My Dad sent this dreiling home from Germany in 1945. I understand that "drillings" were often used by gamekeepers in old Imperial Germany on large estates. The men could carry a fowling piece and a rifle in the same firearm. I'm not sure how my dad came to have this drilling, but I've always assumed it was "looted", or liberated as a spoil of war. It really does look like an honest, working gun without many frills. Apparently, it once had a sling attached as well. That's something I'd like to restore. I believe that this one pre-dates World War One. I have read that these guns were sometimes used as a "graduation project" for apprentice gunsmiths. They had to build one to demonstrate their prowess.
My Dad worked for ALCOA and we were transferred to Geelong, Victoria, Australia for 14 months in 1966-67. Dad took the drilling along and sure enough, in a dusty old antique shop in Geelong, he came across 18 or 19 loose rifle rounds that the owner produced from an old desk drawer. My father worked with a former WII German merchant sailor and the two of them took it to the beach in Geelong to test fire it, flipping a coin to see who would do the deed. My Dad won the toss, and held it from around the bumper of our car to shoot...just to be sure it didn't kaboom for some reason. Up to our arrival in Australia, he didn't even know the rifle's caliber.
Later, he took it on a kangaroo hunt with some Aussie mates from work and shot three with the 9.3x72, including one 6-footer shot from 100 yards. Not bad with those sights I'd say. That was the only time he ever shot the rifle. Dad used the two 16 gauge barrels to kill many a dove, quail and squirrel with the drilling here in central Texas and when he passed in 1979, it became mine. I found the ammunition shown in the pics in an old gun shop in Temple, Texas not long after he died. Some might be interested to know that the barrels are all 28" in length.
I posted about this gun a few years ago, but the pics were not that good. I recently posed it for a few new ones and they turned out better. I gave her a good wipe-down with Ballistol and remembered my son pointing out before that that had probably been done before, long ago in another place.
I wasn't really sure in which forum to post this, so if in error, hopefully the mods will move it to the right one. I hope you enjoy the pics!
Gary
My Dad worked for ALCOA and we were transferred to Geelong, Victoria, Australia for 14 months in 1966-67. Dad took the drilling along and sure enough, in a dusty old antique shop in Geelong, he came across 18 or 19 loose rifle rounds that the owner produced from an old desk drawer. My father worked with a former WII German merchant sailor and the two of them took it to the beach in Geelong to test fire it, flipping a coin to see who would do the deed. My Dad won the toss, and held it from around the bumper of our car to shoot...just to be sure it didn't kaboom for some reason. Up to our arrival in Australia, he didn't even know the rifle's caliber.
Later, he took it on a kangaroo hunt with some Aussie mates from work and shot three with the 9.3x72, including one 6-footer shot from 100 yards. Not bad with those sights I'd say. That was the only time he ever shot the rifle. Dad used the two 16 gauge barrels to kill many a dove, quail and squirrel with the drilling here in central Texas and when he passed in 1979, it became mine. I found the ammunition shown in the pics in an old gun shop in Temple, Texas not long after he died. Some might be interested to know that the barrels are all 28" in length.
I posted about this gun a few years ago, but the pics were not that good. I recently posed it for a few new ones and they turned out better. I gave her a good wipe-down with Ballistol and remembered my son pointing out before that that had probably been done before, long ago in another place.
I wasn't really sure in which forum to post this, so if in error, hopefully the mods will move it to the right one. I hope you enjoy the pics!
Gary
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