Old german rifle, what can ya tell me about it?

michaelbhamm

a little back story first. this gun was handed down to me from my father who got it from my great uncle. my great uncle got it when he was in germany during ww2. From my understanding after the war he was involved in the de-arming of germany. he brought back alot of guns for his nephews, and brothers, m1, m1 carbine, a couple Mausers so on. one rifle he picked up is by no means a military rifle.

Its a single shot, breach loaded rifle, about 37.5" long and what seems to be a larger caliber. There are a few markings on the barrel, one where it was made, bad kissingen on one side. then a stamp that says st. mg with a crown next to it. im sure these pictures will be more helpful:




so any thoughts? id really like to get some history on it, any one who would know the hole story has died and id really like to learn as much about it as i can.

perry shooter

Hello great looking older piece and well worth getting it checked out and shooting it . This was/is a high grade rifle and at one time belonged to someone with money . The scope base is for what is known as "claw" mounts and were fitted to each gun [:(]sorry you don't know where the mounts are . The action though strange looking was popular during the time frame before WW II . my suggestion would be to get in touch with the German gun collectors . It will not buy you a new car but could be worth a nice sum.

MP

The action is a Heeren, a chamber cast is in order to tell what the caliber is. Can you tell us what every mark on the rifle is? Many times the maker's name on German guns is on the rib. St m G shows that it was proofed for metal jacketed bullets.

http://www.google.com/patents?id=BRtCAAAAEBAJ&dq=239,496

Hawk Carse

The illustrated rifle is on a Heeren action, designed in France by one Christian Heeren and patented in the USA in 1881. Made in Europe by several companies including W. Glaser in Switzerland, Hartmann & Weiss and Martin Hagn in Germany at least into the 1990s. Its appearance and mode of operation are a little odd but it is a first class action and surely on a top quality rifle.

It is probably in some odd European hunting caliber that will require a chamber cast to identify; but if you want to go to the trouble you can get about anything up and shooting these days.

It is so odd and unusual in the US that it would be tough to set a dollar value and if you put it on auction it might sell cheap if nobody interested came along or sell high if it got spotted by some single shot lovers.

michaelbhamm

you guys are good, real good. one of the markings on the barrel was nailed by Hawk Carse, "Hartmann & Weiss"

Given i have relatively little rifle knowledge or experience, this is the most well balanced comfortable rifle ive ever held.

thanks for the advice, im going to call a gun collector on monday and try to get this appraised and insured.

I guess being the only guy in the family pays off every once in a while, don't have to worry about brothers trying to get there hands on it.

Thanks alot guys.

MP

Hartmann & Weiss GmbH
Rahlstedter Bahnhofstr. 47
22143 Hamburg

I don't think they have a website but they are one of the premier gunmakers in the world. At one time they had a office in London as well.

My H&W catalog has a lot of information and pictures of their Heeren action rifles, well worth having .