Hi all

The paradox gun/rifle?
I am reading abit of the old hunting stories, and the paradox are used on lots of hunting in Asia and Africa.

A shotgun that can take down a lion, tiger or a hippo?? Have to be a great thing...or?

How is it to take one out for hunting today?
Anyone who have done it?

Was just thinking of a drilling with one shotgun barrel with a paradox, one with buck shot and a heavy 9.3 bullet. Have to be good for cats today as well. Or on a forest hunt for pigs, bongo and so??

Thanks for looking all

Not an expert, but the paradox were made with shallow rifling to stablize a slug and still be effective with shot. We have better experts on here than me that will give you much more complete information.
My experience with drillings is that the rifle barrel and the left shotgun barrel tend to be regulated. With my old Sauer, the rifle barrel and the left shotgun barrel with a slug shoot to the same point of aim at fifty yards. The right barrel shoots high and to the left, with slugs and buckshot. That's why I, and many others, put a 22 mag insert in the right barrel.
Bfly

Hi

Thanks for the reply.
well, you got a nice drilling. What rifle caliber it got?
How do the 22 mag shoot?

Yes, I know about the slug, but was/is the slug the same as a paradox?
The old paradox had to be very good, bullet I mean, to be good on hippo, rino and so.
Have seen photos of paradox used on that, so it was a powerfull gun back then.

So, guess it stil will be a good gun to go out hunting with.

But, why was the paradox made? A kind of the poor mans double? Or just to make the gun even better, at all kinds of game?

Thinking that if you had a paradox drilling, you was able to take a long shot a a Sable, shot a bird and also go after the lion or hippo in thick bush.

All help and information is good for me.

Slugs are not the same as paradox shells. The shells for paradox that I have seen, looked more like shot shells with a bullet on the front end. My understanding is that the paradox was an effor to make the firearm more useful. Most of the folks from previous generations didn't have the surplus's we have. Even the one's with money, had rougher conditons, less money, and less resources. Anything they had needed to serve multiple purposes. Of the ammo that I have seen, it has all been cast bullets. There are some good articles on paradox guns in some of the older Gun Digests. And as I said, there are some folks here who know a lot about these guns. You might also go to Nitroexpress.com, they have a forum on paradox guns.
My drilling is a hammer model in 16's over 9.3x74. She is not real fancy, but has a great history. The insert shoots very well, at least good enough for squirrel hunting. I got mine from Gary Reeder. It was his hunting gun. On his last trip with it, he got a caribou, artic fox and a ptarmigan. That's what makes drillings so interesting. Mine also had hunted Africa with it's first owner. If only the patina, nicks and scratches could tell their stories.
Bfly

Oh yes, thats tru..if she only was able to talk to you..
Boy o boy, will you get some great stories..

Well, as you say, THAT is what makes the drilling so great.

The shell, only photos, I have seen of paradox shells to are showing a bullet coming out of them, so it was much more a bullet, than a slug.

Well, maybe some will stop by here and guide me tru the world of paradox.
Interesting to hear if any one load them today, what weight they use and what speed the bullet get.

I have 2 Paradox guns, one an old Beretta and the other a new Fabarm.

The genuine paradox ammo differs considerably from a 12g slug. However, the slugs will usually work well anyway. The Beretta will print the high (about 8") but the Fabarm will shoot both Rottweil slugs and paradox rounds to the same POI.
If you were going to hunt mostly small game for the pot, then needed to shoot a slug for larger critters and were restricted to only one gun, then they would be a good choice.
Outside of their specialised niche, they never really seemed to catch on.

Hi
Thanks for replying

How old is the Beretta? Is it a combo or drilling?
Do you load the paradox your self?

Well, as you say, the paradox is a nich gun, was maby so also back in the old days and even more today. To bad really, thinking of what the gun really can do.

They are both Paradox guns.

I load my own paradox shells, using the loads in Graeme Wrights book "Shooting the British double rifle." A bit fiddly, but worth it for the fun!

Best of luck.

Thanks Dave for the reply and info.

Good help for me.