doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion German & Austrian Sporting Guns @ doublegunshop.com J.P. Sauer Tell shotgun???

I picked up an underlever, 1/2 octaganol - 1/2 round, single barrel gun. It looks identical to a stalking rifle. Very light and slim profile. Cocking indicator, sling swivels, highly figured wood. I have compared it to pictures online and it appears to be a J.P. Sauer "Tell Rifle" - except is is in 16 gauge. I can't find any reference to Sauer making this in shotgun configuration and it is not marked with any visible writing or numbers (except for the letters nitro and german proof mark). I'm a complete novice but every Sauer gun I have come across has been clearly marked. The gun seems to be 1890's in age.

Any educated guesses at what I have found? I will be able to post pictures later. I bought it cause who wouldn't want a 4 pound 16 guage to carry in grouse country?

Sorry for the lack of helpful info, I'm on the road and will take it apart when I get to my house for more clues.

I have reservations that it is a 16 bore but more like a 13mm(Zentralfeuer-Schrotpatrone Kaliber 13mm). Something like a 36 bore???? I think it was checked at 25 steps or yards. It should have "Tellb�chse I" stamped atop it.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Raimey, It is smooth bore and chambers an RST 2-1/2 inch 16 guage shell very well. I did the index card method of measuring the chamber and it comes back 2-9/16's every time. I know that's not very scientific, but it is all I can do for now. When I get back home on Friday I will take it apart and measure accurately with calipers.

The seller was married to a woman that has been on 22 Safaris and she supposedly shot birds in Africa with it in the 1970's.

It looks identical to the gun listed in the following post:

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=334956

They offer other suggestions as to the maker. Maybe I am off base with the whole Sauer thinking. Seller said it was a Sauer Stalking rifle in 16 bore and I didn't know enough to say different.

Possibly a later modification. Nitro will put it post 1912. Was there a 16 in a circle stamp anywhere? The link you gave is for a Sauer Tell variant.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

These Tell-type single shot actions were not only made by Sauer&Sohn, Suhl, but were also a staple of the Suhl/Zella-Mehlis guntrade. In fact, most of the examples I have encountered are of Zella-Mehlis make. A photo of the proofmarks would be helpful in determining the origin, but there is already a hint to the origin: If the word "NITRO" is in block letters, the gun was proofed in Suhl. If "Nitro" is in script, it was proofed by the Zella-Mehlis proofhouse and was certainly not made by S&S.

Nitro is in block letters. That was very helpful information. The ammount of knowledge here is outstanding. I will post pics of the gun and its markings soon.

Here is a shotgun that seems to fit your description. From the 1930 WUM/G.Frank, Hamburg, export catalog.



For comparision purposes: another page lists an Iver-Johnson single break-open toplever hammer shotgun at $ 17.60. All prices in US$, fob Hamburg.

That picture is very close. Schnabel type forearm on mine but evrything else looks exactly the same. I didn't have any delusions that it was a highly valuable piece - but I think it will make a very light/easy carrying grouse gun for early season when a second shot rarely presents itself anyway. Thanks for aLL the replies. I will still post pics later - it has a very impressive piece of wood.