When do you use the Drillings shotgun barrels

[dougk]

When using the shotgun/rifle combo gun I always have the shotgun loaded with buck, bb or slugs.  When hunting with the drilling what do you use the shotgun for?

thanks

Doug

[jager]

 
   I use my Drilling when I hunt pheasant in Montana. It comes in handy when the pheasant are in the same area as deer in the "bottoms". In that situation, I put a slug in the right barrel and "bird shot" in the left (it does take some practice to select the "right" trigger and "selector" for the game). 
   Most areas I hunt don't allow "buckshot", and I've had "mixed" results with them on deer  in the past:-\.  Mine shoots a "Brenekee" slug really well to about 75 yards. 
   I've also used the Drilling for quail and grouse as I would a "double" with a couple of rifle cartidges in my pocket or one in the chamber in case I happen to run in to a coyote or bobcat. (Be sure to check local "game laws" regarding having a rifle during "bird" season!) The more you shoot it, the more familiar you'll become with its "awkward" side safety and rifle selector, which will give you more chances at game than ever carrying just one type of gun (at least in my case ).
   To me, the Drilling is a "work of art" that should be used often in the "field" and very few times off the "bench".  They were not designed for "hot loads" or long shooting "strings", but excel as "multi-taskers" like no other design. I hope you enjoy yours .
 

[Drilling Man]

  It really depends on what i'm hunting.  Many times when walking, i carry a slug in the left bbl., and my 22 Win. Mag. insert in the right bbl...  Where i sit for deer, i don't even load the shot bbls, as my shots are too far for a shotgun, and i don't take anything less that a near perfect shot with the rifle bbl...  When i go to retrive a deer that i can't see dead on the ground, i load both shot bbls. with slugs.  For bird hunting, both bbls have shot loads in them...

  Anyway, one time i shot a huge blk. bear with my drilling (bottom rifle bbl.) at about 50 feet,  and the bear turned and came full speed ahead right at me.  I gave it a left bbl. that had a Rem. slug in it at about 25 feet, and it turned.  I was just about to give it the slug in the right bbl., and it piled up.  I'd say it ran about 60 ? feet total...

  NOW, i'm not saying that the bear charged, and i'm not saying that the slug turned that bear, but i bet you it got it's attention!  lol

  It was dead with the rifle shot, but not out of gas...

  DM

[dougk]

  It really depends on what i'm hunting.  Many times when walking, i carry a slug in the left bbl., and my 22 Win. Mag. insert in the right bbl...  Where i sit for deer, i don't even load the shot bbls, as my shots are too far for a shotgun, and i don't take anything less that a near perfect shot with the rifle bbl...  When i go to retrive a deer that i can't see dead on the ground, i load both shot bbls. with slugs.  For bird hunting, both bbls have shot loads in them...

  Anyway, one time i shot a huge blk. bear with my drilling (bottom rifle bbl.) at about 50 feet,  and the bear turned and came full speed ahead right at me.  I gave it a left bbl. that had a Rem. slug in it at about 25 feet, and it turned.  I was just about to give it the slug in the right bbl., and it piled up.  I'd say it ran about 60 ? feet total...

  NOW, i'm not saying that the bear charged, and i'm not saying that the slug turned that bear, but i bet you it got it's attention!  lol

  It was dead with the rifle shot, but not out of gas...

  DM

thats i a great strategy for deer hunting to use the slug when tracking the deer. 

Shooting a bear that is charging at 25 yards is very close, were you by yourself or did you have backup?

[pastorp]

Dougk, don't you know 25yds is the same distance alone or with a companion    It just seams closer.

Actually there are some advantages to being alone one of which is you don't need to worry about your companion shooting you in a mix up.

Regards,

[Drilling Man]

  It really depends on what i'm hunting.  Many times when walking, i carry a slug in the left bbl., and my 22 Win. Mag. insert in the right bbl...  Where i sit for deer, i don't even load the shot bbls, as my shots are too far for a shotgun, and i don't take anything less that a near perfect shot with the rifle bbl...  When i go to retrive a deer that i can't see dead on the ground, i load both shot bbls. with slugs.  For bird hunting, both bbls have shot loads in them...

  Anyway, one time i shot a huge blk. bear with my drilling (bottom rifle bbl.) at about 50 feet,  and the bear turned and came full speed ahead right at me.  I gave it a left bbl. that had a Rem. slug in it at about 25 feet, and it turned.  I was just about to give it the slug in the right bbl., and it piled up.  I'd say it ran about 60 ? feet total...

  NOW, i'm not saying that the bear charged, and i'm not saying that the slug turned that bear, but i bet you it got it's attention!  lol

  It was dead with the rifle shot, but not out of gas...

  DM

thats i a great strategy for deer hunting to use the slug when tracking the deer. 

Shooting a bear that is charging at 25 yards is very close, were you by yourself or did you have backup?

  Actually it was FEET, not yards...  lol

  I was alone, and spotted the bear from about 1/2 mile away, (thankyou Swaro for building GREAT bino's!!) and it was eating blueberries on a "rim", up above timber line, across a steep ravine...  It looked VERY big even from that distance!

  I put a stalk on, but had to go down quite a ways, then into the deep ravine and up the other side, after crossing the bigger creek.  Soo, i picked out a landmark where i last saw the bear up on the rim, and headed down and across, coming up high enough to peek over the rim.  And, there was the bear, 50 feet away!  When your climbing up a steep ravine, you can't exactly back up, if your too close, so i stood there and waited untill i had a side rib shot.  I'm NOT sure why i took a rib shot, as i rarely shoot bears in the ribs, prefering a high shoulder shot on bears.

  Now my experience with bears, has always been that they "bolt" what ever direction they are aimed when the bullet hits them.  So i figured i was pretty safe to blast that bear at 50 feet, but when the gun went off, the bear went down, jumped back up, made one leap and turned directly at me!

  Yup, at those distances, it happens pretty fast!!  lol

  DM

[dougk]

wow
for 25 feet I see the value of 2 shotgun barrels with the rifle.

Now I just need to find a 12x12/30-06 with a 22lr barrel insert for $1000   

[pastorp]

I'll take 2 of those dougk. 

Regards,

[dougk]

No Problem Byron   

[Drilling Man]

  The problem with 12ga. drillings are, they are too big and heavy...  It takes the "fantastic handleing" qualities right out of them...  16ga. drillings are mostly built on a 20ga. frame, so they are much trimmer and nicer to carry and use...  I think they even look and handle better than a 20ga. drilling...

  DM

[dougk]

interesting observations about the 16 ga.  The 16 ga is my SxS go to gun for bird hunting.

Ok I want a  16x16/??? 

[hamourkiller]

I use my shot bbls when hunting small game in the National Forrest here in Texas. We have some big deer in there and I like having the 30-06 incase one shows up. Plus it is nice to come out with some wood ducks and squirrels at the end of the day. Some times even a swamp rabbit!

[mcwoodduck]

From what I have read about the drillings they were estate hunting guns and were set up to shoot game as it ran by.
One tube was for shot for birds, the other was for larger game that us running by like hogs and the rifle was for the largest game like red stag that would be there.
I have always wanted a Drilling for eacatly what Jager uses his for.  On our farm in NC.
Birds, Medium game and White tails and not have to fumble around for a handgun.

[mauser98us]

When you hunt birds and squirrels. The reason drilling became popular in europe is the taxes per firearm,and certain countries you are allowed only so many guns if at all. It makes sense to have a combo to cover all situations.