would like some help identifying manufacturer of German drilling ( combination) gun

[MaxJ]

I have a German drilling gun that was manufactured in Sept of 1931. The only stamps I could find that might indicate the manufacturer are HK on the action and the barrel underneath the fore stock (photos attached). Photo of drilling gun attached. I also have photos of all the other stampings on the drilling if they are needed.

Thank you for you assistance with this

[mike ford]

Max J,
Does the gun have 3 barrels or 2? You should send all the photos you have, even then we might not be able to ID the maker, but will try.
Mike

[MaxJ]

Mike,
It has 3 barrels . I think the shotgun barrels are 16 gauge? The rifle barrel size is noted in a way I don't understand. P R Krupp - Stahl on both barrels. , KRUPP-LAUFSTAHL on both barrels.

Have about 5 more , will add in another post of I can

Your help is much appreciated ,
Max

[MaxJ]

5 more, hope I didn't repeat. Let me know if you need more or clearer photos

Thanks again,
Karl

[mike ford]

Max J,
Your drilling was proofed at the Zella-Mehlis proof house in Sept 1931. As indicated by the date on the barrel and the word Nitro being in script . The photo didn't show numbers below the date, because it didn't go down that far. Those numbers would have been the register number and would be another indication of the ZM proof house, because Suhl didn't show them. The 8,9mm ( the Germans used a , where we would use a . ) represents the bore( not groove or bullet) diameter as measured at the proof house. The 72 indicates the maximum case length the gun will accept. These numbers are not the nominal cartridge, but we recognize them as indicating the rifle is chambered for one of the 9.3x72R cartridges. In 1931 it would have been the 9.3x72R normalizert ( standardized ). The crown G indicates that barrel was proofed for a single projectile( bullet). You didn't show the marks, but if the shotgun barrel flats have a 16 in a circle stamp, that means they were chambered for the standard 16 ga chamber, which would have been 65mm (2 1/2-2 9/16"), not our current standard 70mm ( 2 3/4"). I noted the original forearm wood has been replaced with what looks like a simi-beavertail one. It may have been rechambered to 2 3/4" at the same time and not reproofed/marked, guessing the work was done in the US. It is easy enough to measure the chambers to see what they are now. The flats should have a 16 or 16/1 with out a circle. This is just the bore diameter ahead of the chamber, in gauge measurement. A crown S means the barrel was proofed for shot. If either, or both, barrel has a crown W, that means it was choked, but the amount of constriction was not shown. The crown U means it went through a "View" proof after firing a definitive proof load. A View proof is basically a detailed inspection, including verification of dimensions. The mention of Krupp in both places just indicated the barrels were made from Krupp steel, not that the gun was made by them. There were more than one maker with initials HK, so I can't ID the maker from that. I hope you find this helpful.
Mike

[MaxJ]

Thanks Mike,

All the information is a great help. What's an easy way to tell if the gun was rechambered?

Max

[mike ford]

MaxJ,
If you slide a piece of stiff cardboard into the chamber( along the wall) until it stops and mark where the end of the barrel is, you can measure it directly. If it is hard to feel the end of the chamber, you can make the cardboard as wide as the diameter of the chamber. Or you can have a gunsmith do it with a gauge, If it was rechambered in Germany, it should have been reproofed and should have a 16/70 proof mark. If it was rechambered in the US, there might be a "70" or 2 3/4 stamped somewhere( maybe on extractor), but this is not required.
Mike

[MaxJ]

Do you have any idea what the shotgun might be worth if I put it up for sale?

[mike ford]

Max J,
I don't usually estimate the value of someone else's gun that is not "in hand". Your best bet is to check the price of other, similar drillings, advertised on websites for sale at a fixed price, or those actually sold on auction sites. Don't put too much trust in minimum sale prices for those on auction sites, that haven't been sold.
Mike

[MaxJ]

Thanks, I'll have a look