Franz Sodia Drillings

[Vaughan]

Some of you folks will be more knowledgeable than me on this so I was wondering if any of you had experience with older Franz Sodia drillings or combination guns?

A friend phoned me yesterday to ask if I was interested in a one he had. I don't know model or exact vintage. Memory has it that it was pre WWII but I need to ask him. He has developed Parkinson’s so is unloading his hunting gear. It is a 20/20 .22 Savage hi power. I know there are bullet availability issues with the old hi power but it’s a cool round and he claims it prints well on target without obvious heating issues. I'd just need to buy a big stash of softpoints for reloading.

I'd probably just buy it but I'm a leftie and this is, as they always are, RH. So likely biased and buggered for good shotgun use..... I could get the stock bent straight in hot oil but might be easier to get a new butt stock made and keep the original as is. The issues kinda start to stack up but I'll take a look at it anyway.

Just curious if anyone knows the guns well.

[mchughcb]

The only thing I'd check is the drop in the stock. Some are made with such a low drop which is okay for open sights but if you want to put an aimpoint or a scope on there you really need a check riser for stability.

[stokesrj]

They are quality guns and the 22 HP is the ultimate roe deer caliber, mild yet effective. The .228 bore diameter is an issue but RWS still loads factory rounds for it, or at least they did when I was in Germany. As I'm sure you are aware they call it the 5.6X52R

[9.3x64]

Norma and Sellior and Bellot still load for the 5.6x52R, and sell projectiles.

Also Cutting Edge projectiles.

[9.3x64]

Years ago (30 years ago), I bought a beautiful 1967 Merkel drilling in 12g x 12g x .222, purely because I just loved the thing. The only problem was I am left handed. I had a new stock made for it and have kept the original stock carefully wrapped for 30 years. I do not regret doing this, and if I had chance to by Franz Sodia drilling I would not hesitate. Being a 20 gauge it is likely built on a compact action, which is a bonus.
Also, Franz Sodia is a Ferlach gunmaker . Some of best made guns come out of Ferlach.

[9.3x64]

And yes, I still have that 1967 Merkel Drilling

[SPEEDY]

That's a beautiful gun, and the scope looks nice and low unlike a lot if others.

[9.3x64]

Yes, Mchughcb’s comment above about the drop on a drilling’s stock is really critical.
This scope mount was made by Carl Schultz,
gunsmith, of George Street, Brisbane. He is long gone now, but he obviously new what he was doing. Both scope and mechanical operated open sights are able to be used comfortably.
You can just notice in one of the pictures that the rear open sight is folded down. When the scope is removed you can flick a lever on the top of the tang without releasing your grip, it is connected to a long rod of hard steel that raises the rear sight. This enables the shooter to change from using the front bead only (12g), to the open sights (.222) really fast. It’s a great fox gun when foxes are showing themselves at varying distances.

[Vaughan]

Thanks Guys. I have handled the drilling, it is a beauty - but I had not even thought about the drop, so that was a good point. Even so, I'll likely need a new stock anyway so that is something for when that is done. I'm waiting for him to send me some photos of a side-lock he was also planning to sell and then I'll go have a look once he is ready to offload them. Would be a nice walk around gun.

[9.3x64]

Thanks Guys. I have handled the drilling, it is a beauty - but I had not even thought about the drop, so that was a good point. Even so, I'll likely need a new stock anyway so that is something for when that is done. I'm waiting for him to send me some photos of a side-lock he was also planning to sell and then I'll go have a look once he is ready to offload them. Would be a nice walk around gun.

One big advantage of getting a new stock is you can have it made absolutely perfect for you...

[SPEEDY]

And a gun that nice is worth spending the coin to put a stick that really suits, you on it.

[mchughcb]

Blaser got it right with the stock dimensions on the D99 and BD14. Great for open sights and a scope.

[mchughcb]

And yes, I still have that 1967 Merkel Drilling

That is a work of art.

[9.3x64]

Blaser got it right with the stock dimensions on the D99 and BD14. Great for open sights and a scope.

Absolutely, they sure did.