Simpson 95 info please

[mikev]

I am considering a Simpson 95 drilling and would appreciate any general info that you experts here would be able to share. As of yet I have not seen the gun. I am familiar with Sauer and Sohn post war and few other pre-war drillings but have never handled a Simpson 95. I am aware of the family history and such but am looking for opinions about the quality, function and features. I believe this gun to be a post war and thus made in the former GDR.
Many thasnks.
Mike

[Axel E]

The Name of the Suhl family and company is Simson. Mr. Simpson is an American arms dealer, a nice man who imports a lot of used drillings and other guns. To evaluate a Simson 95 drilling more info is necessary, such as year of proof, as quality of GDR made guns deteriorated during the 1970s. Otherwise, the GDR time "Simson" marked drillings are about the same design, function and handling qualities like their made in west Germany "Sauer" counterparts. During later GDR times, from 1970 on, "Simson", "Merkel", "Haenel", "Fortuna", "Hubertus" were merely trademarks used rather willy-nilly for guns destined to different markets. The guns were actually all made by the Ernst-Thaelmann-Werke combine.

[mikev]

Axel,
Thank you! It has also been my impression that the quality of the few later GDR guns that I have handled were somewhat less than I had expected. I do not have year of proof yet but will share it and some pictures when I can.
Mike

[Kiwi_bloke]

Here's some history that might he of help and also benefit others:

In 1854 the brothers Löb and Moses Simson bought one third of a steelhammer works in Suhl (Germany). The production of carbon steel began and the firm Simson & Co. was founded in 1856. The factory produced guns and gun barrels in the years following

Hitler's dictatorship forced the Jewish family Simson to flee the country in 1936. Under the dispossession of Jewish industrialists a trustee took control of the firm, and so by merger with other factories the Berlin Suhler Waffen- und Fahrzeugwerke (BSW) was formed. Critics of the Nazi government suggested a different meaning for the BSW initials: Bis Simson Wiederkommt ("until Simson returns").

In 1947 the factory was integrated into the Soviet Sowjetische Aktiensgesellschaft Awtowelo (SAG Awtowelo or "Soviet Avtovelo Company Limited").[9] Автовело or Avtovelo is a Russian portmanteau word derived from автомобиль (avtomobil = "car") and велосипед (velociped = "bicycle").[10] It was adopted because initially all production was for export to the USSR.

Traded as...
Simson & Co. (1856–1938)
Berlin Suhler Waffen- und Fahrzeugwerke (BSW) (1938–45)
SAG Awtowelo (1947–52)
VEB Fahrzeug-und Gerätewerk Simson Suhl (1952–68)
VEB Fahrzeug- und Jagdwaffenwerk Ernst Thälmann Suhl (1968–90)

In my experience with Simson shotguns, the triggers are typically very heavy. So much so that I've pulled one gun to the right trying to shoot several easy close-in targets, and consequently missed each time! On 3 Simson made double-guns, (2 x side by side and 1 x O&U), the double triggers varied from 8 to 10 pounds. Lightening one of these has transformed it.

I have admired a Simson Drilling. It fitted me nicely but it had no scope, just mount-bases. So I never purchased it and can't comment directly on it. But I suggest take your trigger gauge along to the point of sale.