New drilling

[Diz]

I've been away from the forum for a bit but this certainly has been an interesting thread. Very nice drilling and nice work with the scope mounting system. It looks good on it. The swaging press looks like it should work just fine too. Being a reloader I am always interested in how other people do things. I was a little surprised that you couldn't reduce those bullets .002" in your reloading press but the hydraulic will always work. For long bullets, I make a die with a lead that will completely hold the bullet at a very close fit and tapers into the sizing portion that is only about a 1/4" long. That should keep them from bending and reduce the pressure needed to push them through. I use pure lanolin for lube. Best of luck with it.

Diz

[Hook]

Very nice drilling, Ron. Bring it to Alabama in January or early February. Mike Ford lives about 20 miles from the hunting lease and we can take it over to let him drool on it.

[Ron Vella]

How the heck are you Pres? I had no idea that you lurked here! I'll do that very thing, just let me know when.

[Axel E]

The semblance of your drilling to a Sauer & Sohn is superficial only, based on the common pre-war Suhl styling. The S&S models 30 and 32 were simple Blitzschloss = triggerplate lock ones, while your's is a much more complicated true boxlock. Sauer & Sohn did not make true Anson = boxlock drillings, only Blitzlock and sidelock ones. An Ansondrilling like your's is much more complicated to make and fit, even more so than a sidelock one. One problem: the action bar has to house three locks, without appearing overly bulky or asymmetrical. If you look close, you may note the barrel underlugs and their recesses in the action bar are not centered, but set over slightly to the left of the gun. this provides space for two locks to the right and one to the left, but makes fitting a real pita.
As the drilling has no proof date, it is pre-1923. Kerner's top mounted sears show it was most likely made by (Ernst) Kerner & (Karl) Funk, from 1923 on Kerner & Co. Ernst Kerner, 1867 – 1939, invented the improved boxlocks with the sears hanging from the topstrap and engaging detents on the outer edge of the hammers, as far away from the fulcrum as possible. As there is much less pressure on the sear-hammer engagement , Kerner's sears make safer and more wear resistant locks than Anson & Deeley's original arrangement with the sears under the hammers, engaging them close to the fulcrum. In the 1930s Kerner's top-mounted sears became the Suhl industry standard for boxlocks and are to this day.

[mike ford]

Ron,
You and Pres are welcome to come, whenever you want to.
Axel,
Thanks for the explanation , I didn't realize Ernst Kerner had done that, his son was a friend when I was "hanging out" in Muennerstadt.
Mike

[Ron Vella]

Axel, you are an absolute fountain of invaluable information!!! Thank you so much. You are correct about the underlugs being slightly asymetrical. Also, all of the internals, sears, springs, and hammers, show a very high degree of workmanship, fit and finish. They all were polished until they shine like jewels.r

[Ron Vella]

Today I finally finished this project. Attached are two photos. I've finished lining the case, made and installed a case label, a load data sheet, and a label showing Axel's evaluation of the makers and the action. I've also, as you can see, made a sling for this drilling. I think that the chamois and the roebuck images are appropriate to the rifle barrel's calibre!

[Hook]

You certainly haven't lost your touch, Ron!

[algmule]

Hello

Ron,
For what it is worth:
“In das Handelsregister Abt. A ist heute unter Nr 267 die Firma Kerner & Funk eingetragen. Persönlich haftende Gesellschafter: Fabrikant Ernst Kerner und Fabrikant Karl Funk, beide in Suhl. Der Geschäftsbetrieb betrifft die Anfertigung und den Vertrieb von Waffen. Offene Handelsgesellschaft. Die Gesellschaft hat am 1. April 1919 begonnen. Das Amtsgericht Suhl, 16. April 1919.”

I don’t know if the pair had some other business together before Firma Kerner & Funk but I don’t believe they had. This would narrow the time frame as to when your Drilling was manufactured to between April 1 1919 up until late August early September 1923. The only date code on a German proofed (Suhl) gun involving 23 for 1923 that I’ve seen is 923. Others may have seen earlier months than September for the year 1923, and, if so, may be able to narrow the time frame further.

Also, I have a Waffenfabrikant Ernst Gottgetreu Kerner involved in a “Firma Ernst G. Kerner, Suhl” in 1918 and that business is “erloschen” July 25 1919, a year after it was “eingetragen”. I very much like to think that this Ernst is the same Ernst as the one in Firma Kerner & Funk.

EDIT: second paragraph: if Kerner & Funk manufactured your Drilling.

Kind regards
Peter