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Chilean Mausers...A block
1KYDSTR
Member Posts: 2,361 ✭✭✭
I don't often post questions, but here goes. I just purchased an 1895 in what appears to be really nice (around 90% on the metal and 80% on the wood...totally unrefinished) condition for what I feel was a very good price. It is matched all throughout and is a Loewe making it a true antique (as I understand, Loewe quit making them and DWM took over after the amalgamation of those several firms after the Swedish contract started going to Gustavs and Oberndorf needed more production capacity to grow))so, if I recall, one wo9uld automatically add about 25% to the price of a non antique.
First question: are these not AUTOMATICALLY in the OVS/ZAR range? It is not visibly marked (I also am still waiting for it in the mail this week)as such though. There are also not funky cartouches like one see's in Jim Wingates book so I am getting a little confused. What other little "things" should I be looking for on this one? Ball and Olsen haven't been a lot of help as they are at best a little vague about provenance of the Boer guns.
Second question: Did the germans remark these guns after they were turned back by the British? Perhaps removing the OVS marks and replacing them with the Chilean Crest and series numbers?
Third question: Assuming the condition I claim (85% average overall, near mint bore and heavy blue, single adjuster rear sight slider, all original and non import)was $265 in the door a good deal?
Thanks in advance to all who chime in here..all input appreciated.
Bill
First question: are these not AUTOMATICALLY in the OVS/ZAR range? It is not visibly marked (I also am still waiting for it in the mail this week)as such though. There are also not funky cartouches like one see's in Jim Wingates book so I am getting a little confused. What other little "things" should I be looking for on this one? Ball and Olsen haven't been a lot of help as they are at best a little vague about provenance of the Boer guns.
Second question: Did the germans remark these guns after they were turned back by the British? Perhaps removing the OVS marks and replacing them with the Chilean Crest and series numbers?
Third question: Assuming the condition I claim (85% average overall, near mint bore and heavy blue, single adjuster rear sight slider, all original and non import)was $265 in the door a good deal?
Thanks in advance to all who chime in here..all input appreciated.
Bill
Comments
Similar 1895's were imported and sold in virtually unused/unissued condition in the mid 60's. I always assumed that they came from Chile, rather then Africa, given the markings you describe.
The going price at the time was $35, thats what I payed for the one I bought from Martin Retting.
I guess my query here is, is there a known serial range that went to the Boers? Olsen alludes to the fact that there were several gaps in the ranges and some made it from those blocks while others did not? He then proceeds to not list those ranges...and I'm sure that wou9ld be a daunting task at best anyway. So, I guess, how did an "A" block wend it's way to Chile? I assumed that they didn't start until the "D" blocks?
I sure wish I had been into mil surps a little earlier. The GCA of 68 happened when I was 5. My friends Dad's and uncles all told stories of the $12.50 1911's, and $10 Enfields, $25 tokarev SVT-38's and Swedish mausers by the barrel full for $20 apiece...boy, withthe benefit of hindsight, I coulda' been a millionaire! I saw an old add the other day for 7mm Johnson automatics for $50 each..the stock market blushes at the comparison! I saw one at Cabela's this week for $6000.
And gas was 16.9 cents a gallon....[:D]....and ya could cruise the "main drag" all evening for under a buck!
God! Doesn't that bring back memories! [:D][:D][:D]
I got into milsurps in 1990. A big gun store in Atlanta, Brock's, had about 100 Swedish Mausers on racks in the middle of the floor. You could pick them up and look at them as you pleased.
I never had heard of the Swedish Mauser, but I thought they were good looking guns.
They were priced at $100, or $125, or $150, depending on condition. They had battle sleeves of that Swedish milsurp ammo, very accurate and non corrosive, for $75 for 200 shots.
Well, while I was in the store I saw four of these rifles get sold.
I went back to Brock's a week later, and the racks were still full of Swedish Mausers! I asked them how many they had in the back room, they said 500!
I bought two of them and one battle sleeve, those were the good old days.
ORANGE FREE STATE (ORANJE VRIJ STAAT) - OVS
a short lived republic in SOUTH AFRICA, the ORANGE FREE STATE began to arm itself in earnest after the abortive JAMESON RAID into the neighboring TRANSVAAL in 1896. contacts were made and contracts drawn with DWM (DEUTSCHE WAFFEN UND MUNTIONFABRIK) in 1897 for the purchase of MODEL 1983 SPANISH PATTERN MAUSER rifles, short rifles, and carbines, made with the cylindrical bolt head as opposed to the SPANISH VARIANT flat0bottom bolt. records indicate that approximately 18,000 weapons were delivered before shipments were abruptly terminated by the advent of war.
of particular interest is that there were several variations in the weapons delivered, with the majority of the rifles made by DWM, showing the DOM markings / proofs and "MOD. MAUSER" on the receiver ring, as well as "OVS" on the side of the receiver and in 2 places on the stock.
a small number of rifles were manufactured by LUDWIG LOEWE AND CO. of BERLIN (this is the one example i own / SER# O.V.S. 501 / sporting a double set trigger, 400-1100 meter rear ladder sigh, and a windage adjustable hooded front sight / custom installed and period correct), and marked "MOD. MAUSER 1896" on the side rail and incorporated the LOEWE crest on the receiver ring. the left side of the receiver ring is marked "OVS", as is the stock immediatly below.
several thousands of rifles were in the process of completion and final inspection / proofing when delivery was halted by the onset of the BOER WAR; these rifles were then overstamped with the crest of CHILE and used to complete an existing contractual obligation with that country.
of those "OVS" Mauser rifles to be found, some will have bent bolt handles, while others will have straight bolt handles. it is of interest to note that a number of the MODEL G 71 MAUSER RIFLES purchased by the TRANSVAAL were also used during the BOER WAR.
the BOERS aquitted themselves admirably during the course of the ill-fated BOER WAR, treating the BRITISH to an astonishing show of marksmenship ability, coupled with the introduction of the BRITISH to the effect in a combat theater of a flat trajectory, clip loading rifle used by highly skilled irregulars. losses of equipment and weapons during the course of the conflict forced the BOERS to rely upon the capture of BRITISH weapons, smuggling of surplus military and commercial guns from abroad, and the transfer of proscribed and illegal weapons from friendly nations for resupply and there TO & E. very few "OVS" MAUSER rifles are encountered today.