doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com 16 Gauge Masquelier imported by Paul Jaeger

I just picked up a nice 16 gauge Masquelier, made in Belgium for import for the Jenkintown, PA shop of Paul Jaeger. I live very close to where the Jaeger shop was and his custom rifles are somewhat common in the area. These side by sides are encountered less frequently. Information on the internet is also sparse. I'd love to learn more about Masquelier's in general and any information about the models made for import for Paul Jaeger in particular.

This one is a cased colored boxlock with 27 inch barrels, double triggers, ejectors, beavertail forend, M/F chokes. All the screws are untouched and timed perfectly. Fits me like a glove. I've seen examples of sidelocks and french grey scalloped boxlocks as well, so it looks like several models were offered.

I'm told it was imported in the 60's and it is in extra fine condition. It came from the estate of a doctor according to the shop I got it from and it looks like one of those guns that was never shot much at all and certainly never hunted rough.

If anyone can add any insite to the Jaeger run of Masquelier's I would greatly appreciate it.

Anyone with information about Masquelier's out there I'd love to hear from you.

I have an old Masquelier catalog, and the late Don Zutz did an article on them for Shotgun Sports magazine, which is included in a collection of his columns called "Grand Old Shotguns". Masquelier made everything from very basic to very fancy guns.
Yours looks like a Model 120. My catalog has a decent photo of the gun and a description, but does not list a price--not that it would necessarily help because the catalog's not dated and we'd likely have to do a currency conversion. Yours appears to be in excellent condition.

Can anyone else read the date code? That's a good photo, but I don't see anything in my date code list that looks much like what I see in the photo.

The symbol is Theta so I'd guess it would be 1953, which used the lower case Greek letter? Anyone know if they switched between upper and lower case on a whim or what on the date code?

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

On the info on Paul Jaeger, I'd contact Mr. Dietrich Apel as he may have already compiled some info on his uncle. But, but be aware that I don't think them to gee-haw at the time and I don't know that situation was rectified. The reason I mention this is that I seem to recall Mr. Apel being quite blunt on the subject. Anyway, Paul Jaeger seems to have additional sourcing lines to Marholdt Peterlongo, which may have been bi-directional, and some Mauser longarm or component sourcing line. He developed some side-mount optical base as well as a single trigger, I believe. He seems to have been very active in importing from the mid 1950s to the mid 1960s.

Marc may have some info on Masquelier( http://www.littlegun.be/arme%20belge/artisans%20identifies%20ma/a%20masquelier%20gb.htm ) or I seem to recall a thread on DGS: http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbt...=true#Post70653 .

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

The controller of proof was Josef Charlier when this gun was proofed in 1953. It is a 16 gauge with 70mm (2 3/4") chambers. The barrels weighed 1.290 kgs or 2.204 lbs. It is nitro proofed.

Masquelier produced some very nice guns. This one is closer to a field grade.

Pete

Thanks for decifering the proof marks. 1953, a little older than everyone thought. But hey, that is great information.

Thanks, but still hoping for a little more anecdotal information regarding Jaeger's import of these. Also I have heard of the rift with the nephew. Apparently Paul Jaeger was not the easiest person to get along with. I have heard stories from many people of him refusing to sell his side mount to customers unless they let him install it and mount a scope that he sold them.

Paul Jaeger was a fine man. Not to be confused with his nephew. I grew up in the burbs. I have only fond memories of my father taking me there to buy a shotshell loader and having Tom and Guy teaching me how to load. I was treated like the best customer as I bought my half pound can of gunpowder.
I went there many times to daydream. They where always patient and showed me anything I wanted to see. Mr Jaeger never walked by without saying Hello. I was always amazed how they would wait on me and make the high rollers wait till I was finished. I have so many great memories of that store and the people that work there. I have and still use one of their gunsmiths for the last 40 years. Those imported shotguns where in the glass cases on the right when you,first entered the store. I have the same gun as you. Your certainly was a closet queen. For me it fits like a glove. The fact it says Paul Jaeger on it makes it one of the best piece's in my collection.

Masquelier, he-himself, was one of a small group of master gunmakers who elevated the standards for Liege to rival Brit gun trade products. However, the "name" shops all went through many iterations. Therefore, as above, you must associate a timeframe with any given gun to have a ghost of a chance of understanding the skill and financial situations available to the shop.