I'm considering purchasing a Drilling, if possible to have it engraved in the US. In any case, I'm looking for one in 12x12x9.3x74, and was looking at either Heym, Merkel, or Krieghoff. Does anyone have any thoughts on which one is superior, so far as function? I know there's a number of ways that barrel selection can work - I prefer something that's (if not idiot proof) is reasonably simple to operate. I know Merkel makes three lock drillings - ideally I'd like a gun that has one trigger for the shotgun barrels, and one for the rifle.

Steven M.:

I'd suggest visiting Joe M.'s JMAR site for info. In having 1 trigger for the shotgun barrels and 1 for the rifle may require a configuration of a rifle and shotgun over a shotgun combination. I believe at one time Heym made a 3 trigger drilling.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Steven---I always thought that was an excellent 3 barrel drilling arrangement of shot gun gauge and rifle caliber. It would be my choice as well! Let us know how the pursuit unveils. I do not have any new recommendations for a good source for drillings, I would just google it and chase the results down.

If I were looking for this set up I'd contact Dale @ Heirloom Arms. He will surprise you with a very nice drilling at a very nice price. I've dealt with him and reccomend him highly.
http://www.heirloomarmes.com/index.htm

Steve & Yogi:
You are very correct on the usefulness of both the 12-bore and the 9.3x74 cartridges, and the desirability of a drilling so-chambered.

This combination is historically rare in my experience, because you end up with either a 9 lb shotgun or a 7 1/2 lb 9.3x74, neither of which is ideal for shooting. Something in between will always be a compromise. I believe this is why the 9.3x72 was usually chosen as a medium-bore chambering for the rifle barrel, as it is still relatively comfortable to shoot in the lighter weights needed for a lively shotgun.

Of course, modern makers will probably build whatever is ordered within reason, but when tossing cash at a brand-new drilling in the suggested combination, serious thought should be given to the desired weight. A heavy shotgun may be OK for fowling, but is a real handicap when walking-up game.

If I lived in the US, I would talk directly with the guys at Heym USA, but any of the three makers listed produce marvellous products for the price IMHO.

I've contacted Heirloom Arms, as well as Heym USA. I was planning on using Geoffroy Gournet for the engraving, who indicated that Krieghoff was willing to provide guns in the white for engraving. Depending on what Merkel and Heym's policies are, the decision as to maker might already have been made. I have some specific ideas about what I'd like to have engraved, and I'd rather have an engraver I can actually talk to, as opposed to playing "telephone".

I'd like this to be the "one gun" for everything (though I still will own other guns), and 9.3x74mm seems to be the best choice for that. Since Krieghoff offers a stock recoil reducer, I'd rather the gun be closer to 7.5 lbs. That's light enough for any shotgun use other than slugs, and with the addition of the reducer and the scope with EAW mounts the weight should be fine for 9.3x74 and a slug or two up top.

Bravo! I have a "Plain Jane" Krieghoff Plus Drilling with the Dural frame in 12x12x9.3x74.
The combination is perfect for pretty much everything...
(Although the German Chokes are tight and at some point I will have a choke tube or tubes installed.)

I also had a swing mount put on by NECG and a Leupold 1.5x5 illuminated reticle scope.

If I had an unlimited budget...I would be looking at the Krieghoff Quadro with three sets of barrels...
(I am using a 20 bore more an more and would elect to go that route in a new gun.)

Set 1 - Standard config
20ga/3" X 20ga/3"
9.3x74R

Set 2 - Custom config
20ga/3" fully rifled X 20ga/3" fully rifled
20ga/3" w/choke tube
(I know this is an odd ball but if you live in Uptate NY you can only hunt deer with a shotgun...and this would be the cats meow!)

Set 3 - Standard config
.470 NE X .470 NE
20ga/3"

All would have EAW swing mounts and a Schmidt and Bender low mag varriable scope with illuminated reticle. Pop up ghost ring peep too!

And of course it would have to be engraved....American game scenes...Pheasant, Grouse, WhiteTail....

OK...who wants the bill....I know I don't!

Dave, which NECG mount do you use? While looking at their sight I couldn't find one marked "swing mount."

Love my Colt Sauer, 12 ga. and 30-06. 2 triggers with a selector for the right trigger so its the right shotgun barrel or if the rear sight is "up" it is selected for the rifle barrel. Very simple and idiot proof. I am amazed how accurate it is with open fixed sights. With a 150 grain bullet it shoots point of aim at 100 yards. Most of the time I was hitting a fixed clay piegon set at 100 yards. I think it would be a great lion gun with a slug, buckshot and the good old 30-06. Heck, these guns will hunt about anything on the planet.

Well, as of now I'm waiting for a quote back on a Heym 37 and a 55, via Heirloom Arms. Depending on what answer I get back I'll go with Heym or Krieghoff.

Rob...sorry for the late come back...
NECG put an EAW swing mount on my Drilling...I am pretty sure it's a standard affair.

Thanks Dave, is the the type where the rear has a screw that loosens and the scope swings 90˚ to lift the front mount out?

Rob,

The mount is an EAW swing mount and has a lever on the rear that allows locking/unlocking of the aft scope mount then the scope pivots in the front mount 90 degrees and you lift it out.

The Guys at NECG do the best work...it is not an economy job and does take a while because they are always busy....But they are the best in the US with German/Austrain claw and swing mounts.

Hello Dave,

Sorry to butt in but I'd like to share with you my experience with claw mounts (Suhler Einhakmontage or SEM):
I have a Simson 12 bore with said mounts and a 4x32 scope that I wanted to change for a 1,5/6x36. In my infinite ignorance, I got the "new" scope and a couple of sets of claws second hand and in perfect working order. When I had all the components I came to realize that nothing matched anything. The "new" claws had nothing to do with the mount on my gun. To make a not so long story short, I had to get the old claws off of the 4x32 scope and adapt them to the 1,5/6 scope.

All this to justify what you mention: "...it is not an economy job and does take a while...".It is now clear to me me that these type of mounts are completely customized to each gun. They are extremely practical to use though and are fully justified. At least my SEM is. You take the scope off and put in back on in a jiffy.

Best

JC

I am lucky enough to own a J. P. Sauer sidelock, sidecocking drilling in 12x12x 9.3x74R. Weight, 7.25 lbs. but very nice to shoot with a good recoil pad. It started life as 9.3x72R Sauer (a propritary bottlenecked cartridge like the 74R). Someone reamed the chamber to 74R and had it re-proofed in Suhl in 1941 in the heat of war! The only problem is the difference in head diameters; the 72R S is .1 mm bigger. If you shoot S&B ammo, you get incipient case head separtion. RWS, Norma, and the new Hornady loads seem to work fine. I only fire the cases once after reloading, however, and loads are kept at factory velocity.

On scope mounts, I dont really like claw mounts on a drilling (although I have them). They really break up the nice, clean shotgun top line, in my opinion. I'm now in the process of making a folding peep sight for the Sauer. You make a treaded steel post to replace the top lever screw and file it square to accept a folding sight blade. Allen screws allow windage adjustment and the elevation is adjusted by filing down a new front post.

While in Reno at the Gunmaker's Guild Show, I saw the new J. P. Smithson scope mounts. Very nice looking but not cheap. Check it out at smithson-gunmaker.com It looked like the cat's meow except he didnt make 7/8 inch rings for my favorite drilling scope, the Lyman Alaskan.

Good Shooting.

The J. P. Smithson scope mounts look a real piece of master work. They certainly make less of a visual impact on a gun's silohuette but I find that is offset somewhat by the finish of the surface differing so dramatically from the blued rib. I wonder if they need to be white or if they can be blued to match the rib?

Also, my Nimrod has the usual rear sight that pops up when the rifle barrel is selected, I'll have to ask Mr. Smithson if his bases can allow for the through travel of the pushrod that actuates the rear sight.

Yes, they can be blued. At Reno, he had a nice set on a Purdey double rifle. The bases and rings were engraved by Charles Lee; with that treatment and rust bluing they matched the rifle perfectly.

The mounts will not impede the action of the "rusty wire" under the top rib of your Nimrod.

Good shooting.

Rusty wire? Rusty WIRE? I have my mine serviced and lubricated yearly! Didn't they have stainless in 1939?

Steven,

I have a drilling in 16x16x.30-30 and I never fire it because I always get messed up with the firing order/safety/selector arrangement. Not a gun problem it's a user (me) problem. However, I do have two Win 101 combo guns that I do shoot and hunt with. One is a 12x7X65R and the other is a 12x9.3X74R. Based on my experience with those I would think that a drilling with either a 7X65R or 9.3X74R barrel would be good for just about anything in the USA. Both of my combo guns have factory scope mounts that are just like the EAW and I have a .375 bolt action with the EAW mounts. I love those mounts. They are easy to use, don't rust like some of the lever mounts I've used, and they do repeat the point of aim when taken off and replaced. I think you made an excellent choice. By the way, I think you can get a peep sight that you can slip into the rear of the EAW mounts when not using a scope. Not sure - I just seem to remember something about that. Good shooting.

Grenadier and C. Kofoed

You have PM's

tunes

I'm sure it would be quite effective against ole' Leo from 3 bounces away from you. If I had that goofy thing in my hands I would throw it away, drop flat and let big white bwana put that kitty down!