I’ve been shooting for around 36 years, but I had never a seen a break-open three-barreled rifle and shotgun combo. So when Chris Dumm and I stopped by the Merkel booth at SHOT Show, I thought I had stumbled upon something, um… “new.” Calling Chris over, I said: “Check this out.” He comes over and says: “Oh, cool, a drilling.” “A what?!”, I responded with a confused look on my face. Chris says “It’s a drilling: a three barreled rifle shotgun combination.” Surprised that Chris would know anything about high-end European rifles, I asked: “How did you know that?” He responded “There was an article on TTAG a while back, for one thing. They have been making these things for over one hundred years in Europe.” Hmmm. Ok, I’m feeling kinda stupid at this point . . .
Merkel manufactures four different type of drilling rifles. The basic 96K model is a double barreled shotty (12 or 20 gauge) with a rifle barrel attached below (.223 Rem., 243. Win., 7x57R, 7x65R, .308 Win., .30R Blaser, .30-06, 8x57IRS, 9,3x74R.
The second model, the Doppelbock Drilling 961L, features two rifle barrels in the same caliber, and a shotty below. It comes standard with a with a driven hunt trigger. The front trigger serves as a single trigger for the two upper rifle barrels. This enables a rapid second shot without the need to change grip. The rear trigger is reserved for the lower shotgun barrel.
The third model, the Bergstutzen drilling, features two rifle barrels of different caliber and one shotgun barrel. One of the barrels will be a large caliber (.30-06, .30R Blaser, 8x57IRS, 9,3x74R) and the other is a small caliber (5,6 x 52R, .222 Rem).
Finally, the fourth model, the Rifle Drilling/Shotgun Drilling, features three barrels of the same type.
Here are two photos (below) of the business end of a Merkel Drilling. Of these two, the double rifle variants are going to more difficult to manufacture, since it requires the craftsman to get two rifle barrels to shoot to the exact same point of impact. The Merkel 961L Doppelbock Drilling is a double rifle chambered in 9.3 x 74R wth a 20 gauge slung along the bottom:
The Merkel 96K Drilling features side-by-side 12 gauge shotgun barrels, with a .30-06 thrown in for good measure:
Here’s the side profile of the Doppelbock 961Lmodel:
The following photo shows the breech of the Merkel 96K 12 gauge / .30-06 combo, showing case colors and engraving. “Simple arabesque” engraving is standard on these guns:
This image highlights the breech of the Doppelbock 961L 9.3 x 74R/20 gauge combo, with more elaborate engraving. Merkel has 12 engravers and master engravers on staff, most of which come from the academy in Suhl.
Barrel marking are found on the right side of the Drilling:
This particular sample featured the option SSM (Suhl pivot mount) system, which is a return-to-zero scope mount which has proven effective on breech action rifles:
No mention in the article of any criminal citation for this negligent discharge. From the Mayor’s nonchalance, I wouldn’t expect any, either.
Can anyone name any private sector job involving firearms that would allow someone to keep their job following a negligent discharge? What about getting a promotion, as this guy is seeking, following one? I’ve seen forklift drivers fired on the spot for starting off in reverse and negligently backing into a wall, even without causing injury. I saw a cherry picker roll right down a dock, over the edge and into the freakin’ Gulf of Mexico because the operator failed to put it in park and engage the brake as he hopped off to make a pit stop. No injuries and the machinery was insured, but that guy got booted and arrested.
So what happens to this cop? Just a laugh, a scar and a continuation of business as usual for the ruling class. Civil servants have become civil tyrants.
All methods should be on the table with the following caveat; those that sentenced him or her to death have to perform the execution.
i doubt anyone is even able to read this its so far down the page but the guy who wrote this, i see hes got exp. i see hes seen combat but i dont know if he knows about the actual bullet hes shooting, the problem is the round your shooting, were using 62 grain now, and its out of a 1/7 twist, what made the m16 famous was the m193 out of a 1/12, the bullet wasnt as stablized and lighter grain bullets act crazy when they hit soft tissue, and the m193 was much more reliable at fragmenting, it wasnt put together as solid so it could fragment, most 62 grains are constructed to solid, and ive seen this tested in hunting, im a hunter, and the m193 will drop an animal, even out of the 1/7 twist, its that crappy 62 grain bullet we use it just “ice picks” them with a .22 caliber whole, the bullet is so stabilized and heavy enough just to go str8 through a person, more often then not the 62 grain will not tumble, and or fragment like its suppose to, the m855 is a flawed round that doesnt perform properly when striking flesh, and should never be used for self defense, your better with off with classic .223 55 grain, the .22 caliber fighting rifles are not to weak, its proper design that makes them work, look at the ak74 its the same size bullet .22 caliber, with a better design, i bet you never hear anyone talking bad about the bullet it shoots, because its designed properly, it has a hollow cavity in the front of the bullet to force it to tumble every time no matter what, when it strikes the ass end is way heavier and when it hits the ass end goes forward, the m193 will do this also, i think the m193 is the true battle ready design of the 5.56, the whole reason we got rid of m193 is because NATO the ass wholes of the world, ruled it in humane, even tho war all together is in humane, and it doesnt stop the russians from using there deadly 5.45 round, so it conclusion, the type of 5.56 your using is inadequate not the size of the round, anyone whose shot enough or study fire arms enough knows, there is no bullet to big or to small, its how it was designed and whether that design works or dont, and m855 5.56 62 grain, it sucks dont use it, i know in military you have no choice they give you bullets and thats it, but you can thank nato for that they go around fucking everything up
The death penalty satisfies some part of the human brain that demands justice in the form of an eye for an eye. Whether you believe it is right or wrong to execute criminals, there are a few things to keep in mind when talking about the death penalty.
1) There’s no coming back. It is fact that innocent people have been executed for crimes they didn’t commit. With the advent of DNA evidence this is far less likely, but if the justice system gets it wrong, there’s no way to undo an execution.
2) Victims get re-victimized by the courts. Trying a capital case is a very long process. The victims and/or families are forced to relive an extraordinarily painful episode in their lives over and over again, in a very public manner.
3) Capital cases are extraordinarily expensive. It is actually cheaper to try the same event as a non-capital case, even including incarceration costs for the lifetime of the perpetrator. These cases take years, thousands of man-hours on the State’s end, and ultimately years of incarceration during endless appeals and legal back-and-forth. Is it worth it to satisfy a sense of vengeance?
I have no particular issue how a death penalty is administered, though there should never be cruelty, otherwise it is no longer justice. But is it worth it at all?
The sig… But I’d take a cz 2075 RAMI over either. Just a personal preference thing.
Luv the Rami, my carry gun.
Why don’t you just makee a swith like a double barreled shotgun that way once you drop a mag you just hit the swith and younot another 30 ready to go.
Congratulations ! Save as much money as possible for the diapers. The Glock will do for price. The Sig is a good shooter but price is near double. For me CZ used has been real good for a long time. Try them out at your LGS what ever feels comfortable for you at a reasonable price that you can keep fed will serve you better. And don’t forget to practice with whatever you get.
Glock 26, it’s my EDC and BUG at work. I love it and trust my life with it.
Nothin against SIG, however
Another reason to go to college online. I swore after junior college, that never again would I have some a$$hole-self important-egomaniac dictate to me from the mount. Online college is a just the basics teaching, a few online chats of classroom discussion, and NO GROUP projects. (Which means 3 out of 7 do the work and the rest ride on their coat tails). The liberal marxists in this country have ruined education from pre-K on up.
Who cares they are bound and determined to let gangs take over so screw California. If you choose to live in stupidville and keep electing assholes you get what you get!
Sorry, CA gun owners, but here’s the no-BS assessment of what’s coming.
Other manufacturers, realizing that Californias market isn’t good enough to invest the capital for making a separate ,obsolete gun model, will follow suit and leave the market.
Regrettably, there’s no case precedent yet establishing that the RKBA supersedes state level commercial regulation.
Which means once the case lands in front of the 9th Circuit, they’ll say ” Ah!No infringment here! Lo, a revolver is a suitable expression of the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms!”
But lets not be pessimistic here.Assume the Ninth Circuit sees the light and strikes down the roster. You can bet every gun in your safe and every dime in your wallet that Kamala Harris WILL appeal the decision.Which means more years waiting on the appellate court to make a decision.When they do, same problem-Harris, or her replacement , will appeal THAT ruling.
Meanwhile, the average Joe in California sees their options for handguns fall down to a HiPoint or a Gen 3 Glock.Assuming the SCOTUS takes the case -and there’s no assurance they will- it will be YEARS before any practical relief will be brought by the judiciary.
Or not, because even if the SCOTUS struck down the Safe Handgun Roster, California would pull a Chicago Whack-A-Mole and start playing games looking for loopholes in the judicial ruling to maintain the racket while complying with the letter of the ruling .Which would require ANOTHER lawsuit to fix.Which strikes down V2, triggering another re-write to keep the roster in violation of case precedent. On and on it would go, until five odd years after the SCOTUS said enough then maybe something akin to a free handgun market would exist again in CA.
It took five years after Heller before Chicago stopped playing games and obeyed the judiciary, and only after the Federal circuits made it clear Chicago’d worn out their welcome .
So, this micro stamping law only effects semi auto pistols, right?
So, I reckon the Cali revolvers guys are good to go… Well, at least until another moderately attractive, gun hating AG interprets revolvers to be semi automatic pistols…
Cali residents will be relegated to single action, six shooting smoke wagons before long if people don’t stand and fight this, or at least until those become unsafe, assault weapons too.
Defense wins Super Bowls, not fights for your rights, go on the offensive or perish.
He sounds Russian to me.
Well gents…I was at the show and saw this 961L, it was love at first sight. Sure there were other rifles there that had a bit better wood or different engraving and certainly more costly. That said, a double rifle over a shotgun is not the stereotypical configuration for a drilling and that’s what really got me. In the end, after returning to look at this gun and seeing that it of all the pieces in the rack this one spent the most time in the hands of the many admirers, I bought it. It is a “tack driving” SOB. at 150 yds. and does a great job on the clays.
Neither, I carry either the Sig p250 subcompact 9mm, a Ruger LCR 9MM, or the Smith&Wesson M&P9c. To be honest the M&P gets the most holster time, I absolutely love it!
I picked up one of these Drillings from a vets daughter i didn’t know what i had
thought is was just a nice shot gun until a friend said it has three barrels.
i have 1 from prussia with the original case,i believe it is 12 gauge charles daily and cabelas said maybe it is a 308 under,they made 3 models with more or less scroll writing on the barrel,i have the middle one,cabelas said it was the best shape they ever saw at their store in their library