Best Combo Gun for the American Market

NE450No2 · Post by **NE450No2** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 6:24 pm

For many years I have been a believer that a Combo gun, Drilling, etc. is a Great hunting gun for a lot of places in the USA and in other places in the world, they worked great for me and the wife in Zimbabwe...

My wifes favorite hunting gun is her Drilling, a 12x12x30/06. Even my 10 old Nephew realized the benefits of a Combo gun when he stated he wanted one so "I can shoot anything [legal game in season], I see...

Corjack and I have had some discussions on this and we would like to see a bigger effort by Blaser USA, and their dealers to promote Blaser Combo guns in the USA.

So my question is, baised on money spent, and the requirements most needed, what is the best choice for a Combo gun, that would appeal to most hunters, the BBF 97, the D99 or the D99 Duo???

Post by **Dom** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 5:14 am

NE450No2 wrote:For many years I have been a believer that a Combo gun, Drilling, etc. is a Great hunting gun for a lot of places in the USA and in other places in the world, they worked great for me and the wife in Zimbabwe...???

Couldn't agree with you more, having used one for 15 years or so now, there is no better for a highseat than a combo.

NE450No2 wrote:So my question is, baised on money spent, and the requirements most needed, what is the best choice for a Combo gun, that would appeal to most hunters, the BBF 97, the D99 or the D99 Duo???

That is a difficult question, I'll be brief -- hands down D99 Duo. If you are serious about a combo, then there is only one option in my opinion and that is the Bockdrilling, or D99 Duo, which gives you one shotgun, one smaller cf rifle, and one large cf rifle. Along the lines of 20/76, 222 or 223, and 30-06 or 9.3 would be tough to beat. If you are going to spend serious bucks on a serious combo, then save your pennies and get one that will do it all. BBF or Bergstutzen have their place, especially if mountainous or weight is of concern, but they can't do it all.

Another plus point when talking combo's is to figure in what you would spend for one shotgun, two rifles, and two scopes, which is exactly what you get with one Bockdrilling.

Yupper, I like 'em

Waidmannsheil, Dom.

Post by **mchughcb** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 5:26 am

I've got the BBF97 in the 7x57R and 12G. The 7mm can be loaded from the 100gr to the 175gr. The 12G can be loaded to whatever you like including 12G slugs which makes it an express rifle.

As it only weighs 2.5kg that makes a world of difference for me walking up the hills on the weekend with a crook kneed.

Post by **Corjack** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 7:26 am

I think that it would depend on your area, and style of hunting, I like the lightweigt of the BBF97, need to handle a D99 more, to see I how really feel about them weight wise.

Post by **dinsdale** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 8:01 pm

mchughcb wrote:I've got the BBF97 in the 7x57R and 12G. The 7mm can be loaded from the 100gr to the 175gr. The 12G can be loaded to whatever you like including 12G slugs which makes it an express rifle.

As it only weighs 2.5kg that makes a world of difference for me walking up the hills on the weekend with a crook kneed.

That sounds like a great combo......

Tue Jun 28, 2011 9:40 pm

mchughcb wrote:I've got the BBF97 in the 7x57R and 12G. The 7mm can be loaded from the 100gr to the 175gr. The 12G can be loaded to whatever you like including 12G slugs which makes it an express rifle.

As it only weighs 2.5kg that makes a world of difference for me walking up the hills on the weekend with a crook kneed.

C'mon Chuck, the hunt report from the weekend is long past due on here

NE450No2 · Post by **NE450No2** » Wed Jul 20, 2011 7:49 pm

Dom

I do not personally disagree with your thoughts on a Drilling with 2 different rifle barrels and a shotgun barrel. In a Blaser D99 with their self regulation system, there is no doubt in my mind you could get the 2 different rifle barrels to shoot groups, combined under an inch at 100 yards.

Sadly, I just do not think you could get American shooters to adopt such a concept. In fact I know only of one person, in the USA that has a Blaser [a BBF] with 2 different rifle calibres [a 9,3x74R, and a 22 Savage High Power, great combo IMHO]...
Also they are quite a bit less money than the D99's.

And yes I do like the D99's, a LOT, but...

The reason I think the BBF is the best Blaser Combo gun to break into the American market is that it is offered in 20 AND 12 ga, and in some very good American Deer rifle calibres. Calibres that you can buy ammo at your local gunstore and even Walmart...

I do think that Blaser USA should promote the BBF's, in American calibres, as deer, pig, dove, quail, squirrel, rabbit,turkey guns, elk, grouse guns, and for Alaska caribou, moose, bear, and ptmargin guns, as well as varmint guns for the likes of coyote, and bobcat called in...

I would come up with a "name" for it like the "Ultimate American Hunting Gun", the "Fur and Feathered Special", "Deer and Turkey", etc...

There are a lot of places in the USA where Fur and Feathered game is in season at the same time...

I would also have advertisements touting it as the best "second" gun to take on a hunt. It can be a backup to your primary hunting rifle as well as a shotgun for game for the pot... It takes down and is easy to travel with. The scope mount goes on and off without loss of zero, and the rifle barrel is VERY ACCURATE...

Think about the increases sales, if only 15 to 20% of Blaser R93/R8 rifle owners bought BBF's...

AND how just many BBF users, that discovered how good a Combo gun is for hunting, might possible step up to a D99???

Blaser has done a R8 "Kit", they are doing a R93 "Kit", maybe they should do a BBF "Kit"...

Post by **Dom** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 5:19 am

Ah yea NE450, as I read this thread again . . . I am having a change of heart and see my error. I don't disagree with my earlier comments, though as I put the words "for the American market" back in context and see what I recommended, the D99, would be futility.

So, have to agree that the BBF would most likely have the most success in the Americas, cheaper, lighter, more practicable, more multi use. A 20ga over a 243 would be light and handy and serve quite a few purposes, or perhaps better yet a 20ga over a 270. I can't see going with the added size and weight of the 12 bore. After using a 20ga Magnum in a combo for a number of years, it puts the lights out on fox as if they got hit with a sledgehammer

Good comments and reasoning, and +1 to the "Fur and Feathered" Special

Post by **blaserguy** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 9:26 am

Ok guys no more discussion on this till mine comes in

Keeping fingers crossed it may be here soon!

NE450No2 · Post by **NE450No2** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 1:06 pm

blaserguy wrote:Ok guys no more discussion on this till mine comes in
Keeping fingers crossed it may be here soon!

Refresh my memory, what calibre/guage did you order?

Post by **blaserguy** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 2:46 pm

9.3x74/12 gauge
Short barrels

NE450No2 · Post by **NE450No2** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 2:55 pm

blaserguy wrote:9.3x74/12 gauge
Short barrels

That is a Perfect choice. I handled Retrievermans BBF that is just like the one you have ordered and I really liked it.

I have shot a lot of stuff with a 9,3x74R. The 286 gr Woodleigh Soft, and the 286 Nosler Partition are my 2 favorite softs, with the 286gr Woodleigh Solid working great on elephant. My velocities are @2225fps with these bullets.

I have used several other bullets on deer and pigs with good results as well.

The Speer 270gr 9,3 bullet, has worked great on several deer and wild pigs, velocity was 2390, with 59gr of RL 15...

Corjack has had good results with the 250gr Nosler Accubond.

Post by **blaserguy** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 3:20 pm

I have some of the Hornady loads I have had for about three years. I will start with those but I want to play with some of those loads you mentioned as well. Especially the solids. If I get a chance to go back to Africa I would take it to stalk some francolin.

NE450No2 · Post by **NE450No2** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 4:13 pm

I have killed one pig with the Hornady factory load. It performed great. If you do not, or just do not want to reload the Hornady load is a good one.

stainless · Post by **stainless** » Sat Jul 23, 2011 9:48 am

I am a german guy; my combo guns are D99 8x57IRS - 20/76 and a BBF97 8x57 IRS - 12/76.
As a cosmopolitan, I use inch and metric ctgs as well.

In the US, my combo´s would be:
D99 45-70, 30-30 and 20/76
BBF97 30-30 and 12/76

If I would buy a new D99, I would ask Blaser for this combi -D99 45-70, 30-30 and 20/76- as well. Even in Germany

BTW The Hornady 30-30 LE does an awesome job in my Marlin 336 SS.

Almost forgot, barrellength would be ~20", like my BBF97 (52 cm) this makes for a handy package.

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