doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Looking at two SxS: JP Sauer & V. Bernardelli

I have my eye on two SxS shotguns that I am looking at getting and have not been able to find much information on?

1. JP Sauer & Sohn 12ga pre-war with a Greener crossbolt and a comparatively high rib. The owner tells me it is a Model 8. The gun has been used but barrels ring true and are uncut. The stock has an English grip. Wood is a little worn. The seller wants $800 but will talk.

2. V. Bernardelli 12 ga S. Uberto I. Barrels and receiver are blued. Seller wants $750.

Are these good deals or should I pass?

How do you know that the Sauer is "pre-war"? I could tell by looking but that won't help. The Bernardelli is the standard "Gamecock" model, as was once sold in the U.S. with extractors and double triggers. Hard to give a value without seeing the guns.
Which one do you like? Do either of them fit you? The Bernardellis I've seen of this grade were case colored, not blued.
Both companies made good guns so relative condition is more important than brand name. A real pre-war Sauer, would probably be a better made and finished gun and I would prefer that if it was sound, original and came somewhere near fitting me. I find the Bernardelli guns nicer aesthetically than post-war Merkels, Simsons and Sauers (all the same gun, really). You may not.

I'd pretty much echo AA's comments.

On the Sauer, the "Model 8" may or may not be the correct designation, but I'm guessing it means the gun is a fairly plain boxlock extractor. If it has a straight grip, it's more likely to be a prewar gun. All the post-war West German Sauers were pistol grip guns. But you can look for a date code--3 or 4 number month/year designation--on the barrel flats, plus maybe just "Germany" as opposed to DDR or GDR.

If both are in equal condition, the prices ought to be about the same--which it looks like they are. If I were you, I'd consider personal preference and whichever of the two is in better condition as the deciding factor. You might also want to check the amount of drop in the Sauer stock. Athough Sauers don't have the extreme drop you often find in older American guns, you may very well find that the Bernie is stocked higher and fits you better. That's another key consideration.