Franz Thiele Combination Gun - 8x72R x 16 ga

Hello all,

Last June, I shared with you my 2019 Father's Day present to myself of a Cogswell & Harrison Cape Gun. http://forums.accuratereloadin...5105333/m/2881024252

In that post I mentioned this Franz Thiele Cape Gun. (Teplitz, Czech - Austria Hungary) This one was a Father's Day present to myself 2 years earlier in June, 2017. It was also purchased from Kirby Hoyt at the Great Northern Side-by-Side Classic in Medford, Wisconsin. Kirby comes to Wisconsin all the way from Washington State, and brings with him an assortment of interesting pieces. Sometimes I think he does this just to tempt me - and its been working. I've bought half-a-dozen guns from Kirby and I've always been very pleased.

The C&H was a Shotgun/Rifle combination - this Thiele, is the opposite, being a Rifle/Shotgun combination. Interestingly, the rifle barrel has a set-trigger feature, and a single blade rear site that can be folded flat into the rib so as to not obstruct your view when shooting the shotgun barrel. Although 8x72R ammo is a little hard to come by, it was easy to neck-down a 9.3x72R which is readily available.

Specs are: 27" bbl - 6 lbs 9 oz - 13-7/8" LOP - Flip-up Rear Sight - Set Trigger (rifle)
Markings are: "F.Thiele in Teplitz" - "9515.01" (old marking) - "1648.g" "847.234.27" "Nicht Fur Kugel" (not for ball) - "16.0" "8.3"
Features are: overall engraving, case colored action, scalloped buffalo horn grip cap, buffalo horn butt plate, lever forend release, sling swivels

This Cape gun is a testament that Continental Guns could rival the English trade in Quality. Although Franz Thiele was a Master Gun Builder during the 1800's into the pre-war period, no records exist to find the History about this interesting piece. Therefore, I've started my own History, and the last picture shows that this quality gun is still very capable - some 120 years after being made.

As always, your comments are welcome.









































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This viscous beast came snooping around during the range test of this gun.

Nice old piece. A friend in Germany loads his 8x72R with the Lutz Möller solid 127 grains to 2700 fps.

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Interesting!

Looks like a pretty big drop on the stock or is it just the photograph angles?

I guess now that you have a new one we can talk about the Cogswell ???????? Can't chide me for asking

Nice looking Cape gun!

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quote:

Originally posted by JonP:
Nice old piece. A friend in Germany loads his 8x72R with the Lutz Möller solid 127 grains to 2700 fps.

Hello JonP

Thanks for the reply.

quote:

Originally posted by Charlie64:
Interesting!

Looks like a pretty big drop on the stock or is it just the photograph angles?

I guess now that you have a new one we can talk about the Cogswell ???????? Can't chide me for asking

Nice looking Cape gun!

Hello harlie64

Thanks for the reply.

It has a bit more drop than the C&G, but still comes up with me looking over the sights when I shoulder it, and doesn't seem to affect recoil much.

I'm not done "licking-the-honey-off" the C&H as of yet, but I'll keep you in mind.

Nice Cape Gun and a really good caliber. Good hunting.

great cape gun! Thanks for sharing.

A beautiful Cape gun in great shape! Looks like it was nitro re-proofed in Weipert (NPw) in 1927.

Great little Cape gun! These are one of my favorite hunting types, and I have two as we speak, but have owned several cape guns over the years, and they make very well designed HUNTING guns for just about anyplace in the world for deer elk, and birds of all manner.

Today I have a H. Berrela cape gun (Berlin) chambered for 8X57 JR, (.318), and 16 GA shot barrel. Cross bolt extension, right barrel set trigger on the rifle barrel, The 196 gr bullets hit dead on at 100 yds with the rifle sight. The shotgun barrel was originally for short shot shells, and the muzzle was tightly choked. I opened the shot chamber to take the 2 3/4 in shells, and opened the very tight choke so I can shoot Brennike sabot slugs.

The rifle sights print dead on at 100 yds. and a Brennike slug will print right beside the rifle also at 100 using the rifle sight, for both the rifle and slug. This is an exposed hammer cape gun.

The other is a V. Haffner (Cassal, Germany) with Damascus barrels, also exposed hammers with doll's head third lock Chambered for 20 ga shot on the left barrel, and 577 Berdan carbine cartridge on the right barrel. Black powder proof. This a Jones under lever action with a carved buffalo horn grip behind the trigger guard and buffalo horn butt plate.

Congratulations of your find! Cape guns are one of my all time favorite double for hunting North America.

I have no way to post pictures of these two fine old cape guns since Photo bucket shut me down. I have pictures of both the cape guns there but refuse to pay them $700 to let me access them.


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I have owened a lot of drillings and have one for every day of the week.

That being said, I L O V E cape guns and have owned only three. I was in a cash bind ten years ago and sold a wonderful little Emil Kerner 16 / 9,3X72R scoped. It was my "walk around gun".

I had another, a nondescript in 16/9,3X72R also. It had the claw bases but was sans scope.

The one I have still is my pre-war Sauer with two barrel set, 12/12 and 12/8X57IR, scoped. It's going nowhere.

All that being said, your gun knocks my socks off! What a beautiful piece. It rates a definite Two-Cool.



Thank you for sharing it with me.

quote:

Originally posted by mdstewart:
Nice Cape Gun and a really good caliber. Good hunting.

Hello mdstewart,
Thanks for the reply

quote:

Originally posted by mt Al:
great cape gun! Thanks for sharing.

Hello mt Al,
Thanks for the reply

quote:

Originally posted by bpesteve:
A beautiful Cape gun in great shape! Looks like it was nitro re-proofed in Weipert (NPw) in 1927.

Hello bpesteve,
Thanks for the reply

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:
Great little Cape gun! These are one of my favorite hunting types, and I have two as we speak, but have owned several cape guns over the years, and they make very well designed HUNTING guns for just about anyplace in the world for deer elk, and birds of all manner. .... Congratulations of your find! Cape guns are one of my all time favorite double for hunting North America.

Hello MacD37,
Thanks for your reply

I love to hunt with mine also.

quote:

Originally posted by luv2safari:
I have owened a lot of drillings and have one for every day of the week. .... your gun knocks my socks off! What a beautiful piece. It rates a definite Two-Cool.
Thank you for sharing it with me.

Hello luv2safari,
Thanks for your reply

I'm be looking for several more, so I can have one for each day of the week also.
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As you can see from my recent posts - I purchased 2 more Cape Guns.
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