As promised, here are pictures of a gun I inherited from my father years ago. The information I have about it is limited. If you can suggest how I can learn more, I’d appreciate it. My understanding is that my uncle obtained it during WWII in Germany. I believe it is known as a drilling. The two top barrels are rifle barrels and the bottom one is a shotgun barrel. Caliber and gauge are unknown. Although there is a design on the side, there are no numbers or letters anywhere on it. Help!
Update: At the suggestion of Gun Blobber, I ran home and measured the bores. The rife barrels measure almost exactly 1/2 inch across and the shotgun barrel measures just under 3/4 inch across. Measurements done with a standard tape measure.
2nd update: It does have some rust spots on it. If anyone could recommend a gunsmith in the Nashville area to get it cleaned up, I’d be much obliged.
(Click to embiggen.)
December 22, 2008 at 7:36 am
[...] ID this three-barreled gun that Michael [...]
December 22, 2008 at 8:30 am
“Drilling” is a generic word for a long gun with 3 barrels. It is derived from the German word “drei” (pronounced “dry”), meaning 3. All of the ones that I have seen have been made by German firms such as J. P. Sauer. That’s really all I know.
Any chance of getting some measurements on the bores? Just pull out a ruler and give some rough estimates. Putting a definite gauge and caliber on the gun will help in identifying it. Those look like some huge rifle bores! I’m thinking something in the popular-in-Europe 9.3mm caliber? 9.3×74R?
December 22, 2008 at 8:32 am
I’ll measure tonight after I get home from the office and will post the results (@5:30pm central). Thanks for commenting.
December 22, 2008 at 9:25 am
Don’t know what it is, but it’s beautiful…
That said, I think I saw some rust spots. I’d consider taking it to a gun smith that specializes in curious, relics, and antiques and getting it cleaned up so as to preserve it.
And if you don’t want to keep it, I’ll gladly take it off your hands. *lol* (Yeah, right, I know)
December 22, 2008 at 10:40 am
as i understand it, drillings were (are?) popular in Germany due to gun regulations that limited (or still do? i dunno) the total number of guns any single person could own. these were a chance to own a double rifle *and* a shotgun, for the price of one “firearm” under those rules. i imagine they must get heavy to carry around in the field, though.
i’ve heard rumors about “vierlings”, four-barreled contraptions, too. not sure how common such might have ever been.
December 22, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Yep. Drilling. More often two shotgun tubes above one rifle barrel, but other configurations were also made. A friend has a pair made by J.P. Sauer, 2×16 ga. over 9.3 x 74R. WW II plunder. They are often worth a lot to a huge amount of money. He had the same problem, identifying the rifle bore. I think a good place to start would be with 9.3 x ???.
December 22, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Shotgun barrel is almost certainly a 12ga, which is .7xx” nominal diameter, depending on choke. If the rifle barrels are nearly a half inch, I’d be looking at 10-12mm euro cartridges. A good gunsmith who can cast the chamber would really be the best bet.
December 22, 2008 at 9:09 pm
Yep, definitely 12ga on the shotgun. The rifle bores, yow. Those things are monsters. Since there don’t appear to be too many metric cartridges in that big of a caliber, it might end up being a non-metric, British big-game cartridge like one of the Nitro Express cartridges.
A good next step would be to shine a light in the rifle chambers to determine if they are straight or bottlenecked. Or, just take it to a gunsmith. They will have gauges and other measuring stuff that should make fairly short work out of the cartridge identification. Obviously it’s a fairly low-pressure rifle cartridge, as the barrel walls are pretty thin.
December 23, 2008 at 10:53 am
It is more beautiful than the online pictures bear out. The engravings show what appear to be 18th century European hunting scenes. They’re magnificent. If in pristine condition, I would guess this thing would fetch in the tens of thousands of dollars.
December 28, 2008 at 8:28 pm
Hold off on refinishing unless you are doing it purely for sentimental value. A serious collector will generally pay much more for an honestly worn original factory finish than for a refinish.
However – if this is intended as a family heirloom that will be passed down through generations, then … refinish away. I’m struggling with the decision with my great-great-uncle’s L.C. Smith SxS, which is in roughly the same shape as your drilling.
February 20, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Hi, you have a antique “double rifle drilling” they are more valuable then a normal drilling. put some hoppes No 9 on the rust to stop further rusting. do NOT clean until you learn how to do it with OUT doing any damage to the firearm. Be careful leaving it anywhere to get “fixed”, or examined.