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[Hopefully I will be succeed in cleaning up my posting mistake]
Not too long ago I acquired an engraved M1903 Springfield done by H&H Zehner in Frankfurt and would like all the information anyone might provide about its maker and likely history.
The link shows pictures which I am 99% sure is the specific rifle I bought over a year later.
http://www.cowanauctions.com/peek-in...x?ItemId=83987
You can find other examples of rifles from this maker by Googling various combinations of H.&H. Zehner Frankfurt or H.u.H. Zehner.
Two other Zehner rifles on the web have been attributed to American general officers as owners. To the extent this was true, I suspect this rifle was built for an American officer in occupation forces immediately postwar. I guess this because a M1903 was probably then readily available through the PX, I think the buyer was a fairly sophisticated rifleman with reasonably refined tastes, and the work just seems, even in postwar Germany, above the typical enlisted man's pay grade.
I may be able to add some better pictures later if anyone is interested or they are necessary to clarify an opinion.
The price was right when I bought the rifle I think because the Hensoldt scope had problems and the then owner did not have good contacts for repair. The scope I think is prewar, perhaps from as early as 1930. Claw mounts and sights seem the type that would have been in a prewar guild maker's inventory and are nicely engraved.
On examination, the metal work is exceptionally nice with full oak leaf coverage and the game scene stock carvings are skillful, if a bit cookoo clock like. The floorplate includes a game scene. The trigger guard is ornately engraved with what appears to be "ATF" as owners initials. If the wood carving was not present, from checkering, shape, and ebony cap, I would think the stock was prewar American rather than German. So it is possible that Zehner completed metalwork, added scope, and added stock carving to a previous professional Springfield conversion.
"H&H Zehner"
"Gunsmiths"
"Frankfurt"
are engraved in script on the floorplate.
During metalwork, most original markings were polished off including Springfield serial number. Strangely, there are no German proof marks. This perhaps (opinion?) dates the piece to immediately postwar before proof operations were restored.
Mechanics are exceptionally smooth, balance is superb for offhand shooting, and the rifle is MOA capable off the bench.
From web sources and present site management, I have the following tidbits which may or may not be accurate or may or may not include contradictory elements.
"H&H" stands for two brothers "Helmut" and "Hermann" (1 source) or "Hans" (another source). I suspect "Hans" might have been Hermann's nickname.
The firm dates to 1934 (raising I suppose possibility that the rifle is prewar). If this is the case, then the story might be very interesting.
Helmut was a gunsmith in Suhl (possibly working for Sauer) prewar.
Helmut did the gunwork while Hermann ran the business (sporting goods shop?)
Firm relocated to Frankfurt am Main postwar & was closely associated with a shooting club or range. Since there is reference to this postwar relocation, I am pretty sure it pegs the rifle as postwar just because it is labeled to "Frankfurt".
The firm may still be in business, perhaps as a successor firm called "Ziemainz" where Helmut's son "Peter" might still be doing gunwork.
I like to tie a story to a rifle like this one and would appreciate any thoughts. I figured I would gather a few firmer facts and then place a call to Germany.
I have seen this type of rifle dismissed as a "cigarette gun" but the workmanship seems much better than examples I have seen that were so called. But if it is a "cigarette rifle", I think this raises an interesting question of what else might fall into this class.
Perhaps there are some still about that may have stories about this gun maker to American GI's.
Not too long ago I acquired an engraved M1903 Springfield done by H&H Zehner in Frankfurt and would like all the information anyone might provide about its maker and likely history.
The link shows pictures which I am 99% sure is the specific rifle I bought over a year later.
http://www.cowanauctions.com/peek-in...x?ItemId=83987
You can find other examples of rifles from this maker by Googling various combinations of H.&H. Zehner Frankfurt or H.u.H. Zehner.
Two other Zehner rifles on the web have been attributed to American general officers as owners. To the extent this was true, I suspect this rifle was built for an American officer in occupation forces immediately postwar. I guess this because a M1903 was probably then readily available through the PX, I think the buyer was a fairly sophisticated rifleman with reasonably refined tastes, and the work just seems, even in postwar Germany, above the typical enlisted man's pay grade.
I may be able to add some better pictures later if anyone is interested or they are necessary to clarify an opinion.
The price was right when I bought the rifle I think because the Hensoldt scope had problems and the then owner did not have good contacts for repair. The scope I think is prewar, perhaps from as early as 1930. Claw mounts and sights seem the type that would have been in a prewar guild maker's inventory and are nicely engraved.
On examination, the metal work is exceptionally nice with full oak leaf coverage and the game scene stock carvings are skillful, if a bit cookoo clock like. The floorplate includes a game scene. The trigger guard is ornately engraved with what appears to be "ATF" as owners initials. If the wood carving was not present, from checkering, shape, and ebony cap, I would think the stock was prewar American rather than German. So it is possible that Zehner completed metalwork, added scope, and added stock carving to a previous professional Springfield conversion.
"H&H Zehner"
"Gunsmiths"
"Frankfurt"
are engraved in script on the floorplate.
During metalwork, most original markings were polished off including Springfield serial number. Strangely, there are no German proof marks. This perhaps (opinion?) dates the piece to immediately postwar before proof operations were restored.
Mechanics are exceptionally smooth, balance is superb for offhand shooting, and the rifle is MOA capable off the bench.
From web sources and present site management, I have the following tidbits which may or may not be accurate or may or may not include contradictory elements.
"H&H" stands for two brothers "Helmut" and "Hermann" (1 source) or "Hans" (another source). I suspect "Hans" might have been Hermann's nickname.
The firm dates to 1934 (raising I suppose possibility that the rifle is prewar). If this is the case, then the story might be very interesting.
Helmut was a gunsmith in Suhl (possibly working for Sauer) prewar.
Helmut did the gunwork while Hermann ran the business (sporting goods shop?)
Firm relocated to Frankfurt am Main postwar & was closely associated with a shooting club or range. Since there is reference to this postwar relocation, I am pretty sure it pegs the rifle as postwar just because it is labeled to "Frankfurt".
The firm may still be in business, perhaps as a successor firm called "Ziemainz" where Helmut's son "Peter" might still be doing gunwork.
I like to tie a story to a rifle like this one and would appreciate any thoughts. I figured I would gather a few firmer facts and then place a call to Germany.
I have seen this type of rifle dismissed as a "cigarette gun" but the workmanship seems much better than examples I have seen that were so called. But if it is a "cigarette rifle", I think this raises an interesting question of what else might fall into this class.
Perhaps there are some still about that may have stories about this gun maker to American GI's.
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