16ga.com ~ View topic - German drillings

Joined: 03 Jul 2005 Posts: 370 Location: Amarillo, Texas

I have never been interested in hunting turkeys until yesterday. My friend told me that when he spring turkey hunts he carries and 243 rifle and a shotgun. He also invited me to go with him this spring. Since I have been coveting a German drilling the light went on and I have an excuse to buy one. I have always thought the mid-grade German drillings were an incredible value - excellent engraving, top quaility workmanship, beautiful wood etc...

I am set on the shotgun barrel being 16 gauge. I already load low pressure 16 gauge shells so there is no learning curve there. Here are some of the cartridges the guns on Bob Jones German Guns use:

8.15 x 46R.
9x57R
8 x 57 JR
7x65R

Where do you buy factory shells for these? Or if not available where do you get componenets?

Thanks!

Mike

PS here is a link to Bob Jones German Guns. Bob has very good pictures of very good guns.

http://www.bobjonesguns.com/

Hello Mike,

Another place you can look is www.drillinghotline.com

I've also been bitten by the Drilling bug. The only way to go is 16 ga. Any larger, and the gun gets too heavy. Also, the (very rare) rifle/rifle/ shotgun combo is too heavy. A friend has a 16/16/.243. Nice gun I've seen 16/16/ .30-30, and 16/16/.25-35. 7X57 and 8X57 are just 7 and 8 Millemeter Mauser calibers. Both are readily available, but greatly underpowered.

Good luck.

Joined: 03 Jul 2005 Posts: 370 Location: Amarillo, Texas

Thanks for the reply!

Would 9x57R be hard to find?

Thanks!

Mike

There is a guy who sells all the oddball ammo. I just can't remember who he is. Can anyone else help?

Post some photos when you get it.

Member Joined: 06 Nov 2006 Posts: 128 Location: NE

You would probably be better off handloading for any of these, but most of those calibers should be fairly easy to find. Check out Midway's or Cabela's ammo selection. Or any of the other large online ammo sales places, in particular, Old West Scrounger has a lot of ammo for unusual or "obsolete" calibers.

The 8.15, 9, and 8 are all Mauser developed cartridges. The 7x 65 is a Brenneke. The R on all of these means that they are rimmed cartridges.

I think the 8.15 might be the toughest ammo to find. Best bet would be to find components and handload.

The 8x57JR is a standard Mauser cartridge, the 8mm Mauser with the .318 bore, the 8x57JS (or JRS) used .323 spitzer (pointed) bullets and higher pressure, do not try to interchange. Make sure you have the right diameter bullets if you get a J. Actually with both of these, the J was originally an I standing for Infantry, with the script the Germans used the I looked like a J.

The 9x57R is another standard Mauser caliber.

The 7x65R is the rimmed version of the 7x64 Brenneke.

Any of these should have plenty of power for taking down even the biggest gobbler. Laughing

berg

Joined: 03 Jul 2005 Posts: 370 Location: Amarillo, Texas

PGG I will post photos - thanks for your help!

berg thank you so much - I was looking for easy internet availability and that information gives me confidence to go ahead and start the search.

Thanks again guys.

Best,

Mike