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Hello NE folks,

Yes, getting signed up with NE took a bit but with help from Dale and NitroX the issue is finally resolved. I've read quite a few of the threads and it's all quite interesting as well as entertaining. I'm looking forward to being a contributing member.

On to what I can tell you thus far about the .280 Ross SXS. I've read what several have said in the replies to Dale’s initial posting and many of them had me looking a little closer at my purchase, thank you. With regard to clamshells in general I've ran into a few folks that think clamshells or muzzelverschluss receivers are clumsy looking and not very attractive but I find them interesting and a variation in double rifle receivers that a collector should have at least one of. For one they are what could be considered an extreme means of reinforcing a receiver to handle heavier loads and because of the additional work, better yet, craftsmanship involved in producing and fitting them. Both I can say with a smile are examples of what I've heard many times to be typical of manufacturing in Germany. OK, I'm half German so maybe there is a little personal bias. After searching for a "high-end" clamshell for at least three years this one hooked me big time. Let's say there was very little hesitation in deciding if I wanted it or not.

As many of you have already seen the pictures that Dale posted some time ago you have no doubt noticed many of the same features that attracted me to the piece. The .280 Ross round and rifle is a story in itself, but let’s pass on that for now. The "English" straight grip along with the other bells and whistles that came with it all played a part in getting me to make the call to the dealer. What came as a pleasant surprise when I received the gun was the inlay work that didn't show up in the dealers pictures. The person that did the inlay work used what looks to be platinum and yellow gold. The pictures that Dale posted recently show the gold inlay bordering the game scenes on the side panels of the receiver. I'll be trying to get some better pictures when I set up some better lighting but hopefully you can make it out. The dog on the underside of the receiver and the boar on the bullet trap are also bordered in yellow gold. Better lighting will show that in addition to the oval borders immediately around the dog and boar the inlay continues above and below in the border pattern prior to going into the vine and leaf work. The front sight bead is yellow gold and the folding rear sight has a triangular platinum inlay pointing to the sight groove. If you look closely at the text on the top rib "BEST GERMAN QUALITY ... EDUARTREG CO., NEW YORK" (in the first set of pictures) you might be able to see (I didn't the first time around) that the first letter in each word is yellow gold and the rest are platinum. The “M” in the inlay on the top lever is yellow gold and the “R” is platinum. The postal scale that I've used to weigh guns broke recently so for the moment I don't know what this thing weighs. I can tell you that it's heavier than it looks. A few other details that you may not already know is the LOP is 14 7/8", which surprised me a bit, and the chopper lump barrels are 26 3/8" long. As this is an ejector gun chambered for the .280 Ross “semi-rimmed” cartridge and not a .280 Flanged the ejectors include the little spring-loaded hooks to catch what rim the .280 Ross has. The ejectors work really well by the way. Next time I try them out I’ll have to take note of how far they launch the brass. One other thing that's kind of neat is the out of the ordinary engraving on the end of the muzzle. It's a scroll design that goes around both barrel ends and converges in the filler block between the barrels instead of the more typical cross-hatching pattern.

That's all I can think of for now with regard to details. Additional pictures will say the rest. Since acquiring this piece I've been spending quite a bit of time trying to find out who the manufacturer was and who may have ordered the piece. I think I’m on to the manufacturer but I’m waiting for a confirmation from some fellow members of the GGCA (German Gun Collectors Association). Yes, if you collect German sporting arms you must join. I have Lee Precision making a set of dies for me and I have purchased quite a selection of bullets. Besides picking up a couple of boxes of Hawk 160 grain bullets and a couple bags of Horneber brass (head-stamped .280 Ross), I have acquired boxes of old WRA soft-points and hollow-points in 150 grain and 143 grain. As it was observed earlier the barrels were regulated using 154 grain jacket bullets (St.m.G./Stahl Mantel Geschoss - steel jacketed bullets) so we'll have to see what works best with what load.

Regards,

Mark (Marcus)

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Happy the man, and happy he alone,
He who can call today his own:
He who, secure within, can say,
Tomorrow do thy worst, for I have lived today.

- John Dryden