doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion German & Austrian Sporting Guns @ doublegunshop.com Help with German shotgun proof marks

Need some help with German proof marks. I know this is a 20ga with 70mm chambers but looking for more info on these marks and wondering if this means the gun is nitro proofed. I’ve searched and haven’t been able to find these proof marks anywhere.

Any help would be appreciated. German 20bore

A little new for me, but looks like München June 1998 to me.

Serbus,

Raimey
rse

mlaird37,
The marks seem to be postwar Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) marks. We all remember the citizens standing on the Berlin Wall, breaking it down for the re-unification, but I don't know "off the top of my head" when the legal event occurred. By the typical protocol for dating proof, the 698 would be June 1998. This seems a little late for "West Germany" and may be unified "Germany"(to look it up, I would have to get out of this program). The shield with the checkered pattern is the mark of the Munich proof house, but it was(is) used by "sub" Proof Houses, under the direction of the main one in Munich. There is an eagle stamp next to the shield, which is not legible. The form of the eagle and any letters underneath it is meaningful to understand the mark. It would be helpful if you could post a legible photo or describe the letter(s). If you provide this, we can provide you the meaning of the stamp.
I hope this is of some help.
Mike

At the end of the Red Arrow looks to be >>Eagle over N<< or Nitro. The other orange encircled marks are quite worn. Can you make them out?

Serbus,

Raimey
rse

Raimey,
I don't think the marks circled with orange are actual proof marks but inhouse, process or maybe workmen's touch marks (unusual form for that though).

mlaird37,
Re. your question about nitro proof, note Raimey's comment.
Mike

Gentlemen, remind me, what year did Germany start putting 3 or 4 digit date of proof stamps on guns?

Post 1923 only know because of these fellows here Raimey/Der Ami

Thanks for the vote of confidence but I wasn't born with the knowledge. I learned from Dietrich Apel. Too, I give the tip of a hat to the pedantic Axel E. Dating in Suhl officially began in September, 1922 and for 6 months a ledger number was associated with the date-code. Either Suhl used a date-code & ledger number for about 6 months or they were sending their tasks to the Z-M proof-facility. I have read and/or been told that there was a Suhl Proof Facility renovation about this time, but I think it was a year or 2 earlier?? Maybe a trip to Suhl will ferret out the info here?

Serbus,

Raimey
rse

Ford:


Just to remind myself, I'll be in Auburn around the 1st week of June as my youngest Jäger(sohn) will be competing as a Forester for Top Forester in the State Competition. He scored 100% @ in Tree ID @ the County Level(1st time in 34+ years for our school), where he is Top Forester and received a check from the Local Farmers Association, to send his team to the Regionals where his calculator failed him due to old batteries and using a pencil & his brain he catapulted his team to the State Completion. I'll stop by & we'll talk about Suhl Date-Codes....

Serbus,

Raimey
rse

Raimey,
I know you are proud of your son; the pride is well earned (I suggest he carry an extra battery in his pocket, saves stressful times). I'll be glad to see you, we can discuss many things.

Jtplumb,Recoil Rob,
The above post 1923 date is for Suhl, Zella Mehlis started much earlier (also included ledger number). See Raimey's comment above about the 6-month difference.
Mike