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A rifle story: tales of a gun #1
mrmike08075
Member Posts: 10,998 ✭✭✭
The military stock has been efficiently sporterized in a seemingly ubiquitous manner - at first glance a plain and minimalist utilitarian re-purposing - until some fine details penetrate your awareness
The wood has been stripped and sanded and restained - varnish has been applied - nothing fancy but attention to detail is apparent
The stock has been relieved and notched at the wrist - and a prominent pistol grip had been added - the wood joined and dovetailed with skill and care
Fore end has been cut down and reshaped / re-profiled and the top wood is gone - at first glance it appears to be an unadorned commercial spotter stock
Quality blued steel sling swivel estuchions / anchor points have been added fore and aft - the steel buttplate is extant - the magazine footplate has been smoothed and shaped and blued
The blue steel trigger is a commercial aftermarket replacement or parts swap upgrade - though the change from its original military trigger is not obvious upon initial inspection
The left side of the buttstock bares witness to testimony - a penknife has been used to keep a record of successful hunts
Nov 30 1958
Nov 21 1961
Nov 19 1962
Nov 20 1967
Nov 01 1968
The wood and steel are imbued with history - they whisper to me when I pick the gun up and feel it's balance point - I am handling a talisman that has accrued a special energy over the last 125 years
It's not fancy but is a work of art - it's not heavy but possessed of its own weight - gravitas is apparent via fingers tactile touch
Mike
The wood has been stripped and sanded and restained - varnish has been applied - nothing fancy but attention to detail is apparent
The stock has been relieved and notched at the wrist - and a prominent pistol grip had been added - the wood joined and dovetailed with skill and care
Fore end has been cut down and reshaped / re-profiled and the top wood is gone - at first glance it appears to be an unadorned commercial spotter stock
Quality blued steel sling swivel estuchions / anchor points have been added fore and aft - the steel buttplate is extant - the magazine footplate has been smoothed and shaped and blued
The blue steel trigger is a commercial aftermarket replacement or parts swap upgrade - though the change from its original military trigger is not obvious upon initial inspection
The left side of the buttstock bares witness to testimony - a penknife has been used to keep a record of successful hunts
Nov 30 1958
Nov 21 1961
Nov 19 1962
Nov 20 1967
Nov 01 1968
The wood and steel are imbued with history - they whisper to me when I pick the gun up and feel it's balance point - I am handling a talisman that has accrued a special energy over the last 125 years
It's not fancy but is a work of art - it's not heavy but possessed of its own weight - gravitas is apparent via fingers tactile touch
Mike
Comments
The description reminds me of rifle's that I have held in my hands over the years. It's that rifle that your friends grandfather has had for years and since passing has been handed down to the grandson.
What kind of rifle is it? I love the old bolt action military guns and I have lots of 'em.
Certain items show disparate levels of finish wear - the bolt release and magazine floorplate front anchor point - the waffle pattern stipled 3 position safety flag lever - the point at the top rear of the receiver that allows an anchor screw to thread down through the bolt guide slots have finish wear or fade / loss of color as if the new finish did not take on those surfaces
The bolt handle has been turned down and the barrel channel has been relieved just enough to free float the bbl - allowing a dollar bill to slide to and fro with ease - only when dismounting the barreled action from the stock is the level of care and craftsmanship that was applied apparent - a detail that is hidden from view but received an investment of time and effort nonetheless - but always seen through the minds eye of the man who did the work hidden from the casual observer
The top of the receiver COO crest is present and intact though washed out - the finer raised details being polished away during the transformation from surplus to sporter but the bold declaration of manufacture still proudly and boldly declares "BERLIN 1894" and it's 4 digit serial number is crisp and clean
The manufacturer declaration denoting country and city and company and model nomenclature along with a star of David remains legible and deep and intact imparting the pieces history and DNA to anyone interested in the back story - the canon - the lore
Mike
Half covered by a pleather (plastic leather) narrow zippered soft gun case in medium tan with a red interior bedazzled with duck prints like a bad vintage winter cabin wall paper
The heavy brass zipper was broken and missing teeth - frozen half closed with the wings wilting down leaving the top half of the gun exposed - the tag identifies it as "J.C. Higgins" store brand from Sears and roebuck
No rust or pitting or visible damage to be found
The deceased previous owner an army artillery man with service in WWII and Korea having brought the gun back from Italy in 1946
One of 3 guns in his estate along with a Ward's western field hammerless SXS with a tenite stock and a Stevens favorite in .22 long rifle - I bought all 3 guns for my personal stockpile
His 3 gun all season hunting trifecta for a broad spectrum of game harvesting needs
The bolt action sporter had been his project - he built what he could not afford to buy - and his pride in his journeyman effort is evident for all to see
Mike
There is no engraving or other surface embellishment - no secondary fore end wood or grip cap estucion - no California roll over cheek piece or fine cut checkering - no trigger shoe or muzzle break has been added - no adornments or appearance enhancements were deemed necessary or incorporated into the build
No Schnabel fore end or bipod provisions - no inset brass compass to help find the way when afield in pursuit of game
The gun has classic plain traditional sporting lines and is well balanced and proportional - the gun hides itself in plain sight
Still the guns origins are not immediately clear - it's more than a simple conversion from surplus military arm to a configuration more suited to hunting - the lines or profile speak of something beyond that - the eye is caught but some subtle greater change but the utilitarian plain basic nature of of the guns construction and appearance makes it blend in - there is a propensity to be overlooked or unnoticed if not viewed with a sharp eye
That's when the profile and contours of the bbl and the nature of the sights and the dovetailed slots they mate to stand out from the shadows and break clear of the static and clutter - one of these things is not like the others / one of these things doesn't belong...
Closer inspection reveals stamping and proofmarks of a non military origin - markings possess a nomenclature that point towards commercial origins from a more modern era - it belongs to or originated with a different make and model than that indicated on the receiver - a subtle upgrade or enhancement has been made - but done seamlessly and done with skill and patience so that it possesses a stock appearance - as if it was originally built to this spec
The barrel was taken from a commercial sporting rifle manufactured in the US from 1925 to 1936 by an iconic American company and likely was produced in 1932 - the bbl appears to be like new and in gem mint condition / it looks like it has never been fired
The muzzle crown and bore are absolutely perfect and the rifling is crisp and clean and reflect a mirror finish and is spotless - it looks as if it were made yesterday and not like an aged or vintage take off that has been repurposed
The remainder of the gun appears to have been made in 1894 from a platform introduced in 1893 - a world famous design and manufacturer built in perhaps one of the most well known and prolific arsenals in existence
Along with the change in barrels is a change in the cartridge the gun is chambered for - perhaps also a good indication of why the barrel was replaced in the first place - and the first clear example of a great investment of not only time and skill but of cost
Suddenly what might at first glance appear to have been a simple bbl swap performed while doing a basic conversion from military surplus rifle to customized sporting rifle now shows clear indications of greater skill and care and craftsmanship and forethought of design adaptation and purpose / intent of use
When doing a detailed take down for cleaning and inspection the bolt is detail stripped and evidence of additional modifications not visible externally become apparent - a more modern and advanced one piece firing pin and a modified striker spring have been added which appear to not only halved the firing pin travel but also decreased lock time (a Speed Lock conversion)
So the change in clambering greatly enhanced the capabilities of the cartridge and it's performance envelope in concert with internal enhancement and upgrade of the bolt point to astounding performance capacity but in a plain brown wrapper and an effort to adhere to a strict budget
Does anyone care to offer opinions on the make and model and manufacturer specs of the gun as it was originally manufactured???
Any guess as to the make and model and origins and chambering of the replacement barrel and the bolt modifications???
I have painted a picture and provided a narrative - if I have captured your attention and interest perhaps you will play along and speculate as to the guns origins and newly intended purpose.
Mike
I think that on a table at a gunshow or in the rack at a gunshop or amongst the haul from an estate sale most people either would not notice this gun at all or would dismiss it instantly as just another diddle cut poor man's bring back that Bubba has transformed into a deer rifle - ubiquitous and omnipresent and not worth bothering to pick up
But I have acquired many firearms that either perform well or that I enjoy wringing out and researching - that other might scoff at or dismiss or disdain or decry or cast aspersions towards
On the other hand some of you are not elite effete self indulgent snobs - some of you would enjoy what this gun represents
Mike
The star of David appears to be a secondary proof or acceptance mark based on size and location...
I have an additional 2 of these rifles set aside - purchased at the bottom of the market with an eye towards future custom build projects
Thank you for playing along - I hope that some have enjoyed the narrative.
Mike
or as some call them the Spanish Mauser.
The gun when I first handled it was was covered in a fine layer of dust and drywall particles...
Half covered by a pleather (plastic leather) narrow zippered soft gun case in medium tan with a red interior bedazzled with duck prints like a bad vintage winter cabin wall paper
The heavy brass zipper was broken and missing teeth - frozen half closed with the wings wilting down leaving the top half of the gun exposed - the tag identifies it as "J.C. Higgins" store brand from Sears and roebuck Are you interested in selling the Stevens?
No rust or pitting or visible damage to be found
The deceased previous owner an army artillery man with service in WWII and Korea having brought the gun back from Italy in 1946
One of 3 guns in his estate along with a Ward's western field hammerless SXS with a tenite stock and a Stevens favorite in .22 long rifle - I bought all 3 guns for my personal stockpile
His 3 gun all season hunting trifecta for a broad spectrum of game harvesting needs
The bolt action sporter had been his project - he built what he could not afford to buy - and his pride in his journeyman effort is evident for all to see
Mike
Model 93 Mauser with a Winchester Model 70 Take off barrel.
In 257 Roberts
The gun has a (A 3xxx) low four digit "A" prefix serial number (early production piece from 1894) and was originally chambered in 7x57 Mauser (rimless)
The new bbl comes from a Winchester Model 54 bolt action sporting rifle chambered in .250-3000 savage with a 1:14" rate of twist RH concentric
A Thomas Johnson lead design effort based on the 1903 Springfield rifle with a Mauser collar pattern extractor and a special guide lug patented by Frank Burton in 1927 to smooth the bolt stroke
Based on the caliber and the forged base front sight Mount I suspect a production date of 1932 or 1933
The work done to dismount the original bbl and replace it with the flawless take off bbl from a model 54 is near perfect and undetectable - certainly a high quality professional job - it's a seamless installation and there is no evidence of tool marks
It's a combination I have never encountered - and I would consider it unusual
The early twist rate on the bbl rifling limits effective accurate ammo to the lighter bullet weights
I would be interested in feedback and opinions on this Mauser sporter conversion - I don't think it holds any value other than as a shooter
And on my slowly revealed detailed story of the rifle - if you find it an interesting narrative method
Mike
The receiver is milled to accept stripper clips - but there is no thumb cut out or relief of the left side to facilitate stripper clip loading (I believe other than a handful of guns retained in Spain virtually every rifle was arsenal updated to include this modification)
One more mystery that adds up to an odd orphan of a sporter
Mike
It has bull 25" barrel and was glass bedded. The Magazine was deleted and filled with Marine Tex. It had a Timiney trigger and no safety.
That gun would really shoot. I wore the barrel out shooting it. The throat eroded so bad I was seating bullets way out.
Unfortunately it was stolen from my house when I was deployed. I wanted to rebarrel it.
I sadly believe that era is long gone
Mike
I have a G33/40 that my Dad gave me in the 70's. He got it from some guy who needed money who's brother had brought it back from WW2.
I think he gave the guy $50 for it. Its all original and it banged up some but shoots good. Numbers matching gun its worth 2 grand now.
I never thought I would see a 7.7 Jap Arasaka worth more than $50 mum or no mum. K98k's were kept in a barrel take your pick $50.
Those days are long gone[V]
I do miss the dealers and distributors who had lists of problem child project guns that needed TLC and parts
I miss the police departments and sherrifs officer that had property room confiscation guns for sale in bulk
I miss the night before a weekend gun show were only dealers and staff and local first responder got to walk around and look for deals or trades - and gathering at the hotel bar or local watering hole the night before with other dealers and staff
I miss those days.
Mike
A few years later (mid 1970's) Herters was located in a town not that far from me.(Waseca MN if you remember them) On one visit in the close out room they had a 55 gallon paper barrel full of barreled actions. Their U9 and J9 actions. No sights or wood but all else including nice bluing. I bought a J9 barreled action which was an FN Mauser in 7mm Rem Mag for $25. Then a blemished cherry wood stock for $10.
A few years later I bought a case of 8 Model 1909 Argentine Mauser carbines. The 8 guns came with 1200 rounds of ammo for a total of $157.
I do in fact miss those days. For a couple of years in the late 1980's a friend and I put on a gun show. I knew most of the dealers in the southern part of the state. Just a 100 table show in a local armory. One of my best memories of that was a couple of the dealers went to the bar after set up. After a few too many they were going to stop back at the armory but found themselves driving down the runway at the airport. (a little lost)
It's not a primary focal point to obtain rare items or a potentially large return on investment - ownership and investigation and shooting for record or recreation followed by maintenance and storage and gathering of supplies is the foundation of the hobby from my point of view
So for me a gun like the above referenced and aforementioned Spanish Mauser sporter is as good a find and as worthy a subject for ownership as a "t" type SMLE sniper rifle or a jager battalion Prussian dryse needle gun or Marlin model 60 .22 lr semiautomatic rifle with tasco scope
I respect and admire those here with mint specimens of rare special order firearms made of unobtainium and unicorn horn and white whale oil assembled by oompa loompas and keebler elves at the west pole during an eclipse - I have some of those in my care
But I also like the guns that fit into the category of oddball and orphan and misfit and obsolete and obscure or commonly encountered and ubiquitous - because like the gun I describe here in this thread they to may be special and imbued with magical properties
And I thought you might like it as well.
Mike
I am somewhat conflicted about the change in caliber - I am quite a fan of the 7x57mm Mauser (rimless) and find it to be quite useful and pleasant to fire - a very suitable universal game gun for north America except possibly on very large apex predator species like bear
The performance envelope and handloader options are often unheralded and unappreciated - overlooked when compared to other offerings
I have 2 bolt actions and one semiautomatic rifle in 7mm Mauser and I just plain enjoy shooting them - they are a personal favorite range day extended shooting cartridge
On the other hand one of the primary features that drew me to this rifle was the addition of the Winchester model 54 sporting rifle bbl chambered in .250-3000 savage
I like the overall design and profile / appearance of the bbl and have always been a fan of the savage family of cartridges especially the .250-3000 savage with the 87 grain projectile allowing it to break the 3000 FPS barrier roughly a hundred years ago
Both of these cartridges are on my list of all time favorites and still make for capable modern custom sporting rifle chamberings
I think that a trio of custom Mauser sporting rifles chambered in .22 savage high power and .250-3000 savage and .300 savage would provide a fine battery for harvesting game or for recreational shooting and hobby reloading
I trio of savage model 99 lever action take down rifles - or one receiver platform allowing the use of 3 interchangeable barrels would be an interesting proposal
I have strongly considered putting a long eye relief forward mounted scout scope on my rifle using a vintage compact Leopold fixed 2.5X optic - I think it would provide a nice profile and be well balanced
Add a trigger shoe and a grip cap estuchion - perhaps a modern recoil absorbing butt pad and a light Harris bipod would take things in a radically different direction
Improved target or match grade iron sights or possibly a cocking piece rear aperture peep sight would provide for a nice range day gun
A selection of after market custom stocks provide for some interesting options - ful length mannlicher stock or thumbhole stock or some curly or birds eye maple would shake things up
I rather enjoy the gun as it sits - it will put 10 rounds of 87 grain projectiles in a silver dollar sized group at 100 yds with its current iron sights from a bagged benchrest
Your thoughts and input and options are always welcome
Mike
I find this being more about "the gun" as a highly cherished tool in the hands of all classes, rich or poor. There is something definitely there for everyone to use, to make it their own, to just admire and wonder about it's history.
If that gun could only talk, what a tale it would tell![^] The imagining is limitless!
I have not yet checked Mauser's of the world or any of my proof mark reference works to follow up on or decipher this piece of the puzzle
I think about the history this gun has born witness to since rolling off the assembly line in January of 1894
125 years on this earth possibly - almost certainly involved in earth shaking pivotal historic military conflicts around the globe
Mike
Ludwig Lowe was a major arms manufacture owned by Jewish interests. They often put the Star of David on export rifles.
"Was the Obendorf factory also Jewish owned ?"
Ludwig Lowe owned a controlling interest in the Mauser factory. They also owned DWM at one time.
That looks like a Star of David and it might be just that, but Both Syria and Egypt have used a six pointed star in their flags.
Found this on Cruffler.
"To the rear of the firing proof is an Israeli proof consisting of the Hebrew letter "nun" (possibly a "gimel") inside a six pointed star. "
The star on the Mauser appears to have a letter in the middle.
I suppose it could be a civilian proof mark as well.
Loewes were Jewish bankers.And the owners of Mauser,Ludwig Loewe,DWM,Half share in FN,OWG Steyr.And numerous machine tool and manufacturing companies.Sigmund Loewe was the general manager of Vickers,Sons and Maxim.And the star was a Zionist mark on the guns.A sort of Jewish group ownership symbol.The name is pronounced "lerver" in english.Parts of the business were confiscated by the Allied Armaments Commission,especially to do with the diesel fuel systems of submarines.The Nazis confiscated the rest in 1934.
These posts may not really answer the question about the star but are interesting just the same.
I can recall handling 2-3 surplus Mauser rifles that had been arsenal or depot converted to .308 and restamped / proof marked (pretty poor examples that suffered during long term abuse and desert storage)
The narrative you refer to makes sense to me - seems like a reasonable explanation
Another interesting piece of the puzzle - part of the history that the gun has witnessed
Mike
Much of the shooting I have done was to dispel myths or disprove stereotypes that are oft handed down or repeated but seemingly almost never tested for its veracity
Specifically with the .250-3000 savage:
Early guns typically had a 24" bbl with 1:14 rate of twist / RH concentric in order to achieve 3000 FPS with the 87 grain projectiles
In order to achieve stability and accuracy with the formula referenced above performance of a wider range of bullet weights especially the heavier options were sacrificed
The majority of major manufacturers changed the rifling twist rate standard to 1:10 RH concentric in the 50's and 60's - with savage retaining the original formula until the 70's
Was good accuracy and stability and performance across a wider range of bullet weights and projectiles profiles achieved through better bullet manufacturer technology or was it connected to the propellant or bbl fabrication
I would like to do a test of the full range of bullet weights and architectures with my gun and again with a 1:10 platform for accuracy and stability and with a chronograph
I suspect the results would yield some surprising data and that the testing would provide some good recreational fun
Please chime in on my idea - or if you are better informed explain the paradigm shift and clear up my confusion surrounding the issue
Mike
There is a trapdoor like pocket or cylindrical void inset into the buttstock - and snugly set inside is a roll of folded oil cloth - gun cleaning cloth
Inside is a 1950's KBAR folding electricians pocket knife with wood scales and nickel bolsters - internal partitions are brass - 4 pins per scale and a swivel half ring on the round end
2 blades both opening in the same direction - non locking
A straight single edged standard blade with thumbnail crescent groove
An electricians single edged non sharpened blade with flat screwdriver tip and two wire stripping crescent cut outs on opposite sides and ends of the blade - thumbnail crescent groove
Also present are two large sewing needles and a flat old school roofing nail
This surprise find only further advances my interest in the rifle - and reinforces it's talisman like aura and energy
For the price of $50.00 this rifle continues to impress me on a number of levels
I would have liked to meet the man who owned and improved it - to share a drink and heat some of his stories - I feel we would have gotten along well
Mike
One of the reasons I dive so deep into a near forensic examination of the guns I own is to hear their story and see a fuller vision of the tale they have to tell
The origins - the COO and DOM and the arsenal and production run QED changes made or conversions performed - the models and variants - the history of the world when and were it was made and the conflicts or actions it might have participated in - colonial interests and internal conflicts - decline of empires...
The life and use after retirement from front line military primary or guard / reserve / gendarme / militia secondary service to civilian life in the hands of collectors or use as a modified sporter
We all own a gun like this - or are their current stewards...
I would like to hear your tales of a gun - and perhaps be the voice of some of my firearms if you are interested in their stories and my narrative.
Mike
Mike