Original German Half Stock Schützen Falling Block Target Rifle by August F.W. Timner of Coblenz with Set Trigger and Aperture Sight - Circa 1895

Original Item: Only One Available. A Schützen (also spelled Schuetzen) is a type of rifle used in European long-range competition. Its German root is from the word Schütze which can be translated as “shooter.” The earliest usage was to denote units of marksmen or sharpshooters back in the days of muzzleloading firearms. Some sources claim that it was once used to describe archers or more specifically crossbowmen. These rifles are typically heavy and can weigh upwards of 15 pounds. All shooting with these rifles is done standing using a palm rest and butt stock prongs to help the shooter balance the rifle so the weight aids in stability.

When Schützen became a competitive sport in Germany and the surrounding areas, many gun makers built these rifles to specifically fit an individual shooter. Being bespoke, that means that it will often not fit anyone else perfectly with regards to grip, length of pull, cheek rest configuration or even how the butt plate fits the shoulder. These were made by well known artisan level gunsmiths, and this example is marked on the top of the in Germanic Black Letter type with A. F. W. TIMNER. COBLENZ, for known maker August F.W. Timner, located in Western Germany at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers. The name itself is actually derived from the latin word cōnfluentēs. This maker operated during the later 19th Century, and received several patents for bolt action rifles, including one in 1874. They were highly respected, making a gold decorated rifle that was presented to Kaiser Wilhelm II himself. There is some great information on this maker at the German Hunting Guns website at this link: August F.W. Timner. 

This example is half stocked, and features a lovely 31 3/4" octagonal barrel with a bore of about 031", which looks to have polygonal rifling, with each land having a groove in the middle. The rifle measures 47 3/4" in overall length, and is equipped with an elaborate wood stock with a large hook butt plate. It is fitted with a SET TRIGGER enclosed in an elaborate trigger guard operating lever with finger grooves, which is held closed by a latch at the back. The set trigger mechanism itself has a lever at the rear, which allows it to be removed for quick adjustment, something have seen with other Schützen rifles of the period. The barrel is fitted with a bead front sight on a ramp, and the rear tang has a large dish-shaped adjustable aperture sight for a very accurate aim. Some of the adjustments on the rear sight look to be stuck at present.

The fore stock removes easily when the wedge is pulled, and the bottom of the barrel is marked with several German proof marks, which are the type used on guns intended for the export market. These include the CROWN / U proof mark, the CROWN / G Zeichen für Kugelläufe (Proof for rifle barrels), and CROWN / B Zeichen für Waffen, die nur einmaligem Beschuß unterworfen sind - ausländische Waffen (Proof for guns which are only tested once - foreign arms). Under these it has a series of numbers, 172,28 over 909 over 34. Next to these is a larger number 12. There are additional CROWN / B over CROWN / U markings on the right side of the breech block and the receiver. There are no NITRO proof marks, so this rifle was intended for black powder only, and made circa 1895.

Condition is really great on this rifle, with a lot of the case coloring on the receiver still present, while the barrel retains strong bluing. It has a great lightly used look, showing that it was well cared for, as were most Schützen rifles, usually only being purchased by the well off. The fore stock has some great curl to the grain, and the butt stock also hs some great grain, with lovely checking on the wrist and sides. They show the expected dents and dings from use, but nothing major and no signs of repairs. There are two small sling swivels present, one on the bottom of the butt stock and another on the bottom of the fore stock.

We checked the action, and it looks to be fully functional, with the falling block moving down when the lever is pulled, and the side mounted ejector presenting. The breech does not really seal, however there is no inline for the cartridge rim, so it is sealed by the rim of the cartridge, as were many target rifles of the time. The set trigger is fully functional, and in this case the rifle cannot be fired at all without setting the rear trigger. We can confirm looking down in the gap between the block and the barrel that the firing pin still presents. The bore is in excellent condition, still bright, and shows clear rifling, with maybe just a bit of past fouling. As this rifle was made for black powder, the lack of major oxidation is definitely a rarity.

A truly beautiful piece of German Craftsmanship, more than ripe for further research and ready to add to your collection!

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: circa 1895
Caliber: 0.31"
Ammunition Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 31 3/4 inches
Overall Length: 47 3/4 inches
Action: Falling Block
Feed System: Single Shot

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