combination guns

Namdron

Can anyone tell me what U.S. company is making combination guns, similar to Savage rifle/shotguns over unders?

jaegermister

To my knowledge no company such as Rem/Ruger etc. made in the USA. Rem is importing under the name SPR or Spartan made by Baikal, a Russian arms Co. formally marketed Euroarms. These were modeled under the IZH 94 configuration. Your only choices new are European. You want my opinion on why and how well they work I will respond.

Namdron

Opinions are welcomed. So if I want to purchase new, I need to be looking for SPR?

GuvamintCheese

Ithaca used to import a Tikka that is a very good combination gun.

Here's a Valmet (Tikka) up for auction. Very accurate guns.

http://www.GunBroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=158754251

perry shooter

I have at one time or other owned a number of drillings Some double shot one rifle and others double rifle and one shot . Let me give you my opinion . Most of these guns are works of art both engineering and workmanship BUTIMHO really not suited for the type of hunting we do by MOST of us in The USA. The double rifle combo guns are very hard to find properly regulated for a bullet weight available in the U.S. The scope mounts on these guns normally put them very high over the bore and the scopes are are low power with post type Reticule . I suggest you look at the Valmet system They have interchangeable barrel sets only 2 barrels but they can be double shot with or without Choke tubes Double Rifle in any caliber from 222Remington to 9.3X74R this is a high power BIG BORE close to 375 H&H and you can also get double rifle in many modern calibers . this maker has rifle barrels that are suitable for both rimmed and Rimless cartridges. PLUSthe biggest thing going for them is you can adjust the rifle barrels so your load you chose has the same point of impact. No these guns don't have the old world CLASS of a English double rifle or German Drilling but they will out shoot them with currently available ammo hands down. YOUR MILEAGE WILL NOT VARY.

EDIT sorry senior moment . The best thing and what I left out is the Rifle /Shotgun configuration. I have both a 243/12Ga. and a 30-06 /12 Ga . I have a very low mounted 2-7 scope on one and 3-9 on the other The 243 believe it or not will shoot groups as small as some of my Heavy barreled Varmint rifles and because I use this gun with double shot barrels I have killed a number of Turkeys on the wing when using the Combo barrel set once with scope cover in place with out me being aware of the scope there just instinct.I did install the twin "EUROPEAN style " triggers on mine this gives you a set trigger for the rifle barrel. do a SMART search on VALMET model 412 & 512

gearheaddad

If your thinking 22/410 like the Model 24 Savages or Stevens, try to find an old Marlin Model 90! They are beautiful guns! And they made some with larger calibers also. Just pretty hard to find$$. I agree with the fact that as nice and well made the drillings and cape guns are, they just aren't a practical hunting gun here in the States.
What do you want a combination gun for? just to have? or to use?
To use? Don't care about artsy? Practical is the key?
Buy a Valmet. See Cartods link above!

Namdron

I want a combination to have and use. I don't necessarily like "beauiful/atistc" type of guns, but those that are more known as well designed, well made and perform well in the field. My Marlin 39A .22 and S&W K frame .22, along with larger big bore rifles that I use fit this description.

A good combination would be a welcomed addition.

beantownshootah

As a point of interest, double-guns make more sense in Europe where guns are heavily restricted, and it takes tremendous amounts of money, time, bureaucratic hoop-jumping (possibly including greasing palms) and paperwork to get ANY gun.

In that sort of climate, individual guns that can do multiple things (like combination rifle/shotguns) or guns that can switch calibers (like Blaser rifles, Tanfoglio and the new Sig pistols) easily are really prized by shooters.

These things also have their uses in the USA, of course, but here guns are relatively available and inexpensive, so the need for them is reduced.

jaegermister

Your average, "not everyone" , but your typical average American sportsman is not comfortable paying the amount required for a "correctly made" combination. (will define correctly further down). He will gladly buy and drive a Yukon Denali at $38k but bock at paying over $1k. for a gun. Also many hunters are not even aware of what combination guns exist or how they would effect their hunting ability. The Valmet is an entry level correctly made combination gun. The Savage 24 series and Bakail IZH 94 do not have the required elements. Their price dictates this.
Part of this has to do with the lack of US arms companies to produce a correctly made combination. From a business stand point they would rather sell multiple specialized firearms than one firearm that encompasses several types of hunting. Building a combination correctly requires very skilled labor,and production output is slow and low.
So what is a correctly built combination? First off it must not be overly heavy and awkward such as the Savage/Bakail/Rem SPR series.(One exception to this was the Bakail Sever model 22/22mag over 20ga. with solid rib joint, no longer sold) It should handle and feel like a well made O/U or SxS. It should provide for a return to zero detachable scope, with out this feature you lose the shotgun characteristics once you permanently mount the scope. You should strive in a combination gun one that you can knock pheasants out of the sky and switch to the rear trigger and nail a coyote at 100 yds. with a rifle bullet. The rifle must shoot to the point of impact with various bullets. Joining the barrels together solidly as in some O/U & drillings or air gap with regulation feature to achieve this feature takes skill ie $$. Another example of a correctly made combination is the Cape gun. A true cape gun is a rifle beside a shotgun. Not two shotgun barrels one bored rifle but a well balanced SxS regulated for a rifle bullet. The scope on a combination needs to be detachable to allow for use of iron sights and return to zero scope mount. Back to the pheasant hunt, you carry the scope inside your vest and snap it on to take the second coyote out on the hill at 200 yds. This feature requires craftmanship skill ($$), iron sights are accurate enough but you need a scope for target identification and clarity. Mounts to accomplish this require precision ($$). Due to the position of the chamber of a combination gun a typical scope mount will place the scope too far forward for normal eye relief. This often requires a saddle and or extended mount to the scope forward bell housing ($$). With out this the shooter will have to lean too far forward to make eye relief.
The mount needs to be low enough to keep the shooters face on the stock comb yet designed not to obscure the iron sights when scope is off. ($$) To join multiple barrels and yet keep the weight down Krupp or similar steel was used and the equivalent is required today , again
more $$. The trigger mechanism to allow three barrels to fire and yet fit into a reasonable slim balanced receiver requires skill. You get the idea.
The Valmet and Antonio Zoli O/U combination and the discontinued Bakail Sever make the cut.
I would like to see a US made combination, made with todays high tech materials like carbon graphite barrels with stainless liners and synthetic stock and detachable red dot, etc. One gun does all, or nearly all. As it is you got to buy Foreign new or old.

GuvamintCheese

I dont think the any U.S. manufacturer will attempt a combination gun although it would be nice. 1st off, it would be cost prohibitive. secondly I dont believe there is a strong enough demand by Turkey hunters (I believe they are your only market here). As said above the market is much better for these type of guns in place that it is hard to own a gun.

I love my combination gun and I have the scope permantly attached for turkey hunting. I only take it when I know I am not going to be able to get birds close enough to me for a shotgun. They make a good single shot rifle, and an OK single shot shotgun.

jaegermister

My first encounter with combination guns was turkey hunting but then realized the potential for all hunting. My second combination event come while using a drilling with two slugs and a rifle. I nailed a buck with a slug 4 ft directly under my stand while he passed on a quick trot. Later different gun different hunt this time winter fox hunting I made a fantastic across the field shot with 22 hornet/scope attached, went to stand up and a second fox on the run down the fence line at me...aiming under the see thru mount a load of #4's head on. Crow hunting off the tree limbs out of the sky made no difference.
Too often we go out hunting a particular species expecting that just be cause we are out there in pursuit it will happen, not so things are out of our control. Ever been squirrel hunting and had beautiful straight away grouse flushes? Ever been grouse hunting not to see a bird yet squirrels all day long? As time has gone on you get really good with one gun, or two.