(of the) World's Rarest Mausers

[martin08]

Nice Swede M41 sniper. I have a few, IIRC a couple are scoped with the Swede M/42 scope, a couple with the M/44, and a couple are scopeless. I'm still looking for an original M41 (not the post-war M41B) with an unmodified Ajack scope, or at least a nice original Ajack scope and mount setup I can put on one of my scopeless M41 rifles.

Hey Marcus,

I was going to email you with the link to the following scope. But seeing that you had already found it, I didn't need to! Congrats on a rare optics find!

http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread. ... ish-mauser

[Jumperwire]

Well that does it. My next vacation, I'm going to Maine.

[martin08]

Well that does it. My next vacation, I'm going to Maine.

Please do! My private range awaits visitors.

And Mauser owners! Post up some of your less common variants, if you'd like!


My next offering:

Very few of these escaped caliber conversions to 45/70, and this one is an original that is not cut down from a full length M71/84 model. It is of the first true Mauser design, along with the Model 1871 infantry length rifle, patented in 1871. Bolt is not matched, but I'll take it in this configuration anyway. A rare bird, and no import marks.

K.Mod.71 single shot Mauser Cavalry Carbine in 11 X 60mm.














Check out the size of the mouth on that sucker! Built in 1876. Entered into service in 1877.

This is a short Cavalry version Mauser that was initially commissioned for Frederick Wilhelm (FW) of Prussia at the factory of Österreichische Waffenfabriksgesellschaft, or what is now Steyr. The unit numbers (3.G.U.2.136) the 3d (Prussian) Garde-Ulan (Regiment), 2d squadron, weapon number 136 in squadron. Ulan (sometimes Uhlan) = lancer. Regiment raised 1860.

The receiver and bolt were initially in the white. The barrel and other metal were originally blued, but age, wear and patina have taken away all but what little remains under the stock line. When used by mounted troops, the gun was slipped into a saddle bucket and was secured to the horse and rider with a sash which connected to the front saddle ring. When used by ground/artillery/support troops, the rear swivel was also utilized with a typical sling. A few examples have only the front saddle ring provision, mine has both front and rear.

The 11X60 black powder cartridge only traveled at about 850fps, so it had to be BIG to be effective in a single shot offering. One of my coolest and rarest, for sure. Thanks for looking!

[desdem12]

Just a gorgeous rifle. A favorite kind of mauser.

[Junk Yard Dog]

I am currently working on a 71/84 rifle, might get the rest of the cleanup done this year.

[pd3603]

I found a FN mauser 8mm in a rural pawn shop in Missouri today for $265. It looks exactly like the first mauser in this thread, however, there is no year stamped into the reciever below the FN symbol. Never heard of the FN mauser before today, and me and a buddy were just going around enjoying our day off and located that one. Should I go back and get it or is there something different (more valuable) in the above FN mauser. Really an addicting habbit, must slow down on the purchases. Thanks for any advice.

[martin08]

I found a FN mauser 8mm in a rural pawn shop in Missouri today for $265. It looks exactly like the first mauser in this thread, however, there is no year stamped into the reciever below the FN symbol. Never heard of the FN mauser before today, and me and a buddy were just going around enjoying our day off and located that one. Should I go back and get it or is there something different (more valuable) in the above FN mauser. Really an addicting habbit, must slow down on the purchases. Thanks for any advice.

The FN-30 Mauser with the logo and no date is not as scarce as the 1938 dated one. But it is not common. If it is in decent condition, it may be worth the coin. It is a real Belgian build, and not a Chinese knock-off.

[pd3603]

How do you tell if its a Chinese knock off? Has the fn logo on receiver and the same phrase on the side of receiver as pictured above.

[desdem12]

He is referring to the chiang kei shek rifles I asked about in this thread. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiang_Kai-shek_rifle. There are also other FN mausers so you have to look it over for signs of who owned it.

[pd3603]

Looks like soldier carved a few Chinese symbols in the stock, so it must be Chinese knock off. Thanks for the replies.

[desdem12]

There are usualy Chinese characters on the chiang rifles and probly on the FN ones too. If it has Chinese writing or characters and has an fn banner crest then it is a Belgian made FN mauser made for china. I am not sure of the crests on chiang rifles but I will have a look around to see.

[OLD OUTLAW]

Well, lets try this. Most know I like to collect certain Swedish Mausers. I try to go by a published rarity chart based on numbers produced per year of production. I have a number of the top 10 in rarity of these Mausers. Here is the top one in rarity by numbers made. Only 2149 were ever made. I have two pretty rare Unit rifles also. Perhaps later.
This is the elusive 1924 M96. This one is in exceptional condition. It is all matching of metal and wood. It has never been sanded. But the cleaning rod is unnumbered. Not out of the ordinary for Swede rifles. Enjoy.

Edit: I had to use a collage of pics for this. Some mine and some from previous collector owner. Colors are funny looking on some. Too light in places. Flash I think. Makes wood look light like on the handguard. Oh well, you get the picture.

[shmlnaaa]

These might not be rare, perhaps uncommon, but I'm sure y'all won't mind seeing pictures of them.

[Junk Yard Dog]

[martin08]

Looks like soldier carved a few Chinese symbols in the stock, so it must be Chinese knock off. Thanks for the replies.

To date, there has been no confirmation of FN Mausers being forged in China. If it has the FN logo, then it is Belgian made.


And many thanks Old Outlaw and shmlnaaa. Gorgeous M96's, both. I did see that one has that pesky [SA] stamp.

[Longcolt44]

Shmlnaaa, I was just thumbing through a new book on The Military Rifles of Japan and ran across your, "P" series VZ-24 CONTRACT rifle, (page 144 and pictures at page 149). They were made in Czechoslovakia in 1937 and issued to the Imperial Japanese Navy. The series runs from P1 to P99999. Also 100000 VZ-24 Czech rifles were sent to China.

[shmlnaaa]

Shmlnaaa, I was just thumbing through a new book on The Military Rifles of Japan and ran across your, "P" series VZ-24 CONTRACT rifle, (page 144 and pictures at page 149). They were made in Czechoslovakia in 1937 and issued to the Imperial Japanese Navy. The series runs from P1 to P99999. Also 100000 VZ-24 Czech rifles were sent to China.

Yeah, not sure where mine ended up though. It is in AMAZING condition for a nearly original VZ.24, which hints at Japanese use, but the stock finish doesn't seem Japanese to me and the only non-factory original part, the safety lever, has only this odd marking on it.



This rifle is a bit of a mystery to me, interesting though.

[Longcolt44]

They were fit and finished in Czechoslovakia so it wouldn't have any Japanese finish. The, "P" , is the key to the Japanese contract.

[shmlnaaa]

Yes, but I'm pretty sure the stock doesn't have it's factory original finish unless they normally came from the factory with big dings underneath the finish and stuff.

[martin08]

My next offering is generally a model that is labeled as an uncommon find. It's the Argentine Model 1891 Cavalry Carbine, in 7.65X53, rearsenal matched and non-import marked. But it's a bit of a stumper for a couple of reasons.

1. Lacks any model stamps
2. The crest is not usual

Not really sure that it fits the category of the world's rarest Mausers, but it is one of my four less than usual fares. And, I have yet to see another like it.

First, some pics. It's an interesting stock, with tiger stripes showing from some angles, and not readily visible from other angles. Missing its rear saddle ring, and never fitted with a front sling swivel. Bluing is less than 20%, but the patina helps.

















This gun received some very interesting feedback regarding the unusual receiver and crest when I first presented it on Gunboards, a couple of years back.

1891 Argentine Cavalry Carbine - Pics


The model identification, "MAUSER MODELO ARGENTINO 1891", is completely missing from the left side of the receiver. For lack of any other supporting examples, I would need to defer to the explanation given by cello1988 in the thread link above. It may have been a partially marked receiver for arsenal repair purposes. The differing serial font on the receiver might support that observation.

Then there's the crest. It does not resemble any other M1891 Carbine or Long Gun crest, nor any 1909 rebuild crest. And nowhere on the gun does the AG Shield (Argentine arsenal rebuild) appear. Oddball, at the very least. But maybe more might be revealed following this showing.





Mama always told me not to look into the eyes of the sun...
-by, Bruce Springsteen, then re-written by Manfred Mann

But you need to look at the eyes of the crest to appreciate this offering. Wish I could find another Argentine crest with the same eye configuration, but I can't. Again, thanks for looking.