doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Suhl shotguns

I am looking for a cheap shotgun for informal club clays, i normally use my side by sides, but getting 2 1/2" shells can be a pain at times as well as being more expensive.

I was looking at the gun in the link below, it is simply tagged "Suhl", which is a bit like calling it "Birmingham" or "New Haven", pointless.

Can anyone tell me what it is ? Simson ? Merkel ?

https://mcbrides.ie/collections/shotguns/products/suhl-30inch

??
Proof marks would really help

Mike

I emailed and then rang the dealer, no information really known, but they know enough to call it a suhl. I was told to ring back when someone would be there with more knowledge.

Yeah, images. Looks to be a post WWII Blitz action w/ odd single trigger.

Cheers,

Raimey
rse

Agree on the odd single trigger. Shotgun designs from Suhl, especially since WWII, tend to look quite a bit alike--whether they're Simson or Sauer or Merkel. Or none of the above. That gun looks very much like either a Merkel or Simson over and under.

Ok, so assuming its a simson or merkel, what are they like quality and reliability wise ?

I'd say it is a post WWII Merkel 200E?

Cheers,

Raimey
rse

Could that be a barrel selector above the trigger?

Given the knot in the wood and the limited engraving, it's more than likely a GDR produced gun. Anyone else think so? Especially, if it's merely marked "Suhl" -kind of like a Fortuna or Thalmann. The frame is a much fancier design than the later 80s models, so this is probably an earlier produced gun. 50's? I'm just speculating...

Have you considered reloading? Are you hampered by Irish law regarding components?

fallschirmjaeger,
I agree
Mike

Thanks for the replies. Reloading ? Its not illegal, but you cannot do it.....

The german guns, even the communist made ones seem good quality, this gun seems interesting so i might ring back tomorrow and see if i can find out more about it.

As a Merkel owner for over 20 yrs, I can say money has been road hard and yet is strong as ever.

Looks more like a Merkel than like my Simson.

Odd that there is so little info to go with the picture.

Looks more like a Merkel than like my Simson.

Odd that there is so little info to go with the picture.

CRS,

If it is indeed a GDR gun, "Merkel" or "Simson" labels aren't all that important and didn't seem to matter much. I've seen "Sauers" made on Merkel type SxS frames. Seems the Ernst Thalmann Werke wasn't too concerned with model-label accuracy.

Bonny, when you contact the seller ask if there is a Q1, S, 1 or 2 stamp on the lug. That will tell you for certain if it's an East German gun.

Ask for an image of the marks. There's an old wives tale that Suhl rolled out some sub-par offerings post WWII & the tale may be predicated on Otto Reif's efforts & the lack of quality material up till say 1952, but I'd say from 1956 forward it should be a workhorse.

My major concern is that odd trigger / selector & if it functions or not?

Cheers,

Raimey
rse

They get very good marks for quality and reliability. Their popularity with over and under fans is somewhat limited by the fact that the trend these days is for OU's with shallow receivers. That German design is the opposite, with a relatively deep receiver.