I was looking at this great 16 gauge double shotgun with a 6mm rifle below the shotgun barrels. It had this neat switch that raised and lowered the rifle flip sight. The gun was very interesting but it got me wondering, what is the point? Why would anyone need a double shotgun and rifle all in one?

Thanks!

That's a "drilling," which is a style of gun that has a bit of popularity in Europe for when you're hunting a variety of game.

Geoff
My wife and I have been hunting with a 12x12x30-06 drilling for several years.
It is The perfect hunting gun when furred and feathered game is in season at the same time.

We have used ours in TX Idaho Montana and Zimbabwe.

It is my wifes favorite hunting gun.

GeoffM24, In many places the deer seasons are open at the same time as the verious bird seasons, so the drilling is the best of both worlds. In addtion to that, many countries allow the ownership only a certain nunber of guns. The drilling is only one gun, whith the ability to bea rifle or shotgun with the flick of a switch.

The Cape guns were made for the same purpose! A cape gun it a combination rifle shotgun that is a side by side with a rifle barrel on the right barrel, and a shot barrel on the left. These are usually 16 bore on the shot side, and either a 8mm, or 9.3 rifle on the other! The name came from this type being made to sell to the settlers on the cape of good hope in what is now RSA! The idea was as with the drilling, so that the hunter had what he needed in his hands, no matter what game poped up!

In the case of the drilling you saw, there are two triggers, and the front trigger oppertaes the right barrel, with the back trigger oppertaing the laft barrel of the shotgun portion of the arm. When the button is applied, the rear sight pops up, but this also makes the rear trigger fire the rifle barrel.

I have a cape gun with a 16 ga barrel on the left, and a 8X57JR rifle barrel on the right. Where I hunt Muledeer in New Mexico, and West Texas, the muledeer season is open at the same times as Blue Quail, and turkey seasons. If I hunt deer with a rifle, it seems every time I get away from my shotgun I jump quail, or a fine turkey, and if I take off after a covey of quail, I jump a trophy muledeer, with my rifle in my 4X4, The little cape gun takes care of both sitiuations, with one firearm!

In Zimbabwe a few weeks ago we were hunting guiena fowl, the Ph spotted a nice kudu. My wife shot it with the 30-06 bbl of her drilling.

A few days later she was again hunting Guiena fowl, spotted a BIG warthog, stalked it and shot it with the drilling.

They are great hunting guns.

Thanks guys!

It was a great older gun, supposedly pre WWII and was 16 gauge and what was said to be 6mm. Any idea what 6mm it might have been?

Hi Geoff24

About the drilling you saw, it´s unlikly that it´s a plain 6mm if its original, it could be a 5.6x52R or a 6,5x57R or some other cal.

To my knowledge the older german drilling didnt have a straight 6mm cal.

If your really interested there is a guy here "Fritz" that is quite knowledegable regarding german drillings, he might help you and of cours we will add our 5 cents as well.

Best regards Chris.

Yes a 6mm would be very unlikeley but not inpossible. I belive the Germans did invent the 6mm Remington (6x57)long before Remington did but I'm not positive.
I have the same Drilling that 450#2 Has.
One good example of where it really worked out well for me was a trip to the contenant where we started out in Sweden whent to finland back to Sweden then to Spain. I took the one gun and shot ducks,roe deer,black grouse,red stag and a fallow deer with my freind's 7x57 drilling.
He shot Grouse, ducks, wood cock, capracalie(I know my spellings bad but can't evenstart to do this one) and Ibex.

GeoffM24
Do you have any picture or more detailed information about the drilling, period it was made? It could be a Sempert & Krieghoff

Cheers
/JOHAN

quote:

Originally posted by JOHAN:
GeoffM24
Do you have any picture or more detailed information about the drilling, period it was made? It could be a Sempert & Krieghoff

Cheers
/JOHAN

Sorry for the delay. The caliber is 6.5x57 and the production estimate is 1930s or early 1940s. Also it is just marked Kriegoff and not Smpert & Kriegoff.