Akah Drilling Rifle

     Notes: The term “Drilling” is an Americanization of the German word “dreiling”, which denoted a rifle or shotgun with three barrels. The name of the rifle, “Akah,” is an abbreviation of the primary designers, Albrecht Kind and Child; the Kind refers to the fact that the Akah Drilling Rifle was designed for use by children, to introduce them to a standard-size weapon.  The Akah Drilling Rifle was designed at the behest of the Akah Sporting Goods Chain, and it sold in Germany at hardware goods stores as well as sports supply stores.  Normally, Akah buys its weapons as a reduced price by buying in bulk, and then sells them (with a license) under their own name.

     The Akah Drilling Rifle has a pistol grip wrist which is checkered; the fore-end is also checkered. The two top barrels are chambered for 16 Gauge, while the center lower barrel is chambered for 8mm Mauser.  Barrels are 25.5 inches long and have automatic ejectors. The forearm has a Schnabel tip. The stock is a Mannlicher-type stock, with a raised cheekpiece, though the butt is unadorned.  Shotgun barrels are of standard length instead of being capable of magnum firing.  The boxlock has engraved side plated; on the tang is a safety which doubles as a barrel selector (the gun is not capable of firing more than one barrel at a time).

Frankonia Scirocco

     Notes: The Scirocco is an over-and-under shotgun built for Frankonia by the Italian firm of Lu-Mat.  There are two basic versions, the Scirocco Jagd and the Scirocco Trap.  They are in many ways basic shotguns, with only one length of barrels for each (28 inches for the Jagd, and 30 inches for the Trap), and with fixed chokes (1/2 or Full for the Jagd, and 3/4 or Full for the Trap).  The Jagd version also comes in a version with interchangeable chokes.  The barrels are lined with hard chrome and have a ventilated sighting rib on top.  The Jagd version has extractors, while the trap has automatic shell ejectors.  Both have a single non-selective trigger; the Jagd model also comes in a version with double triggers.  The Trap version has a florescent bead at the front of the barrel rib for easier target acquisition, as well as a ventilated rib between the barrels to aid in cooling.  (The Jagd version’s barrels are formed into a monobloc.) Left-handed versions of these guns may also be had.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: With the growing hostilities between Italy and Germany, Lu-Mat was ordered by the Italian government to stop supplying these shotguns to Frankonia in early 1996.

Greifelt 22

     Notes: Meant to appeal to export sales to the US in the 1940s, the Model 22 is a traditional side-by-side, box lock, hammerless shotgun.  The Model 22 has a top lever on the tang that acts as safety and a break-open lever. The barrels are also traditional, and may have Modified or Full Choke; there is no provision for interchangeable chokes.  The stock is of walnut and is oil-finished; it may have a straight wrist or semi-pistol grip. There is checkering on the grip or wrist and fore-arm; there is also checkering on the cheekpiece, which is raised.  The Model 22E is the same shotgun with automatic ejectors.  For game purposes it is the same as the Model 22. The Model 103 has barrels, one of which is Modified choke and one which is Full choke.  The Model 103E has automatic ejectors.  Both are identical to the Model 22 and 22E.

Krieghoff K-80

     This shotgun can be used as a traditional over-and-under shotgun or, in some cases, a single-barreled shotgun.  The barrel sets (or barrel) can be readily interchanged within types on some versions, known as Combos.  The barrels may have fixed chokes or five interchangeable choke tubes (Cylinder, Skeet, Improved Cylinder, Modified, Improved Modified, Full, and Super Full), can be had in any natural choke the user desires. Fixed choke guns have improved Modified in the bottom barrel and Full in the top barrel. All feature a raised, ventilated barrel sighting rib that is set higher than the normal rib; Krieghoff says this allows for more rapid target acquisition.  The barrel ribs are semi-adjustable for Point of Impact. The end of the rib has a gold bead sight.

     The K-80 Trap has 30 or 32-inch barrels; Unsingle (single-barrel versions) have a 30, 32, or 34-inch barrel.  Unsingle barrels with interchangeable choke tubes come with three instead of five.  They use Monte Carlo stocks and exposed hammers. Combo versions with Unsingle barrels attach those barrels to the bottom barrel position.  Combo versions with interchangeable come with five choke tubes.  The barrel is blued black, and the furniture Select European walnut; the receiver is color-case hardened, but you can’t really tell this due to the copious engraving and relief work.  Triggers are golf-plated.  The barrel selector is on the tang and is combined with the safety.  The butt has a thick recoil pad.  The K-80 Trap special is the same in game terms, but has titanium choke tubes, an adjustable comb, and adjustable angle-off for the twin barrels.

     The K-80 Skeet uses American #5 walnut for its furniture.  It may have a wide or tapered rib, and the rib has a matte finish.  Stocks vary; some use a trap stock with an adjustable comb, some use the “Olympic Skeet” stock, and some use a Monte Carlo stock; all have a pistol grip wrist with hand checkering on that wrist and the fore-end.  The standard Skeet gun has a fixed choke, but the Skeet Special can accept interchangeable choke tubes and also may have a rig that starts 8mm wide and tapers to 7mm, and one that starts at 12mm wide and tapers to 8mm wide.  The barrels are 28 or 30 inches, and porting is an option.  The butt has a thick recoil pad.

     The K-80 Sporting is similar to the Trap, but is generally fancier in appointments, with excellent wood grain (#3 European walnut), a padded butt, and scrollwork on the receiver, which may be of nitride finish, nickel finish, or nickel finish with exceptional engraving and scrollwork.  Triggers are gold-plated.  Barrels are blued-black.  28” barrels come with five interchangeable choke tubes; 30 and 32-inch barrels come with either fixed chokes or interchangeable choke tubes; and the 34-inch barrels come with fixed chokes only.  The sights, in addition to the sighting rib, are white pearl front and center sights.  The fore-end has a Schnabel tip.

Merkel 40E

     Notes: This shotgun, like virtually all Merkel shotguns, is as much a work of art as a functional weapon.  The Model 40 is a shotgun which has been around a long time, yet has been continually updated and improved to keep up with the times.  The Model 40 is a side-by-side double barreled shotgun.  The Model 40 is one of the most “basic” shotguns that Merkel produces, yet it is made to exacting specifications.  The Model 40 has Greener locking, with a double barrel lug and an Anson & Deeley box lock with upper cocking bars.  The standard trigger is a double trigger, but single trigger variants have also existed since 1993, with a barrel selector.  In 1995, the barrels were strengthened to enable the Merkel 40 to fire steel shot if necessary for environmental reasons.  There are a large number of chamberings which have been available over the years, but since 1995, the 12-gauge model has been available only for 3-inch shells.  The Model 40E has automatic shell ejectors.  Standard barrel length for the 12 and 16 gauge models is 28 inches; for all other chamberings, it is 26.75 inches.  Choke is fixed, but may be 1/2, Full, 1/4, 3/4, or Cylindrical.  The Model 50E is a luxury version of the Model 40E, with intricately-engraved side plates, breeches, and chambers; it is identical to the Model 40E for game purposes.

Merkel 47

     Notes: The Model 47 is basically a Model 40E, but both improved and simplified.  The action includes Anson & Deeley boxlocks with cocking indicators, side clips, and a receiver ledge.  Locking is done with a Greener crossbolt with double underbarrel locking lugs.  The trigger may have a single selective trigger (right, then left) or a double trigger (right for the front trigger, rear for the left).Case ejection is automatic and based on Holland & Holland ejectors.  The premium walnut stock is oil-finished and can have a straight wrist or pistol grip wrist. The receiver is color case-hardened, engraved in an Arabesque pattern.  The locks are high strength, and the barrels (28-inch for 12 and 16 gauge, 26.75-inch for 20 gauge) are cold hammer forged and have a solid sighting rib. Choke is fixed, but may be 1/2, Full, 1/4, 3/4, or Cylindrical.  The butt has a recoil pad.

     The Model 47SL has luxury wood and is identical in game terms to the Model 47E. The Model 147E is the same, but is self-cocking upon closing of the action and has a 28-gauge option. The Model 147EL uses Luxury Grade wood.  The Model 147SL has not only Luxury Grade wood, but Fine Grade engraving of the side plates. The Model 147SS is similar to the Model 147SL, but has quick-detach side plates. The Model 247SLK has Fancy Grade wood and Fine Grade engraving, and a slightly different mix of barrel lengths. The Model 447SL is the same, but uses small scroll engraving.

Merkel 60

     Notes: This is modification of the Model 40E, with genuine Holland & Holland side locks, two barrel lengths (26.75 and 28 inches) for each chambering, and if anything, even more highly decorated than even the Model 50, with designs often inlaid with gold.  The stock is of select walnut, and the stock has a pistol grip wrist and a cheek plate. 

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The 28 gauge model was not made available until 1995, and is thus quite rare in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Merkel 2000EL

     Notes: This is similar to Merkel’s other shotguns in design and function; however, the action is a self-cocking (upon closing the action), modified Anson & Deeley boxlock, and the locking mechanism is a Kersten double crossbolt lock with a release mechanism.  It may have a single selective trigger (the barrel is chosen by a selector on the tang, which also is a manual safety), or by a double trigger (the front trigger fires the right barrel, and the rear the left barrel). The Sporter has coil spring ejectors for spent shells, but these are user-convertible to extractors. The barrel is cold hammer-forged, heat-treated, and hand-fitted to the receiver (pretty much, the entire shotgun is hand-fitted to the user). The barrels are over-and-under, and for the 12 Gauge model, 28 inches long.  A Sporter version has 30-inch barrels. The 20 and 28 gauge models have 26.75-inch barrels, with the Sporter version having 28-inch barrels. Atop the top barrel is a solid aiming rib. The stock can have a straight wrist or pistol grip wrist, and the wood is Luxury Grade and finished with hand-rubbed oil. The side plates are simply and tastefully engraved. Sporters have ventilated fore-ends. The receiver is silver-grayed, with Arabesque engraving. The Models 2001EL, 2001 EL Sporter, and 2002EL are updated versions which differ primarily in the pattern of engraving on the side plates and receiver; for game purposes, they a identical to the 2000EL.  The Model 303EL differs in using Holland & Holland sidelocks and not having a Sporter version; it is also otherwise identical in game terms.

Rottwell Super Trap Combination Gun

     Notes:  This is a different approach to a combination gun; instead of a combination of different gauges or a rifle and a shotgun, the Rottwell Super Trap is a combination of a single barrel and double-barrel weapon.  This is accomplished with a set of barrels.  Each barrel set has its own trigger unit, chambers, and barrels with sighting ribs.  The single barrel unit has a single trigger and a balance/weight tube below it so it weighs the same as the double barrel unit; the double barrel unit has a trigger mechanism with a single trigger and a button to allow choice of upper barrel, lower barrel, or consecutive barrel fire.  (Both barrels cannot be fired at the same time.)  Both units fit into the same stock and fore-end piece.  The stock is of hand-checkered French walnut of excellent quality and finish.  The bores are hand-honed, and a Rottwell is not allowed out of the factory until it is functioning flawlessly.