5/25/2021 – Arms and Armor

About .410 caliber. 34″ barrel length. SN: NSN. Single-shot percussion rifle with heavy octagon barrel, target sights, swivel sling mounts, and palm rest. Blued metal finish to barrel, brass accoutrements, and plain perch-belly walnut stock with black forend cap. Item has (IFI) engraved brass accoutrement to left side lockplate, “DESTRAZ A ESSERTES” marked to right side lockplate, and “ACIER FONDU” marked to top of barrel indicating the steel used for the barrel. Features a Swiss-style buttplate, serpentine trigger guard, and leather sling. Schuetzen rifles were single-shot competition guns used widely in Europe from about 1875-1945. Most are custom made by independent gunmakers of the period.