doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Simson s x s 16ga

I am buying a Simson 16 ga, 26in barrel, chokes both open, stock refinished, most case coloring gone on outside (can see it on the water table) seems to be in excellent condition. I will post serial numbers when I pick up gun on Tue. or Wed. Would like to know when this gun was built, apparently built on same line as Merkel. Never even heard of Simons but the guy in gun store I am buying it from told me of the connection to Merkel and I have now seen some info on internet. Anxious to get the gun and shoot it.

The gun should have a 3- or a 4-digit number, either on the barrel flats or on the watertable. This is the month and year of production. As an example, I have a Simson Cape gun marked 1131 which indicates that it was made in November 1931.Sometimes you will see the markings as 11 31 or 11/31 as well.

Hello Murphy,

Here is an example of an August 1959 vintage one:





Extremely well made and, as far as I have been able to see of DDR vintages, the same as a Merkel of the same era.

JC

I picked up the gun today, serial number 143842 in 16 ga barrel flats has N Nitro with Crown over N also Crown over U and crown over W, 16/70 and number 851 which I assume is Aug. 51. I can email pictures if someone wants to post them. My choke ga. says cyl on both barrels. Top of barrel says Simson & Co. Suhl Germany.

Murph, I can post pictures for you. My dedicated email is in my profile.

Best,

JC

There should be a number--3 or 4 digits--on the barrel flat. If it is 851, That would be August of '51. Barrels may have been cut if there is no choke but not necessarily, and who cares if it is the choke and barrel length you want? Chambers are 2 3/4" so it is a fairly modern gun, proofed for smokeless powder. These are good, solid, if fairly plain, guns.

Murph, here are the pictures you sent:








And here is mine's receiver for your reference:


JC

P.S.: standard barrels are 70cm btw. jc

JayCee Thanks for posting the pic's Murphy

Murphy, you are welcome.

JC

Interesting stamp(s) on the bottom of the rear lug. I'll have to stare at it a bit to possibly see it clearly. The example fits in the difficult post WWII period when components were drying up at the same time(1950-1951??) tube steel, and I'm sure other steel types, were beginning to be sourced from IZH: http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=172670&page=2 .
I'm not sure at a best guess of approximately what serial number for Simsom/Thälmann(Ernst Thälmann VEB-Nationalization(1958/1959)/etc. when one starts to see the Russian Spezial Gewehrlaufstahl or weapons tube steel. Any interesting stamps between the flats and the forend lug?

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse