Justcurious,

Thanks for your illuminating remarks about German/British proof testing.

In looking over used guns and internet auction sites I frequently come across Mausers with cut receiver rings. Some of the dovetail cuts are almost superficial, and leave metal at the bottom of the cut, while others go all the way into the locking lug recesses. Which category did your 9,3X57 fall into?

Two of my Type S Mausers have saddles soldered onto the receiver ring with dovetails to accomodate the SEM base, so the receiver ring itself is untouched. I have seen other arrangements with the base for the female dovetail mounted out on the barrel. It's a shame that these options were not more widely used.