doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Check it out: a C. Paubel, Suhl, Prussia, 10g...

Loaded with Bismuth it would be big medicine for Geese in early or even late season. Bet it would be just fine to shoot a limit of geese or even an odd Tom. Enjoy and congratulations on such a fine looking gun.

Congratulations on owning a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. It would also be a blast (pun intended) on clays -- you can take a cart along so no worries on the weight.

I have found that shooting a heavy gun at clays is really not a big issue as long as you are just interested in seeing a few break. I had a 11# 10 ga. Smith that I used to shoot. With conscious effort I could move it fast enough to break extremely fast crossers, rabbits, etc. The problem with a heavy gun, for those of us who do not work out with weights, is that on a four pair station, by the time you get to the last pair you can actually begin to feel bicep fatigue in the arm with the forward hand. I have noticed this on stations with four, and especially five, pairs, while shooting my 31 1/2" Peraxxi MX8. I work long days on the farm, at certain times of the year, and feel I am pretty fit for 63, but that weight will tell on you on a clays course after awhile. I am considering some weight training just to counteract this.

Nice looking hammer gun, GR. Enjoy it.

SRH

With that 2-piper, I bid you a sincere thank you.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rs

A couple of things first as I've had an opportunity to dig a bit. I had made the assumption (remember assumption is the antithesis of exactitude) that the example had been imported into the U.S. of A. But this would not be correct seeing Prussia is spelled like it would be in or near Russia. So it was a Russian or neighbouring Russia client. Typically one would see Borussia and many times less Porussia and possibly Jani or Clay can confirm the Slavic variant Porussia. Funk had the export business so his contract mechanics would have known the proper terms to be applied. So it is possible the example was a War trophy of sorts but I'd guess it odd that such a bore for the region. Anyway a long shot wold be that it was destined for the Russian region and was used to fill an order to the U.S. of A. I suppose you haven't any history on it?

Albert Valentine Paubel & Frederica Funk were born in the very early 1800s and were married by say the 1830s. They seem to be the relatives of C. Paubel & I'd guess C. Paubel to be more the grandson of that line instead of marrying into the Funk family as his line was already married into the Funk family.

Last, I'd hazard a guess the scrip WS(if that is what it is near the forend hanger) is for Walter Schilling, that is if he was old enough.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

It took a dozen mechanics, less a couple, to complete an example & I'd say that Triebel was another that contributed effort. If you ever have the triggerguard bow off, check for initials on the frame.

All pattern welded tubes at the time of the example were imported from Liege and more than likely resembled the following peddled in Odessa.



For the Odessa peddled exampel above, I'm confident that effort was sourced from the Suhl area & that LE was a mechanic from that area. I'm not sure why the Belgian marks weren't worked off the flats.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Rainey, thanks for the information. I have had the trigger guard off, but did not see any initials. I will ask for any information the seller may have and hopefully this will help.

By the way, I double dog dare anyone to state that it is not PORUSSIA but rather a bastardization. Step up to the plate if anyone feels froggy as I'm loaded for bear:


1878 Article - "(the word po signifying near).* - ESL folks

* - "Playfair tells us that these wild pagans were called Barussi, which he thinks has changed to Prussia. Carlyle gives Po-Russian as the derivation of the name "


1917 Article - Duke of Porussia for those that have English as a 2nd language(ESL)

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Excellent research Raimey, I found it difficult to understand how such a fine and professionally looking gun could then have an engraver mix up the language and engrave the name in error.
I think I you have found documentation that support that eastern Prussia was known as Porussia. Just another great piece of the big puzzle as it apples to the intereasting world of SXS shotguns.
If it was just about shooting shotguns I would have had enough years ago. It's the wonderful workmanship and history that drives me to buy "just one more".
Thanks again for your help.

Charles Daly with Made in Prussia

Many times the language of the end user will be applied & of course there are other variations. But I do not believe that the engravers were stupid nor did they make a whole lot of mistakes. It may have been that they were told what to engrave.

But the 10 bore for any other region other than the U.S. of A. still puzzles me.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse