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Hello, I have this old Mauser in 9.3x62, the Rib is marked "H. Barella Geweharfabrik Berlin - Suhl", any info on this maker will be appreciated. Is this a reworked military action or a commercial action, I know the Suhl gun-makers used military actions extensively. Is there any way to know the date of manufacture, Also there are multiple numbers 6201, 444 and 2424, wondering what these multiple serial# are? Also any information on the proof marks. Thanks |
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H. Barella means Heinrich Barella so now you could make some searchings in Internet. There you will find german proof marks too. |
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what you call a "old mauser" is a gentlemans rifle by the firm "Heinrich Barella Berlin" Heinrich live from 1819 to 1893 and founded 1844 the "H. Barella Gewehrfabrik" in Magdeburg. think in the 1860s he open a shop in Berlin and with the quality he made became court maker of the kings of prussia. after Heinrich's dead his nephew Max Barella had the shop into to the 1920s, believe up to 1930/31. like other gunmaker Barella had also a workshop in Suhl for the reputation but practical also for the works to do. http://forums.nitroexpress.com/showthreaded.php?Number=208106 I would call barella a best gunmaker, there are a lot of interesting big bor rifles with his name and yours is one of this this |
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Looks like he did very high quality, absolutely gorgeous work! Nice rifle! |
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6201 is probably serial number, 8,9mm is bore diameter, 62 is case lenght, St.m.G. 18gr is stahl mantel geschoss/steel jacketed bullet 18 grams (proof load), N with crown is Nitro/smokeless powder. I'm not sure but 2 424 could be the date of production? April 1924? |
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I would say 2424 is the SN of the action 6201 is the Barella serial number |
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That is a magnificent rifle! Congratulations! It would hold its own against any of the more fabled names of the era. Old timers in India talk about the British manipulating import rules to force the closure of the Barella company. Not sure if these tales have any truth to them, or if they are just conspiracy theories. Would be interesting to know if there was any truth to these old tales. Good hunting! |
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Quote: I believe the 24 on other action parts would bear that out, lancaster. |
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It's an old Mauser. If you send it down here I'll give it a home sbs470 |
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I'm slightly closer, so you can send it to me first Keep coming back and looking at this rifle - you've got a real gem there. |
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Quote: thats very interesting mehulkamdar, iirc old timer talk in germany was the Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala (1900 to 1938) was making some deal with Max Barella when he was in germany in the end of the 1920s about a larger quantity of guns - maybe not sporting but military guns in the end - and because this deal did not happen it was the mayor reason Barella became insolvent in 1931/32 what was a hard time anyway. if you remember the history of the british rule in india you would not be surprised about such a story. Max Barella left, Maharaja Bhupinder Singh in the middle |
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Thanks everyone for the info on H. Barella. Appreciate the help. I am assuming that there is no way to determine the year of manufacture. Thanks |
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Wow. I had this rifle in my hands just a little more than a week ago.This rifle was in Anthony's,the owner of Tradex, personal collection and he showed me this 9.3x62 and a 10.75x68 that he had decided to sell. It is a reworked military action. The lock screw holes were plugged but are still visible. A new bolt handle was welded on as attested to by the line at the bolt root and grinding marks on bolt body. Anthony and I both agreed that it was pre-war, most likely '20s vintage. |
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I love the 9.3x62 caliber and the old Guild Mausers from the Suhl region have elegant lines and great balance. The 21.5" half hexagonal/half round barrel with full length integral rib and the subtle engraving is representative of times when pride of craftsmanship came before profit margins. A beautiful and rare find indeed in any condition. |
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Thanks Wanabebawana for all the details. Looks like a non-military trigger was used... Also I was unable to find the lock screw holes, am I looking at the right place? Thanks |
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The trigger is different from the standard two stage military trigger because it is a double set trigger, a common upgrade on these rifles. If you hold the rifle at the right angle to the light you can see the faint outline of the filled locking screw hole that intersects the front guard screw. It is well done and quite usual for these rifles to be made with military actions most likely German or Austrian.(The picture of the trigger shows the fairly rough milling of the action). These Guild rifles were also built with Oberndorf actions supplied by Mauser that IMHO have the highest quality of machining of any 98 pattern. (FNs come pretty close.) The true beauty of these rifles are the barrels which are very expensive to reproduce and their elegant lines and balance. To have a rifle of this quality made today, using a good military action, as Ralf Martin or Martin Hagn builds in BC you would be looking at $10 000. Hagn wants $3k just to install 1/2 hex 1/2 round barrel with integral rib.Since it is not a collector item rust blueing the metal and refinishing the stock is an option but it looks great with its original patina. Very nice example of a pre-war sporting rifle. |