doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion German & Austrian Sporting Guns @ doublegunshop.com Gerhard Schilling combo gun

I have found a lot of information on this gun as far as “Gerhard Schilling” whose name is on the rib and the Schilling Forge in Suhl but cannot find any evidence of other examples by this maker or perhaps very low number made. Could have been a personal gun perhaps. It is 20ga/70 x5.6x35R Veirling round. I have shot some reformed 22 hornet brass(.224 50gr) offline but could only find 7 shells) and may just trim some 22 hornet brass or even just see if it will chamber the hornet and fire. I actually used a 1878 Winchester made patented 22WCF (same case as the 5.6x35R) hand reloading tool with success(had to grind/file off the points of the bullets to make them reload right as they had sharp point.

Has some ebony and nice figure in stock and also a pop up front ivory bead. Petite and very light weight gun I am think 4.5-5lbs. Don’t have a clue on year of manufacture(perhaps pre-WW2???). I did find a Gerhard Schilling as a officer in SS at Auschwitz(with a high rank) but not sure fits this Gerhard schilling who there is some publications about (the forge in Suhl was reopened as a museum and reports of his death as last owner of schilling forge at age 94 in 2014). That would have put him born 1920 so only 21 at 1941. A Stuba ranks shows a highest rank an enlisted man could reach in SS.

Any insight or information you all can add would be appreciated. I can’t locate any other examples or records of this same maker although they obviously made barrels for other makers. Perhaps they were also blacksmiths as well.


[img]https://postimg.cc/gallery/Gb2crFR[/img]

By the looks of the gun, it could be a Gesellenstück.

Your musings about the name are licit and interesting, but Schilling was a very common name in Suhl and beyond, and so was Gerhard.
More helpful might be the italic script B.M. initials; probably the Rohrschlosser (tube mechanic, tube knitter).

Bernhard Merkel.....

https://germanhuntingguns.com/archives/archive-merkel-bernhard/


Hochachtungsvoll,

Raimey
rse

It passed thru the Suhl Proof Facility in June of 1940 and has what looks to be a copper dim light flip-up sight. I have seen those before & will have to dig a little. It was made for cold climate use per the Asian Water Buffalo horn triggerbow guard. It was made by Bernhard Merkel and I am not sure of the engraver.


Hochachtungsvoll,

Raimey
rse

bkdean
funksauer,
Your gun was proofed under the 1939 proof law, which mandated it be marked to reflect the name the cartridge was commonly called. The marking clearly indicates it is chambered for the Vierling (5.6x35R), rather than the Hornet (5.6x36R) cartridge. However, there has often been confusion concerning the proper cartridge for many of these rifles. The main difference between the latest Vierling and the Hornet, other than a small difference in ballistics, is the rim of the Hornet was thickened to prevent it's use in older 22WCF rifles. By the 1940s, the Hornet was pretty widely used but the Vierling was also still widely used, especially for hunting. Consequently, your idea to check the actual chambering has merit, in my considered opinion. It may have been made for either of the cartridges or subsequently modified to use the Hornet. When you check it be sure to carefully close the action because closing it with force on a Hornet cartridge case in a Vierling chamber can damage the gun. The fact that it is chambered for the more modern 70mm 20 ga. shells rather than 65mm lends some credence to the possibility of a Hornet chamber. When I handload for my own, verified, Vierling chambered BF, I use Hornet cases that have had the rims thinned from the rear and had the primer pockets deepened to match, with a primer pocket uniformer. I use common Hornet dies and shell holder with the modified cases and have satisfactory results. I use 45-grain .223" bullets and do not need to shorten them as you do with the 50-grain ones. If you have a Vierling chamber and do not have either the facilities or inclination to modify Hornet cases, you can use purchased 22WCF cases. Your rifle seems very nice, and you should be able to have many years of use and fun with it.
Mike

Here is the name on the rib.

So Bernard Merkel was the tube fitter only??? Or maker of gun?


https://postimg.cc/nsVkzb2h

bkdean funksauer. That is a very nice drilling and should make a good quail/squirrel gun.

A Niederwilddrilling such as this today is a charming thing of the past, due to very different hunting conditions.

As I may have mentioned, I recently acquired a nice though slightly (ab)used unnamed Drilling, chambered for 24/65, 24/65 and 6,5x52R. Handles and points like a charm.
I still have to shoot it, though.

I just love drillings. I've owned several and am now perfectly content with the two I've worked into.

Question. Are 24 gauge hulls, ammo or loading components available? That would have to be a lot of fun. The 6,5 X 52R is available over here and I suspect it might even be more popular in Germany, no?

I bought a couple boxes of 32 ga. shotshells for a song and a dance, thinking I could pick up an old single barrel gun for not much money. Ha...did I get a surprise!!! Doubles are available, for a king's ransom.

24 gauge components & cartridges are readily available due to high consumption in Italy; therefore Fiocchi & Federal both offers anno. too, Fiocchi must have a partnership or use the same factory in Missouri, Kansas or wherever it is? If I am using close working Dogs, I pretty much use it as a staple. And if Pen Raised anything, I most definitely reach for it first.

Hochachtungsvoll,

Raimey
rse