Drilling gun project for predator driven hunting

[don_stefano]

Hi guys,
I am so happy since have found this forum.
My main hunt is golden jackal driven hunting in Bulgaria and I was looking for classy side by side shotgun. I have found an add for old German drilling gun made by Hans Brinner in 20/20/5.6x50RMag and decided to go for it. It came with 1.25-4 old M. Nickel riflescope on SEM mount. Riflescope basically is useless for me but I had the common problem about mounting red dot and how to deal with the old SEM. I found a gunsmith in Bulgaria where I live that made me weaver/blaser rail on SEM. First test at the range proved that it holds perfect zero.
Stock was short for me and I needed a new one, so I had a new one with upgraded wood. Finally Docter red dot was mounted and some practice shooting will take place coming months.
We hunt jackals in thick bushes most of the time and shooting distances are 5-30m on average. Two shotgun barrels will do the job. Sometimes the dogs give them a lot of pressure and jackals tend to escape in the open fields where shooting distances can go 50-200m where the rifle barrel will help me.
Currently I hunt with over under 12g shotgun and Blaser R8 with Aimpoint if distances are greater.
I hope next season the drilling will prove as the versatile tool I need. I am quite thoughtful about the most appropriate gun/cartridge/optic since we hunt with my dogs who will chase jackals for 6-8 hours and if we miss one and it escapes retrieving the dogs back is not an easy job since they are bred for that. Dogs are Barak breed, meduim size, stubborn as hell but with amazing drive for chasing.
Here are some pictures of the gun and from several hunts. We put a lot of pressure on jackals and foxes so on average day we kill 1-3 predators. We hunt them Nov-Feb, at least 2 days per week and numbers are not great in my area.

[don_stefano]

Some pictures..

[don_stefano]

Pictures…

[9.3x64]

Welcome aboard mate.
What a very interesting post. I love drilling guns and have owned many throughout my lifetime. Personally I found them a great option for hunting with my dog (GSP). Because with a good dog you never know what will turn up. A drilling gives you the opportunity to go on a predator or deer hunt, but maybe come back to camp with a hare, duck, or quail.
You have done a beautiful job on that old drilling, beautiful wood, and the scope mount with a little Docter is a perfect solution. I have an Aimpoint and a Docter and I prefer the Docter. I just like the slimmer and more compact profile.
The country you hunt in looks very open. I guess the 5.6x50R is a perfect predator cartridge for such open country.
This Batak breed also sounds very interesting.

Thankyou for sharing
Allan

[don_stefano]

When we started those jackal drives some years ago, it was just me and my cousin, so I had to place myself on a shooting positikn with greater visibility covering 2-3 jackal paths simultaneously. The only option for me gunwise was a rifle with my aimpoint. Then some folks joined our group and we have now some more shooting positions and I ould rather have my shotgun covering a single path but still we miss some jackals and that is where I wish I brought my trustworthy R8 with aimpoint which I am extremely comfortable with. This season I have jackals shot on 142m and 70m running.
So, long story short, I hope now I will have best of both worlds with the old drilling. I will dedicate sufficient amount of practice shooting and I hope next season I will have some results
to share.
Baraks are ferocious, stubborn but very focused while chasing. Some Bulgarian hunters used them for wild boar drives but I use mine for jackals. Relentless chasers with very warm and playful look. Their passion and focus makes them hard to be called off during a chase. It is not easy but I do not mind it knowing their big heart is full of hunting passion.

[Gamsjagd]

That's really great!

[don_stefano]

Welcome aboard mate.
What a very interesting post. I love drilling guns and have owned many throughout my lifetime. Personally I found them a great option for hunting with my dog (GSP). Because with a good dog you never know what will turn up. A drilling gives you the opportunity to go on a predator or deer hunt, but maybe come back to camp with a hare, duck, or quail.
You have done a beautiful job on that old drilling, beautiful wood, and the scope mount with a little Docter is a perfect solution. I have an Aimpoint and a Docter and I prefer the Docter. I just like the slimmer and more compact profile.
The country you hunt in looks very open. I guess the 5.6x50R is a perfect predator cartridge for such open country.
This Batak breed also sounds very interesting.

Thankyou for sharing
Allan

Thanks for the good words, mate!

We hunt mainly in open and flat terrain but jackals stay in thick bushes, old vinyard fields, some thick forests.

Here is how the area looks and a typical jackal path. Jackals are quite predictable on these paths, so if you know their behaviour and have experience with you area then things are not that difficult.

Regards,
Stefan

[canalrifle]

Thanks for sharing. Your drilling looks great.

[SPEEDY]

Very nice gun that one.

[don_stefano]

Thanks guys!

[mchughcb]

Gunsmith has done a great job with that rail.

[9.3x64]

Gunsmith has done a great job with that rail.

Your not wrong, beautiful job.

[don_stefano]

Here is the target from sighting the docter red dot.
Shots 1 and 2 were for sighting. 3rd and 4th shot were ok for hunting purposes. Distance was 50m. Regardless of that, I moved the dot a little bit more to the left, removed the rail from the gun and put it back. Then I took the 5th shot. Works more than enough for me.
My main concern with the mount was to be as low as possible and I am also happy with the rail.
I will shoot some more on coming Friday.

Regards,
Stefan

[AWS]

Wonderful story. That is one large Jackal your holding up. I love your underlever drilling and in a great combination of cartridges, My predator hunting drilling is a 16ga/16ga/6.5x58R Sauer

Your drilling is beautiful. I do have to ask though, your drilling looks to be to early of a production to be originally chambered in the Heym 5.6x50R, was it relined to that?

I'll post some pic when I figure out how to do it.

AWS

[don_stefano]

Wonderful story. That is one large Jackal your holding up. I love your underlever drilling and in a great combination of cartridges, My predator hunting drilling is a 16ga/16ga/6.5x58R Sauer

Your drilling is beautiful. I do have to ask though, your drilling looks to be to early of a production to be originally chambered in the Heym 5.6x50R, was it relined to that?

I'll post some pic when I figure out how to do it.

AWS

Thanks for the good words!
To be honest I do not know if it was originally like that. I bought it from a guy that imported it from Germany to Bulgaria without much previous information. I have a friend that is pretty confident that the drilling was built early 1900s and 5.6x50R Mag was developed some 40-50years after that.
I will enjoy seeing yours too.