doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Interesting auto safety

In the tiny southern Minnesota town of Spicer, there are three buildings along State Highway 23, almost side by side, that have signs with the word "Guns" on it. One is a Gift and Gun shop, one is Mel's sporting goods, convenience, and booze, and the third is Laib's Gunsmithing. I had to swing in and check out the first and last on the way out to hunt the end of the Minnesota pheasant season. Gifts and Guns was, unsurprisingly, not interesting. Laib's sign said "Used Guns for Sale". I liked the sound of that. But all he had that was close to interesting on the front racks were 2 LCs and one Parker. But when he found I was interested in more European things, the pulled out a personal gun, not for sale.

He said it was Merkel. I could not find a makers name on it, although it had some Merkel features, but different. The cocking indicators were rotating slotted screws, the Greener crossbolt was square, and the scalloping at the back of the action was different somehow. It was definitely germanic from the deeply carved engraving, but very narrow for a 12, as if it had trigger bar locks. The receiver was almost a round-body.

Anyway, what he really liked about it was a strange feature I had never seen. It was fitted for a sling, but in this case the rear sling mount had a spring-loaded mechanism attached to the loop for the strap. I expected to pull out a full sling, but it stopped after about a centimeter. It turns out that the short movement activated a secondary automatic safety mechanism resets the safety if you should forget to do so before reslinging the gun on your shoulder.

I do not think it is a particularly advantageous feature, but it was the first I had ever seen or heard of. The gunsmith was very enamored of it, and said he had never seen another. Is this common among the often slung continental Euro guns?

I will stop at Laib's again next year. Maybe something else will be worth a look. It was also interesting that he had two younger guys back behind the counters that were doing actual gunsmithing, as was he, when I walked in. Guns were in pieces and being filed and fiddled with. A sign listed a bunch of real gunsmithing services, including stock making. I have not come across too many real gunsmith shops while crisscrossing the country frequently.

I must admit that I know little about it, but I was actually able to chase it down in a few key strokes w/ AI: hate to admit it. But success is dependent the Hansel & Gretel breadcrumbs deposited in the description.






Neat Bavarian Stock...







https://www.invaluable.com/auction-...MPr_mCiVMJw3lY7StrxRAXMjKFLEWKfKt5NQOxZg


>>Description
SERIAL NUMBER 822 BARREL 29" CALIBER 16 GAUGE MAUFACTURED PRE-WW2. Manufactured in Amberg Germany with Crown "U" and Crown "W" proofs on water table. Case colored box lock action with sliding tang safety as unique sling activated safety. Case color frame with cocking indicators and tasteful scroll and vine engraving. Double triggers with manual extractors and horn trigger guard. 14 1/4" LOP 1-3/8" drop at comb 2-3/4" drop at heel 2-3/4" chambers choked full & full. CONDITION , Very good with fine bright bores and smooth proper operating action. Barrels retain most of the blue finish with slight edge wear. Receiver has 80% fading case colors with balance turning silver. The stocks are good with typical period of use bruises and impressions. A of the period repair is evident forward of wrist to strengthen a small wood separation to rear of upper tang. C&R<<


Now to get on to the actual person w/ the novel idea.


Hochachtungsvoll,

Raimey
rse

This unique safety has nothing to do w/ the above, but since it has an American Origin and was used @ least one in Germany, I thought I would add it.

Wilks Safety Firearm.

https://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=663128



Hochachtungsvoll,

Raimey
rse

Both are interesting.

Thanks.

Laib's is a really good shop, Mel's used to have some interesting things too. I think by now Mel is not there anymore, so ? Another shop in the area you might try is Little Crow in Hutchinson if they are still going. Prince Gun shop on US 169 north of Milaca might interest you also.

Chief

Dang, I drove right through Milaca. I did not know anything was there. I will try to remember that next time. Albeit, that maybe next year.

I went looking for more information on Laib's and found they specialize on Rem 3200s, which I thought was sort of interesting, given some of the discussion here recently. I think the old guy that had the interesting german gun went by the name Dave.

Know anybody over by Glenwood? I need to drive there in a couple weeks.

Brent, Laib's has come up recently in another thread. Laib's specialty was repair and upgrading the Remington 3200. When Remington discontinued the gun, he bought all of Remington's spare parts. I sent him my 3200 for inspection and according to Pat, it was sound without need for modification. Gil

I wasn't paying a lot of attention to that thread 3200s hence, I do not have one. I am sure I went right by that. Interesting to know he has an out of state following. The only customer in the shop was a local having some fussy problem with a brand new browning semiauto. Apparently, it would not shoot multiple rounds for him, and yet, it still had the plastic Browning label on the barrel. The guy took it in the back room. We heard three quick shots, and he came out and said nothing wrong here.

There were a few interesting guns in a rack that I think were waiting for work, not for sale. Advantage lever rifle and some other odds and ends.

Here is the one I have that sounds like the same.


I made the leather strap shorter so it didn’t flap around when not in use, but still works. Not the best idea for a safety.

Yep, that's it. I think I need a shotgun with a strap. I don't know why. Turkeys I guess.