Rifle Shotgun Combo Guns

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Swannop

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I'm interested in switching to a shotgun/rifle combo gun for next hunting season. So I can get grouse and deer in the same trip. I've been looking around and haven't had much luck finding anything other than varmint calibers like the Savage model 42.

I've seen things online from Baikal, CZ, Brno, F.A.I.R, etc. but nothing in Canada.

I'm wondering if anyone has ever used one of these and has any advice for me.

Thanks!

P.S. I've also heard them called Drilling guns??? Any idea what that's about?
 
Drilling guns have 3 barrels, 2 shotgun and 1 rifle. Drilling means triple in German.

I have a couple of combo guns that I use. A Savage in 30-30 and 20 gauge that I use for big game and a Tikka in .222 and 12 gauge that I use for coyotes. I usually use the Savage after I fill my moose tag and am hunting birds in case I happen to see a moose and can fill one of the other guy's tags.

Used ones are around. Keep an eye on the ee or check the Tradex website. They usually have some.
 
The most useful all round hunting gun you can own if your bird/small game season coincides with big game hunting season. The better ones are expensive.
 
Look in the used market for the Savage model 24. Many, perhaps most, don't have their rifle in a great big game calibre, but I think .30-30 wasn't rare and that's certainly good for deer. (I have one in 12ga/.223Rem and although this province has recently changed its rules, now allowing .223 for big game hunting I won't be taking it out for that.)
 
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Haven't looked for a while, but there was a Valmet there in 12 over 7x57... That would be a nice combo!
Just had a look, and it's gone! : (

R.
 
I'd look at reduced cast bullet loads for grouse. Or get a single shot 45-70 and load shot in a 45-90 case.

I don't think you'll be terribly happy with the more affordable combos.
 
I've posted on this one in past, but what I presently have is a Brno ZH-304. 7x57R/12ga. Also have a set of skeet barrels for it. Where it 'comes into its own', is walking old skid roads in the river bottom areas up the local logging road, on those 'wet coast' windy days when you're just as likely to put up a Blacktail as a Ruff Grouse.
 
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Drillings are wonderous tools of harvest but once you get to 12 gauge they can be a tad bit heavy for all day walking in the field.
Savage M24 are quite fine however I do believe that rifle barrel on top stifles the shotgun/bird gun swing. That's a lot of rifle clutter in the way of instinctive moving swing of a shotgun after flying things.
The Tikka Finclassic looks just about right. Shotgun on top and a lighter alloy within the receiver. And if you have time for unwary ground game one has time to select the rifle cartridge and folding rear sight.

My two bits only.
 
Are you looking for a deer rifle caliber and the shotgun for grouse? I ask because I use a .22 insert in a shotgun barrel for the grouse, but keep buckshot handy as well as the 7x65R for deer. I use a drilling however...

Regardless, I urge you to watch Tradex. My Dad picked up a scoped Zoli from them that is 20ga over 6.5x55 and it wasn't that expensive. I got my drilling from them as well.
 
Much appreciated. Looks like tradeex has a fair few, but mostly in a .22 variety. Or in a calibre that won't be much use past about 200 yards. Also looks like the shotgun is only 2 3/4.

I saw a beautiful one by F.A.I.R at the Calgary gun show today that's made in Italy. But it was $2700 which is a bit steep for me.
 
calibers such as 7x57R, 7x65R, 8x57JR (S), 9.3x74R etc are fine all round big game calibers, similar to 7 mm Mauser, .270 Win, .308, 30-06 35 Whelan on deer, moose, black bear, etc. And 12 guage 2 3/4" is all the shotgun you need unless you are sky busting for geese. And yes, the nicer combo guns are very expensive but you get more gun for your money. Kia or Cadillac?
 
Swannop said:
I'm interested in switching to a shotgun/rifle combo gun for next hunting season. So I can get grouse and deer in the same trip. I've been looking around and haven't had much luck finding anything other than varmint calibers like the Savage model 42.

I've seen things online from Baikal, CZ, Brno, F.A.I.R, etc. but nothing in Canada.

I'm wondering if anyone has ever used one of these and has any advice for me.

Thanks!

P.S. I've also heard them called Drilling guns??? Any idea what that's about?
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There are a couple in the EE right now.
Drillings (2) of them in the last week.
There is also as of last night a Tika with a 12 gauge/222 , but I could be wrong on the combo I mention.
Hell, there is a Brno in a smaller european caliber as well.
Ammo would be a challenge, but is available if you dont mind paying extra for shipping when you do find it.
Rob
 
Swannop said:
I'm interested in switching to a shotgun/rifle combo gun for next hunting season. So I can get grouse and deer in the same trip. I've been looking around and haven't had much luck finding anything other than varmint calibers like the Savage model 42.

I've seen things online from Baikal, CZ, Brno, F.A.I.R, etc. but nothing in Canada.

I'm wondering if anyone has ever used one of these and has any advice for me.

Thanks!

P.S. I've also heard them called Drilling guns??? Any idea what that's about?
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I think those guns is a typical european thing and not common in north america. Those manufacturers you list all are european . My grandfather had one, a 7x57 and 16 gage over under. Those guns were often custom made and sized to the owner and not cheap. The gun is hand made, with hand made engravings and double greener lock. The scope mount is weird but you can hook in the scope without point of impact change. Its a great gun.

Those people had one gun that was perfect and did it all with shotgun and rifle. Some drillings had a 22 hornet or such barrel for hunting things like foxes or also popular were rifle inserts for the shotgun barrel.

Those guns cost in the ten thousands but seem to have no value today.

In germany they were inherited and when storage laws were changed the inheritees flooded the market with those guns and you could not give them away. They do seem to pop up on the EE some times and sometimes at cheap and sometimes and ridiculous prices.


That said, the question is: Why? Why would you want such a gun?

Advantages:

- you can be strolling around and shoot anything that crosses your path since have a shotgun and rifle. But when do you ever need this?

- IF the gun is custom fit to you then its really nice but also VERY expensive

- its cool and the guns are much lighter than repeaters (since over under, no action)


Disadvantages:

- you carry usually more then you need and besides for whacking a grouse, why have a shotgun? (can use slugs of course)

- its usually a PITA to get 2 barrels to aim properly

- If you buy an older used gun, they have weird scope mounts

- two of the shelf gun (shotgun and rifle) are probably better cheaper and easier

- single shot, which is probably ok most of the time

- Liberals and Fascists LOVE those guns since single shot and hunting only (j/k)



If between all this it would work for you then, why not get one?
 
Swannop said:
Much appreciated. Looks like tradeex has a fair few, but mostly in a .22 variety. Or in a calibre that won't be much use past about 200 yards. Also looks like the shotgun is only 2 3/4.

I saw a beautiful one by F.A.I.R at the Calgary gun show today that's made in Italy. But it was $2700 which is a bit steep for me.
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2 3/4" will be the shotgun chamber for 99% of the 12 gauges found in combination/drillings... it's completely adequate. For arguments sake, 3.5" has only been an imagined necessity with the advent of steel shot, but since the shotgun began non-magnums have been doing everything required of a shotgun. If that's a deal breaker, you aren't actually looking for a combination/drilling, don't need one or just need to be assured a longer chamber is not necessary. A combination gun is not used in situations where you are making long shots on tough birds, being forcefully compelled (without scientific basis, but lead shot studies never actually began) to use balistically inferior steel shot. Even if you were, I doubt it'd be a good idea to fire steel through one.

About the only thing I don't like about the 12ga barrel on my combination is the full choke: modified or improved cylinder would be best.

Sights: a scope is good, but make it a variable of anywhere between 1-8x. 1.5-5, 2-7 are common or fixed <3... anything more and that scope will be useless for close cover birds.

Their designs are conducive to using rimmed calibers, though there are lots of (more easily obtain in NA) rimless rounds. 7x65R is a Brenneke cartridge from 1917 with ballistics similar to 280Rem, but 50 years earlier: it is completely acceptable for anything in NA. The .22 variety you are seeing is 22 savage: a .228" caliber bullet, in a cartridge considered adequate for hunting ungulates in Europe... quite smaller than what we have, but their bullets typically are constructed for that purpose instead of varmints.

There is one obvious factor that must be considered in this class of firearm: lack of excess in caliber sizes. North America seems populated by those who think game animals have grown more tenacious, and must therefore require the newest magnum. This of course is not true... it's a point that I find endearing about these guns: non are chambered for rounds of excess. 7x65R is perfect and subsequently a common chamber as is 12ga 2 3/4". It's like their designers sat down and said: "right, there is no compensation for bad shooting, so we will produce optimum chambered guns and expect customer to know how to shoot. The purpose of hunt is pleasure: no pleasure in unnecessary recoil and noise. Pleasure in beautiful and classic rifle, complete with classic proven chamberings." It's an old recipe that lives on in a consistently modest following.

Ellwood Epps has a few new and used, cheap and expensive if Tradeex currently doesn't have what you'd like. Keep looking: A good one will come along in time.
 
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Chiappa makes some combo guns, but mostly in a rimfire/shotgun combo. It doesn’t look like they do anything in a large game caliber, a good friend has a .22/410 combo and he’s enjoys it for small game like hares and grouse.
 
Ashcroft said:
calibers such as 7x57R, 7x65R, 8x57JR (S), 9.3x74R etc are fine all round big game calibers, similar to 7 mm Mauser, .270 Win, .308, 30-06 35 Whelan on deer, moose, black bear, etc. And 12 guage 2 3/4" is all the shotgun you need unless you are sky busting for geese. And yes, the nicer combo guns are very expensive but you get more gun for your money. Kia or Cadillac?
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7x57R and 7x65R are decent, but have a lot of drop after 200 yards. With only one shot in a combo gun I think I'd rather have something more reliable... Not to mention something where I can get the ammo easily.
The shotgun size doesn't really matter, I just have a ton of 3" mags from my father that need using. Plus, if I'm in deer county and one walks across my path at 30 yards, .000 buck shot from a 3" make a difference.
 
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