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JP Sauer & Sohn, Suhl Drilling

9K views 13 replies 7 participants last post by  KarlJ 
#1 ·
Hi
I have a Sauer drilling s/n 1S7410 that is begging to be shot. I know nothing about it other than it has been in my family since the war. Gun is tight. I plan on having a gunsmith check over before firing.
I am trying to figure out the model,age,rifle bore and if I can use modern ammo in it. From what I have read all the answers can be found on the watertable.I have no clue what any of that info means. If I need other pics let me know.Any insight will be greatly appreciated.


 
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#2 ·
is it a rifled barrel underneath the 2 shotguns barrel? i think from the proofs they are 16 gauge but im not 100% sure

does it say 8.9mm? whatever it says before mm, on the underside, those numbers crossover to the bullet size. i have the crossover chart somewhere ill try to find it for ya. does it have a pop up sight?

any more pics, it looks like a beautiful gun. i also have a drilling as well and i am also trying to find out more info and its pretty tough to find alot of info on the guns
 
#4 ·
Hi ushoot,

rifle caliber most probably is 9.3 x 72R. The "8.9" is confusing, I know. At that time, the "official" caliber by the Proof Law was the caliber measured land-to-land, no groove-to-groove. Conesequently, the "real" caliber will (probably) be 9.3x72R.

The gun looks to be safe to shoot - but I can't make a final statement without having had the gun examined, of course. It was proofed with Smokeless powder ("Nitro"). Note: chamber length of the 16 ga. shotgun barrels is 65 mm = 2 9/16". Gun was made around 1912.

Regards

Martin
 
#5 ·
Thanks Martin
I had a smith check it out last night. He said gun was good to go . Although he did not feel that I should shoot it, I should let him borrow it so that he could. I ordered some 2 1/2 shells and will try to find some 9.3/72r.
Thanks again.
 
#6 ·
ushoot2 said:
Thanks Martin
I had a smith check it out last night. He said gun was good to go . Although he did not feel that I should shoot it, I should let him borrow it so that he could. I ordered some 2 1/2 shells and will try to find some 9.3/72r.
Thanks again.
Hi ushoot2,

you're welcome! I don't know, if there is still a factory load of the 9.3x72R available on the market. If not, there are available all components for reloading (bullets, powder, dies, and so on). The 9.3x72R is a smooth calibere (if not to say: week) with a very low gas pressure (if reloaded correctly). Here in Germany, this calibre is only allowed for roebuchs. This game doesn't exist in the US, I guess. The roebuck is a small buck weighting 40 pounds max.

Your drilling is ideal to shoot the 9.3x72R. A nice caliber, btw.

Regards

Martin
 
#7 ·
It's a nice gun. I STRONGLY advise that you do not shoot the rifle just yet.

Please have a gun smith pour CerroSafe alloy in the barrel to make a chamber cast first. There are many, many drilling wildcat calibers out there that may actually be what this gun shoots. Further, many times individuals had the chambers reamed out to shoot American cartridges without stamping the gun as such.

Until you know with 100% certainty that the rifle is a 9.3x72R, I wouldn't shoot it. (but by all means, go shoot the 16 gauge 2-9/16" shotgun barrels with a proper vintage shell!)
 
#8 ·
I'm not sure if you wanted a value estimate or not. If only for insurance purposes, the gun is worth a minimum of $700 judging from the photos. If the bores are pristine, if the stock and forend are in good order, if it proves to be 9.3x72r and if the 16 gauge chambers are original length and if there is no pitting to the barrels and if you can gently remove that rust on the receiver with 0000 steel wool and oil, and if there are no barrel dents/bulges, this gun could be worth up to $2800.

My rough guess is that the actual value is closer to the $2000 number than the $700 number but it all depends on condition that the pictures do not reveal.

It's a great gun and you surely should get it cleaned up (gently mind you) and enjoy shooting it.
 
#9 ·
Thanks Martin and Rookhawk.
I am going to have a chamber cast made so that I dont hurt myself or the gun.
RST are on the way.
The guns condition probably puts it in the middle of the $700 and $2800 figures. Letting my father shoot it will be priceless. The gun has been admired on a gun rack for a lot of years, so hopefully we will get to shoot it. If you had to hunt for the food this would be a fine weapon to do it with. In my opinion it is an engineering marvel as to how well it balances and points.
 
#10 ·
9.3 x72R is still commercially loaded by Hornady. Pick up a cabelas and look at their african game series. It is also loaded by Sellier and Belloit. So, if it ends up being chambered so, ammunition can be found; just not at wally world.

I have a friend who is a 9.3mm enthusiast, he likes John Barsness (the 9.3 man). As they said the 9.3 itself is having some resurgence as a low pressure, low recoil medium bore.
 
#14 ·
I think the resurgence in the 9.3 calibers here in the US is centered on the 9.3x74R and the 9.3x62. Both of these calibers build substantially more pressure than the old "Forester's caliber", the 9.3x72R. Many drillings in this caliber were brought home by the GIs after the war and into the 1960s and I have to believe that the fascination of owning a drilling prevented a closer look at the capabilities and practicalities of this cartridge. I have come across a number of older guns that have been bored out to accept the 9.3x74R, but this should only be done by a knowledgeable smith and then reproofed for the increased pressure.

Many of these older guns were shot out and were then modified by installing a "Futterlauf" or barreled insert, that was permanently soldered into the bored out rifle barrel. Popular calibers were 22 Hornet, 222, and 5.6x52R (22 Savage Hi Power). Except for adding a bit of weight, these modified guns can be a lot of fun especially as a small game drilling with varmint
capabilities.
 
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