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This is a rifle that a customer brought into the shop where I work to have it cleaned up and checked over. The customer had this gun custom made for himself in 1949. The rifle was made by Johann Springer in Erben, Vienna. It is chambered in 8x57. The gun is very nice but I really thought that the tang safety was rather unique and would be worth sharing some pics of it. The tang safety has a bolt lock feature that when the safety is engaged a plunger moves up through the safety lug on the bolt to lock it. The welding of the extended tang is excellent and I could see no sign of where it was welded. I am not to good with a camera but I hope you can see how the parts of the safety work. The customer said that he paid about $50 to have the gun built. I just thought that some of you might enjoy seeing how things were done 60 years ago. Steve          | ||
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could never figure out why a Tang Safety is not the standard for all long guns. It makes the most ergonomic sennse Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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That's the slickest thing I've seen in a long time! Thanks for the photos, it's plain to see how it works but I'd hate to hafta duplicate it. It's easy (relatively, anyway) to make a Mauser tang safety but this is the first one I've seen that also locked the bolt. Regards, Joe __________________________ You can lead a human to logic but you can't make him think. NRA Life since 1976. God bless America! | |||
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Thanks for the pictures, truly remarkable how the classics never die. A work of art for sure! Jim | |||
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I couldn't agree more. I think the american shooter has been sold a bill of goods by the gun rags with the much touted 3-position safety. Double and single shot guns have been using tang safeties forever and we never hear about how 'unsafe' they are. But when it comes to bolt rifles - people make it almost sound like there's something fundamentally wrong with the gun if it does'nt have a three position safety on it. . | |||
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A very nice rifle, and the craftmanship appears to be top notch. | |||
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That is remarkable. Rich | |||
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Looked good in 1949, looks good in 2008...basic good taste...personally, I do not like tang safeies...no positive block..but damn good work | |||
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VEry nice rifle. Thanks for the clear photos too.  Doug Humbarger NRA Life member Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club 72'73. Yankee Station Try to look unimportant. Your enemy might be low on ammo. | |||
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Truly amazing workmanship! How much would that tang safety cost to day to duplicate??? If you own a gun and you are not a member of the NRA and other pro 2nd amendment organizations then YOU are part of the problem. | |||
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A thing of beauty is a joy forever! What a wonderful way to have spent $50  And to have gotten a lifetime of joy from it is simply wonderful.Mike -------------- DRSS, Womper's Club, NRA Life Member/Charter Member NRA Golden Eagles ... Knifemaker, http://www.mstarling.com | |||
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A very nice rifle. Johann Springer of Wien (Vienna) was (is) an old established gunmaker who made “Best” grade rifles and shotguns for the wealthy European sportsmen. They are still in business to this day. Both the German and the Austrian gunmakers could only work on allied personal guns until about 1952 when the population could then own firearms. Erben translates to heirs, in this case the Jon Springer Heirs.  | |||
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Elmer Keith wrote that Springer's prewar double rifles were equal to the best English makes. | |||
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I really go for those shotgun-type trigger guards!  | |||
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sdh600 That is a beautiful and what looks to be a very well built rifle your customer owns. The only problem that I see is the fact that the tang safety is overly engineered and complicated. Also the large size of the tang and levers, leaves very little wood in the weakest part of the stock. I partially agree with Duane on the tang safety. I do like a tang safety but for stalking only. As the bolt still has the flag safety on it, I see no need for this complicated arrangement. James | |||
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nice rifle,,i had one about 20 years ago it was broken thru the wrist ,i traded it to have some gunsmith work done at the time , it was much like yours as i see that they mostly look alike ,bolt handle style , shotgun trigger , safety, and the quarter rib is most distinctive ....paul | |||
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James, I agree with you that there is alot of wood removed from the wrist area of the stock. That was my first thought when I took the gun apart. But I thought that the workmanship and the unique design was very interesting and worth a few pictures. Steve | |||
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Steve I agree with you 100%. The workmanship looks impeccable. I imagine all of the safety and bolt locking mechanism is one off. The amount of time to accomplish this would be enormous. Practicality?? I do appreciate you taking the time to take and post pictures. I have filed these away for future references. Anytime you have a unique rifle such as this, please do post some info and pictures. James | |||
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It looks like the rifle in GSP7's post is nearly identical (except it is has quite a bit more engraving) and retains the safety on the bolt as well as a tang safety on double triggers. Wonder if this was a 'standard' feature of the maker? Definitely, both are beautiful rifles. As far as tang safety's go, have to admit that I love them as well. Still can't figure why Ruger went to a side, three position, trigger safety on the 77s, when a three position tang safety would have been much nicer. ______________________ Ken A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in. --- Greek Proverb | |||
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Beautiful rifle(s). Question- does the front scope mount dovetail miss the receiver ring? It looks like it might possibly due to the "base" built up on the ring. | |||
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Tin can, I am not sure if that front dovetail got into the receiver or not. I no longer have the rifle as the customer picked it up. Looking at the pictures and from what I remember I would guess that there is a small flat on the top of the receiver ring. Here is another picture that I had. Stev  e | |||
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