Austrian Target 50 cal. Need Help

[ricketts1]

I've had this rifle for many years. It wasn't finished by the woodcarver and the hammer has been replaced. The lock is the smoothest I have ever seen in any muzzleloader. Any help with this rifle will be greatly appreciated.

 

[renovato]

Wow, what an amazing piece! I love target guns, and that one is the most beautiful and intriguing that I've ever seen.

 

[Mulebrain]

You talk about a high end German Schützen target rifle with false muzzle! There it is :shocked2:

What a rifle! Beautiful!

That Redfield sight setup is a later addition. Do you have the rear tang peep sight?

 

[Tonibaruch]

Wow...

 

[paulvallandigham]

I don't see any unfinished woodwork on the rifle. Its has been worked on by someone, as noted by the filled dovetail slot in the barrel?, and the addition of the Redfield Sight. I don't see a ramrod, but would not expect to see one on a target rifle. Separate "Range Rods" were, and are used with these guns. Its possible that the rods have been separated from this gun before it came into your possession- that is not uncommon when a gun is sold in an estate sale, for instance, or by anyone who was not the shooter of the gun.

I think you need a short starter made to be used with that false muzzle, and probably 2 range rods, to hole a couple of different jags. Because of the vintage of the gun I would want " doorknob" handles on the rods, made of either dark walnut, or ebony. They would be shaped more like a " top ", than a doorknob is today.

These guns were not often made to shoot just RB. Do you have any idea of the actual caliber, and rate of twist and depth of the rifling??? If its a conical barrel gun, you will need some help finding the correct sized bullet mold for the gun. That is another thing that commonly gets separated from these guns when they are sold by someone other than the shooter.

There is always an interest in Schuetzen rifles, so this gun even in this condition will be of interest to lots of shooters. A lot of these guns were " liberated" after WWII, by allied soldiers who seized such guns from civilians.

There were general orders about disarming the conquered populations in the early days after Germany's Surrender( along with Austria), but the GIs took everything, even when they had no idea what the gun was, or how it worked. Many were shipped home to America as war Souvenirs.

I doubt this gun went through this route, or the false muzzle might not have been around. However, it may be that the false muzzle is also a late addition, along with the peep sight. The lack of pin holes in the front of the barrel suggests that the false muzzle here was made for the gun originally. That front sight is an addition to match the Redfield target sight.

I suspect the original rear sight was an open sight on the barrel, and the peep sight was added to get better sight radius to the gun, and make it more accurate. What the original front sight look like is anyone's guess. There is that odd turn screw base on the tang that could only be for mounting a post tang peep sight. I suppose that is long gone, too. Its the missing parts that make me wonder if this wasn't a liberated WWII trophy.

A very interesting gun, and fun to see. Thank you for sharing the pictures with us here. :hatsoff:

 

[ricketts1]

No, I do not have the original rear sight. I also don't have the bullet mold, rods, or anything else with the gun. The fellow who I bought this from was a retired police officer, but certainly not old enough to have liberated it himself. I asked him about the history of the gun and all he would tell me was that it was, "The last gun the guy made". He was referring to the unfinished carving on the righthand side of the stock around the lock. The carver outlined the stock for the carving, but never finished it.
I had considered putting it up for auction at one of the large auction houses, but I don't want to rush it; especially if it were to pay off by having some restoration work done on it by someone experienced.
Any suggestions on value? Should restoration work be done? Carving finished?
Thank you.

 

[flintlockmdj]

Without having the original parts or knowing what the original sights looked like I would say no leave it as is. It has already been modified from the original and any other changes would be just another modification.

 

[Mulebrain]

Any further manipulation, will only result in loss of equity.

The builder, not finishing the carving just adds more to the story! If you know exactly the way he was going to carve it, then maybe. I seriously doubt you can reach someone who was building this around the time of the civil war.

 

[bingo1952]

Also even if you know the exact pattern that stock has a patina that is going to be very difficult to reproduce on the fresh wood that will be exposed.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

I think I have your gun's very plain jane country cousin. Mine is very plain, with no carving and little or no engravings, but has the same general lines. (Sort of like the Waatdlander rifle sold by DGW) The one I had came with a 39 to 40 caliber fast twist rifling, and since it was all eaten out and corroded, I had it recut for 45 round ball. The lock on mine has only one position, full cock. The same socket on the tang for the rear sight.

I can find no maker's or owner's markings on mine. I got it from a GI who brought it back after WW2. He was stationed in Austria for a few months and then at Kriegsheim in Bavaria. He was back home in the US in 1947 or 1948, and I never did find out where he got it.