Help with ID and information

[Cleftwynd]

I have has this 16ga SxS since I was a young lad, when it was purchased via phone from an import company in Qeubec we were told it was an old russian Baikal. Once received we never questioned anything, I just started using it with my handloads for duck hunting. With the help of gunrunner100 a few years ago, 20 some years after using it non-stop, I found out it is a German built shotgun.

I would like to know when it was built, by who, and anything else I can find out about it. I have NEVER found another shotgun that I can shoot as well, I can drop ducks at 50+ yards with ease, have went 25/25 over and over again in Skeet and trap shooting with it... I am tired of trying to find a 12ga that handles as well. This old girl is extremely well built, very reliable, points better than pointing with your finger.

It never did have a buttplate, and I need to replace it with a good pad as this ol 16 is not very friendly to the shoulder with 1-1/4 oz lead shot.

On the vent rib states BUHAG SUHL HANDWERKSARBEN

Under the barrels among other mostly illegible writing there appears to be a name and place. H. DECKERT SUHL

 

[North of 58]

Others will probably post with more, but the 1259 is the date stamp. The 12th month of 1959. The shield with the hammer through is the stamp for the Suhl proof house, so West German. The eagle with the V inside is the superior nitro proof mark, but usually the V is below the eagle. 16/70 is the guage and cartridge length in millimeters. 70 is 2 3/4". Good luck with the rest of the marks.

 

[Cleftwynd]

I posted a link to this thread in the antique section and Loki has been a great help, it actually looks to be a 1939 according to the info he has. I am no expert at all, that's why I am asking here. I am quite sure it is pre '45 though.

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/foru...ert-help-with-a-mid-early-20th-German-shotgun

Thanks for helping, there is a lot more about this old smoke pole I would like to know. Like I know now the proof house is SUHL, but what MAKE is it? Or Brand? I am not clear on a lot of this stuff.

 

[catnthehatt]

That's no Baikal, that's for sure!!
VERY nice Suhl SXS!
Cat

 

[gunsaholic]

Post the pics of the proof marks on the barrel flats and the markings on the barrels on doublegunshop forum under the German guns section. A fellow there by the name of Raimey will give you whatever info he can from the proof marks.

 

[Cleftwynd]

Thanks gunsaholic!

 

[dilly]

Could it be a "guild gun"?

 

[Cleftwynd]

Does anyone here speak German? Or is there someone that can identify BUHAG or HANDWERKSARBEN? Google doesn't recognize the latter at all, it brings up a similar but different name/word.