Please help confirm Manufacture date

[Peter]

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Hi Guys
Here are some pics of my JP.sauer&Sohn 12ga sidexside
After a bit of searching on the form , the info suggested that there should be three numbers on the flats.
After wiping the oil and rust prevention away I found the three numbers 3 61 , which I assume is March 1961 !?
Is this correct


Thanks in advice
Peter

[Peter]

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Here are some more pictures

[sharps4590]

I agree with your conclusion, Peter, Mar. 1961. I have a sister the same age....she doesn't look that good. Maybe she needs a re-blue.

[Peter]

Hahahaha Sharps I think you owe me a key board I just spat my coffee all over it , I haven't laughed so hard in a long time
As far as I'm aware this is still the original condition.

[sharps4590]

That was a pretty good one, wasn't it....just off the top of my head but it's true....lol! (Lord have mercy on my soul if my sister should by chance ever look at German Guns!!!). Glad you enjoyed it.

Unless I'm mistaken, often likely, the barrel flats were usually unblued and the frames were casehardened.

[collath]

Sharps, I think you are in for it now. Mike is probably going to use this to get one of those little rifles just to keep quiet. collath

[mike ford]

That's a good idea collath, thanks for suggesting it.
Mike

[sharps4590]

He wouldn't dare......I hope!!!!!!!! Would you, Mike? And thanks George....you're a heck of a friend....lol!!

Oh, and Peter, I cannot be held responsible for what you did to your keyboard with your coffee. It is, after all, my sister I'm talking about. And I have a question, what kind of third bite is that on your Sauer? I don't recall ever seeing one like it.

[collath]

Peter, now that I have Sharps in a lot of hot water I'll just say nice looking shotgun and I would like to talk about hunting in South Africa sometime. Thanks, collath


And Sharps.......Good luck with that old boy!

[Peter]

Sharps I am very new to shot guns , what is a Third bite! ?
Collath it would be great chatting to about hunting over here.

[Peter]

Ok I Googled it ! I can't recall seeing a third bite I will go have a look later on as the shotgun is not with me yet !! I am still waiting for the license to be approved! Which is a lengthy process here, which can take anything from two weeks to 6 months or more!!!
But that is a new thread on its own...

[sharps4590]

Hey Peter...on your Sauer the third bite is shown in the first picture of your second post. It's the....recess....in the top of the receiver. There has been many different kinds over the years, dolls head extension and several variations on the British Greener crossbolt, the German Kirsten breech, (I think it's Kirsten), I believe Purdy had their variation and no doubt others I'm unfamiliar with. It's basically just another.....latch....in addition to the two underbites. That one on your gun appears to be a dimple in the receiver which no doubt has a corresponding extension on the rib. It would be interesting to see the extension of the rib.

[sharps4590]

ooops...missed your preceding post.

[Peter]

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I don't know if you can see in this pic if it is in fact a third bite !
I didn't get a chance to go check it out, but I think its more cosmetic than anything els but I will still confirm at a later stage.

[Peter]

Ok now here is the puzzling thing , when I emailed Sauer with the serial number they responded with a history lesson and that they had no info for pre-war firearms due to arson !
Now we have established that the barrels were manufactured in March 1961 , I say this as the receiver and fore end have matching serial numbers but the barrels don't have a serial number only proof marks and the 3 61 stamp !
The reason I bring this up is, do you think that the barrels could have been switched out at some stage for "Nirtro approved " ones ?

I just find it strange that Sauer had no record of this serial number if it were indeed made in 1961!?
Or do they just don't care to help the public !!!