doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com I need a primer on Sauer (Merkel, etc.)

Sauers were being produced on both sides of the Iron Curtain after WWII. Sauer moved to Eckernforde in West Germany. But Sauers were also being produced in the above-mentioned Thalmann Werks, but for at least part of the time, they were called Fortunas.

During the Iron Curtain period, the US wasn't a very good market for Commie guns because of a very high tariff. The West German Sauers, imported by Stoeger, sold pretty well. Also, quite a few German guns were imported before the war . . . and a surprising number made it home in the duffel bags of GI's coming home from the war. Since the Wall came down and Germany reunified, the market is kinder to used Sauers, Merkels, and Simsons. And while you'll find nice ones, you do have to watch out for those that have been ridden hard and put away wet. They're all solid guns to start with, but there are a lot of victims of serious abuse to watch out for.

The basic sxs design used by the German Big 3 (Sauer/Merkel/Simson) is very much the same. And most other German doubles follow the same pattern. In particular, the ones that weren't made for export are usually fitted with a Greener crossbolt, have double triggers, usually a pistol grip of some sort, sling swivels, and a cheekpiece.

One significant point was the use of the Kerner-Anson action design. One problem with the regular A&D action was that if it was struck hard on the butt it could go off. Since Fritz liked to walk around with his gun slung, a slip when going down a muddy German mountain could easily result in him blowing his own head off. The Brits came up with intercepting safety sears, but the Krauts waited until the patent protection wore off, then moved the sear fulcrum from the bottom rear to the top rear of the receiver. Much safer. Hence the Kerner-Anson. (nod to Raimey's knowledge)

Axel E. on the subject:

"See the screw at the lower rear of the action body? This is the fulcrum of the original design Anson & Deeley sear. It is in the bottom of the action body and engages a detent in the tumbler from below, close to the tumbler fulcrum. During the 1920s the Suhl gunmakers almost universally adopted E.Kerner's modification of the A&D lockwork. Kerner relocated the sears to the top/rear of the action. They turn on a screw located at the top rear of the action and engage a detent on the top of the tumblers, removed as far as possible from the hammer fulcrum. This arrangement vastly improved the leverage. As much less mainspring pressure rested on the sear detent, Kerner's top sears allow lighter and at the same time safer trigger releases. Secondary safety sears are unnecessary with Kerner's sear arrangement. "

Regards
Ken

a good way to learn about guns is to read ads for guns for sale on the net...good descriptions and images are very educational...and when you have questions, ask them here...where you will most likely find answers...

My CA 1901 J P Sauer & Sons / V L & D Knockabout sidelock has vertical sears. The pivot is very close to the middle (haven't actually measured the length of the two arms). The notch in the outer periphery of the hammer is engaged by the upper end of the sear. The front face of the trigger blade pushes forward on the lower end to release the sear. Seems like a very well thought out design to me & would which not be prone to "Jar-Offs".
My Lefevers also sears which engage the outer periphery of the hammer, as far as possible from the pivot. This seems far better than having the sear engage near the pivot where force is greatest upon the sear point.

Here is the vertical sear, plus intercepting sear on a Sauer from about 1890. A marvel of engineering.

Before cleaning



After cleaning