To know the price and the year of gun's production

[Anjey]

I have a gun produced by Germany company "Burgsmüller & Söhne in Kreiensen". I want to know the year of production this gun and its price. I'll be very thankfull for answers and any help.

[Axel E]

The Drilling was black powder proofed by the Zella - Mehlis proofhhouse in October 1908 or 1909 (not really legible in your photo) as gun number 988 proofed that month. 118.35 is the old gauge number for a land (Not groove or bullet-) diameter of .340 - .349" at the time of proof. This points to a 9.3x72R with deep grooves for lead bullets. Burgsmueller, Kreiensen, was a gunmaker and a pioneer of mailorder gunshops. The engraving grade is not visible in your photo. If the gun is not restocked entirely, the white line spacers are certainly a 1950s-70s addition.

[Axel E]

Here is the page of the 1910 Burgsmueller catalog. It shows Burgsmueller's then options of these "Roux" underlever action hammerless drillings.

[Anjey]

Thank you so much for information. If it possible can you give me more details about white line spacers you've wrote about? I don't understand exactly what it means. Can you also determine the price of such gun? Or may be you know who is intersted in it.

[sharps4590]

Look at the butt end of the drilling and the grip cap, at the bottom of the pistol grip. See the white stripe...you really can't miss them...those are the "white line spacers" Axel is referring to. When that drilling was made they were not even used in the US. Definitely a 50's-60's American thing.

[Anjey]

So can you tell me please if the difference between the drilling and its parts has big influence on the price of the gun.

[Axel E]

So can you tell me please if the difference between the drilling and its parts has big influence on the price of the gun.

Yes, those white spacers and the likely restocking job reduce the collector's value considerably, as the originality of the gun is gone and it`s merely a shooter. Out of experience, I never paste a "Value" on a gun I have not handled myself. Additionally, I am not familiar with the high prices apparently paid in America, so I am unable to evaluate guns in the USA. Our German gun market is very much different. Such a Drilling would fetch just a couple of hundred Euros here.