Originally posted by Mark E.:
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Hi! I'm a bit new to the drillings world, but have been a multi barrel gun nut for a while (working on a .50cal over 20 ga flintlock at the present).
or large buckshot loads...I understand the cartridge width may cause handling issues, but are there any other factors (recoil affecting mechanisms, barrel-rib structural integrity...)?
[QB]I did a bit of research on the common calibers of drillings (Merkel, Krieghoff and a couple others) and found that their double rifle/single shotgun combos only goup to 9.3x74rimmed, which is an ok calibre (or so I've been given to believe) for close range work (boar and European bear), but has little long range capability.
MAN! that is one heck of a string of questions, ideas, and assumptions!
First off there is no need for heavy game stopping cartridge in a drilling, or combination gun. These combination guns are designed for those won do a lot of walk about hunting for general bag, not for tskeing on dangerous game. Still the 9.3X74R is not the whimp you seem to think it is. Many many Cape Buffalo, and Elephant have been taken with double rifles chambered for 9.3X74R. Though light for Ele/Buff, they are legal in most places for hunting them. For the big cats, and Brown bear, the 9.3 is fine, and popular with the locals where these animals roam!
One reason the drillings are not made often in double rifle/ shotgun, with larger chamberings in the double rifle portion is weight of the gun gets hard to swing, and ballance is getting in the "CLUMSY" area. Top this off by the fact that a firearm that is used on such animals is not suited to the drilling design.
My question is that if a fellow was looking for a longer range, more versatile larger game gun (2000 pounds and up, or at least carnivorus and with low blood pressure) with 300 yard accuracy, plus a shotgun feature not for birds but rather for when you check to see if the critter is really down and not laying in wait for a nibble on you, where would they look? First the question of long range to 300 yds, you have that with the 9.3X74R!
The 2000 lbs up, for and "carnivorus" WITH LOW BLOOD PRESSURE???????????? and a shotgun to check if he's dead??????? First these animals are not shot at 300 yds with any chambering, and no shotgun is needed to check if they ar dead, you simply walk up from behind them, and place a big Nitro Express bullet in their spine.
You see, dangerous game is only dangerous at close range, and shooting any of them past 100 yds is simply not done. This is for two reasons, #1 is because any longer, and you will likely wound, and then risk someone's life, going into the weeds to sort him out. #2 What is the point of hunting dangerous game unless he is hunted where he "IS" dangerous? Addtionally, the hunting of birds while hunting large "BITE BACK" game is never done, so the extra weight of the shot barrel, and the ammo for it is a drawback. Drillings are field guns for general hunting on your grand fathers farm woods, not in real big game hunting!
Specifically I would be interested (not that I would be buying one anytime soon, but things happen) in a 404 Gibbs, 416 Rigby (or even better a 416 Weaterby magnum) sxs over a 12 ga w/ 3" chamber threaded for choke tubes and able to handle slugs(which is really a 600 nitro, ballistically,
MarkE none of the cartridges you list are proper for as break action double rile drilling. #1 the pressures are too high for a cartridge case that big, in a breaktop rifle, especially the Weatherby, which give trouble at times in a bold action. #2 and more importantly, these cartridges are all rimless, or belted rimless cartridges, and even if they were withing acceptable pressure limits for a drilling, are not suited to a breaktop ejection rifle, used for large game!
The 12 ga 3" is NOT ballisticly equal to a 600NE in any form, and will serve to get you killed in real hunting sittuations where a large caliber rifle is called for, and the 600NE isn'r much better, because of the 16 to 18 lbs of weight needed to make a 600NE shootable!
Bare bones plain with little engraving and no frills is the "grade" I'd eb interested in(I put more faith in a well build mechanism than pretty pictures, so if I have to use it in a manner that will save my hide but scratch the gun's, I'm not going to stress over it) Any info appreciated, and feel free to tell me I'm nuts-I get that a lot. 
This last quote is the only one with some real aplicable substance! Quality of fit, and finish, and a sound build is far more important than dressing! I agree with that completely, and you last invitation to call you an idiot, will never come from me!
Good shooting!
