franz neuber,wr-neustadt hammer double barreled rifle.

[eastbank]

i picked up this rifle and have decided to get it working, it is a engraved hammer double rifle with double set triggers and two leaf folding sight blades with a two shell trap in the butt plate, 27 inch barrels(they have a scope base on them) with what i thing  are .446 bores that are in ex condition,i don,t know what case. i,ll have to have a chamer case made. any one have a guess as to calibure and value. the gun has no serial numbers that i can see ,all metal is finely engraved,except the barrels. thanks eastbank.

[AtlLaw]

That is absolutely beautiful!  If it were mine I'd not rest 'till it was shooting... OFTEN!   

[dougk]

Hey Eastbank

Nice looking drillling.  On the underside of the barrel there are several proof marks.  They are the keys to the age and caliber.

Can you post a picture of the proof marks?

thanks

Doug

[eastbank]

new pictures of franz neuber double barreled rifle proofs. eastbank.

[dougk]

Franz Neuber was a rifle maker in  Wiener-Neustadt, Austria from 1901 to 1939

I sent your pics to a buddy who is a drilling expert.  I hope to hear from him in the next few days.  Also, I will look at the proofs

What exactly are the numbers on the underside of the barrels.

Doug

[eastbank]

  DOUGK,  the only numbers on the barrel are right ahead of the forend hanger a small arrow. 1091.97.10.5,  i think the bore dia. is .454 but i have no idea what the shell case is, i will have a chamber cast made to deturmen that, i had the chamber cast made this morning(THE CASE IS 2.5 INCHES LONG) from the mouth to the front of the rim and has a taper to it and it looks like the 450-400,3 inch case would make a good parent case for the double rifle. if i could some how find a original shell for this gun,i would be in heaven as i would like to shoot this rifle. thanks eastbank.

[dougk]

After discussing the proofs with a friend who specializes in German guns.  Your double rifle:

• Had the barrels made "in the white"condition, in Suhl, Germany. "S in hexagon" tells us, the rough barrels were made at the Schilling forge, but "RS" is unidentified.
  
• Was proofed in Germany post-1893, crown/G and eagle marks. The rifle was then exported to the Austrian empire, where it was proofed again in Weipert, the then Bohemian gunmaking center, "EW" and shield stamps. Weipert is now Vejprty in Czechia, is a small town directly behind the German border, only a small creek parting it from German Bärenstein.  Up to 1945 Weipert had 15,000 95% German citizens and lots of gunmaking now it has 3,500 90% Czechs, most of the factories in ruins.

The Austrian proofhouses always applied a ledger number to the barrels. which were number 1091 proofed in 1897. The bore diameter is given as 10.5mm. The Austrians marked the bore diam. one time , the rifling one another.

The caliber and chambering, are not marked.