It was an underlever hammer 20 bore rifled Damascus barreled rifle. She was a beauty. I did not have my camera with me.
On the top rib as best as I could make out was inscribed- Jo H. Springer In Wien Stock Im Elgen Plhtz N.5

Anyone have an idea?

Johan Springer was a german maker who made damascus doubles. It is either him, or you have a modern day "Jerry Springer" rifle that wives use to beat their husbands with.

Did it look anything like this:

http://www.gunsinternational.com/detail.cfm?id=100048004&string=cid=106

Rusty-

You're getting my attention here.
Note over on the Greener Website the Springer 16b SxS double rifle for sale.
It's been there for some time now, and I think I see a couple of repairs on it that might be the reason it's been sitting there.

I've seen other guns marked with a similar name, might have been generations of a family, just not sure. They've all been 'class act' rifles and guns though.

What else can you tell us about the rifle?
Did you poke a toothpick in the chambers to see what length and type of case it takes?
Did you get a sense of what the rifling style and twist rate was?
How long are the barrels?
Does it have set triggers?
Much game scene engraving?
I'll guess it's got backaction locks, are they bolted or rebounding?

You might want to look in on the thread elsewhere on bore rifle and paradox cartridges and projectiles.
There is a great bit of old european text and data there on this subject.

If it's in good shape it'd make a dandy whitetail rifle!


--Tinker

Jim it was very close to that rifle.

It had no claw mounts. It did have a pop up peep sight between the hammers. I ran across the rifle purely by accident while visiting a local Gander Mountain store. The rifle belonged to a customer and the gunsmith was kind enough to show it to me.

The rifle had very little engraving. Barrels appeared to be 26 inches and were rifled from breech to muzzle. Since I did not own the rifle I was hesitant start pulling back hammers and pulling triggers. Very little was stamped on the flats. Some kind of round proff mark I presume and the number 19.3. if I remember correctly?

I appreciate all your informations, thanks!

Springer made some extremely high quality rifles and shot guns. Elmer Keith had a double in 9.3 X 74. It was a full H&H sidelock with lever detachable side plates. I compared to his H&H 375 flanged sidelock and the quality was every bit as good. I could only tell the difference by the names engraved on the barrels.

465h&H

quote:

Jo H. Springer In Wien Stock Im Elgen Plhtz N.5

Rusty:

I showed this to my wife who is Austrian and a native German speaker.

She said this is most likely the address for the maker. Her translation is as thus:

Jo H. Springer (Joseph H. Springer)

In Wien (in Vienna)

Stock (specific floor of a building)

Im Elgen (the specific name of the building he lived in)

Plhtz - She thinks it might be "Platz", which would imply a "square" (formation of buildings related to an address - as in "he lives in the main square of town".)

N.5 - (number 5).

So, if that is true, what you see is the name of the maker of the rifle and his address at the time of manufacture.

I thought he was a a part of the
FERLACH AUSTRIA GUILD at some time.

i'm suprised that it had little engraving. most of the ones i've seen were heavily engraved. J. springer was from austria and a top grade maker. when gopher shooters was in business the purdies had a beautiful springer in a glass case on the wall. I would have loved to have had the gun, but it disappeared into somebody elses case before i could get my hands on it.