Aint that a nifty looking rifle - "German Schuetzen" Rifle on Gunbroker

D

drobs

New member
Not mine, but could be, or could be yours...
http://www.gunbroker.com/item/575186453

"German Schuetzen 1840-1870 Target Set Triggers"

Wondering if the parts and pieces on it are made from silver? Any guestimate on caliber?

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I'm kind of tempted but don't know anything about it. What say the experts here - bid or pass?
 
That's really old, a muzzleloader.

I have a few Schuetzen's including falling blocks.

One is a Remington Hepburn, a Winchester Highwall and the other an Aydt.

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No bullet mold sucks. It's easy enough to find the twist, but then you have to do a lot of experimenting to find what bullet will work best in it. Bet it was some type of conical.

the other rifle seems more appealing to me.
 
Perhaps in the .40 range ??

Any guestimate on caliber?
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My SWAG on this would be in the sub.45 range; Say a .40, as they were mainly for target shooting or PoppinJay. A friend of mine, is currently building one and has been working on it for about six months. He intends on shooting competition with it. Ever time I run into one of these, I have to marvel at the Craftsmanship. Mot are absolutely beautiful. ...... :)

Be Safe !!!
 
No silver in German Silver. Called that because of the colour. German Silver is alloys of copper, zinc, and nickel, sometimes containing lead and tin.
Schuetzen rifles were kind of the Palma rifles of the 19th Century. 12 to 15 pounds while standing on your hind legs and shooting at 200 yards. Chambering varied, but .40 was the max. As in .38-55 or .32-40.
 
I wonder why he thinks it is German, what with no maker's or proof marks.
I wonder why he thinks it is then American history maybe with a Remington barrel.
A confused vendor.

I have no way of knowing origin, but the trigger guard is flat faced for a Swiss style of offhand shooting. If it is Swiss, the caliber is likely .41 like the famous Swiss Federal.

The deep muzzle crown fits the description of the Wild System used on the Swiss Federal:
"Look at your muzzle and you will see a rebate. The rod for this barrel would have had (for want of a better word) a "flange" just in from the true end of the rod (these positions varied) to fit exactly inside this recess. This was called the "Wild" system of loading. The powder was deposited, the bullet, which was wrapped in cloth, and tied around with string, was then pushed into the barrel with a separate short rod. As the bullet was pushed below the muzzle, the string holding the cloth patch slipped off. The flanged ram-rod then pushed the bullet down to the powder, but the flange stopped the bullet from crushing the powder, thus improving accuracy. Variations were also tried as to the position of the bullet against the powder; either just against it, or a millimetre or two away from it, to create a very small air-space. "

That is from a Swiss rifle board. There is more discussion of the many types they worked with in the years between development of the Minie and other cylindro-conical bullets for muzzleloaders and the introduction of breechloaders at:
http://theswissriflesdotcommessageboard.yuku.com/topic/4643/1851-Feldstutzer-breech-puzzle?page=1
 
Schuetzen-Park

In many Midwest communities, there were places where German American families would get together, for a Sunday afternoon and the men would go to the range area and shoot these beauties. In my home-town is was called; Schuetzen-Park. My stepfather shot there, in his youth and have seen a number of old photographs with groups of shooters. Needless to say, the photos were very impressive. Later in years the location of the range was lost to local historians. From growing up in the area, I knew of it's location and pointed it out to them. ....... :)

These folks were pretty much German-American and do not recall any other ethnic groups. .:confused:

be Safe !!!
 
Later in years the location of the range was lost to local historians. From growing up in the area, I knew of it's location and pointed it out to them. ...
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I'd be out there with my metal detector digging up the fired bullets.:D
 
I owned a bolt action German Schuetzen for a long time but sold it about five years ago. Mine did not have the rear peep sight either. I once had a fellow stop many years ago that heard I liked guns. He had an original German Shuetzen percussion rifle that was valued at 60K - gold and silver inlay all over it not to mention engraving - that he had brought to show me. Mind you, this was back in the 1960s. Before he let me handle it, he handed me a set of white cotton gloves to put on. It was probably the most expensive firearm I've ever handled and the most ornate Schuetzen I personally have ever seen. It was a WWII "bring back". In talking with him . . . and I have heard this a number of times since . . . it is not uncommon to find Schumetzens without the rear peep. In Germany (and I think I remember this correctly . . if not . . chalk it up to being old) the rifles were kept at the shooting ranges and the rear aperture sighs - which were often delicate in nature, were taken home - thus the rifle and the sight were separated.

A number of the Schuetzens that made it to this country were brought back by returning GIs

If any of you have a hankering to have a percussion one - Pecatonica River does sell kits to build one . . . and you can "gussy it up" as much as you like!
 
A general search of Schuetzen on GB brings up a percussion Pedersoli Schuetzen. Thinking one might be able to obtain a rear sight from them.
 
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