Bird season started on the first.
Dog and I got out yesterday morning. Walked up to a high ridge I know of and had a great time. Dog did his job--great points. Two nice blue grouse and a ruffed.
Still have to think about the safety but if I carry in more or less a port arms position, with the gun slightly tipped forward my thumb does what it's supposed to and mentally everything works well. Problem is that my thumb just slips over the safety more often than not. End of thumb is somewhat callused.
I recall pictures that showed the safety with a vertical ridge and another with a button. Seems to need something to provide better purchase.
Anyone else have this difficulty? Any thoughts, suggestions.
Thanks,
Bill

I recall seeing a picture in the Double Gun Journal with an extension soldered onto a greener safety so that in protruded. My advice - just use the drilling for a while and you will quickly grow into it and the safety will seem natural.

The wife and I have those safetys on our Sauer Drillings.

Just practice with it.

Just be careful not to place the barrel selecter on the rifle barrel and wing shoot a grouse.

I understand where you're coming from. When I've been doing a lot of masonry, the calluses and the splits make it impossible to use the flat ones. My 9.3/12 has a built up safety button. I buggered my right hand a few years back and that adds to the problem. That bigger button is a lot easier for me. .

Bfly

I have gotten accustomed to the safety on my drillings...I find it easier when I carry the gun with the butt on my hip, barrels vertical, with the safety facing me and under my thumb.

One of my drillings was tough to operate so I had a smith work on it so the safety slides forward more easily.

If I was expecting wing shots on a combo I don't have the rifle barrel loaded - chance of error and sending a rifle bullet into the deep blue yonder is just too high. Not so bad I suppose with a drilling where you have a separate cocking slide for the rifle but even so not a risk I would take. It takes seconds to slip a round in when big game presents itself. Also shotgun recoil could move the rifle bullet into or out of the case unless the bullet was firmly crimped. Not an issue with one or two shots, but if you keep the same rifle cartridge loaded just in case could be an issue.

On my combo, where front trigger fires rifle, back the shotgun I have the firm rule that rifle barrel is only loaded when the scope is mounted and I am after deer / foxes. If shooting birds, scope is off and rifle bullets out of the way.

I wanted mine to "look" right, so i had a whole new safety made that's longer...



DM

quote:

Also shotgun recoil could move the rifle bullet into or out of the case unless the bullet was firmly crimped.

I have never heard this issue spoken of in Germany and am willing to bet that millions of shotgun rounds over decades have been discharged out of drillings. Where did you hear this?

DM, I like the way you did that. Just a little bit more height/protrusion.
I've been out two more times since my first post. No problem with bringing gun up, thumb moving forward over the button during the mount but my thumb still keeps skidding right over the safety. Very frustrating.
I really like the new higher safety idea but initially will probably get some sort of button on the existing one since that can be done fairly quickly.
By the way, not loading the rifle barrel at this time since only birds are open. Initially I was concerned about tripping the selector rather than the safety but that has not been a problem.
Going out again tomorrow. We shall see.

quote:

Originally posted by DM:
I wanted mine to "look" right, so i had a whole new safety made that's longer...

My problem with the Greener safety concerns trying to release it wearing gloves. This solution seems ideal. Who did the job, if you don't mind my asking?

One reason for my preference for drillings with separate rifle barrel cocking by means of a side lever is that it frees the tang of the action up for a conventional sliding safety.

This is the only one of my drillings without that feature, but it is also my only 12 gauge drilling, which makes it more attractive loaded with a rifle cartridge and two Brennekes, for one of those occasions I have encountered in the past, where at the end of the season the does tend to congregate in herds and sometimes offer some very sporty close range moving shots.

The daily bag limit in my area is incidentally three, of which no more than one may be antlered.

When bird hunting with my drilling, I always carry the gun with the safety facing the sky.
That makes it very easy to move to "fire" and I usually make a good shot. Best of luck.

Having 3/16" added to raise it up makes all the difference in the world. Any good gunsmith can do it.

DM, I also like your safety on the right side...don't know why so many are on the left...Steve

I don't like Greener safeties, especially with my being a lefty. But I like drillings and they often come with Greener safeties. The reason most Greener safeties are on the left is for a right hander's thumb. I have owned a few drillings with the safety on the right side of the stock. Here are two approaches I have taken to make the safety more accessible. The first is to add metal to the button so that it will protrude more and makes it easier to catch with the thumb. The second approach adds an elongation to the button and places the button at a much better location to push forward. You must be careful with the angle of the button because the arc of the safety's travel is influenced by the housing's orientation relative to the vertical.