Pre-Owned - Leica Leitz Sabre Rifle Stock w/ Leica M1,Earnst Leitz GmbH Wetzlar Teylt 400mm f/5, E. Leitz Wetzlar adapter and viewfinder

Pre-Owned - Leica Leitz Sabre Rifle Stock w/ Leica M1, Teylt 400mm f/5, E. Leitz Wetzlar adapter and viewfinder

Camera: Leica M1, Serial # 1074433 Made in 1963

Excellent condition. All parts of the rifle have been tested and are working as expected, any previously faulty parts have been replaced. There is some minor wear on the stock, lens, and M1 body that do not impact the performance of the rifle. The stock has some scuffs and scratches on the wood, the M1 body has a small dent on the right corner of the top plate, and the lens has a few scratches and scuffs around the focusing ring. The glass of the lens is free of fungus, dust, haze, and scratches. Please see pictures for more details.

Rifle stock has been modified with an approximately 3/4" extension.

Lens cap and body cap included.

The Leica Leitz Sabre Rifle Stock is an exceptionally rare, highly coveted 1950s camera accessory designed to turn a Leica camera into a steady, shoulder-mounted system for telephoto sports and wildlife photography. Because of its incredible scarcity—with only an estimated 24 to 35 units ever produced—it is a holy grail item for vintage camera collectors, frequently commanding prices upwards of $15,000 to $20,000 at specialized auctions.

Key Historical & Technical Facts:

The Manufacturer: It was designed and manufactured by the Sabre Photographic Supply Company in Illinois, USA.

Production Timeline: It was only produced for a single year, between 1956 and 1957.

Leitz Connection: Although meticulously built to meet the rigid, high-precision quality standards of Ernst Leitz, it was never officially marketed or sold by Leitz/Leica.

The Component Setup: The stock was specifically engineered to support heavy telephoto setups.

It typically integrates:

A Leica screw-mount (e.g., Leica Iseries or IIIf) or M-series rangefinder body.

A Leica Visoflex I reflex housing equipped with a 45° PEGOO magnifier.

Long telephoto lenses like the Leica Telyt 200mm or 400mm f/5.A custom double cable release hooked directly to the rifle trigger to simultaneously control the Visoflex mirror and the camera shutter.

Portrait Orientation Feature: Unlike Leica's own ultra-rare, pre-WWII factory rifle stock (the 1938 E. Leitz New York RIFLE code word system), the Sabre stock features a unique black "U" connector bracket that allows the photographer to quickly rotate the camera between landscape and portrait orientation.