Hi. I've inherited this JP Sauer & Sohn BBF 54 in 16ga / 7x65R. I can find very little info on these things. Someone from another site recommended this forum as a resource.

Can anyone tell me what era / decade this is from and an approximate value? It seems these things can be anywhere from $1000 - $10,000. Not sure if I want to sell it yet as it's a pretty cool piece, but it would be good to know for insurance purposes. Any help is greatly appreciated.

It's in a Winchester branded case. Not sure if the off-brand case, sling, scope, ammo pouch and other accessories provide any extra value or not. Thanks in advance.

More Photos.....

And a few more....

Boris,
This gun is not a drilling, a drilling has 3 barrels. It is a BBF (Bockbuscheflinte?)(over/under rifle shotgun) instead. It is a post WW2 gun, but I think fairly recent. They are usually dated(month/year), but I couldn't find it in any photo you provided. The shotgun is in my favorite gauge, although others mistakenly prefer 12 ga. instead. The rifle is chambered for a very good, world famous, cartridge also. The scope and mounts combination is also very reliable. This is a very fine outfit, and in my unsolicited opinion you should not sell it, you should use it.
Mike

Hello BorisBadenov
Welcome on your first posting to the site

Look here

http://www.shotguns.se/html/west_germany.html

and here

https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/category/categoryId/3756

You any where near Amarillo, Texas? We can go exercise it

Again, Welcome
Mike

Looks to be a J.P. Sauer & Sohn Bockbüchsflinte Modell 54 kaliber 16/70 - und 7X65R:

http://www.egun.de/market/item.php?id=6809647

http://www.egun.de/market/item.php?id=6605445

The datecode is on the left flat/left side of the tubeset. Most interesting that it wears the Krupp 3 Ringe Stahl.

Cheers,

Raimey
rse

Hi all. Thanks for the replies and info. I am in NYC so I do not have this in my possession as it's back down south with family and the rest of my collection. I was given all these pics of it and they kept saying it was a "drilling." I called down to make sure it was a 2-barrel and not a 3-barrel and yes, it is only 2. And now upon closer inspection of photos, I see only 2 firing pins in O/U configuration. I should have caught that.

Thank you for clarifying that "BBF 54" is the model of it. I've edited my original post to reflect this so no one else searches for info on a drilling and finds this non-drilling. And this also explains why I can't find any other drilling like this! Ha!



There is no date-code on the flat. In pic #3 of my second post, where you can see it shows 7x65R with the Krupp on the round surface - the flat there says "16/70" and then an Eagle over N (Final Nitro proof). There is no writing on the other side's flat.

However, in looking at the stamps on the other side of the round portion of the barrel (in pic #4 of my second post), it is has an Eagle over N (Final Nitro proof), the Kiel Proof House "splat," and what looks like "JB" under that - which could be 1981 date of manufacture. But it's really fuzzy even on the zoomed in high-res original photo and it could be an "08." However, on photo #5 in my second post, there is a distinct "JF" over "7" on the barrel - could that be the month/year (July 1985)?

Boris,
With nothing to go on, except a "gut feeling", I suspect your 1981 guess is close. The marking "Made in Western Germany", shows it was made before the reunification.
What part of the south is your family in? Raimey and I both live in Alabama.
Mike

It is a Kiel proof facility stamp & what looks to be JB. Wasn't there some tid-bit of info you had on the Kiel proof facility there Ford?

Cheers,

Raimey
rse

Wasn't the reunification in 1990 after the fall of the wall in 1989? So 1985 and "Made in Western Germany" would still be accurate.

And my family is split between NC and VA.

https://www.realgunreviews.com/sig-sauer-proof-marks-date-codes/

Boris,
Look at the listing under skeettx above first link. A footnote says that "J" was not used in dating them, only A through K.
Mike
Skeettx's other link shows something different for "Sig Sauer". Confusion.
Mike

I've seen other lists about German arms, as well as Sig, Walther, and etc where both I and J were 8. ....so yeah, this is very confusing.

Also in the links above, the Eagle-N stamp is supposedly last used in 1971. Which also conflicts with a "J" or 1980's date. Plus, the same site says this Kiel proof mark started in 1968. So maybe this was made between 1968 and 1971??

I wouldn't hold w/ the verbiage on the website, but rather consider what was used in practice & there are two images of Sigs w/ the letter J used in conjunction with the Nesselblatt of the Kiel proof facility.

Or maybe just ask these fellas:

http://www.beschussamt.de/

Eichdirektion Nord
- Beschuss -
Düppelstraße 63
24105 Kiel
Tel.: 0431 988-4451/4455
Fax: 0431 988-4459
E-Mail: eichdirektion@ed-nord.de

Beschussstelle
Sauerstraße 2
24340 Eckernförde
Tel.: 04351 471108
Fax: 04351 471160
E-Mail: beschussstelle@sig-sauer.de

Interesting list here:

http://www.cip-bobp.org/node/1645

Cheers,

Raimey
rse

Thanks Raimey
Mike

This is a fantastic hunting weapon you have, the 7 x 65R is almost identical to the 280 Remington which means similar to 30-06 only slightly narrower bullet, 7 mm, you can easily order these cartridges on the Internet, unfortunately the values have dropped due The dumping of many of these fine German combination guns to the US due to the restrictive gun control and rapid destruction of weapons in Germany as we speak
You have inherited a true treasure and preferably you should hunt with it and pass it on to the next generation, in my opinion Whoever you inherited it from loved it and probably purchased it in Germany while in the armed forces as did I in 1982, so I have a Sauer drilling 16 gauge, 7 x 57R with a 22 Magnum rifle
insert and a scope it is my favorite gun!
You could probably sell it on gun broker for about $2500

This is a fantastic hunting weapon you have, the 7 x 65R is almost identical to the 280 Remington which means similar to 30-06 only slightly narrower bullet, 7 mm, you can easily order these cartridges on the Internet, unfortunately the values have dropped due The dumping of many of these fine German combination guns to the US due to the restrictive gun control and rapid destruction of weapons in Germany as we speak
You have inherited a true treasure and preferably you should hunt with it and pass it on to the next generation, in my opinion Whoever you inherited it from loved it and probably purchased it in Germany while in the armed forces as did I in 1982, so I have a Sauer drilling 16 gauge, 7 x 57R with a 22 Magnum rifle
insert and a scope it is my favorite gun!

Thanks! It is a beautiful firearm nd I look forward to using it. Thanks for the info.

I don’t have anything to add about the gun, but I did want to congratulate you on your choice of moniker for the site. Simply inspired.

Haha! Thanks.

I paid $1800 for a similar gun in 16/.30/06 a couple years ago. I'd say your gun is worth around $2K. I think I saw some rust forming around the front scope socket. A good cleaning and oiling might be in order.