Gun ID, Value

North lodge

Hello all,
I'm new to the site so please bare with me,

I have an old side by side shot gun handed down to me from my father, I know it was hand made in the Ferlach region of Austria. Could any body help me put a value on it ? Any help would be appreciated.
Markings
J.Koschal Winklers Nachf. Ferlach Austria
Bohler Blitz Stahl
26/79
12/65
NPF
D.655.46Attachment not found.image.jpgAttachment not found.

J.R.

Just wondering why you didn't put the picture attached here, along with some close up photos of the proof marks, up on this site to gain further information?

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=393142

tac foley

The inscription reads - J Koschal, successors to Winkler [dealer, bought out the old company but retains the good-will], made in Ferlach, Austria. Koschal is not the maker, but the seller. It looks to be nice guntrader piece of no particular merit.

It's a 12 gauge, and shoots 2.5" cartridges.

Bohler is a high-grade brand of gun steel manufacturers, and 'Blitz' is the trademark. Most good guns used this brand of steel in their barrels and actions, and Ferlach is the centre of the Austrian gunmaking trade, like Birmingham in England, Eibar in Spain and Breschia/Gardone val Trompia in Italy.

Currently, the NPF stamp - in the form of a mixed cypher - is used only on Glock 9mm Para handguns proofed in the Ferlach Proof House, but was probably used as you have written it to denote nitro proof.

I'm still looking for the other marks...

tac

North lodge

Thank you for your replies, they are much appreciated.

I just purchased a new hunting gun and am getting zero for a trade in of this gun. Should I hold onto the winkler or is it just another old gun of no real value taking up space in the safe?

Here are more pics

tac foley

Thank you for the kind words. The cypher, strangely, is the same as that on all modern Glocks! Full nitro proof...

The two Imperial eagle stamps with the '1' in the shield denotes the 1st definitive proof for BLACK POWDER between used between 1891 and 1928. Remember that Austria was the principal nation in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, hence the imperial eagle.

With a 2, 3 and 4 in the shield, it denotes the second proof firing - again for BP.

As for the cypher -

NPf - Ferlach

NPb - Budapest

NPp - Prague

NPv - Vienna

and NPw - Weipert

All point to your gun having been made between the years of 1891 and 1928, when the stamps changed.

Ih the stamping 'D.655.46', the 46 does not relate to the date of manufacture - Austria was under control of the Soviets at that time, who prohibited any kind of firearms manufacturing.

The 26/79 probably refers to the choking of the barrels - about 1/4 and 3/4.

As I noted, it is not a particularly emphatic piece, just nice to have. It's a pity that it is assessed as valueless - here in UK it might fetch around a hundred pounds as a trade-in gun.

Sorry I can't be more helpish.

tac

North lodge

Hi tac,

You have been very helpful, and thank you for your time and wealth of knowledge. Be safe
Best regards
North