triple barrel 20 gauge and 8mm from where?

G

gun ho

Inactive
i have acquired a drilling from my grandfather and his memory is not quite as good as it used to be. So i am trying to research it as best i can to find out as much as possible about it. I have found bits and pieces of info about it like i know it's german and i know it's
manufacture ended in 1939 under the order of hitler. see posted photo;s
serial # b 8599
 

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The proper term for the firearm you have is called a 'Drilling'. Why? HellifIknow! Many ga/cal combinations are possible.

This type of gun is more popular in Europe, thus I would suspect that yours is European in origin. With the long tradition of the firearms industry there, and the multitude of manufacturers through the years, it would be next to impossible to guess as to maker/ timeframe. Maybe one of our European members would be of more help.
 
It's called a drilling because ein is one, tvei (sp) is two, dri is three. My spelling is off, but drilling is three barrels.

Give us some proof marks on the barrel so we can at least try to ID the make for you.
 
Believe the correct name is "dreiling", as in ein, zwei, drei,........... one, two, three. Usually pronounced "drilling" over here.
 
Hi, Gun Ho and guys,

No, the correct German word is "drilling", and pronounced just as we do. The German words for 1, 2, 3 and 4 are ein, zwei, drei, and vier. "Zwillinge" means "twins" and the term is not usually used for guns, doppelbuch (double barrel) being used instead. However "drilling" and "vierling" are used for guns. A drilling has two shotgun barrels, and a rifle barrel in the middle below them. A vierling (pronounced "fearling") is the same, but with a small bore (usually .22 LR) barrel in the top rib.

A German 20 gauge would be uncommon. I think you might find that the shotgun barrels are 16 gauge and probably for short shells. The bottom barrel might be 8mm, but it would likely be for a rimmed cartridge, not the German 8mm military rifle cartridge.

I suggest taking the gun to someone familiar with those guns before shooting it and getting advice on the caliber and how it works.

AFAIK, Hitler did not ban drillings (why?) and in fact many were bought by the Luftwaffe for "survival" guns for shot down pilots. Obviously, few were made for the civilian sporting market after the war began, but I know of no "ban".

Incidentally, there were drillings made in this country, by a Hollenbeck company in West Virginia, now long out of business.

Drillings in any kind of good condition bring some very nice prices today, so definitely don't do anything to it you might regret later.

Jim
 
A note: The German Luftwaffe used a four barrel 20mm FLAK (Fliegerabwehrkanone) that they called (surprise!) a vierling. In the Wehrmacht, anti-aircraft defense was an Air Force mission, maybe on the idea that if you could fly planes, you could also shoot them down.

Jim
 
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