Some time ago the most unusual double rifle I’ve ever seen came to my attention. It was apparently made for German colonial use. Made by Rheinmetall, Soemmerda, the former v.Dreyse factory, it was made for Robert Schrader, Goettingen, to his patents. Schrader’s trunnion breech action was a boxy looking affair, but extraordinary strong. Schrader’s 1901 DRPatent 137824 covered this breech action. Schrader’s lockwork was patented in 1898, DRPatent 100914. This is another example of the so-called “safety guns” that could be carried fully loaded and uncocked, but could be cocked and set on “fire” with a single movement. I function Schrader’s locks were based on the same idea as F. Beesley’s famous springcocking sidelocks, found on most Purdeys: A V mainspring engages the hammer with both limbs. The stronger limb pushes the hammer back to the full cock position, while the weaker one tries to push it forward to fire it. As long as both limbs are engaged, the gun cannot fire until a cam lifts the stronger limb out of engagement with the hammer. On the Purdey sidelocks this cam is operated by closing the barrels, making the guns self-opening. Schrader operated such a cam manually by the protruding “third trigger”. This trigger-shaped lever has three functions. Pushed forward it serves as the underlever, opening the action. In the middle position, as shown in the photos, the gun is safe as both mainspring limbs are engaged with the hammers. Pulled back against the grip it operates the cams that disengage the stronger limbs from contact with the hammers. As the cams go slightly beyond dead centre, the lever remains in the “Fire” up position until pushed down, snapping to the “Safe” middle position again. As you have to push the lever down/ forward all the way to open and reload the gun, the mainsprings bring the hammers back to their full cock positions automatically.

Any Schrader double rifle with his trunnion breech is unusual and very rare, but this rifle is unique for it’s chamberings. The right barrel is chambered for the old, black powder originally, 11.15x65R LK “Drillingspatrone”, but proofed for Schrader’s proprietary full Nitro load, a 324 gr steel jacket bullet and 57 gr smokeless rifle flake powder. This load puts the cartridge in the same class like the .405 Winchester, suitable for all game encountered then in Africa. Obviously this barrel was intended for general hunting use. The left barrel is chambered different. Apparently meant to be used as sort of an ”Emergency Brake” in case of a charge, it is chambered for the British .600 Nitro Express. Recoil must be terrifying, but you probably have other problems if any need to use it arises.