doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion German & Austrian Sporting Guns @ doublegunshop.com 88 Sporter Variation w/ rare scope mt - need help

Hello All,

I just acquired an 88 Sporter (?) Variation w/ a rare scope mounting. The scope pivots to the side, and the whole assembly is also claw-mounted. Pushing the button "up" on the left rear of the mount, removes the scope.

The scope itself is held in a "clam-shell" arrangement with a thumb screw. There is a "V" notch in the mount that aligns the scope into a similar "V" on the rear scope ring, so that it always returns to the same "rotation" if removed. The retical is a strange crosshair-post configuration with a small "loop" at the top of the post.

I could use some help to determine what exactly I have. There are lots of markings on the barrel and action. No caliber marking but chamber cast shows 8x57 with a .319 bore.

Here are a lot of pictures:

Last 4 pictures:

Looks like C.G. H�nel's Dunghill chicken trademark.

Cheers,

Raimey

OK .... so what is a Dunghill Chicken?

I think the Scope is a Voigtl�nder Skopar B with "grossem Augenabstand" (great eye distance)

Cheers,
Gunwolf

A Dunghill is yard bird that won't fight & you typically have for dinner like a Dominicker, Rhode Island Red, unlike a Grey, Hatch, Kelso, etc.

Plug gauge 156/14 would equate to 7,87mm & it experienced the 4000 Atm(Atmosph�ren-Pulver) test. Not sure on the other characters on the mechanic's palette. Lovely jeweled bolt though.

Cheers,

Raimey
rse

Another '88's mechanic palette with similar characters.

Cheers,

Raimey
rse

Well, that's amazing. Almost identical markings, except yours has number 49, and mine has number 2.

Does anyone out there know what all the different markings mean? Any idea what year my rifle was made?

Buckstix,
Since your rifle has caliber marked in "gauge", rather than mm, it was proofed( therefore made)before 1912. Since it was proofed, it went through the proof house after the first part of 1893.
Your original question was about the scope mount. The scope is pretty well known( except maybe the reticle), but I have never seen such mounts. The apparatus to remove it is quick detachable, but not "claw" mounted. Maybe Kuduae will chime in.
Mike

That is a lifted image by the way. If we had several examples, & it appears the same mechanics & subcontractors were involved in the run of '88's, then we might narrow the field on which Fraktur/Gothic letters goes w/ which mechanic. Also, if we had the employee list of H�nel, then the names & letter could be equated.

Cheers,

Raimey
rse