JP Sauer & Sohn, Suhl 16 gauge

N

Nighthawk439

Inactive
I have recently perchased a JP Sauer and Sohn, Suhl, 16 gauge SxS shotgun. I am just looking for any information on when it was made and if I can still shoot it. I'll add photo's later but here is some information on it.
-S/N 103476
-Crown U stamp
-Crown S stamp
-288U
Not much else, some writing that I have found to mean "River Steal" and "Not for Slugs".

Like I said just looking for some information.

Thanks,
Brian
 
Top of my head, pre-1939 from the crown stamps, the 288 might be Aug 1928, probably chambered in 12/65.
 
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Ok, the Floss Stahl is literally river steel, taken to mean fluid steel though, ie not damascus. So, pending a gunsmith's check-out it should be ok to shoot. Now, the major consideration is chambering, it is 16ga, but pretty much guaranteed to be 2.5" chambering. In addition, the forcing cones were designed with roll crimp fiber wad shells in mind. So, a modern 2 3/4 16 ga may fit, but it is loaded to a higher pressure spec to begin with, the pressure will increase as the star crimp extends itself into the forcing cone and bad things may happen.

It is possible to have chambers lengthened if the gun has suitable metal. It is also possible that they already lengthened, only the gunsmith will know. Do not fire modern ammo unless you know. Easiest route is Gamebore cartridges produces 16ga 2.5 in shells, I picked some up at Cabelas for my pre-war drilling and my Win 1897 16ga. When I was a noob I fired a box of modern 16ga through the 1897 not knowing any better, the gun and me are still ok, but I'll try to keep it that way and not repeat the experiment.
 
"Fluss Stahl" actually means "flowing steel", meaning that this gun was made with steel smelted using the Bessemer process, more uniform and stronger than wrought steel. "You've already got "Nicht fur Kugeln" ("not for slugs"), so that means this gun should be choked, probably tight like a typical hunting gun. The pictures might be able to add some more info.
 
Somewhere on the barrel flats or water table will be the chamber length in MM - 65 is 2-1/2", 70 is 2-3/4

Remember hull length is the FIRED length, so unfired longer ammo will fit when dropped in shorter chambers, but it is not wise to shoot them. As previously mentioned, the pressures get raised to bad ju-ju levels for items like fingers and eyes
 
I'm gonna guess well pre-39 my brother also has one and his serial number is 264xxx but also stamped 5/27 so I know mine was made before 1927. I also measure the chambers and they are 2 1/2 inch. I have measured the chokes and found then to be improved cylinder.
Thanks for all the info.

Brian
 
Please keep replying with more information. I want to know as much as I can about this gun. Thanks again for the info so far.

Brian
 
FWIW, the crown/U is the definitive proof mark, the crown/S the proof for smoothbore barrels.

Jim
 
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