I looked at a Sauer hammer drilling recently of unknown caliber. Marking on the rifle barrel is 108/49 which I hope means the "gauge" of the rifle. What caliber would that be?

Reported to be a "bring back" from the Great War. Has Prussian proof marks and no date code. Shotgun barrels are 16/1. Has a side lever opener. Top lever to left for the rifle barrel. Back action locks. Serial number 844XX which should be about 1900. Sorry, didn't have my camera with me.

Jeff

fullandfuller,

This is from the German Gun web-site:
http://www.germanguns.com/technical.html

hope this helps

tunes


"Rifle Gauge Table

A brief table that is pretty helpful for pre-WWI German rifles shows the use of fractional 'gauge' numbers for barrel diameters. This was largest plug gauge diameter that would fit in the bore. The British proof law of 1868 had set up standard gauge sizes from .300" (172.28 gauge) to .450" (51.05 gauge) in .010" increments in the same sense that a shotgun bore is gauged, by the number of round lead balls of that diameter that make a pound. The Germans adopted this somewhat awkward system as well.

Gauge - inch
51.05 - .450
54.61 - .440
58.50 - .430
62.78 - .420
67.49 - .410
72.68 - .400
78.41 - .390
84.77 - .380
91.83 - .370
99.70 - .360
108.49 - .350 very common on 9,3mms
118.35 - .340 somewhat common on 9,3mms
129.43 - .330
141.95 - .320
156.14 - .310
172.28 - .300 very common on 8mms

These are most frequently seen with a / instead of the decimal point, as in 172/28 or 84/77"

It is most likely a 9.3 round. You will have to do a chamber cast to determine the actual cartridge. There were many 9.3 rounds available.

Pete

9.3x72r was very common in drillings

A chamber cast will yield the answer for sure along with slugging the bore. But I'd vote for the 9.3X72R(0.366") or the 360 BPE. If it has a flip-up rear aperture sight in the stock it would be Model XX(20) and if not a Model XIX(19). This is assuming a dolls head extension and not a Greener crossbolt. Are the locks of the island variety or more like a bar-in-wood?

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Raimey,

No aperture sight, a manual site on rib. Has a dolls head and island back action locks.
In Cartridges of the World found listing of 9.3x72R Sauer. Chamber cast will tell for sure.

Thanks to all for the replies. Will file the rifle gauge table for future reference.

Jeff

ellenbr. The correct dia for the 9.3 x 72 is .364to.366. I think you made a type o my friend. Regards Rich

Good eye Rd Show; one of many. I'll correct it above. I meant to type 0.366". The non-standard, tight chamber, 0.358"+/- is usually associated with the 118/35.

The 9.3X72R Sauer, S&S, is a pretty rare bird, has a slight neck, and I doubt a possibility, but there is always a chance. I don't think it arrived on the scene till circa 1905. But you have the correct family. Buffalo Arms did have a deal on brass some time back.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

German guns are a law unto themselves. That said, most of the 9.3x72R drillings I have measured have a groove diameter of approximately .360. This is great because it means you can generally use 38 pistol bullets. My favorite is the 200 grain Hornady XTP; shoots accurately, is easy on the bore and performs very well on game. Huntingtons has 72R Norma brass. Loaded with H4198 powder and dacron over-powder wadding, they give a very nice smokeless-for-blackpowder result.

Good shooting.

A very nice idea. How much H4198 are using?

Pete

Pete, I use 32 grains, but that is in my drilling and I can't be responsible if problems occur in someone else's.

I would reccommend starting with less than that, and using a chronograph and looking for pressure signs, work-up slow. I found a nice, soft eraser on a lead pencil is just about perfect for stuffing a small bit of dacron down over the powder.

Good shooting.

C.

Sounds good to me. I could live with lower powered loads for a long time. Thanks for the help.

Pete