Cape gun

[yamoon]

Being a Schuetzen shooter, my knowledge of German guns beyond Schuetzen rifles is very limited, so a stupid question. What is a cape gun?
Thanks Mike

[Diz]

Mike,

I believe what is know as a "Cape gun" is any combination gun having one shotgun and one rifle barrel. It could be in over/under or side by side in configuration. Hope this helps but others may elaborate or correct. Thanks, Diz

[sharps4590]

Diz nailed it. I'm probably going to step in it however, if my understanding is correct, always subject to question, a "cape gun" is generally what the British use for the type of firearm in question. I want to think "combination gun" is more often used for German firearms of the type.

Mike, Axel, Diz, others, do I need to be cleaning off my boots?.....

[Diz]

Sharps, I think not but I could be wrong also. One point that I seem to recall about them is the Brits put the barrel on one side and on the Continent they put it on the opposite. I forget which was which though. I know my Hanquet has the rifle on the left. O/U's may be a different story altogether. Thanks, Diz

[ellenbr]

Cape is typically a juxtaposed solid projectile paired w/ a scattergun while the Combo is a superimposed solid projectile paired w/ a scattergun tube. The Austrian, like the Brits, also switched the solid projectile & scattergun tubes vs. the Germans.


Cheers,

Raimey
rse

[sharps4590]

On my Jost & Diehl the rifle is on the right. Brits did indeed swap sides. I was unaware the Austrians swapped them. Raimey, I was ignorant that the positioning of the barrels, vertical as compared to horizontal, was the difference........I'm off to clean my boots....

[Axel E]

"Cape Gun" is the British name for a side by side shot/rifle combination gun, as such guns were most popular with the farmers in the South African cape colony. The Brits usually put the rifle barrel on the left side: The shot barrel is to more often used fast, so the trigger finger lands on the front trigger more naturally. Additionally, the left/rear trigger usually feels lighter due to different leverage.
As German and Austrian gunmakers usually fitted their "Büchsflinten" = side by side combination guns with set triggers, they put the rifle tube on the right side. The right/front trigger is much more easily pushed forward for setting than the rear/left one. But there are exceptions: My 20 g Collath double had it's interchangable barrel set in 7x72R and 20g fitted later by the maker. As there is no set trigger, the rifle barrel is on the left here.
"Bock büchsflinten" = over/under combinations usually have the rifle barrel below, as this position is closer to the hinge pin. There is less stress on the action and lockup when the lower barrel is fired. Of course, there are exceptions too.
BTW, the term "combination gun" limited to guns with one shot and one rifle barrel is used in English only. In German use "Kombinierte Waffe" is a more generic term, used for any gun with rifle and shot barrels, be it a Büchsflinte, Bockbüchsflinte or any type of Drilling.

[mike ford]

Axel,
My late friend Gene Enterkin had a Bockbuechsflinte with the 8x58R barrel on top of a 16 ga barrel, and the set trigger in the rear. I don't like rear set triggers. It wasn't marked, so I don't know the maker. Gene's grandson inherited it, so there is no chance I can get it for a better examination.
Mike

[Axel E]

Mike, I wrote "usually" and "Of course, there are exceptions too". Nothing is set in concrete! Myself, I inherited a 12g/7x57R drilling by C.F.Triebel, Suhl, with a top tang safety, barrel selector a small lever at the right front of the triggerguard (similar to Collath) and a set rear trigger serving the rifle barrel.

[Diz]

The devil is in the details and there is much to learn. When you think you know something you find out how little you do know. Thanks for the education. Diz

[mike ford]

Axel,
I understood you said that, I was just citing one of the exceptions.
Mike