Some years ago a friend bought a Suhl made Mauser rifle retailed by Wilhelm Foerster, Taubenstr.47, Berlin. It came to him with a short stock fitted with an ugly white line, ventilated recoil pad and a 1960s Hensoldt "Diatal" 4x scope claw mounted on the original bases. As the stock was too short for his tastes I installed the extension and the solid red pad now on the rifle and restored the stock finish.

The CROWN-crown/N proofmarks show it was proofed using the "4000 at proof powder" according to the rule of 1893 for Nitro proof. The proofmarks date it to "about 1912". The bore diameter is already given as "8.9mm", but the service load is still marked as "3.3g G.B.P. / StmG. The half-octagon, ribbed barrel blank was made of Krupp steel by the Schilling forge, Suhl. Foerster's serial number 9753 is stamped under action and barrel.
What makes this rifle really interesting IMHO is the composed action. It shows some fine scroll engraving and traces of case hardening color. As the engraving shows the same "hand", the rifle was assembled this way pre-WW1 in Suhl. Before WW1 everybody wanting to build a Mauser m98 actioned rifle had to buy a commercial action from the Mauser, Oberndorf factory first, as the patents were still valid. According to Jon Speed's books Mauser then sold more than two thirds of their commercial production to other gunmakers as barreled actions or actions only. These actions always have the Mauser commercial serial number stamped under the receiver ring and on the rear wall of the magazine. Obviously the Suhl gunsmithes did not care at all about matching Mauser serial numbers, as this rifle shows. The large ring, standard length receiver is serial number 22064, datable to 1908. The bottom metal shows number 21697, 1908 also. The trigger guard is milled to accept the Mauser factory double set trigger. The Suhl made "aftermarket" ones are of different design, set into a separate housing and powered by a V-spring. The magazine floorplate was made lever detachable in the then Suhl fashion.

The bolt is even more early. it is of the "Transitional" pre-M98 type with narrow gas escape slits, early firing pin without safety lugs and pointed cocking piece. At some time the "Transitional" bolt sleeve (without bolt sleeve lock) was replaced with an unengraved, blued "modern" one with that lock.