Dear Raimey, thank you for supporting my educated (or, as the case may be, maleducated) guess; which I as far as now would not yet dare call an "identification ". I had based it on the shape of one peculiar accoutrement part about which Mike Ford had asked me, namely an escutcheon on the right stock side. I called it a "claw" or "beak" shape, but maybe the expression "ratchet shape" would sound more professional. ;-)
Actually, there were not many suppliers who would furnish finished or semi-finished parts ("Gestecke") to the trade, just the same as in the Basque country or in Birmingham or in Ferlach. The trade knew their suppliers, and those also advertized _to_ the trade, but the general public would have no idea.
Apart from ESHA (Schmidt & Habermann) and Rö[h]merwerk, I believe that Sauer & Sohn and Simson both also had the necessary machines and mechanization capacity, but I do not know how far they delivered actually.
Readers should bear in mind that the proudly flaunted title of "Gewehrfabrik" did not in the least support the conventional image of large factory buildings with shed roofs and high chimneys, but more often than not merely indicated that its owner paid more than his own family members and free-lancing outworkers in some dingy cellar or attic by the piece, but had a - however small - number of employed workers / labourers who received some daily or hourly wage from him. If only for assembling and finishing the bought metal parts and stocks. Poor Gustav Zink would be a good example.
Now, the "R.M." abbreviation, which we all probably take for a name, is not really what prompted me to Rö[h]merwerk, because this latter used an RW or RWS signet.
I have not been able yet to identify any barrel maker, or tube knitter, or system mechanic among the dispersed info on the 'Net, who could have fitted (pun intended) these two letters.
Only much later, the obvious sprung to my mind, which was hidden in plain view. Yes, there *IS* an R.M., even a very famous R.M. whom we all know. Namely Richard Mahrholdt.
But this very Mahrholdt was not in Suhl at the time, in spite of his very tight links thereto. He was in Innsbruck then, working in a leading capacity in the languishing Peterlongo factory which he revived. He must have frequently travelled back and forth to Suhl, Zella St. Blasii and Mehlis, but why would he personally a stamp a rifle barrel on a trade drilling? Doesn't make sense.
Carcano
