Who or what organization this rifle was made for is a mystery at the moment.
The facts we have to go on are the Suhl proofhouse commercial eagle N, the 944 date. and the Suhl shield. Something else to consider is the 359 waffenamt on the rear sight base. 359 was the inspector's waffenamt number used at J.P Sauer. Interersting to say the least.
Arms for use outside of purely military channels were produced late into the war. I used to own a J.P.Sauer SxS shotgun that I bought off a vet many years ago. The barrels were proofed 844, August of 1944! This was a commercial shotgun not a military weapon. Why the Germans would be producing commercial sporting arms that late into the war is beyond me. I have also seen other late war commercial shotguns proofed in Suhl.
Another similar anomaly I still have is a Standard Model 98. It has the commercial BUG proofs and just one (1) waffenamt stamp on the reciever just forward of the Mauser Banner. Go figure.
Hope this helps some.
Tony
The facts we have to go on are the Suhl proofhouse commercial eagle N, the 944 date. and the Suhl shield. Something else to consider is the 359 waffenamt on the rear sight base. 359 was the inspector's waffenamt number used at J.P Sauer. Interersting to say the least.
Arms for use outside of purely military channels were produced late into the war. I used to own a J.P.Sauer SxS shotgun that I bought off a vet many years ago. The barrels were proofed 844, August of 1944! This was a commercial shotgun not a military weapon. Why the Germans would be producing commercial sporting arms that late into the war is beyond me. I have also seen other late war commercial shotguns proofed in Suhl.
Another similar anomaly I still have is a Standard Model 98. It has the commercial BUG proofs and just one (1) waffenamt stamp on the reciever just forward of the Mauser Banner. Go figure.
Hope this helps some.
Tony
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