5/25/2021 – Arms and Armor

.68 caliber. 35″ barrel length. SN: NSN. Single-shot percussion rifle with adjustable ladder-style rear sight, double set triggers, and what appears to be a bayonet attachment. There is a polished finish to twisted steel barrel and a straight-grip walnut stock with shoulder cutaway to right side and metal forend cap. Features a Swiss-style metal buttplate, brass serpentine trigger guard, and swivel sling mounts. Lockplate and cock lever are engraved with Grecian-style fretwork designs to border edges. Cock lever also features a sunburst-style engraving of a cloud and lightning bolts. Marked to lockplate is the signature “J. Muller”, and to barrel “J. Muller in Bern”. Top of barrel is marked with what appears to be measurements each about five inches apart of 500, 400, and 300. Also to top of barrel is a possible serial number mark “13/15” near breech. There is a brass octagonal escutcheon marked “T:Lanz” to left side, opposite of lockplate. 

Swiss Schuetzen rifles were popular in Europe from about 1875-1945. Made by many independent gunmakers, most of these rifles are custom fitted to competition shooters of the period. This Schuetzen rifle appears to be attributed to Johann Muller of Bern, Switzerland (1800-1866), who produced firearms for both military use and competition shooting.