Help Identifying/Dating a German Drilling

[Jflecken]

I have just come into possession of this German drilling. Based on my research so far, I think it might be an East German Suhl gun from the 1950's, but am not sure because the barrels are stamped "Nitro" which I thought was a pre-WWII practice. Not sure about the caliber of the rifle barrel, as it appears to be 8.8mm stamped on the barrel, not what I've found typically in my research so far. The barrel is marked "O.G. Scherell - Berlin W." but also "Suhl". And somebody has put a U.S. Marble rear sight on it! Any help in identifying a manufacturer and dating this piece would be deeply appreciated!

Drilling 01.jpg
Drilling 02.jpg
Drilling 03.jpg
Drilling 04.jpg
Drilling 05.jpg

[Jflecken]

A few more pictures (fortunately I have a guy who is a photo buff to take good pics!)

Drilling 06.jpg
Drilling 07.jpg
Drilling 08.jpg
Drilling 09.jpg
Drilling 10.jpg

Thanks so much!

Jim

[sharps4590]

I don't believe that's a post war drilling. 8.8 X 72 is more than likely the popular 9.3 X 72R

[Axel E]

The Scherell family gunshop was founded 1834 in Delitsch, Saxony. Oswald Otto Scherell opened the Berlin shop in 1909 and passed away 1932. The Scherells had a Suhl "mailbox address" before WW1. The name Scherell is still remembered in Germany for the trademark "Scherell's Schaftol", a gunstock oil now made by the Ballistol company https://www.ballistol-shop.de/Gun-ca...44_119_79.html .
Your drilling is a typical Suhl made so-called "Rouxdrilling". It shows post-1911, pre-1923 Suhl proofmarks. So it was most likely made by the suhl guntrade for Scherell 1912 – 1914. The proofhouse markings 8.8 mm for the bore/land, not the groove/bullet diameter and 72 mm for the case length indicate it's chambering for the then ubiquitous 9.3x72R cartridge. The circled 16 tells the nominal gauge of the cartridges the shot barrels take. as there is no case length given, f.i. 70 mm, the shot barrels are chambered for the then standard 2 ½" shells. 17/1 gauge stands for the true bore diameter of the "16g" barrel, 10" ahead of the chamber.

[mike ford]

Jflecken
Your drilling was made, as you surmised, by a maker in Suhl, for O.G. Scherell in Berlin, who marketed it. It was common for known makers to make various guns for others to market i.e. "for the trade". The marketer's name was often placed on the gun, but often not. Those made for the trade and not marked are often mistakenly called "Guild" guns. O.G. Scherell may have had some small presence in Suhl to act as an agent for them, but " Suhl" was likely added to the address as a ploy to impress potential buyers. The rifle barrel is chambered for the 9.3x72R, a popular old cartridge, which is still somewhat available. The 8.8 mm is not the nominal caliber ( 9.3x72R is), instead, it is the bore( not groove or bullet) diameter as measured by the proof house. The 72 under the bore diameter shows it has a chamber that will take a case 72mm long. It was not necessary to show it was chambered for a rimmed case, that fact would be obvious from the extractor. The duty bullet was copper jacketed ( K.m.G.) I can't tell the bullet weight from the photo, it looks like 16grams, but I would have expected something from 12 to 13 grams. Maybe you can read the number under the K.m.G. The 16 in a circle means it was chambered for 65mm ( 2 1/2-2 9/16") shells. This is shorter than the current 70mm ( 2 3/4") shells. Considering the addition of the Marble sight and that it has been drilled and tapped for something else( note the "plug screws"), there is a possibility that someone lengthened the original chamber, but this can't be known without measuring. The 17/1 is the bore diameter ahead of the chamber, as expressed in gauge measurement. This equates to about 16.64mm. The crown W means that barrel is choked, but the amount of constriction is not shown. The crown U under the eagle is the mark for the View proof, which is a detailed inspection, including verifying dimensions, performed after Definitive proof. The crown S is the proof mark for the use of shot. The "Krupp Stahl" just means the barrels were made from Krupp steel. The bore diameter in mm and case length marks were started about 1912 and the Suhl proof house didn't start dating the marks until around 1923 and this one is not marked.
Accordingly, it was made between 1912 and 1923. I hope you find this helpful.
Mike

[Jflecken]

Thanks so much! You guys are great!

Jim