Swastikas on Swedish shotguns

Rob

Rob

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I have seen swastikas stamped on numerous pre-war Swedish shotguns and am told that they were "inspector stamps." I have also seen hammers that when hit on a piece of wood leave the impression of a swastika. I was told that these were "lumber inspector" hammers. Does anyone know when and why the Swedes adopted the swastika as an inspection mark and when they stopped using it?

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The question would be whether the item was made before or during the war. I think it's safe to say no one in Europe was still using them in 1946.
 
Falconflyer said:
For hundreds of years the swastika was universally know as a symbol of good fortune until Hitler stole it and turned it into a symbol of evil.
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Thousands of years, actually, in India. Her Hilter stole the symbol to link his reich to the supposed history of the glorious Aryan race that never existed, or at least not in Germany.
 
Big Bad said:
Thousands of years, actually, in India. Her Hilter stole the symbol to link his reich to the supposed history of the glorious Aryan race that never existed, or at least not in Germany.
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If you look hard enough you’ll find a variation of the swastika in most cultures going back thousands of years, it only takes one ásshole to ruin something for life.
 
Thank you for the input.

However, I should have mentioned that I am well aware of the non- and pre-Nazi use of the Swastika and have several lengthy books on that subject.

I was interested specifically in any information about the Swedish use of the swastika as an inspection stamp.
 
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Curious did you get this off of intersurplus?

Also, agreed with most posters. Swastika is all over Hindu religion (represents good luck, Sun, Aryan race)... well before Hitler effed its meaning lol
 
brar12bore said:
Curious did you get this off of intersurplus?

Also, agreed with most posters. Swastika is all over Hindu religion (represents good luck, Sun, Aryan race)... well before Hitler effed its meaning lol
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What are you referring to? My shotguns? Those are two different shotguns in my photos in the original post. Sorry, I don't recall where either one came from.
 
brybenn said:
No knowledge pertaining to your op but which do you prefer more the 310a or 310as?
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IIRC the “S” is supposed to represent a better steel used in the barrel. Everything else is the same. Still kicking myself regularly for selling my 16 ga 310 AS.
 
Big Bad said:
The question would be whether the item was made before or during the war. I think it's safe to say no one in Europe was still using them in 1946.
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Like Finnish Air forces that abandoned swastika just couple of year ago? Like some of brands in Scandinavia that still use swastikas? Not to mentions all the buildings, decorations in Europe that never removed swastikas, because it wasn't Nazi who put them there in first place.
 
The former owner of my Husqvarna model 300 sidelock researched it extensively in Sweden and asked specifically about the swastika. They said that this symbol was used by Husqvarna to denote their special fluid steel barrels, rather like a trademark. No dates of usage given.
 
There is some specific info. about the use of the symbol on Swedish shotguns here: https://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=280097&page=1

I've been to Iceland a few times. When I was up there the swastika was still being used as a logo for a national shipping company.

There are old, lengthy, and scholarly books about the history of the swastika. But they are difficult to find outside of large university libraries.

However, there is also a short modern book titled, The Swastika: Symbol Beyond Redemption? (2008) (https://www.amazon.ca/Swastika-Symbol-Beyond-Redemption/dp/1581155077) that gives a brief summary of the history of the symbol.
 
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brybenn said:
No knowledge pertaining to your op but which do you prefer more the 310a or 310as?
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The only Husqvarna shotguns I own are 310AS...great guns. (The photo of the 310A in the OP is an old photo. I no longer have that gun.) I'm not clear on the difference between a 310AS and a 310A. Supposedly better barrel steel in the 310AS? They do have very nice wood. (http://www.shotguns.se/html/ble_-_blne.html)
 
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I think the nazi swastika is almost always "tilted" - 45 degrees - as if "standing" on a point; whereas the various other uses of the symbol are almost always "square" - standing on a flat arm. The symbol might be the same element, but oriented differently?

From Wikipedia, apparently is known to be "right hand" and "left hand" versions - as shown on OP's first picture, I think those are "right hand" - the top bar extends to right - is also known versions where that same top bar extends to the left.

A parallel that I am aware of - on Swede military rifles - the Swede Crown stamp - when vertical, that arm (or part) was made by the Carl Gustaf Armoury - when tilted (same stamp), that part was made by a sub-contractor - often Husqvarna. Same symbol / stamp used - just different meaning conveyed, depending on the orientation of it. I have lost track, but I think sometimes tilted 45 degrees to right, sometimes tilted 45 degrees to left - I do not recall if there is any significance to the direction of the "tilt" of that Swede crown.
 
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Horilka said:
Like Finnish Air forces that abandoned swastika just couple of year ago? Like some of brands in Scandinavia that still use swastikas? Not to mentions all the buildings, decorations in Europe that never removed swastikas, because it wasn't Nazi who put them there in first place.
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I am hugely disappointed in the Finnish Air Force then, which I'm sure will disappoint them greatly, but OTOH they did spend much of WWII fighting the Soviets and not the Nazis. But for the rest, do you have any examples of the Scandinavian brands still using them? It seems the search engines do not.
 
Ashcroft said:
The former owner of my Husqvarna model 300 sidelock researched it extensively in Sweden and asked specifically about the swastika. They said that this symbol was used by Husqvarna to denote their special fluid steel barrels, rather like a trademark. No dates of usage given.
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I heard similar, but that it meant hammer forged.
 
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