doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion German & Austrian Sporting Guns @ doublegunshop.com Ident. German Drilling C. Adam in Coln 2x16ga, 9.3

A couple comments: the condition of the metal and screws says this gun has been cared for, or at least not messed with by Bubba. Only the screw on the cover plate for the flip-up buckhorn sight appears to have any degree of buggering. A lot of these guns wind up getting attention from Bubba's Badly-fitting screwdrivers and suffering for it.

The heavy overcoat of poly is a detraction, but OTOH it also has likely protected the wood against whatever may have come along and it can be removed if you feel like going the restore/refinish route.

The silver "engraving" on the rib is actually an inlay. Sometimes it's in silver, sometimes in other metal. It's almost certainly the name of the retailer. "Coln" is an alternative form - no longer really in use - for the name of the city we call Cologne.

The paradigm in those days was that retailers would contract with makers, usually in Suhl or Zella-Mehlis, sometimes Ferlach, for them to make a certain number of a certain model of gun. The work would be broken out among specialists in those towns who would make the barrels, the stocks, etc. When complete the gun would be delivered to the retailer with those workers' marks stamped on the insides - for liability purposes - but with the retailer's name usually on the rib. Any combination of options - the fishtail lever, the flip-up peep sight, wood quality, stock dimensions, the type, complexity and coverage of engraving and checkering, traps in the buttstock for rifle ammo, etc., could be specified. Anything for the right price.

The extension, which you appear to have [had] removed was likely not original. Keep in mind that 100 years or so ago people were smaller, the product of lower nutrition levels in those days. A man 6 feet tall stood out in a crowd. So, stock dimensions would reflect that. If you want to have it extended, you could go with either wood or maybe buffalo horn [one of the members on this site occasionally has some for sale] between the metal butt plate and the existing stock instead of what looked like a late-60s vintage white-line and rubber extension. Won't be cheap, but it will be nice.

I think the keyed fore-end says 1880s, but that's just my opinion.

Value? Hard to say. You could not get the engraving duplicated today for less than a couple times what the retail value of this gun, used, would be. And the metal work shows a lot of high-skill, high-quality hand work. I think Sharps' estimate is probably good, but the market for these is slim and you might wait a long time to sell, even at a fair price.

I still can't pull up the photos,so I'm still in the dark.Over time I have seen that Dave and Sharps give good advice.As Sharps opined, a chambercast is going to be required to ID the caliber, even then it may be unclear. Sluging the barrel to find the dia at the muzzle may also be helpful. Coln A/Rh means Coln(Cologne)Am(on the)Rhine(river).
Mike

un regalo para ti, Ford












Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Thanks a lot Raimey.

This looks like a nice old drilling that hasn't been messed with. We still need a chamber cast and barrel slug to ID the caliber.
Mike

Very nice indeed. My favorite closing contraption for a vintage drilling (besides Sauer's side lever).

With kind regards,
Jani

Same here monte, I really like the Jones underlever or "double screw grip" as the British called it.

I searched but could not find one iota of info on a Country Gunsmith named C. Adams of C�ln. You are positive of the spelling?


Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Thanks Everyone for your help. Ellenbr, I am positive it says C. Adam Coln A/Rh. I am assuming C. Adam is a retailer like others have pointed out and he lived near the Rhine River in Cologne Germany (Thanks Der Ami). I couldn't find any information either on this person other than what is spelled on top of the barrels in the rib (Silver Inlaid).
I did some more measuring with my calipers and am almost positive it is a 9.3 x 62R (all dimensions fit, using my reloading calibers manual). The muzzle of the barrel actually measures .365" or 9.3mm. I am not sure what the "9" and the "X 47" marked on the bottom of the barrels means then though?? (does anyone?)
I haven't found much information on Mr. Luck that made the gun??
Thanks Everyone!

"...other than what is spelled on top of the barrels in the rib (Silver Inlaid)."


Is it possible, to see a picture of this?

Cheers,
Gunwolf

Chase Gebr�der Luck Suhl or Simson & Luck Suhl. Silver or platinum inlay?

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse