Nimrod Drilling Operation

[Gut-n-Tight]

No, not that British SAS Operation. I saw enough of this when trying to find out about my Nimrod drilling via Google.

I am speaking of a 1936 Thieme & Schlegelmilch triplet. I could use some guidance on how it is suppose to work. I've figured out to open it and to field strip it. The toggle on the left side is the safety and I read that it actually blocks the hammers. That is unusual in drillings. Does it block all three hammers when applied? (No, I have not shot it yet.) That big lever on the left cocks the rifle hammer, right? It does raise the rear sight. Pushing forward on the right trigger seems to set the hair trigger. Here is where I really get confused...

If I was out hunting and I had all three barrels loaded what do I need to do should I decide to blast a feral hog with the rifle? Next, I went to get a shot with the rifle but then the hog scooted out of view. How do I undo my ability to fire the rifle and return to shotgun use? I think that the button that is just ahead of the triggers has something to do with this. I wish I had the instructions.

[mike ford]

Gut-n-Tight,
First of all, I don't have a T&S Drilling, so I'm not "up" on the particulars of operation. I'm pretty sure Sharps4590 has one( at least) and maybe he or someone else that has one will join in with the correct information. I'm pretty sure he/they will ask for photos. Now, in general, if you activate a lever and the rear sight comes up, that lever is the barrel selector. If you select the rifle and don't shoot, moving the lever back will move it back to the right hand shot barrel. If you had set the trigger, you should unset it right away. The safest way to unset the trigger is to open the action and with the safety "on", touch the trigger. If you do this without opening the gun, it will unset the trigger and it might not shoot. Usually, If I'm hunting large game, I select the rifle at the beginning of the hunt. That way, if game comes I only have to worry about the safety and set trigger. Note: on some drillings the safety does not work on the rifle barrel, on these, the rifle barrel shouldn't be selected ahead of time. I don't know if this is the case with the T&S. On some drillings, the rifle barrel is not cocked until a button , usually located on the tang, is pushed forward, cocking it. Again, I don't know about your drilling.
Mike

[Gut-n-Tight]

Mike,
I do know well how to work most common drillings, the ones with Greener side safeties and top levers. Cocking the gun cocks all three hammers and to undo a set trigger set you place the gun on safe and pull the rifle trigger. This undoes the set without firing the rifle and this now puts that gun back to where you were when you loaded the thing and closed the breech. I learned that from a Bavarian drilling video on YouTube.
I got my hands on my Nimrod yesterday and gave it the once over cleaning. It is 16/65mm & 7X65R and marked Nimrod Gewehrfabrik, Suhl. It was built in 1936 and I will try to take photos later and post them this evening. I bought it from Simpson Ltd. after looking over some five or six drillings. Despite it being the most expensive that I perused, I choose it because it was the only one that did not have an issue. No wood cracks and everything appeared to work although I am still in bewilderment regarding firing and uncocking the rifle.
There is a side lever, like one of those older SXS, that does not open the action but cocks the rifle. This lever also raises the rear sight. As an aside there is a small sliding bar on the rib that appears to lock the rear sight in place. Then I have that button located inside of the trigger guard just ahead of the right trigger. This has something to do with lowering the rear sight but I have not figured out how it works and have only done this by fumbling around with it.
I also discovered that all three the firing pins are free floating. I also got the rifle to fire (using the 1/4" dowel rod down the bore method) with the safety on although the safety will not allow the shot barrels to fire.
I'll stop for now as you can see, I am need of assistance.
Terry

[mike ford]

Terry,
As I said, I have no experience with a T&S, so my comments are "general". From your description, it seems that the lever on the side is not a barrel selector, rather, it seems to cock the rifle barrel. This is why the safety doesn't block the rifle. To de-cock it, try holding the cocking lever down, pull the trigger, and "ease" it back up under spring pressure. If the trigger has been set, this procedure will automatically unset it. The small sliding baron the rib that locks the rear sight is called a vizersperre(sp?). It is used with an insert barrel ( einstecklauf, EL,). If you look at the extractor for the right hand shot barrel, you will likely see where a notch has been filed into it. This locates the EL, when it is removed and reinstalled. BTW, I have a Krieghoff 16-16x 7x65R drilling that has a Greener side safety that doesn't stop the rifle from firing( as I mentioned above) and top levers. If you forget to move the barrel selector back and unset the trigger as described by the You Tube video, it will fire the rifle barrel. The method I described will keep it from firing. Even if the safety acts on the rifle barrel, safeties are mechanical devices that sometimes fail; my method is safe, even if the safety fails. As far as the button inside the trigger guard is concerned, I am afraid someone else will have to answer that. If one of my answers contradicts their answer about this button, accept their answer as authoritative.
Mike

[Gut-n-Tight]

DSC00769.JPG
Here is a photo showing the lever that cocks the rifle and the button that somehow lowers the rifle rear sight but I am unsure how it works. I did confirm that the safety, above the side lever, has no affect on the rifle's ability to fire.
Am I to believe that I am expected to walk about in the woods with both shotgun barrels locked and cocked but if I should happen upon an elk I need cock the rifle, using the side lever?
Let us imagine that the elk took off before I got a shot in. I would have thought I could push a button/lever and if not un-cock the rifle, return to looking for Bugs Bunny before Elmer cuts him in half with his new scythe all the while secure in the knowledge I won't accidently blast Bugs with my 7-mm.

In other words; What does that round button do?

[Gut-n-Tight]

This Nimrod drilling was fired by me yesterday for the first time. The MOST IMPORTANT item I found was, the side SAFETY does not affect the rifle-only the shotgun barrel hammers! The sliding bar that I spoke of, behind the rifle rear sight locks, the leaf upright. It slouches a bit when raised. Locked up the rear sight will remain so. This would be desirable when shooting slugs from the shotgun barrels. Here is how my Nimrod Gewehr drilling works (I think.)

Step #1, Open the action and ascertain that the rifle barrel is de-cocked. All the firing pins are inertia types so they will not be poking out. Pull the right trigger to be sure. Step #2, Lock and Load. Step #3, Place the safety to the on position. Remember, what you see on German guns is what you get whether it be a MG34 or drilling. (At this point all barrels are loaded, the shotgun barrels are cocked with the safety engaged but the hammer to the rifle is not cocked.) Here are some scenarios:

Your tramping along a briar patch when out pops Bugs. You slide the the safety downward to disengage it and then fire off your 65mm shot shell and mangle the poor bunny by way of your Extra-Full choke. (At least you did not cut him in to two with a scythe as Elmer must now do.) Maybe it took you two shots to connect, so you reload and reengage the safety. We are now back where we started as we move on.

Scenario #2, has us looking for tasty pork. We are moving slowly through the forest when a feral hog is spotted some 50 yards distant. Choosing to fire the rifle you push down on that side lever to cock its hammer. The rear leaf sight pops up and you are ready to fire. The hog has not noticed you. You slide the bar behind the leaf sight to lock it in position, take aim, push forward on the right trigger and you are all set for the shot. The safety is still engaging the shot barrel hammers-no matter. You then bowl over that boar with your 7X65R. No sooner has Arnold bit the dust than six more hogs, that you had not seen, come scurrying out in all directions-every swine for himself! Quickly pushing up on that little button ahead of the right trigger switches it over to connect with the right shot barrel but you also have to disengage the safety. There is not time to release the rifle sight-no matter. You fire off two rounds of No. 4 Buckshot as one skirts past.

Scenario #3, is as before except the shotgun is loaded with No. 8 shot. You try to get a rifle shot at the boar but he took off leaving you flat footed with a cocked rifle that cannot be put on SAFE! That is right. Wanting to return to shooting for game birds you do not feel the need to be carrying about a locked & loaded rifle with no safety engaged. What to do? Unless you know something that I don't, this is what must be done. Reopen the action and then pull the trigger to the rifle barrel. Reset the safety. With the rifle hammer de-cocked you can now reclose the action. At this point that rifle sight is still raised. Not needing it you push that button at the right trigger and the leaf will lower if you have slid that little bar to the left, otherwise it will remain up.

Does having a rifle cocked and locked and with having no access to a safety seem a bit dodgy (British expression) to you? Seems like an accident waiting to happen to me. Having a surplus of not like minded drillings could increase the likely hood of an incident. I have tried to un-cock the rifle hammer by pushing the button and holding the lever down while pulling the right trigger. If you know of a way to uncock the rifle without having to open the action and pulling the trigger - PLEASE let me know! Bitte Schon.

[mike ford]

Gut-n-Tight,
Acknowledging that I have no experience with a T&S drilling, I think holding the side lever and pulling the trigger whereupon you "ease" the lever up, will de-cock it. In order to positively avoid an accident, I would break it open first. I didn't miss where you tried holding the lever, but you didn't describe the result. I agree that walking about with a cocked rifle and the trigger set could cause a very exciting surprise and only the first rule of gun safety( keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction) will prevent a tragedy. Maybe someone with a T&S will chime in.
Mike

[Gut-n-Tight]

I am still hoping. Results were negatory when I held the lever down while pulling the trigger. I was able to discern this by having a 1.4" wood dowel down the barrel - I could see it move.