Guild guns

[SPE33]

This one bears the name of A.Richter of Cottbus,Germany a town near the Polish border.Guild guns were usually a collective effort of men with skills in a particular field.Barrel maker,stock maker etc.Put them all together and you wind up with what is commonly known as a “Guild gun”. This one is a 16 gauge with 29” barrels. The under lever opens up the trigger plate action.For some reason I was particularly drawn to the engraving.

[44whiskey]

wow, what a beauty,great find

[bbman3]

Wonderful shotgun! Bobby

[Jeff S]

Beautiful gun and very unique.

[Stan Hillis]

I usually don't care for the "Germanic style" of engraving or stock architecture, but that's one that doesn't fit the "mold" and is a very pretty and unique gun. I like it!

[Silvers]

SPE, it looks good, kind of unusual stock heading. Nice wood. Any tech details, i.e., chambers, bore and choke diameters, stock comb drops, LOP? How does it shoot?

Wow, for mid-September it seems like lots of dry leaves on the deck and grass. Just wondering, where do you live? frank

[SPE33]

Thanks for the interest.It’s chambered for 2 9/16 shells. Chokes appear to be a light-modified and full.LOP is right around 13 3/4 inches.DAH….2/14 DAC….1 3/8. Measurements are as close as I could figure.What impressed me was the way the stockmaker had to inlay some smaller pieces of wood to fill in the imperfections in the stock.I haven’t hunted with it but it breaks clay targets just fine.

I live up in the N.W. corner of Ohio close to the Indiana line,it’s been really dry here for a while. Leaves are starting to fall early.

[ROMAC]

Great looking gun!

I don't think I could have passed on it either.

[Stan Hillis]

Great photo of the top tang. Very nice. Is that wing nut thingie the safety? If so, which way is off safe?

[SPE33]

Yes,that is the safety Stan.It’s in the off position.When it’s in line with the barrels it blocks your line of sight. I’ve seen similar ones on other European made guns.

[Foxnut]

Great photo of the top tang. Very nice. Is that wing nut thingie the safety? If so, which way is off safe?

I had the same question/assumption. Clever (I think) design!!

[Brian Dudley]

That is an absolutely stunning gun! With a lot of special features not usually seen on German guns, from a styling and embellishment standpoint. The action is commonly seen on Colath guns.

The wing nut safety is on when alighted with the rib, and off when perpendicular to it. When the safety is on, it blocks the view down the rib.

And I dont thing I have seen a stock with so many blowout patches in it. It goes to show that makers will do anything to salvage and use a nice piece of wood.

[eightbore]

Is the cocking by the opening of the barrels or by the moving of the lever? I have a Griefelt 29 inch 16 underlever. I can't remember whether the lever cocks the gun or not. I will check it out and post my answer. Your gun is definitely a piece of work. Newsflash! My little 5 1/2 pound Griefelt 16 is a lever cocker. The opening of the gun has nothing to do with cocking the gun.

[SPE33]

Working the under-lever is what cocks the gun.