Lets talk Drillings

[Boone66]

I have probably spent $15,000 on firearms since I have been here. Not a drilling in the safe. Every time I consider one, I don't know what I would use it for.

Their utility to me is their undoing. I like specialist rifles.

1. I don't live someplace where I am limited by what rifles I can own or their number.

2. Rarely is there a situation where I am hunting both fur and fowl in the same trip.

3. If I were to stay here, I'd own a combination gun or a drilling in 222 or 5,6x50R for black grouse and capercaillie with a 20 gauge full choke barrel. That is a hunt I could do every other year for capercaillie and annually for black grouse. I guess a guy could use it on turkeys where legal (Wyoming and Texas) for the 22 centerfire. But most places rifles are not legal for turkeys.

4. As a big game gun I am not convinced that I want 2 slugs and a 8x57R. A double rifle drilling would be aces, but then they are damn heavy.

5. The scope mount problem with them is a real problem. If your scope dies on you, you have a very expensive situation of getting claw mounts refit. If own one with EAW mounts it isn't such a big problem, but the gun has to be set up that way to begin with.

In some places, I could see where you have a point. In Montana, it is spring bear and turkey season at the same time and in the fall, Turkey, grouse, wildfowl, Bear, deer and Elk, ass well as wolf and coyote all at the same time. I live in NW Montana, where it is pretty heavy forest. my drilling at the moment is set up for iron sights and has claw mount bases, I have yet to make the scope mounts or to buy and install the EAW mounts. I have many other guns, that are specialty guns also, but this one allows me the best opportunity's where I live and going into the brush trailing a wounded bear with two slugs and a 9.3x74R is a very comfortable feeling. With a 222 insert, I would have all the bases covered with one gun, while in the bush. the days of taking a shotgun or small game rifle with you and leaving it in the ruck for grouse and rabbits, is long gone, as someone will steal it, while you are in the brush. plus, its kinda a nostalgia hunt, to hunt with one. of course, my shot distance is limited, but im pretty much limited by the foliage and buck brush where i live already and I use a magnum rifle, when hunting in the eastern part of the state.

 

[Boone66]

Drillings are not a stretch for people who: A. use a single shot rifle at all, B. Use an O/U or SXS shotgun--two shots are two shots! Most drillings do not have ejectors, though. And any fixed choke can be opened., or C. Love gadgets and quality for quality sake. (like me)

I agree, I use double barrel shotguns and single shot rifles, mostly. I find the drilling where I live to be the best for hunting in the mountains in NW Montana, where most shots are close and heavy brush, as well as multiple species of game are allowed to be hunted at the same time. plus, It's just super cool to have and use.