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Krieghoff Neptun Primus Hand-detachable Sidelock Drilling 12 x 12 x 7x65r w/ .222 Rem insert bl., S&B 3-12x42 scope in claw mts., Cased
Guns International #: 102474066 Seller's Inventory #: 23-019
Category: Krieghoff Shotguns - Drilling & Combination Guns
Seller's Information
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Seller: rcrwin70
Member Since: 9/26/07
First Name: Roger
State: Hawaii
Country: United States
Platinum Seller
Number of Active Listings: 0
Seller: Private Seller
Return Policy: 3 day inspection and return policy on used guns.
3 days
Payment Types Accepted: cashiers check or money order or pay pal plus 3%
Description:
SOLD ** KRIEGHOFF Neptun Primus Hand-detachable Sidelock Drilling 12 x 12 / 7x65R with 222 Rem insert barrel, Schmidt & Bender 3-12x42 scope in claw mounts. Cased, manufactured 1969, Excellent Plus, 99%.
Description:
The highest grade drilling by Krieghoff, this is a 12 gauge double side by side over a rifle barrel chambered in 7x65R Brenneke, a popular European caliber. With 2 ¾” chambers, the 25-inch barrels have a flat matted rib and are choked: right Modified (.018) and left Improved Modified (.024). With double triggers the front trigger is a set trigger for the rifle barrel. The trigger guard is fabricated from buffalo horn as is found only on the highest grade or best guns in German and Austrian drillings.
The removable buttplate opens to expose ammo storage: compartments for two 7x65r cartridges, one 12 gauge shotgun shell, and six .222 Remington cartridges. The accessary 222 Remington insert tube measures 25” and can be inserted into one of the 12 gauge barrels.
The action: Built with two seven-pin sidelocks with concealed pins, the receiver fences are carved to resemble sideclips. It also has cocking indicators. The safety is a traditional slide-forward safety mounted on an extension of the rear tang just left of the top lever. The barrel selector is mounted on backend of the tang in the location a traditional safety usually resides. The top lever is checkered with scroll engraving on both faces for either the right or left hand. Typical of best-made German guns, in lieu of bushed strikers, it has rear set pins which are readily serviceable.
The barrels: The Bohler Antinit steel barrels have a rib extension for a Kersten-style crossbolt. The solid rib is fitted with original claw mounts with a high-end German-made Schmidt & Bender 3-12x42 scope. The rear sight consists of one folding leaf which is actuated with the rifle barrel selector. The rifle barrel is free-floated which is an extra and remains cool and stable even during a rigorous clay bird game when the two barrels above it are hot. It is dead-on accurate and consistent with S&B factory loads.
The engraving: The arabesque engraving is hand-engraved by a master engraver in the Neptun Primus pattern: The receiver and pinless sidelocks have outstanding game-scene engraving: On the right are two does and a fawn scampering in the woods and on the left is a ten-point buck bugling, standing near a grazing doe while both sidelocks are covered with deep relief and perfectly executed scroll work. The concealed screw for hand-removing the pinless sidelocks is located on the right side just above the rear trigger. The fit is so meticulous it is hard to see or differentiate from its surrounding engraving. The fully engraved underside is inscribed, “KRIEGHOFF” and under that “NEPTUN – PRIMUS.” The Anson & Deeley forearm release is engraved as are all screws and the buttplate takedown bolt. German engravers rarely sign their work, but for this one, the engraver should have. Just compare the sharp detail and you can see that this is the work of a master engraver.
The stock: The fancy stock of fiddleback figure is made of walnut from the Caucasian mountains and has a rich dark brown color with black streaks and shows Krieghoff’s best work: perfect wood to metal fit, shaped with a pistol grip with horn cap with engraved screw and a European cheek piece with shadow line for the right handed shooter. The forearm wood matches the stock extremely well as if cut from the same blank. Both the stock and forearm are checkered with the very-hard-to-execute, skip-line checkering displaying intermittent diamonds.
Kreighoff is renowned for its drillings: the Plus Model, the Optimus Model, the Quadro Afrcian Model, the Trumpf Model and its highest grade drilling, the sidelock Neptun Model. When the Neptun has hand-detachable pinless sidelocks, it becomes the Neptun Primus (this gun) – the very finest drilling Krieghoff makes.
This specific Neptun Primus was ordered with all the bells and whistles -- every possible option. Besides its concealed hand-detachable locks, gold plated locks and triggers, it has gold bands on the breech of the barrels, a horn trigger guard bow, a hand-removable buttplate with cartridge storage, a free-floating rifle barrel, and factory-installed claw mounts for the Schmidt & Bender 3-12x42 scope..
The finish: The barrels are blue as are the claw scope mounts and the sling swivels. All other metal parts are coin finished: the receiver, the sidelocks, the top lever, the barrel selector, and the safety. The triggers are gold, the trigger guard bow is horn, and there is one protruding Purdey action lug finished in blue. The choice of finishes with the horn parts blending with the barrels and contrasting with the other metal parts were well thought out making for a very handsome drilling.
The Length of Pull is 14 3/8" over the horn buttplate. Weight is 9 lbs. 1 oz. without the scope. The scope is a Schmidt & Bender 3-12x42, a top-of-the-line German-made variable scope. It is bright and clear with a German #4 reticle.Photographs 1 and 14 show the S&B scope.
The original maker’s case has been lost over the years, but the last owner commissioned the great German case maker, AKAH, to provide their premium leather case with Krieghoff leather label and then custom fit the whole assembly in traditional green wool felt, making a very handsome presentation.
There is also a second lockable steel case that is nearly air tight, very high quality, best for transporting the gun on extended hunts.
Condition: For the metal finish, the original barrel blue is at 99% and the original frame’s coin finish is at 99%. The wood finish remains at 99%. The original 26 lpi checkering is at 95% for both the forearm and the pistol grip. All three bores are excellent plus and look amazingly like new. It is hard to believe they were made in 1969. This is a solid Drilling that set around a whole lot more than it went hunting in the 52 years of its career. (There is plenty of Sellier & Bellot 7x65r ammo that can be bought from a large array of distributors.)
This is an investment that can be used in the field, but Neptun Primus’ are no longer made. The amount of handwork involved today would force the maker to increase the price much higher than its final MSRP in 2009. On April 12, 2022, I met Dieter Krieghoff and had several conversations with him. I asked him how much one of their Neptun Primas drillings would cost today if made the same way with the same amount of handwork. After careful thought, he answered $60,000 to $65,000 without scope and scope mounts and without the extra 222Rem barrel.
Priced here to sell at $26,450.00 ..New Reduced Price $23,450.00.
Seller is the author of The Rifleman’s Rifle (Winchester pre-64 Model 70s) and will furnish a Letter of Provenance that this gun is from his collection. Please check out author’s feedback on ebay under rcrwin70roger. 3-day non-firing inspection for full refund, shipping is $75 to buyer’s FFL, payment by MO, certified check , wire transfer or personal check on hold for validation.
For questions, call (808) 989-1863 and ask for Roger.
The maker: H.Krieghoff Gun Co. was founded in 1886, then located in Suhl, the German gunmaking city known for building best guns (the equivalent of England’s London). They remained there until the split between East and West Germany and in 1954, the company relocated to Ulm Germany, which was then in the divided West Germany where the company remains today. They are a leading and famous German gun maker known for making best guns of their top model lines and have been the choice of firearms for many Olympians.
The cartridge: Developed by Wilhelm Brenneke in 1917. From Cartridges of the World by Frank C Barnes, “Those who think everything new and worthwhile always originates as the result of good ol’ Yankee ingenuity better take a close look at this cartridge.” The 7x65R Brenneke is adequate for any North American big game with the proper bullet. In its original form, it was loaded with a special bullet designed by Brenneke called the Brenneke Torpedo. Today, quite a large variety of bullet types are offered in each weight to adapt the cartridge to practically any game or shooting situation (the following 6 bullet weights are from four manufacturers: 139, 154, 162, 170, 173, 175). With a 139 grain bullet, it develops 3000 ft/sec.
SOLD
Rifle Caliber: .222 Remington, 7x65mmR
Shotgun Gauge: 12 Gauge
Manufacturer: Krieghoff
Model: Neptun Primus
Barrel Length: 25 1/2
Condition: Near Mint
Case: Leather German-made