doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Krieghoff double

I looked at a 16 gauge today that was said to be made around the 40s. I am getting rid of some guns to get 1 or 2 nicer ones. This is not a very expensive gun by some standards, but for me it would be a very nice gun. It has 2 1/2" chambers and very nice scrollwork over the entire reciever, 26" barrels. It seemed to fit me really nice. It was in really nice shape with not much use/very tight opening and closing. Seems like a stupid question but are these good guns? Thanks for any help. I haven't seen them mentioned here.
Tom

THEy are excellent guns. A friend of mine has a 20 ga. that is a superb gun in the field. Not often encountered, they are on a par with the better German SxS's. Can you provide more details or pictures? Is the frame scalloped? Does it have a cheekpiece/swivels/horn buttplate and trigger guard?

I don't have pictures. It's not mine yet. By scalloped if you mean 2 u shapes where it meets the wood, yes. It does have a cheekpiece. I think it had swivels. I don't think it had a horn trigger guard, but could it have been removed and set aside? Any idea of value? This was under 3 thousand which would be alot for me. Thanks

sweep:

Krieghoff's are quality made scatterguns pre-WWII as well as today. The Suhl firm started as Sempert & Kreighoff in the mid 1880s. Sempert was under the spell of electricity and soon moved to the US to work w/ Thomas Alva Edison. Ludwig pressed on specializing in Drillings until the beginning of WWII in 1939(or shortly thereafter) when all weapons produced had to be for the war effort with some military arms being produced in 1938. I've read that during this time all production was military and I've read that there still were a few exports. So, I would question the 1940(late 40s would have been in Ulm) date unless stamped on the barrel flats. The Americans had a short stay at the factory after the war and shortly after the Russians had control of Suhl and purportedly move equipment back to Russia. Near this time Heinrich Kriegoff landed up in Ulm and the new company started there. For value, a pic would be beneficial and the name usually would fetch a higher resale.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

I should have written down the information. It could have been a 30s gun. There was the Sempert name with Krieghoff.I didn't know how that affected the gun as I had never heard of it. I will try to get more information tomorrow. It's about an hour from where I live. Probably won't get a chance to see it for a few days now. Thanks for the information. It's sounding like it is a pretty good gun.

sweep:

If it is a Sempert & Krieghoff in good condition, it will be better than a "pretty good gun". They were known for making shorter guns, but check to see if the tubes have been cut. It was a SxS, correct? The info on the barrel flats will yield some answers. I believe their records were destroyed at the end of WWII but I don't think that Suhl was bombed.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Raimey; Yes it is a sxs.The gun is in better than just good condition. The wood had really nice figure also with only minor handling marks. There were no cracks anywhere that I could see. I don't think it was used much.(famous last words).The barrels didn't look like they were cut. I didn't measure them though. There were so many marks on the barrel flats that I got myself confused. I know it had a 65 which I figured was 2 1/2" chambers. All the serial #s matched. I think it had some proof marks that I don't remember. Please excuse my ignorance. I am going to have to get another good look at it.

OK I did my first impulse buy. Raimey; I took some quick pictures of the gun. If I could email them to someone that could post for me I would appreciate it.
Thanks

sweep:

I'm happy for you that you made the plunge if not, it would have sold and you would have regretted it. While I was looking for McPhail in Louisville earlier this year, I found a hammer Merkel in 16 bore, I believe, and the guy wanted $2500. Bob Jones had looked at it but I guess it was a little high to resale. I left without it and regret not dickering w/ the guy. With your new purchase you need to a least purchase a few Journals that have articles on Krieghogg and subscribe for a year: http://www.germanguns.com .

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

I have an older Sempert Kreighoff slne 16ga w/2 1/2" chambers 30 inch barrels. I picked it up after a local show. From the proof marks it was made after 1911 and probably before 1928. Use it for desert quail with 7/8oz loads and it is easy carrying at 5lb 9oz. The sling swivels are useful when messing with the dog and the cheekpiece fits nicely after having the stock bent a little to fit me better. Briley opened the chokes to my specs and cleaned up the barrels just a little. In all I have about $1500 in the gun and it is more gun than my Parker VHE quality of construction wise. And the engraving covers the receiver plus gold bands on breech end of barrels. These are nice guns.