serial #16664, 8x57JR and 16 ga. over 8x57JR, 25 3/4” rifle barrels and 26 1/2” combination barrels, all with bright excellent bores, the shotgun barrel choked full. Both sets of barrels retain about 90-92% original blue, the loss is due to even fading, some muzzle wear with a few freckles of light oxidation on the double rifle barrels near the muzzle, also with a few light handling marks. Each features a full-length solid rib and are marked “Gebruder Merkel Suhl” on the flared bolsters which meet the frame, with the retailer marking on the rib “Ferd. Braetsch Solingen”. The scalloped boxlock action is now a silvery pewter case-hardened patina with sprays of light open scroll and some floral embellishment, in perhaps 25% coverage. The left side of the frame shows some minor oxidation staining, with a bit of very light pinprick pitting on the belly of the frame near the makers mark. The long tang triggerguard and top lever show some fading blue, the triggers polished bright. The checkered capped pistolgrip scant Monte Carlo style stock and all forends show an old light cleaning some years ago and rate otherwise very fine, the buttstock showing the beginning of a small 1/4” crack at the upper left front where it meets the frame. There is a hard rubber pistolgrip cap, rounded shadowline cheekpiece, and the length of pull to the grooved hard rubber buttplate is 14 1/8”. The arm features double triggers, the front a single set, pin-style cocking indicators and non-automatic safety. Lockup is with dual under bites and Kersten crossbolts and both sets of barrels are tight on-face. Each has been fitted with a fiber optic orange-red bead-style front sight, the rifle barrels with a NECG Masterpiece ERA see-thru red fiber optic u-notch rear, the combination barrels with a pivoting, flip-up u-notch-wide open notch rear sight. Both sets of barrels have dual claw mount bases and each have been fitted with a nice set of modern 30 mm blued steel scope rings. Both sets of barrels are appropriately numbered to the gun, there is an additional serial number applied at a later date on the right leg of the frame “49394”, the Bockbuchsflinte barrels were proved in 1928, the double rifle barrels 1931. A very versatile double rifle-Bockbuchsflinte two barrel set from this quality maker. (39100-1346) {C&R} [Richard “Stretch” Kennedy Collection] (3000/5000)
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