Ernst Steigleder pre-war sporter.

[TDK]

While my background is mostly in English guns, I’ve always wanted a nice German pre-war sporting rifle. I find the style and craftsmanship on some to be phenomenal! Much to my surprise this Ernst Steigleder became available recently, and I couldn’t pass it up.

I was hoping some of the knowledge here might help tell the rifles story. I have my presumptions but will leave those out.









More coming...

[TDK]

[TDK]

[TDK]

[TDK]

[Axel E]

I was hoping some of the knowledge here might help tell the rifles story.

Already did so on the Nitroexpress forum,
http://forums.nitroexpress.com/showf...rue#Post321559
AxelE aka kuduae

[TDK]

according to what you have said the gun was produced from 1911-1918.
Do we know if Steigleder still produces sporting rifles during WW1?
I see conflicting information on when the Spandua 4000 ATM proof powders use was ceased, any thoughts on that?
Trying to further narrow down its production.

[Axel E]

Aaron, noone can reliably dat your Suhl made "Steigleder" rifle to the year. But with a bit of knowledge of German history an educated guess is posssible.
As I wrote, the action only was made by the Mauser, Oberndorf, factory 1909 – 10. The last Mauser commercial number Jon Speed lists for 1909 is 27271, while #30062 is dated 1910. So your action # 29471 is dated closely enough imho. But this applies to the action only.
Some time later the rifle was built on this action by the Suhl guntrade in the then common Suhl style for upgrade repeaters, with a ribbed, half-octagonal barrel and the distinctive Suhl type stock. As the bore / land diameter is marked as 7.8 mm instead of the gauge number 172.28 or 156.14, the rifle was proofed 1912 +.
In 1915 all scoped M98 action rifles in 8x57 were bought up from maker's or dealer's stocks. Many more already in civilian hands were drafted for sniper service, see "Waidmannsheil! # 47". Look closely for traces of a D or Z prefix number once stamped into the right side of the stock. This would indicate sniper service in WW1. For the rest of the Great War all sporting rifle making on 98 actions ceased.
So your rifle was most likely made 1912 to 1914 and sold to a private owner. As German gunmakers did not hold expensive Mauser actions in stock for Long times usually, 1912 would be a good bet. Apparently it escaped WW1 service. Many years later it was rechambered and reproofed April 1933 to the 8x60 cartridge.
All powder production at the Spandau government arsenal ended with WW1 at the end of 1918. But apparently, from dated proofmarks, the Zella – Mehlis proofhouse only used up remaining stocks up to 1922. Or did tdey use the old stamps only to mark rifles proofed with a different powder?