Danish Sjogren Sjögren Patent Autoloading 12 GA Semi-Automatic Shotgun, C&R
SOLD FOR: $3025
LSB#: 220316CA229
Make: Haandvaabenvaerkstenderne
Model: Sjogren Patent Automatic Shotgun
Serial Number: 2288
Year of Manufacture: 1908-1909
Gauge: 12 Gauge, 2 1/2” Shells
Action Type: Firing-Pin Locked Takedown Semi-Automatic Shotgun
Markings: The left of the receiver is marked “AUTOMAT. / SYSTEM SJOGREN / PATENT.”. The right is marked “HAANDVAABENVAERKSTEDERNE KJOBENHAVN.” under a crown. The right of the bolt, receiver and barrel have German proof marks. The left of the barrel and receiver as well as the top of the bolt have British proof marks. The serial number or a portion of it is marked on the magazine bracket, the left of the receiver and barrel extension the firing pin and the rear of the bolt. The bottom tang has a Gunshop Inc import mark.
Barrel Length: 28″
Choke: Full, Fixed
Sights / Optics: There is a silver-colored bead at the front of the rib. The top of the rib and receiver are checkered for glare reduction.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece walnut with checkered forend, smooth straight wrist, straight comb and serrated black hard rubber buttplate with “SVA” monogram (earlier production was done by Svenska Vapen-och Ammunitions). There is a sling swivel in the belly and another on the front of the magazine cap. The stocks have scattered nicks, scuffs and scratches. There is a tiny loss at the toe. The points of the checkers are smooth, but the checkering is well defined. There are no cracks. The LOP measures 13 3/4″ from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has scattered light wear with a chip-loss at the toe, larger than the one in the wood. Overall, the stocks are in Good-plus condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is semi-bright. There is some light erosion in the bore toward the muzzle-end and stubborn residue that looks like melted wad.
Overall Condition: This shotgun retains approximately 75% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. Most of the balance is in handling wear in the grip areas, over the forend on the barrel. There are some scattered minor nicks, scuffs and scratches. There is infrequent minor surface oxidation The action shows operational wear. The screw heads are tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this shotgun is in Good-Very Good condition (see Mechanics).
Mechanics: The magazine tube will not rotate fuly into the retained position. The detent which would hold the tube in place when retained is missing. Otherwise, the action functions correctly. We have not fired this shotgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: Designed by Carl Axel Theodor Sjögren in Sweden, this is a fascinating gun which has a design which is obviously strange just by its appearance. Initially produced by AB Svenska Vapen- och Ammunitionsfabriken in Sweden, production would move to Håndvåbenværkstederne in Denmark. Sjögren’s design was innovative for an early autoloading shotgun, with the bolt assembly locked in place by the firing pin after firing and the rearward force of the shell re-cocking the firing pin, unlocking the bolt once pressures have dropped to a low enough level that the bolt can safely cycle. The design is somewhat similar to Benelli’s inertial-locked system, but with the firing pin and spring absorbing the inertia to unlock the system. As innovative as the design is, the gun saw limited success with about 5,000 made in 1908 and 1909 between the two companies.
This example was apparently something of a world traveler, having made its way from Copenhagen to both Germany and the United Kingdom before coming across the pond sometime after 1968 based on its import mark. The gun looks like it has seen honest use and there’s some work that needs to be done on the magazine assembly to get the takedown feature functioning properly. This is a scarce shotgun which is deliciously strange. If you’re interested in early autoloaders with odd mechanisms, you can’t do a whole lot better than a Sjögren. Please see our photos and good luck!
