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B�chsemann,

found this on ebay:

Bernhard Merkel Katalog

May be interesting for you�!?

FGunwolf

B�chsemann,

have a look at this wonderful

Bernhard MERKEL Seitenschlossflinte Kal. 20/70 und WL 16/70 Vorkrieg im Koffer RARIT�T

on this site:

Bernhard Merkel Seitenschlossflinte

You can see similar details on the original stock on this gun of 1925

Best,
Gunwolf

Gunwolf,

Thank you for the heads-up on the Bernhard Merkel catalog but I already have one. I will be interested in seeing what it sells for though.

Regards,

Mark

Mark,

no, I was referring to the shotgun in the link that Gunwolf had provided as a further example for a "Krawatte".

To your earlier question regarding the cheekpiece of your Bemesu Drilling: no specific name comes to my mind. But I remember having seen similar cheekpieces with that somewhat "squarish" shape and the front end aiming forward into the wrist on German and Bohemian rifles from percussion and early centerfire times, say 1850 to 1870.
So it appears not out of place, but somewhat out of time.

Regards
fuhrmann

Fuhrmann,

A couple of others have said that the cheek-piece design was reminiscent of 19th century arms they had seen as well. I think we can agree that whoever ordered this gun was not your "Average Joe", as we say in the USA. He apparently was well to do and certainly didn't have a problem spending his money on engraving though gravur schiesst nicht (I like that one). This gun is also a little more "custom" than what we typically see, at least it�s not the norm for a Suhl gun, telling us that he was particular about what he wanted in a stock design, not just measurement. We will likely never know if his choice in grip specifications was out of fancy or need but it certainly has prompted some interesting discussion. The LOP is long for me but the gun balances nicely. If the weather holds as it is being forecasted today I hope to get out to my range this coming Sunday (afternoon) and finally see how it shoots. I'm crossing my fingers that right off the two rifle barrels group on a horizontal plain. If they do I'll see what if anything has to be done by way of custom loading to bring the two groups barrel distance apart. I won�t know for sure until I shoot it but it�s hard for me to imagine Bernhard Merkel letting anything he made leave his shop that wasn�t a good shooter besides being well made.

Regards,

Mark

B�chsemann,

some examples for showing - in former times as well as today nearly all is possible!

http://www.gewehrschaftherstellung.de/prod.htm
note thr last picture


http://www.waffen-schweigert.de/Lieferprogramm/UniversalS/universals.html
rather similar to yours

http://www.retzandson.com/de/werkstattleistungen
above right


http://www.retzandson.com/de/jagdgewehre/kombinierte-jagdgewehre/doppelbuechs-drilling
your pistol grip�

Best,
Gunwolf

This type of cheekpiece with the bottom edge running up to the comb nose goes by several names. I have heard it called "Altdeutsche Backe" = old German cheekpiece, but R.Mahrholdt in his Waffenlexikon called it "verlaufende deutsche Backe" = running out German cheekpiece as opposed to the common "runde deutsche Backe" = round German cheekpiece, the style even seen on many British rifles. Here is the one on my pre-1912 Haenel M1900:


A "Kaisergriff" ("Kaiser grip" is merely a try to translate it to English) need not be that exaggerated, hooked forward style. At least, the Kaiser did not have a gun with a hooked-forward pistol grip, but owned several with a close, upright pistol grip such as the one on this Bemesu dr drilling. As he had to shoot one-handed this allowed him to have better control of his rifle, but he used guns with normal grips too. See the GGCA's "Der Waffenschmied" #17. BTW, a capless, rounded, hooked forward pistol grip as seen on many 1970s Ferlach guns is named a "Pfeifenkopfgriff" = pipe bowl grip.

Kuduae,

Thank you for giving us the proper terms for the various cheek-pieces and grips. Thinking of all that has been said in this thread I hope others are enjoying the education as much as I am. As the horse is still kicking I have one last question (for this thread anyway) regarding cheek-pieces. While the cheek-piece with the bottom edge running up to the comb nose is referred to as an "Altdeutsche Backe" = old German cheek-piece or "Verlaufende Deutsche Backe" = running out German cheek-piece �



are there terms to differentiate the rounded back variety from the square back variety � (?)



I know, if I was a cat I should be dead � the curiosity thing

Mark

That square back variety like on this Bernhard Merkel drilling has no special name. IMHO it is a apecial "design" by the individual stockmaker, who thought it more "up to date" then. Remember, all those stocks were handmade, carved from a wood blank with a drawknife. A "Bayrische Backe" = Bavarian cheekpiece is that almost rectangular type, with both square back and front, often with a distinct flare out at the front bottom corner. The stocks by Schweigert and L�we (top) are "Bavarian", as both have a near corner at the lower edge before running up to the comb nose.

Here is an example of a thick "Bavarian" cheekpiece on a 1912 proofed Zella-Mehlis made falling block rifle. Note, it is deeper and thicker at the front than at the rear.