hipwr223, I am sure you are correct, that it was brought home by a GI, following WWII, as so many other guns/rifles were when we disarmed Germany. Kuduee is correct, of course, as I simply couldn't see many of the marks from computer screen and my eyesight. Yes, the more I thought about it, after my initial post, I thought the rifle to be early, but after 1912 for sure, and "bingo" it was Feb. 1912 proof. Since Kuduee is in Germany, and obviously familiar with guns, he, rather than I, is much more equipped to answer such questions.