Info on a Drillings

[LEVI HILL]

I run a small gunsmithing and sales business and had a customer bring this to me wanting more information on it and an estimated value. I know what a Drillings is, but this is the first one I’ve ever held in my hands. I was able to find some information about it online, but if anyone has a good resource or knows of a place to get a value (I believe his ultimate goal is to sell it and I have no clue where one would post such an item outside this place), I’d like to give him some resources to follow up on. I know it was definitely made before 1914. It’s a 9.3x72D and I haven’t tested it but looks like 16 gauge barrels on top. It locks up good but the locking lever is a little too easy to open in my opinion, but what can you expect for a gun pushing 150 years old? I haven’t figured out how to fire the rifle barrel, but I only had it in my hands about 10 minutes. Any information is appreciated!

 

[Moosemind]

Looks like the lever on the bottom switches it to the 9.3x72R barrel.

 

[thriller]

Looks like an older gun. 9.3x72 is not a very strong round but common in older drillings. Pretty gun but very dusty. One of those levers will control the rifle barrel. Also the front trigger is likely a push forward set trigger. Be interesting to see when it’s cleaned up and what you may want for it.

 

[thriller]

Is that rifle barrel bent. Doesn’t look round in the photo?

 

[Red Leg]

You have a pre-WWI 9.3x72R (not D) drilling assuming the chamber matches the rounds in the trap. Always, always do a chamber cast. It is almost certainly a 2 1/2 " 67mm chambered 16 bore. You have some great closeups, but no clear photos of the whole action. It looks like the trigger guard is hinged, so I am assuming it is an underlever. If so, then the lever at the top actually controls which barrels are fired. To the right typically enables the rifle front trigger and left barrel rear trigger. Push the other way and you have a double barrel shotgun.

The shotgun barrels are marked nitro which is a good thing. The closeups look like they may be damascus. Combination damascus shotgun and steel rifle barrels were fairly common for a couple of decades around the turn of the 19th century. Condition of damascus barrels is very important for obvious reasons. Any pitting will greatly affect value. Looks like the rear sight is hinged and should go up when rifle is enabled? The name on the barrels could be the gunmaker or the retailer and location.

This was a good quality gun when built. The caliber is roughly analogous to a 30/30. It was likely a GI bring back from WWII. None of the photos show claw bases, so it likely never had a scope mounted.

Value is hard pin down on these things. Assuming all the springs work, no dents or pitting, it is on face, there is no separation in the barrel solder (they ring), and the stock is tight without cracks, someone will ask $1500 (maybe a little more) for it and it will languish on a list or gun rack for many months or years.

 

[Black Fly]

I would suggest you contact the German Gun Collectors Association. They have members who are experts on these guns. I've only owned a few, but the early guns like this one are interesting. They usually open with the undercover and allow selecting the rifle barrel with the top lever. The front trigger will fire the rifle barrel. These birds head actions are not real strong actions and the rifle cartridges are often proprietary. You will want a chamber cast to be sure of the corect cartridge. People often have a couple cartridges that got acquired with the gun, but they are often not correct to the gun. The shotshell chambers are most likely 2 1/2". A lot of these older guns have loose solder joints.
I've been down the old drilling rabbit hole, it's interesting but it is often not a cheap.
Wish you good luck
Bfly