Combination gun

[moor man]

I'm thinking about getting a combination gun in 12G/.308 cal or similar.(30-30, 30-06) Specifically BRNO Combo.

To be used for rough shooting and occasional woodland deer, roe + fallow sub 100m.

Anyone here have experience of such guns? How many are out there?

Firstly, what do I apply for on variation, .30cal+12g or just the rifle cal?

I plan to reload for rifle calibre.

Im planning to use quick release mounts and a low powered scope, ghost ring as back up sight?

All thoughts/experience welcomed.

Cheers MM

 

[Walker570]

Do not see that many for sale and the price tends to leap from around 5-600 to four figures plus.  The rifle barrels shoot very accurately and I would tend to have a look at putting a red dot on it. I have never shot a red dot on a shotgun but know of people who have at driven boar etc with great success.  The Hawke models are not unduly expensive. I have one which normally sits on my double rifle but I have also mounted it on my 375JDJ T/C Encore with great success.  Target acquisition is very quick.

Edited March 20, 2018 by Walker570

[team tractor]

I’ve seen a few 22lr, 410 about but I’ve never seen bigger . I’m interested now 

[Stimo22]

Holts have a 20bore x 6.5x57r over and under in their sale tommorow (22nd Mar) but it is estimated at £3000 to £5000. Southams auctions have had several "Drillings" for sale over the last few sales. 

[theshootist]

There is a great thread on the stalking directory by a gentleman who imported a drilling from Germany. His is double 16 bore with a 7x57r rifle barrel and also a separate insert for one of the shotgun barrels to shoot .22lr. Fantastic things! 

You apply for a slot for 12g / 30cal combination gun. Your licencing dept will help, but you should have no trouble getting a variation. 

[steve_b_wales]

MANY moons ago, I used to have a 20b/.22 LR combination gun. Good fun to use and I wish I hadn't sold it.

[Graham M]

One here 

https://www.guntrader.uk/guns/combination-guns/winchester/over-under/12-gauge-30-06/super-grade-xtr-12ga-3-30-06-sprg-171223001932706

[figgy]

You could just buy drop in drillings to fit your shotgun barrels in whatever cal you want.

[team tractor]

3 hours ago, steve_b_wales said:

MANY moons ago, I used to have a 20b/.22 LR combination gun. Good fun to use and I wish I hadn't sold it.

That sounds an awesome bit of kit

[Dekers]

There are very limited numbers out there simply because there is very limited demand, if you want a shotgun why carry a rifle as well, and if you want a rifle why carry a shotgun as well?

Of course they can have their uses, and I know of two people who have had them in the likes of .22 and 410.  None got much use.

Round the farm/stables/etc they may have their uses, must be very limited use in bigger calibres.   I do a lot of shooting in pretty much every environment you can think of, never found a need myself, but if you have a use crack on! 

[JohnfromUK]

I knew someone who (many years ago) had a double 16 bore s/s and (unknown to me calibre) rifle underneath.  He always said it was a poor rifle combined with a very poorly balanced heavy shotgun!

[welshwarrior]

In some countries they are very popular due to the nature of the quarry where they hunted unsure if it was large fur or feather they would bump into.  There are various qualities goods handle and shoot very well poor one handle and shoot poorly just like any gun but there’s a lot of skill to make it all work well hence the price of some.  

[Walker570]

Yep, if you want one then I think you have spend well into four figures to get a good one.  I had a 16 gauge double over a 360  Eley, old damscus barreled gun. I fired few from the shotgun barrels but sourcing cases etc for the rifle was not easy and the round was black powder anyway, lead round nose wrapped in paper.  Someone took a liking and bought it off me, but never thought it much use.    I'm with Dekers on this one, mind like this morning, sat in a pigeon hide and a really nice muntie buck walked along the nearby hedgerow about 70yrds away.

[Lloyd90]

Be better off with a shotgun and a slug for the odd occasion it’s needed 

[figgy]

Accuracy and being very proficient with it would be the main issue that puts me off any of them. 

How much use would it get and woe betide you pull the trigger twice or wrong trigger on  flying quarry and send a high velocity round into the unknown. 

[team tractor]

1 hour ago, Walker570 said:

Yep, if you want one then I think you have spend well into four figures to get a good one.  I had a 16 gauge double over a 360  Eley, old damscus barreled gun. I fired few from the shotgun barrels but sourcing cases etc for the rifle was not easy and the round was black powder anyway, lead round nose wrapped in paper.  Someone took a liking and bought it off me, but never thought it much use.    I'm with Dekers on this one, mind like this morning, sat in a pigeon hide and a really nice muntie buck walked along the nearby hedgerow about 70yrds away.

This is exactly the reason . I often walk round and think if I see a munty I’m stuffed.

[Perazzishot]

often come up at the gun auctions if you keep your eyes peeled.

[Lloyd90]

Be better off with a shotgun and a slug for the odd occasion it’s needed 

[saddler]

4 hours ago, Lloyd90 said:

Be better off with a shotgun and a slug for the odd occasion it’s needed 

 

4 minutes ago, Lloyd90 said:

Be better off with a shotgun and a slug for the odd occasion it’s needed 

Apart from the delayed echo such a combination may cause , the use of the Section 1 slug would only be legal if the shooters FAC was so conditioned for it.
As the OP was asking about deer species specifically, I'm not aware of any parts of the UK granting slug for said species.
(I've been a slug shooter for a few years so very familiar with their performance abilities at reasonable distances, & how capable/accepted they are in other parts of the world for taking deer)

100% fine to use the shotgun with the larger SG & similar Section 2 ammo., but again for deer, not a cut & dried option even without the extra "FAC conditions" aspect, as the Deer Act is not behind the use of shotguns for taking deer (humane dispatch being a different set of rules - but again, not what the OP seemed to be inferring)

OK, aside from the extra hoops & hurdles of UK legislation/Acts to be taken into account - I HAVE seen a LOT of such rifle/shotgun combinations at the gun auctions I've attended in Sweden & Finland. MOST are of the very high £$£$£ price bracket, and given their price tag...I was initially surprised that around 80%+ were fitted with Aimpoint red dot sights. 
It was almost like seeing a red dot on a Holland & Holland the first time I saw one, then I noticed that most of the very ornate high end combination guns were set up in a similar fashion - an Aimpoint or a 1x mag wide angle scope with special reticle.
The reason is they do a lot of woodland distance wild boar/elk/deer shooting so they may be doing so in poor light - and with fast response times needed in which to get a sight picture and take the shot. And the 2 barrels are not a handicap as if you don't hit it with the 1st shot the quarry will not be standing around for your 2nd...less weight to the gun makes them faster handling, so they seem to be THE main choice for that type of sport.

Valmet make some nice affordable examples of the type, as do a few other European firms. 

Hope you find something that ticks all the boxes!

[moor man]

Thanks for all replies.

Guntrader is under constant scrutiny as are other websites.

I have a slot for sect.1 shotgun but no variation as yet.

I have never bought at auction but wouldn't exclude it.

 

[Dekers]

If you end up with one get back to us and let us know how things pan out!

[CharlieT]

10 hours ago, saddler said:

 

Apart from the delayed echo such a combination may cause, the use of the Section 1 slug would only be legal if the shooters FAC was so conditioned for it.
As the OP was asking about deer species specifically, I'm not aware of any parts of the UK granting slug for said species.
(I've been a slug shooter for a few years so very familiar with their performance abilities at reasonable distances, & how capable/accepted they are in other parts of the world for taking deer)

100% fine to use the shotgun with the larger SG & similar Section 2 ammo., but again for deer, not a cut & dried option even without the extra "FAC conditions" aspect, as the Deer Act is not behind the use of shotguns for taking deer (humane dispatch being a different set of rules - but again, not what the OP seemed to be inferring)

 

There is no problem getting slugs conditioned for deer in the UK. That's the very reason I have slugs on my FAC.

[AYA117]

Section 10a ( I think) of the deer act is 'behind' the use of shotguns for deer.

Sorry looks like it is section 7 according to this  http://www.thedeerinitiative.co.uk/uploads/guides/91.pdf

Edited March 22, 2018 by AYA117

[moor man]

On 20/03/2018 at 20:42, moor man said:

I'm thinking about getting a combination gun in 12G/.308 cal or similar.(30-30, 30-06) Specifically BRNO Combo.

To be used for rough shooting and occasional woodland deer, roe + fallow sub 100m.

Update;

 After trawling the internet for months I put a cheeky bid in november (Holts sealed bid auction) on a Finn Classic 512sc .308/12g combination gun and got lucky.                                  Conditioned for AOLQ and solid slug😁  It came with flip up sight + QD mount.      I've put a 1.5 - 5 x 32 scope on it with ill. circle/dot reticule.                                   I've had it a couple of months now and really like it. Fairly weighty at 9 1/2lbs scoped but that does help with recoil management. Shoots well with my.308 reloads(1.5" groups @ 100) have also shot homeloaded subsonic .308 at my local club range with success, accurate, no recoil and soo quiet!

12g Solid slugs on order for reloading so all good. Got a .308 bullet mould too to play with.

[Scully]

I’ve only ever seen one in the flesh, which was a Winchester XTR 12 bore combined with .308. Gorgeous piece of kit. As far as I know he still has it.