The German hunting weapons manufacturer Blaser Jagdwaffen GmbH introduced the new Drillingin Blaser BD14, at the 2014
IWA OutdoorClassic Trade show Nürnberg. The Drilling is a folding-barrel combination weapon for hunting, which usually
has two shotgun barrels and one rifled rifle barrel. The Blaser BD14 Bockdrilling differs from this in that it has two
rifle barrels and only one shotgun barrel. BD14 Bockdrillling's idea is to be the perfect blind and stalking firearm.
BD14
In the gun name, the letters BD come from the German words BockDrilling and number 14 refers to the year 2014 when the
gun was brought to market. The Blaser BD14 Bockdrillings are available in three different models. The basic model has a
steel grey or alternatively black lock frame and stocks wood Grade is 3 (Grade 3 1/2019, previously it was Grade 2).
The Luxus model's lock frame features optional animal themed engraving and the stock wood class is Grade 4. In the Baronesse
model, the receiver and long side plates are engraved with arabesque patterns, the black trigger guard also have engravings,
and the gold-colored titanium nitride coated triggers. In the Baronesse model the wood class is Grade 7.
The Bockdrilling weapon is not entirely a new invention of its kind, but apparently BD14 is the first model in a larger
production.
Structure
The structure of the gun lock frame is made of steel and aluminum. The firing mechanism has two triggers and two
mainsprings. The front most trigger always releases the large caliber rifle barrel. The second trigger releases,
optionally, either the shotgun barrel (selector in the top position) or the smaller caliber bullet barrel (selector
in the lower position). The barrel selector is located next to the folding latch on the right side. After two barrels
have been released, the weapon must be cocked again to allow a third barrel to be released. A trigger pull of
approximately 650 grams on both triggers, adjusted by the factory.
The weapon has a so-called the Double Lock System, which means that the weapon is cocked only when user push the
cocking lever to its front position. Normal way to cock the drilling is fold and close the gun.
The Blaser BD14 drilling has a patented Vertical Block locking system. The structure is very strong and allows
the use of light metals elsewhere in the blot frame, which in turn reduces the total weight of the gun.
The Blaser BD14 Bockdrilling has three barrels (length 56 cm), two of which are rifle barrels and one half-chocked
(20/76) shotgun barrel. The shotgun barrel is positioned at the top and the rifle barrels underneath it, so that
the larger caliber rifle barrel is directly under the shotguns barrel and the smaller caliber rifle barrel on the
previous right side. The barrels are aligned so that all barrels are fired at the same point using iron sights.
The options for the larger caliber rifle barrel are selectable from the calibers; 6,5x55SE, .308 Win, .30-06 SPRG,
5x57r, 7x57r, 7x65r, .30r Blaser, 8x57 IRS and 9,3x74r. The options for the smaller caliber rifle barrel are selectable
from the calibers; .22 Hornet, .222 Rem, 5, 6x50r Mag and 5, 6x52r.
The Rifle barrels are free-floating (Thermo Stabil), which means that they have not been soldered onto each other.
The advantage of this is that the hit point will not change with the thermal expansion of the barrels. Barrels and
cartridge housings are manufactured by cold forging, of the toughest possible steel quality. The lock frame is
anodized and the surface of the barrel is nitrided to ensure maximum protection against rust. The contact surfaces
of the barrels and the lock are hard chrome-plated.
The Drilling's shotgun barrel endures for steel and magnum cartridges firing. The weapons inspection center has hit
the proof markings at the gun, the German eagle under which the letter "V", and the French Lily-sign. V = "Verstärkter
Beschuss", i.e. freely translated, the weapon will withstand magnum cartridges for greater gas pressure. In turn, the
French Lily-sign means that the drilling's shotgun barrel can be fired with steel-loaded cartridges.
In the Drilling, the barrels are aligned so, that when firing the gun all the three barrels bullet hit points should
be the same or at least very close to each other at some distance. This should also be successful when using the optical
sight device. At least with D99 Drilling this distance is about 35 meters, apparently also with BD14, when the shotgun
barrel is used with the Rottweill exact 20/76 Slug cartridge. The Exact Slug cartridge contains 26 grams of a Gualangi-type
lead slug and plastic stopper with a muzzle velocity of 455 m/s. When the Exact cartridge is used, the shotgun barrel
slug hit point should be located about five centimeters (5 cm) from the hit point on the rifle barrels.
Aligning the rifle barrels
Blaser BD14 Drilling has two different caliber rifle barrels. For the hunter, it would be desirable for both barrels to
have the same bullet hit point at the desired shooting distance. Because different barrel caliber characteristics, the
firearm user must decide which ammunition to use and then align both barrels so that to the riflescope adjustments is no
need to intervene. For this adjustment, the DB14 Drilling has the adjustment screws at the middle of the barrels, as well
as the mouth of the barrels, below the front, on the left side.
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Safety
There is no traditional mechanical safety lever in the Blaser BD14-drilling. This is because, in normal hunting conditions,
the weapon is uncocked, but it is cocked just before the firing with the cocking lever on the neck, after which the gun
is ready to be shot immediately. If the gun is cocked but the shots are not fired, the weapon can be uncocked simply by
pushing the cocking lever back into the base position, allowing the firing spring to be discharged safely.
Stock
Walnut wood, which is used in Blaser guns, is up to 300 years old and is imported from the Caucasus mountain range,
specifically Turkish from eastern Anatolia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. High in the mountains, in the most modern, arid
conditions, especially due to the long cold winters, trees grow very slowly. The slowly growing tree is harder and
thicker so the pattern of wood is beautiful. However, the wood which is used Blaser guns, is taken from the stump
part of the tree and its root trunk, which must be dug from the ground. Just root trunk cut into the so-called crude
blanks (a kind of planks). Blanks are treated to reduce the tannic acid contained in the tree, as well as to kill
mushrooms and potential insects. After treatment, blanks dry for months, particularly in ventilated storage areas.
After this, the blanks are cut and planned into their coarse shape. The blanks are dried further in a special drying
chamber where the blanks are kept for a maximum of five months, so that the moisture in the wood does not exceed 8
to 9%.
After the blanks have dried enough, the stock wood quality control is executed and the quality class of the wood is
determined. The blanks for the Blaser weapons are classified in nine grades (Grade 3 – 11). The more unusual is the
pattern of the wood, the greater the number that indicates the quality class and the more valuable it is.
The logs are cut to their rough shape by CNC machining, but the shape and surface finish is always handmade. The stock
is also available with a special, shiny "Super Finish" treatment. Wood parts of the gun is not recommended to be oiled
with weapon oil, but with a separate gun stock care oil/waxes.
Blaser BD14, presented in this article, all wood parts are Grade 7. The hand guard is a wider model with a darker,
ebony wood on its head part. The cheek deck is a Bavarian pattern and has an additional grooving, highlighting the
shape of a cheek set. Different engravings are available for the gun's wood parts.
There is possibility to have integrated recoil absorber (kickstop) inside the stock. Kickstop absorbs the weapon's
recoil by about 20%. The recoil absorber is a steel cylinder that is filled with granulated tungsten. The suppressor
adds a little bit of weapon weight, but as said to reduce the recoil and in addition stabilizes the weapon.
Blaser Jagdwaffen GmbH
The German gunsmith Horst Blaser founded the Blaser Jagdwaffen GmbH gun factory in 1957, in southern Germany, in the
Baden-Würtemberg region, in the town of Isny im Allgäu. The first weapon models were the Blaser "Diplomat" combination
gun and the Blaser 60 BBF rifle-shotgun.
In 1997, Blaser merged with SIGARMS (current SIG Sauer Inc.) Group, but continued as an autonomous production and
development unit for the manufacture of hunting weapons. Today, Blaser Jagdwaffen GmbH is owned by German businessmen
Michael Lüke and Thomas Ortmeier. Their company L & O Holding GmbH & Co. KG also owns brands Mauser Jagdwaffen, J.P.
Sauer & Sohn, SIG Sauer Inc, SAN Swiss Arms AG, John Rigby & Co and German Sport Guns (GSG).
Today, the Blaser plant employs about 350 employees, producing R8 hunting rifles, BBF 95- and 97 rifle-shotguns,
D99- and BD14 drillings, and F3 and F16 shotguns.
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