Drillings and Combination Guns Explained: German Traditions, Selector Mechanisms, Barrel Regulation, and Key Inspection Points

The first time I carried a drilling, a grouse flushed left and a roe buck stepped out right, both in the same minute. My thumb found a little top switch, a tidy set of rifle sights popped up, and for a second I understood exactly why German foresters insisted on three barrels. It was like having a well-organized toolbox in your hands, not just a gun.

If you have been curious about these triple-barreled oddities or other combination guns, this is your map. We will keep it practical: how the selectors actually work, what “regulation” means without the mystery, and where to look before you put money down on one.

So, what is a drilling, really?

Start with the word. Drilling comes from the German drei, meaning three. It refers to a three-barrel sporting gun most commonly built with two shotgun barrels side by side and a single rifled barrel tucked underneath. That classic arrangement grew out of late 19th century German hunting, where a day could swing from ducks and partridge to a red deer or boar without much warning.

Combination guns in general go back even further. Long before metallic cartridges and breechloaders, you had Cape guns with one smoothbore and one rifled barrel set side by side. But the real spread of drillings waited on better actions and cartridges. Break-action breechloaders, hammerless locks, and metallic cartridges finally made a three-barrel sporting arm practical to build and carry. German makers rose to the challenge of firing three barrels with just two locks and a clever selector, and a tradition took root.

If you want a compact history hit and some good eye candy, Rock Island Auction’s overview sketches the rise of the drilling, including the familiar two-over-one layout and a few wilder variations that remind you just how inventive Suhl and Zella-Mehlis shops could be.

Why Germany embraced the concept

German hunting is not built around a single species or one style of day afield. Roe deer, red deer, fallow deer, wild boar in heavy cover, winged game of all sorts, and even small predators make up a year that asks for flexibility. It makes sense that a single arm capable of cleanly handling birds at close range and medium game past the hedgerow found loyal fans.

One German writer even suggested that among hunters, the drilling sat just behind the Mauser 98 in popularity. That does not mean every forester had one, but it does tell you how normal these were across the German-speaking hunting world.

There is also the practical side. A day in mixed cover rewards a gun that carries like a shotgun but can take a precise shot when a stag appears. The drilling became that day’s companion, a tidy answer when you did not know which of the woods’ surprises would come first.

Layouts, actions, and how three barrels get two locks

The traditional drilling wears two smoothbore barrels on top with a rifle barrel below. That orientation keeps the sighting plane natural for wingshooting while tucking the rifle where it will not fight your mount. You will also find other layouts, because German gunmakers were never short on imagination, but the two-over-one is still what most people picture.

Mechanically, these are break-action guns. Common locking systems include Greener, double-Greener, and Purdey styles. You open them with a top lever or a center lever, and the internal hammers or strikers are cocked as the action opens via cocking cams. Depending on the build, you may have extractors or automatic ejectors to lift or throw the cases. The magic is in the selector that decides which barrel fires when you pull the trigger.

Here is the design puzzle in plain language: how do you fire three barrels with two triggers and two locks? The old makers solved it with linkages that reroute a trigger’s energy to the rifle or to one of the shotgun barrels, depending on how you set a selector. It is clever, but it is also intuitive in the hand once you run it a few times.

Selector mechanisms you will actually use

There are a few common ways drillings and other combination guns select barrels. If you try one on the bench first, most will fall into these patterns.

• Top-tang selector with pop-up rifle sights: Many drillings hide a small slider behind the top lever. Push it forward and a set of rifle sights rises on the rib. Now the front trigger usually connects to the rifle barrel. Pull the slider back, sights drop, and the triggers return to the shotgun barrels. Tom Beckbe’s field notes describe exactly this setup and how natural it feels once you get the rhythm.
• Greener-style side safety: Some guns place the safety on the left side of the action. That location is common on drillings, though it may take a few practice mounts to keep your thumb off the barrel selector by mistake. The solution is simple: a few dry-fire sessions and some snap-cap work to build new muscle memory.
• Selector or second trigger: Plenty of combination guns let you choose barrels either with a sliding selector or by using a second trigger. The exact feel changes gun to gun, so test what you have in hand.
• External hammers on older guns: Vintage pieces sometimes carry exposed hammers. They are deliberate and safe in the field, and they bring a charming rhythm to the shot. Ron Spomer notes many of those hammer guns are chambered in traditional rimmed cartridges.

None of this is hard. What matters is that you understand which control does what on the gun you are holding, and you practice until flipping from birds to buck feels smooth. Ten minutes with snap caps is worth more than an hour of theory.

Barrel regulation and the accuracy you should expect

Regulation is a word that spooks buyers because it sounds mysterious. It is simpler than that. Regulation is the way a maker tunes a multi-barrel set so the rifle prints where the sights look and, on doubles, so paired barrels agree on point of impact at a sensible distance. On a drilling, you care about two things: does the rifle barrel shoot where the rifle sights say it should, and does it keep doing that for the two or three shots you are likely to take in the field?

In real use, combination guns are at their best in the woods. Think 150 to 250 yards for the rifle barrel and normal wingshooting ranges for the shot barrels. They are not built as long-range rigs, and they do not like fast, hot strings. Heat grows metal, and these barrel clusters are soldered together. Fire a couple of quick rifle rounds, and you can watch the group walk upward as the warmed rifle tube nudges the set. Ron Spomer explains that climb plainly and reminds us that two or three deliberate shots are what these guns were made for. For a deeper general read, his piece Drilling Guns – As Versatile As It Gets lays out the practical accuracy picture and why quick strings are not their game.

If you are patterning and zeroing a newly bought drilling, keep that in mind. Let the rifle barrel cool between shots when you are testing loads, and record where the first cold-bore shot lands. That is the shot that matters on a fall buck.

On the shotgun side, pattern the barrels with the loads you plan to carry. A drilling ought to mount and swing like a good side-by-side, and your patterns should match your expectations for choke and distance. If they do not, you can still use the gun to fine effect by choosing the right shot and ranges.

Chambers and cartridges you will meet

Part of the charm of drillings is the wide spread of pairings. You will find classic rimmed rifle rounds under 12, 16, or 20 gauge tubes, and sometimes unusual mixes that make you blink. Rock Island’s archive includes a factory-engraved example pairing a 10 gauge with a 22 Remington Jet. That one is not typical, but it proves the point: German gunmakers were happy to build what a buyer asked for.

As for common rifle chambers, two names come up again and again on older guns:

• 9.3x72R: A traditional, mild-recoiling rimmed cartridge you will often see on hammer guns and early 20th century pieces. It is pleasant to shoot and made a fine woods cartridge in its day.
• 8×57 IR: The rimmed variant of the 8×57 I, introduced in the late 1800s and later modified into what many know as the 8×57 IS or 8 mm Mauser. As Spomer notes, the I to IS change came with a new bullet spec, and the IR mark indicates the rimmed version. Pay attention to those letters on older barrels. They matter.

That last point deserves an extra heartbeat of attention. Some early 8×57 bores and chambers differ from later 8×57 IS specs. Do not guess. Read the marks, and if you are not sure, have a competent gunsmith confirm what your gun wants. Many older drillings were made long before modern standardization, and your safety depends on matching the right load to the right chamber.

Running a drilling: a quick field rhythm

Here is what a morning might look like with a classic two-over-one drilling that uses a top selector:

• Carry with the selector in shotgun mode. The rib is clean, the gun mounts like your favorite sxs, and birds get the first word of the day.
• When hoofed game shows, slide the selector forward. Your rifle sights pop up, and the front trigger now drives the rifle barrel. Confirm the safety, mount, and shoot like a single rifle.
• Reset afterward. Drop the selector back to shot mode, let the sights fold, and you are back to birds.

That is the entire magic trick. The only way to make it second nature is practice. A few minutes of dry mounts and selector reps each evening pay off when a boar steps out of alder at last light.

Buyer inspection points: where hands and eyes should go first

Combination guns are honest mechanical tools. They reward a careful look. If you are shopping for a drilling, here is a practical checklist that keeps you out of trouble and helps you price what you are holding.

1. Action and lockup

• Open and close the gun gently. It should lock up tight with no wiggle at the standing breech. The top lever ought to return to a natural position without excessive force.
• Dry-fire with snap caps to test both triggers. Feel for a clean break and consistent weight. Reset and check again after cycling the selector.
• Work the safety. If it uses a Greener-style side safety, make sure your thumb finds it naturally without conflicting with the barrel selector.

2. Selector function and sights

• Operate the selector several times. Confirm which trigger fires which barrel in each position.
• If the gun has a pop-up rifle sight, make sure it rises and locks solidly, then folds without binding.
• Check that the sight picture is straight. A canted or loose sight is a clue to rough handling or old repairs.

3. Barrels and regulation hints

• Look along the ribs for any sign of separation or old re-solder work. Gaps or weeping lines near the muzzles, wedges, or fore-end are red flags.
• Use a strong light to inspect bores. They should be bright with sharp rifling on the rifle tube. Light frost from age is common, but pits near the chamber deserve a pause.
• If you can test-fire, put a slow three-shot group on paper with the rifle barrel, letting it cool between shots. Note where that first shot lands. For a hunting drilling, that is what you are buying.
• Pattern the shotgun barrels at the ranges you care about. If one barrel prints oddly off-center, ask more questions.

4. Chambering and markings

• Read the underside flats and the barrel marks carefully. German guns love tidy proof marks and caliber stamps. Look for the exact cartridge designation, including any R or IR suffixes on 8×57-type guns.
• Verify shotgun chamber length and service pressure. Many older 16 gauges are 65 mm rather than 70 mm. Do not run modern 70 mm loads in a 65 mm chamber. Check for nitro proof and related pressure markings before choosing ammunition.
• With older cartridges like 9.3x72R and 8×57 IR, confirm chamber and bore with a knowledgeable gunsmith if there is any doubt. Do not substitute a similar modern load without positive identification.

5. Extractors and ejectors

• Open the gun with snap caps installed. Whether it has extractors or ejectors, lift or ejection should be even and consistent.
• If ejectors are present, check timing. Both sides should trip cleanly and together. Asymmetry can hint at wear or prior parts work.

6. Stock, metal, and overall condition

• Check the head of the stock for hairline cracks. The extra weight of a triple barrel set can be tough on old wood if the gun was shot loose.
• Look for honest carry wear versus active pitting. A well-used drilling should still show crisp edges on its engraving and tight wood-to-metal fit.
• If the gun comes with multiple barrel sets, as some cased examples do, make sure each set fits the action solidly and that the selectors and sights behave as they should on each.

7. Feel in the hands

• Mount the gun a dozen times. A good drilling should come up like a familiar shotgun. If it feels nose heavy or awkward, you will notice it by noon in the field.

Living with one: cleaning, care, and practice

Day-to-day use is straightforward. These are break-action guns, so they come apart neatly for cleaning and storage. Separate the fore-end, drop the barrels, and you have easy access to the bores and extractor or ejector surfaces. A light oil and a cloth go a long way.

As for shooting, keep two notes in your pocket:

• Practice the selector and safety until it is boring. Muscle memory is the best safety you own.
• Zero and pattern slowly. Record your cold-bore rifle shot and your most even shotgun pattern. Those notes are the difference between guessing and knowing.

One nice advantage of older hammer guns is their deliberate pace. Cocking the hammer right before the shot is safe and satisfying, and it suits the way a drilling is meant to be used. You will not win a long-range match with one, and that is fine. In the alder and beech, you will have exactly the tool you need.

A short note on Germany’s regulatory backdrop

These guns grew inside a culture that takes hunting and firearms seriously. Germany’s modern framework, the Waffengesetz or Weapons Act, regulates acquisition and handling nationwide. If you plan to import or use a drilling abroad, learn the local rules and lean on trusted dealers. For a primer on the German approach, the Gun control in Germany page offers a high-level starting point. None of this is legal advice, just a reminder to treat the paperwork with the same care you give the metal and wood.

Final thoughts from the bench and the field

Drillings and other combination guns are easy to love once you carry one. They are the quiet answer to a busy hunting day. They shoulder like a side-by-side, settle like a small rifle, and they make a kind of practical sense that you only appreciate when a grouse flushes and a deer appears before you can sling the gun.

I like how grounded they are. No gimmicks. Just a good action, a clever selector, and barrels that do exactly what the day asks. Learn your controls, learn your loads, and check the details before you buy. Do that, and you might find a three-barrel friend that keeps you smiling for a long time.