In Germany how is the typical Drilling set up for hunting, what loads are typically carried in the right and left shotgun barrels? Are they different for stalking or sitting in a stand?
And have German hunters started to use the Drilling for upland birds?
thanks
Doug
The original purpose of the Drilling was to be a "jack of all trades", to be the only gun a hunter needs. Considering the hunting conditions up to the 1960s, it saw most use as a shotgun for fur, feather and waterfowl. On hunting hare, ducks, rabbits, partridges and upland birds only the shot tubes are loaded for safety reasons. The most popular shot sizes were #5 for "general purpose" use, #3 for hare and fox, #7 for rabbits, doves and snipes. On a stand, the Drilling is used most of the time as a single-shot rifle, scope attached, perhaps with a #3 shotload in the left barrel and an insert barrel in .22lr to 5.6x50R in the right one, a fox may appear anytime. I already described the loading for driven boar hunts. Drillings were everytime more popular in northern Germany than in the south, where, for lack of fur and feather, over-under cape guns were preferred.
Due to changes in farming and forestry, hunting in Germany has changed a lot since the 1960s. Hare, pheasant and rabbit numbers are reduced by about 90%, partridge are an endangered species now. Deer numbers have tripled and quadrupled since then, wild boar numbers doubled every ten years. So there is little upland bird shooting in Germany, those who hunt pheasant still abundant in some parts of Germany rarely use a drilling now, but shotguns. German hunters now have much more use for a repeating rifles, see the popularity of the Blaser R93, double rifles and dr-drillings. When I was a young hunter in the late 60s, a Drilling was the "dream gun" of most German hunters. This has changed. Drillings are a low priority now. Sauer & Sohn have stopped making them. As the generation of hunters active during the 60-70s, who could afford an expensive Drilling then, is diing out now, the used gun market in Germany is full with Drillings of that time. A then "standard" Drilling in 16/16/7x65R, claw mounted with a good Zeiss or Hensoldt 6x scope, goes for about EURO 1000.- at best, regardless of make, be it Suhl, Sauer, Krieghoff or Heym.
Wow! Bring them over here, we are still in a phase where the drilling can shine. I would love to have access to Kreighoffs for $1000 E.
BTW, Doug, the way they are set up for use is "muzzle forward..."
Thank you for the explanation...
Interestingly, I went the exact opposite. I started with semi automatic rifles, then realized that a single shot was all that was needed. But I wanted a gun that could hunt fowl/or raccoon with BBB as well and I stumbbled upon a combo gun. My first combo was a Baikal in 12/30-06 which was a fantastic gun, the screw in chokes really made a big difference. My second combo was a Spartan which was a dog. Because of this experience I moved to all Valmet combo's.
After my positive experience with the Valmet combo's I moved to the Drilling. Which in my opoinion is the ultimate hunting rifle.
My Drillings are all have the 22 Mag WMR in the right shotgun chamber and can support 00 shot or a slug in the left. INMO what more can you ask for in a gun. A large caliber rifle, a 22 Mag and a slug/00 Buck...
for $1000 each I will buy 10 if someone can figure out how to import them...
Doug
A then "standard" Drilling in 16/16/7x65R, claw mounted with a good Zeiss or Hensoldt 6x scope, goes for about EURO 1000.- at best, regardless of make, be it Suhl, Sauer, Krieghoff or Heym.
I'd think it would be a great idea to import some of those 1000 euro drillings to the US, since they seem to go for FAR more over here - more than twice that, without the scope.
Sauer is at the bottom of the price range at 1000 euro s Krieghof cost much more just google egun and look first under jagdwaffen/drilling to get the list up.
Mine was 1100 euro s with a cr*p scope and then to get scoped up with a 2.5-8x56 Zeiss on modern mounts ran me another 2200 euro s.
But it is really a way of life statement to use one every day which I do.
Martin
Hey guys please note the exchange rate is 1.4 euros to $1.
There are still some very good deals on Drillings in the US.
All my Drillings, except one, have .22 WMR inserts fitted to the right barrel, all the chokes have been opened slightly to accept slugs and OO buckshot and the 16 ga chambers have been opened to accept 70mm cartridges. When hunting with them, I typically use no 1 buck in the left tube, the rifle barrel and the .22 WMR.
The one exception is the 12x12/9.3x74r which I just acquired and am pondering putting a .22 WMR insert in it. It is a feral hog gun and I dont know if I will ever use/need the .22 WMR insert. I would rather have an extra slug or buckshot in the tube.
It is interesting how when something is easily available it is not necessarily appreciated. For example Drillings in Germany. Or in my case bolt action rifles,I dont own a bolt action rifle, my wife has a Tikka .270 bolt action that she loves. For me it is Combo's, Drillings, Marlin lever actions or HK semi automatic rifles.
Doug
I'm afraid it's the other way around: $1.4 to 1 euro.
With kind regards,
Jani
