Not a Sharps, Roller, Trapdoor or Ballard, but

[sharps4590]

here is my next BPC project! As with all of us I have a fondness for the old firearms and over the last 20 years my interest in double rifles, double guns and pretty much all things side by side has grown. In addition to that, given my Prussian extraction, my appreciation for and desire to learn more about German firearms of the era has increased significantly. This fine old piece should arrive at my door this week and the journey will begin. It will see nothing but real, authentic black powder, and lead. My hope is to have a good load worked up, the barrels regulated and be ready for deer season come November.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=293576924

[elk hunter]

4590,

Nice!

I too have a fondness for firearms with two barrels rifled, smooth or in combination.

Do you have any idea of the rifle chambering?

Should be a fun gun for deer in the thickets.

[sharps4590]

elk, the rifle barrel is something of a quandry right now. As you can see in the pictures the barrel flat is stamped, it appears, 9.8. My source for all things to do with German/Austrian firearms first thought it was a poorly samped 9.3. Then a friend of his somehow blew up the picture and it looks like a right crisp 9.8. If it is a 9.3 I hope it's a 9.3 X 72 RD, which would make the most sense for the period. If it is a 9.8, I have no idea as I cannot find anything 9.8, German/Austrian, from that era. With all old firearms we know that doesn't mean anything. I'll just have to wait until it arrives. Whatever it is I'll figure it out, form the brass and work up a load that will regulate.

[Leslie Sapp]

There's some information in this thread (http://www.handloadersbench.com/forum5/15958.html) on another forum that may help you. Lots of information on German blackpowder cartridges and proof marks.

[Wayne Smith]

Mine is not marked and the rifle turned out to be 10.5x47R on the original Mauser case shortened and necked. Mine has a Damascus 16x2.5" shotgun barrel, sold and probably made in Stettin Germany, now Poland. Designed a boolit and had Dan at Mountain Molds cut the mold. Brass is no problem, 9x47R is available and blows out nicely. CH4D made the dies, said my 10.5x47R case was different than all the 32 others they had on hand! I sent them the chamber cast.

The name on the gun is typically the name of the shop which sold it, not the maker.

[sharps4590]

Different cases for the same name of cartridge is often a problem with German rifles prior to about 1900, eh Wayne? There are 4 different 9.3 X 72's that are straight/tapered cases and another 9.3 X 72 that is bottleneck. All that was before the 1890, (I think it was then, maybe later?), German proof law. They mostly standardized the cases about that time, again, I think. I never can keep all those dates straight.... I really won't know until the gun arrives and I can slug the bore and make a chamber cast.

Jost & Diehl were in business until at least 1927 and I'm pretty sure they built some of their own firearms. As with most others the did acquire "parts" from other sources. They definitely were retailers and sold haberdashery and other "stuff" as well.

Wayne, were you able to work up loads that regulated in your Cape gun?? If so, how did you go about loading the ball load for the smooth barrel and did you use brass hulls, plastic or paper?

[sharps4590]

Leslie, that was an informative thread for me. Thank you for linking it.

[Wayne Smith]

April 1, 1892. Mine has no proof marks, so it predates that date. Post that date proof marks were required by law.