and what I hunt, a light weight drilling with 26 inch barrels in 20/76 choked improved cylinder and improved modified over .30-06 with a quick-detachable 1-3/4 x 6 variable power 30 mm scope.

Well,

BBF: 16/70 and 7X65R or a set of extra barrels in 1270 and 8X65RS

Drilling with 66 cm barrels in 16/70 and 8X65RS or 12/70 and 9,3X74R

Bockdrilling
16/70 5,6X50R and 8X75RS

Cheers
/JOHAN

My Merkel drilling is in 12/70 and 9.3x74R, it took me quite a while to find one in this combo which I consider best for B.C. hunting. My Miroku-Browning BBF is in .308Win.x12/70 and is about the most useful gun I own.

I was considering the purchase of a Merkel 211-E, 1960's vintage, unfired in the box in 12/70x7-65R, another fine choice, but, I did not want to spend the $5500.00 CDN and then pay Ralf Martini to install mounts and a scope. There is a limit to how many combo guns a guy can actually use and the cost of that one has paid for a lot of new backpack hunting gear and some neat trips. BUT, it took me quite some time to develope the self-discipline to not buy it, these are the most fascinating of all guns.

A friend of mine had (still has?) a couple of the Japanese Winchester 101 Grand European combination guns. 1 is a 7x57r/12 and the other is a 9.3x74r/12. I have always thought that the 9.3x74r/12 would be a nice go anywhere, shoot anything, sort of combination gun.

The absolute worst combination gun that I have ever seen are those that EAA and Remington have imported from Russia. Just plain junk.

Jeff

I'd choose a 12/70-9,3x74R combination, like the Sauer that was issued as a survival weapon to some WWII Luftwaffe pilots.

My wife has a Sauer 12x12x30-06, with a Kahles 4x in claw mounts. It is her favorite hunting gun.
She has let me use it a few times and I sneak it out sometimes if I go on a trip without her.
We have never had any extraction problems with the rimless case. It handles better for wing shooting than my Browning Superposed, at least to me anyway. I consider it about the perfect combination of calibers for USA.

For my drilling I want a 12x12x9,3x74R. I already have a double in 9,3 and really like the cartridge. Scope in QD mounts for sure.

So, tell me about maximum "reasonable" range for a scoped BBF in 9.3x74R x 12. I just bought one from Germany...with a Docter 3-12x54 variable on claw mounts. I will (given action by ATF on my import permit application) take it to AK next summer. Am I limited to 200 yards?

The 9.3x74R is ballistically similar to the 35 Whelen, in terms of energy, trajectory, etc. The big question will be, how well does yours shoot? Groups, etc. Will it have a shifting point of impact? I have used one for a few years now, and they seem to work just fine, athough with a bit of a 'rainbow' trajectory.
If you shoot it a bit to get used to it, 250m would be a sensible max range (it's no 270 Weatherby, that's for sure!).

Cheers, Dave.

conifer
I have hunted with the 9,3x74R in Texas, Montana, Idaho, Canada, and Zimbabwe. The longest shots I have made are on a coyote at 271 yards and a Kudu at a litle over 300 yards.
Still I think 250 yards is a safe estimate.
I have no complaints on the game killing ability of the 9,3x74R.

I used to hunt several years with a "Bockbüchsflinte" in 12ga. over .30-06. But after a wile I saw, that I didn't really need that shot barrel. I began thinking about putting an " Einstecklauf" in 222 Rem. or so into the shot barrel for long distance fox hunting. It didn't work as good it should, I had accuracy problems with the liner barrel, so I finally sold that gun.
Now I use,with outstanding results, a Tikka/Valmet 512 S combination in 5,6x50R Mag. over 9,3x74R, a so called "Bergstutzen" and I'm perfectly happy with it. It shoots like a dream and the particular cartridges are more than adequate for their purposes. I think, with that gun I'll also be well prepared for upcoming hunting trips too.

One of my favorite rifles is a Valmet 12ga/.222. It has been great for predator calling, and when we were allowed to use centerfire in AZ for turkey, it worked well for that as well.

quote:

Originally posted by mb:
In the States the combination gun more often serves as a small game gun. To that end I wonder why 22 rimfire over 20 gauge guns are common but 22 rf over 12 ga are unheard of. To make my Valmet 412 more generally useful I have pondered the merits of rechambering the 223 Remington barrel to 220 Swift and having the 12 ga improved modified barrel fitted with choke tubes.

My situation was much like yours. I like a 20 gauge much better than a 12 gauge, not fond of recoil. I had my Savage 24V rebored 6x45mm, which made it legal for big game in most places. The three-inch 20 gauge is plenty for most upland game and sneakable ducks. Scope mounts are quick-release with peep sights underneath.

I originally wanted .243/20 gauge and wrote Savage about it, they weren't interested. There is a nice Krieghoff Ultra 20 that is exactly that but it's also $8000.

TomP

the Blaser 95 and 97 BBF are available in this combination to an affordable price.

Burkhard

quote:

Originally posted by Burkhard:
TomP

the Blaser 95 and 97 BBF are available in this combination to an affordable price.

Burkhard

Thanks, Burkhard, I will look them up directly.

TomP, you could try looking for either a Miroku, or a Valmet 412, both of these guns where available in the configuration you are looking for.
Or, there is a new one about to get started, Finnclassic (which looks the same as a 512). I don't know where these are actually made (possibly in Italy, same as the 512s), but the info says the BBLs are made by walther.

Does anyone know anything more about these?

Cheers, Dave.

I have my Merkel K96 Lux in 20-mag /6.5x57R. I find this an ideal combination. I hunt mainly roe-deer and grouse with my drilling, and lug it on looong treks in the Norwegian mountains both in fall and winter.... Used to have one with shotgun barels in 12, but I found it top-heavy. I shoot much better with the nifty little 20!

my savage 24v is 223 over 20ga 3inch,usually 7 1/2shot pretty handy.w/regards