[Roswell 1847]

Some years ago I ran across a unique combination over under rifle/shotgun.
What made it unique was that it was a 32-40 bolt action over a singleshot sixteen gauge shot barrel. Not sure if the rifle portion was a single shot or had a hidden magazine.
I'd like to look up some information on this type of gun, but haven't a clue about who made them or when.

It had a case hardened steel receiver similar to the MAS rifle with tasteful but sparse engraving, a spoon handle bolt similar to the old Mannlicher Schoenaur carbines. Looked German or Austrian in styling.

Any information would help out. It looked like it was a manufactured item rather than a custom gunsmith's work.

[Jim K]

There have been many combination guns, but that description is new to me. The usual rifle-shotgun combination is a break open, with one or two shotgun barrels and a rifle barrel. Rarely, a four barrel gun will have two shotgun barrels side by side, with a center-fire rifle barrel below them and a small bore (.22) in the top rib. But a bolt action with a shotgun barrel underneath? I sure would like to see a picture.

Jim

[Jim Watson]

I once saw a picture of a Mauser bolt action rifle with a shotgun barrel built into the foreend. European hunting customs and laws plus German inventiveness led to some odd looking guns.

I think the .32-40 caliber is the odd part. Although I remember advertisements for .32-40 double rifles about 13 years ago. British style and Manton brand name, but on a Continental action.

[Roswell 1847]

I wish I had a camera at the time.
The gun was for sale but the owner was asking an arm and a leg for it.

Apparently the 8.15X46mmRimmed is a German cartridge very similar in dimensions to the 32/40 and its possible that the gun's owner was confused but I'm not sure if the 32/40 can be fired in the 8.15X46R chamber though its a recommended source of fireformed cases. It may require neck trimming first, I don't remember.
Some German target rifles and military training rifles used the 8.15X46R, and the fireformed .32/40 case is recommended partly because its thicker rim reduces the headspace and gives slighlty better accuracy with the older guns.

I'm mainly interested in just how the lower barrel opened to the side to load.
Can't remember if it swung to the side like the magazine tube of a Colt pump .22 or if it rotated outward using the upper barrel as a pivot.

BTW
A friends Grandfather had a 7mm Mauser marked with the name of a Mexican prision. The gun has a .22 automatic rifle built into the forearm.
There are some real oddball combination guns out there.

[Hardrada55]

I've always been fascinated by these bolt action over shotgun barrel combinations. here are a few pictures I've collected over the years. The first one is a George Carl Donheim .25-35 WCF over 16 ga. The second picture is of an advertisement for this type of gun. Apparently they could be had on the 88 action or the Mauser action. The fourth picture should go with the first picture and shows the method of loading the shotgun barrel.

[Roswell 1847]

Many thanks Harada55 that is the rifle I'm sure.
I'd turned down the owner's offer to check out the gun more closely when he told my what he wanted for it. It was far beyond what I'd figure it to have been worth even now much less then. Of course if they are that rare no doubt some determined collector would pay the price gladly I suppose.

It must have used the 88 comission model bolt.

On closer examination I do believe the rifle I saw differed in detail from those pictured.

First off I believe it had a steel receiver similar to the Old MAS or perhaps Hotchkiss bolt action rifles. The bolt was a manlicher type but I don't think it was as large as a model 88 bolt would have been.
There was no visible magazine, I got the impression that if it had a mag it would have bee a tublar mag in the buttstock. Also the stock looked less European in styling, as if made in Europe for the American market.
Perhaps the rifle I saw was a refined version of the design.


Just found this on a cached link
*RARE PRE-WAR GECADO COMBINATION BOLT ACTION RIFLE/SHOTGUN. Cal. Appears to be 6.5 x 52R Mauser and 16 ga. NSN. The name Gecado is an acronym for the maker, George Carl Donheim, using first two letters of all three names. Donheim was listed as a sales agency & cartridge maker in 1925 with premises in Berlin & six other cities in Germany & one in Netherlands. Later in 1930’s he was listed as a weapons maker & was bought out in late 1930’s or early 1940’s, probably by Gustave Genschow. Most unusual rifle with 21-7/8” rifle bbl and a 21-3/8” shotgun bbl. They are mounted superposed with rifle bbl on top, which has a ramp mounted, replacement ivory bead front sight and a fixed rear sight mounted on a short quarter rib. Left flat of oct section of rifle bbl is marked “GECADO - SUHL”. Left bottom flat has numerous proof marks and the caliber “6.3MM/52” and date “9 33”. Right side of chamber end of shotgun bbl is marked “D.G.N.S. / NO: 62088.”, presumably the patent number. Rifle action is a 2-shot type with a small spring loaded elevator that is depressed when the second round is pressed downward for closing of the bolt. Bolt is a simple operation, without locking lugs on front end, using only the base of bolt arm as a locking lug. It has a beautifully shaped, delicate, checkered spoon handle on bolt with a unique rotating safety that locks both the rifle bolt & shotgun hammer, which is located on left rear side of receiver frame. Top tang has a concealed peep sight and it has dbl triggers with front trigger being set for the rifle. Shotgun bbl is accessed by means of a lever on bottom of tiny forearm which, when rotated to left, cams the shotgun bbl to right, exposing chamber for loading & unloading. Shotgun extraction is a manual tab on right side. Rotating lever back to right cams the bbl back into position for firing. Receiver, trigger plate & trigger guard are lightly engraved with very fine, foliate arabesque patterns. Upper left flat of rear side of receiver has a plugged screw hole, probably from an old scope mount. Mounted in very nicely figured, European walnut with a tiny, checkered forestock and horn capped pistol grip buttstock with deep cheekpiece & smooth steel buttplate. Shotgun bbl has a safari style sling loop with a corresponding stud & loop in buttstock.