Thank you Kuduae, that is a great deal of information. I think the possibilites of how this rifle came to exist are many. You make a good point that the rifle could have began life as a type S Stutzen. After reading your post I remembered that both the type S and the type M were full stock (mannlicher), but only the type S had the round bolt handle. It really is a neat little rifle that seems perfect for fast shooting. The shorter barrel, half stock, and no sling swivels gives it the look of a purpose built "specialized" rifle. I am still curious has anyone ever seen another sporting Mauser configured like this one ?

Wyatt