Help With ID - GDR Gun

[gjw]

Hello, I've been trying to figure out what model this gun is. It's a 12ga SLE, straight stock and no cheekpiece or sling swivels. To get to the point, I'll let the pictures do the talking.

Any help would be great!

Thanks so much!

Greg

[mike ford]

I believe the model is " Hubertus", which was, before the war, a "house brand" of Iman. Meffert. Meffert was taken over by the Communists after the war. PGH Buchsenmacher Suhl was likely the name of the old Meffert, although I don't know what PGH stands for. Axel will, for sure, know this and will know if it was a "stand alone" firm or a combine. Maybe he will provide the correct information. The gun was proofed in Suhl in Sept. 1971,with both 12 ga 2 3/4" barrels choked. The stamp ending in "Bozeman Mt" was applied by the importer. Since it was overstamped, I couldn't make out the name of the importer. Also there seems to be a "logo" on the underlug which I also couldn't make out.

[gjw]

Thanks Mike, I appreciate the info, but I knew preety much what you stated, what I'm after is the Model Number, if any. This gun does have the Q1 mark BTW

Still, thanks so very much, I do appreciate it!

All the best!

Greg

[Axel E]

Cannot help you with a model number , as the PGH catered to special orders by the GDR export organisation and I have no catalog. PGH stands for Produktionsgenossenschaft des Handwerks = production cooperative of craftsmen, an early form of socialized companies in the GDR. The PGH Büchsenmacher = gunmakers was a coop consisting of the mshops, machines, stocks, emploiees and outworkers of the former I.Meffert, Suhl company. From his return in 1950 from soviet POW camps Georg Meffert tried to run the once family-owned company, but gave up in 1959 and fled to the West. On December 16, 1959 the PGH Büchsenmacher of 18 gunsmithes was founded. These were already pretty old men, in 1962 their avarage age was 68. In 1964 they had to stop making drillings because the specialized master had passed away. On April 26, 1972 the PGH was reorganized into the VEB Jagdwaffenwerk Hubertus, which in turn was amalgamated into the VEB Fahrzeug- und Jagdwaffenwerk Ernst Thälmann (a 1920s communist leader).

[gjw]

Hello Axel and many thanks for the great info, much appreciated!! If you don't know the model, then there ain't one!!

Again thanks for all the info, most helpful!!

All the best!

Greg