| Louis |
| (.375 member) |
| 21/01/20 04:52 AM |
1936 Type A Mauser
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Three years ago my path crossed with this now 84-year-old type A Mauser whose serial number in the 117000’s range dates back to 1936; she was in dire need of some rejuvenation as she was bearing all signs of a working rifle that had not enjoyed much care for a long period of time however she had not been altered in anyway, all numbers were matching, there was no sign of rust or pitting on steel parts and the wood was neither cracked nor badly damage so I decided to give her a go.
She went therefore through an intensive face-lifting program: thorough stripping for checking all distinct parts and for providing with cosmetic care where needed, re-bluing of all steel parts and new oil polishing for the stock. As she was initially not scoped, claw mounts were installed and fitted with an alloy-tube Zeiss Zielsechs with rail rifle scope of the same 1930’s period.
Now ready for another life of hunting adventures, she bears all the characteristics of a not altered BGUN type A Mauser:
60-cm round tapered barrel, 37-cm LOP, eyes for rifle sling, 3,5 kg unscoped and 4,1 kg scoped:
Standard action:
Single trigger & floor plate with push button:
Mauser butt plate, post-WW1 type; a bit faded but not broken:
Nice walnut stock with cheek piece:
Horn fore-end:
Four-leave express sight:
Triangular bead front sight:
Zielsechs, alloy-tube with rail:
I purposely did not mention initially this rifle’s calibre as I did not want purists to scream out loud at me too early. This rifle came to me as a 8x60 however, as I don’t reload and as I like to make my life simple (I only buy modern RWS ammunition (and Dorfner for the MS calibres) and don’t like running around for obsolete ammunition not anymore manufactured), so the rifle was sent to Ferlach in order to be re-bored/re-chambered to 9,3x62, which worked very well.
I hope this will not be considered as the “eighth capital sin” by Mauser addicts as type A Mausers were already marketed in 9,3x62 in the 1930’s; I therefore do not have the feeling to have betrayed history but only to have slightly adapted it!
Louis
| Rothhammer1 |
| (.400 member) |
| 21/01/20 05:54 AM |
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Re: 1936 Type A Mauser
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She's a beauty!
As for the change of calibre, not only was it (as you've noted) a chambering originally offered on that model, but it's your rifle and this 'adaptation' will keep it in use and being enjoyed by its worthy adopted parent. Besides, addition of the properly fitted and appropriate claw mounts and scope should balance any concerns about that 'eighth capital sin'.
C'est bon!
| lancaster |
| (.470 member) |
| 21/01/20 06:49 AM |
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Re: 1936 Type A Mauser
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if the 8 mm barrel was corroded to nothing inside reboring to 9,3 would have been the option number one so let us assume the barrel was not good anymore
9,3x62 will make the rifle more valuable then before!
| 93x64mm |
| (.416 member) |
| 21/01/20 07:05 AM |
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Re: 1936 Type A Mauser
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Well Louis she'll be more than good enough to last another 84 years in her present state!
Marvellous work done really! Certainly have brought her back to her former glory - especially the scope to set it all off & to be able to use after our eye sight dims using open sights.
Absolute corker piece mate - we're certainly envious!
| justcurious |
| (.333 member) |
| 21/01/20 07:14 AM |
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Re: 1936 Type A Mauser
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I would say a casual sin.
The original 9,3x62 has the bigger 5 shot magazine box. The standard action/box holds only 4 cartridges in 9,3x62.
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 21/01/20 11:16 AM |
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Re: 1936 Type A Mauser
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My Oberdorf holds 5 9.3x62's.
| Iowa_303s |
| (.400 member) |
| 21/01/20 11:25 AM |
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Re: 1936 Type A Mauser
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Well done, well done indeed!
| 4seventy |
| (Sponsor) |
| 21/01/20 12:54 PM |
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Re: 1936 Type A Mauser
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What an absolute gem! The Type A's have such beautiful lines.
That's a serious ready for work rifle right there.
Excellent choice to have the scope fitted and to rebore to the wonderful 9.3x62 as well Louis.
You are a lucky man.
Thanks for those great photos and details.
| Homer |
| (.416 member) |
| 21/01/20 04:19 PM |
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Re: 1936 Type A Mauser
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G'Day Fella's,
Thanks for sharing Louis and Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Donuts!
D'oh!
Homer
| justcurious |
| (.333 member) |
| 21/01/20 09:41 PM |
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Re: 1936 Type A Mauser
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I don´t know what type of Mauser rifle you have.
Without alteration a standard 98 magazine box will hold 5 cartridges, but you can´t close the bolt without drag unless the 5 th cartridge is chambered.
The original Oberndorf commercial 9,3x62 holds easy the 5 cartridges and you can close the bolt without any fuss.
The 9,3x62 ( and the 10,75x68) box is not only wider but also longer and more important higher and therefore had a longer trigger and respectively a hihger/thicker stock in tthe pistol grip and forestock area.
| Rothhammer1 |
| (.400 member) |
| 22/01/20 02:00 AM |
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Re: 1936 Type A Mauser
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One millimeter longer... anyone remember this (1960s U.S. cigarette ad)?: YouTube
| Waidmannsheil |
| (.400 member) |
| 22/01/20 06:41 AM |
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Re: 1936 Type A Mauser
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Louis, beautiful rifle, really well done. You did a great job and the rifle looks really period, and in a great cartridge as well. Super job.
Matt.
| Louis |
| (.375 member) |
| 22/01/20 09:21 PM |
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Re: 1936 Type A Mauser
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Dear All, thank you for your kind comments and for absolving me!
Dear Just Curious, a quick answer to your questions:
- Four rounds loaded easily, five rounds more difficult as you mentioned it in your above post.
- Dimensions, see below (click on the photo as .Pdf doesn't expand fully):
I will strip the rifle later and send you additional dimensions.
Louis
NitroX
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| (.700 member) |
| 22/01/20 09:51 PM |
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Re: 1936 Type A Mauser
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Very nice rifle Louis.
What will you hunt with it?
| Rothhammer1 |
| (.400 member) |
| 23/01/20 02:49 AM |
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Re: 1936 Type A Mauser
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Type A from 1939 Stoeger, 9.3X62:
| Louis |
| (.375 member) |
| 23/01/20 06:41 AM |
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Re: 1936 Type A Mauser
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Rothhammer, thank you very much.
Just Curious, some additional measurements below; again, please click on the photo as .pdf documents don’t expand well.
Nitrox, I can’t really answer your question as I don’t know yet. Like many of us, I have (too) many rifles that I take to the range as much as I can but only a limited number I hunt with. I already hunt roe deer and isard with 6,5x57R and 7x65R kipplaufs, and I also acquired another one in 9,3x74R for hunting red deer the day I will have time. This leaves little room for hunting the Mauser type A in 9,3x62 (or the Mannlicher Schoenauer one in same calibre) in the current European context; but if I have in the future time for hunting in Africa, then I will take the 9,3x62 for sure, in order to pay tribute to Herr Otto Bock!
Louis
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NitroX
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| (.700 member) |
| 23/01/20 05:04 PM |
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Re: 1936 Type A Mauser
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Ha ha , good picture. Nice and non PC.
I think your two 9.3's would do a good job on a French boar shoot somewhere in the North as well. And of course an African safari.
PS You are very correct about many of us having too many guns. I too pick the usual suspects for most or all hunts. My .222 in Mauser M03, my shotguns, my .30-06 M98, my .375 M98, my .450 Jeffery DR. Plans for others to see the light of the sun as soon as reasonable. Philosophically I am a "one gun hunter" and believe in being extremely familiar with my rifles rather than using too many.
| justcurious |
| (.333 member) |
| 23/01/20 08:13 PM |
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Re: 1936 Type A Mauser
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Your exterior measurement corresponds exactly to the interior measurement of the standard caliber box.
From the standpoint of usefulness for hunting the 9,3x62 is definitely better than a 8x60.
| Louis |
| (.375 member) |
| 23/01/20 08:22 PM |
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Re: 1936 Type A Mauser
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Thank you Nitrox and Just Curious.
Louis
| lancaster |
| (.470 member) |
| 24/01/20 05:37 AM |
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Re: 1936 Type A Mauser
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"PS You are very correct about many of us having too many guns"
I declare myself innocent - I am a victim of the society and of various political circumstances
| 9.3x57 |
| (.450 member) |
| 24/01/20 01:32 PM |
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Re: 1936 Type A Mauser
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Very nice!!
Yill not get any criticism from me on reboring it!
I'm interested that Ferlach does that work. I didn't know that.
Can you share with us any more info on the history of the rifle?
Was it a German leave-behind or did you acquire it in some more "normal" fashion {"auction, etc}?
| PatagonHunter |
| (.300 member) |
| 24/01/20 10:16 PM |
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Re: 1936 Type A Mauser
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Hello Louis,
Nice Sporting Mauser!
A good, to me, solution if the barrel con dition was not perfect.
Best!
PH
| Louis |
| (.375 member) |
| 25/01/20 04:33 AM |
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Re: 1936 Type A Mauser
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All, thank you again for your comments.
9,3x57 - I do not have much information about this rifle's history and the only things I can share are:
- It was not a German "left-behind" in France as German Forces crossed the Rhine River back into Germany in 1944 and 1945 in good battle order; in addition I am not sure that there would have been many commercial Mausers among the "left-behind" on other battle fronts.
- I bought this rifle from the Holt's Auction House (UK) at an auction in 2017.
- How she came to the UK I can't tell as she doesn't bear any British proof marks, only German BUGN ones from the 1934-1940 period.
Louis
| lancaster |
| (.470 member) |
| 25/01/20 06:49 AM |
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Re: 1936 Type A Mauser
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louis, forget you have also a MS in 9,3x62
would be nice if you could made some pics with the Mauser and the MS together
| Igorrock |
| (.400 member) |
| 25/01/20 07:52 AM |
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Re: 1936 Type A Mauser
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Louis, 9,3x62 is very usefull caliber when you hunting bear or local moose here in Finland. I have now 9,3x64 Brenneke but IMO it´s s tad too big so I´ll sell it to my friend and then buy SAKO-Mauser in 8x57 IS.
| Louis |
| (.375 member) |
| 25/01/20 11:49 PM |
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Re: 1936 Type A Mauser
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Igorrock, thank you; then I should consider coming over to Finland!
Lancaster, I will take the pictures as soon as I can.
Louis
| Ripp |
| (.577 member) |
| 26/01/20 01:16 AM |
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Re: 1936 Type A Mauser
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Quote:
All, thank you again for your comments.
9,3x57 - I do not have much information about this rifle's history and the only things I can share are:
- It was not a German "left-behind" in France as German Forces crossed the Rhine River back into Germany in 1944 and 1945 in good battle order; in addition I am not sure that there would have been many commercial Mausers among the "left-behind" on other battle fronts.
- I bought this rifle from the Holt's Auction House (UK) at an auction in 2017.
- How she came to the UK I can't tell as she doesn't bear any British proof marks, only German BUGN ones from the 1934-1940 period.
Louis
Nice rifle with a very interesting history.. man if she could talk..