Drillings

[Austin J Hawthorne Jr.]

Lets assume you are looking to buy a drilling that you would use primarily for deer hunting, but would also want to use for birds and clay's. The LOP is a little to long for hunting with heavy winter clothing, but is about right for bird hunting and clay's. Would you: buy it anyway figuring you have the extra time for a slow deliberate mount when deer hunting. Buy it and shorten the stock to a length that would be an acceptable compromise for both of its intended uses. (we are assuming here that the butt does not have a bullet trap in it, or anything else that would prevent the stock from being shortened). Or would you pass on the gun and wait until you found one with an LOP that you would not feel the need to alter.

[OH Osthaus]

Choice one. Find one that fits

Choice two. Buy it and shoot as is. As a shotgun it fits. The rifle gets aimed anyway. Unless it is way too long. Then back to choice one

[edgarspencer]

My fascination with Drillings started with the 1955 Shooters Bible, and was refueled each year when the new Bible came out. I didn't actually own one until I was in my late 20s, and I bought it because I could afford it. I paid little or no attention to the practical details, and was just lucky it had #1 and #2 in what I consider a reasonable order of importance: Condition and Caliber.
I have owned so many, I probably can't remember them all, but until I met my second wife, who had family, and property in Maine, never found myself in a hunting situation where I could have used both features at the same time, legally. Legally, because many states have rifle restrictions, and many also have limited coinciding games seasons. Game wardens in many states have widely differing opinions on the legality of a drilling, since mere possession of one, with rifle ammo can constitute hunting. The idea that a drilling filled the need of the man who couldn't afford separate shotguns and rifles, and the gun was simply a necessary tool, not unlike a shovel or axe, is false. In fact, the Drilling has always been an expensive gun. They were most common in European countries where the hunter could, and often did, bring home a true mixed bag.
If you can find one in Good condition, in a Caliber that makes sense, consider your self lucky to find one that fits well in one configuration, even luckier if it fits in the configuration that is going to see the majority of use, and gifted from the Lord himself if you find one that fits in both configurations.

[Bill Murphy]

Forget fit. Buy the best gun and condition for the job. Too long? Never seen a German driller that was too long. Exactly how long is your "too long" driller?

[wayne goerres]

I would buy it even if it were to long and have it shortened. It isn't like a Parker Most of them cant be lettered so no one has any idea what the original configuration was anyway. Just have some one do it that can do a good job at it. (JHMO).

[Austin J Hawthorne Jr.]

Bill,
The lop is only about 3/8 inches longer that my other birdguns and I can adapt to that for wingshooting and clay's. But, I bulk up with alot of heavy clothing when deer hunting, and I will have to shorten the stock on this drilling if I get it. I could almost answer my own question if between the wars drillings were common, but they aren't. Most of those you see for sale are either pre 1900, or post WW 2, and are not what I'm looking for.

[charlie cleveland]

i too love the drillings i hunt deer with mine from time to time....my gun is made in 1936 it is a hammerless model in 16x16 ga x7by57r...its even scoped with the eagle claw mounts you can take the scope off in 1/2 secound and put it back on in a secound ... i load a slug in the left barrel a 22 magum in the right barrel it has aremoveable insert in the right barrel and a 7 by 57r in the rifle barrel also has thetarget trigger set up on the rifle...cleanly kills squirls with the 22 mag when needing meat in the pot when there is no deer....you will enjoy the drilling for life....charlie