CJF
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After decades of collecting military Mauser rifles, I have finally purchased a factory sporter. Auction description says “ MAUSER TYPE A NO. 2 SPORTER, 7 X 57 CAL. BOLT ACTION RIFLE, RARE ENGLISH PROOFED FACTORY SPORTER, 1910 DATE, FACTORY ADJ. REAR SIGHTS, SERIAL #: 34874” and while I’m not sure it’s a type A, I believe it is a real factory sporter.
What photos would help confirm it’s generally correct?
Receiver has BU proofs. Bolt matches and has the same. Only down side is it was drilled and tapped long ago. Screw holes have filler screws now. Serial is as described and right for 1910 production.
Edited by CJF (22/02/22 01:30 PM)
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CJF
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Lot 194 from the Feb 5th auction here: https://lawsonandco.hibid.com/catalog/339791/2-5-22-gun-auction/?q=Mauser+type+A
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CJF
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I haven’t measured it yet but the receiver ring length reminds me of the longer rings on 1909 Peruvians or original Oberndorf 1903 Turks
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justcurious
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That is not an Type A .(They had the Express sight.One standing and 4 folding leafs ).
The tangent rear sight is found on the Type B.
The action here is of the intermediate length Type which is typically found along with the 7 Mauser cartridge.
The bolthandle slightly altered for a lower mounted scope.
Otherwise a nice example in its original configuration .
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PatagonHunter
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Loc: Bariloche, Patagonia Argentina
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Hello CJF,
Nice early pre WWI Type B sample, using the Inermediate lenght action as justcurious describes.
To me is a gun to use! The collector value is relative because the action nd bolt modifications but, if the bore is as good as the outside of the gun, is a very nice hunting rifle!!!! Almost exactly as a contemporary Rigby 7mm Mauser!!
If the price was the one figures at the auction house page, was a real bargain!!!!
Congratulations!!
PH
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NitroX
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Quote:
If the price was the one figures at the auction house page, was a real bargain!!!
US$525. Wow! One for me too.
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John aka NitroX
 ...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"
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CJF
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I agree the price was right. Still had to add buyer's premium and shipping, but delivered to my door (I have a collector's FFL), total cost was ~$650 US$.
Bore is nice. It should be a good shooter. Inletting is still tight and it looks like it has been well cared for. I'm planning on taking it down soon and I'll get better pictures posted of the metal above and below the wood line.
Regarding the wood, I am planning a gentle cleaning using the method described by Michael Petrov using raw linseed oil and rags and a toothbrush for the checkering. Is this recommended by this group? Stock has some blotches on it. Similar ones on my AH falling block. Matt/whitish blooms reminding me of mold.
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lancaster
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yes, you got it for a good price
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Norwegian hunter misses moose, shoots man on toilet
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bringing civilisation to the barbarians
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CJF
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I tried some raw linseed oil on the stock, rubbing by hand and with a rag. Looks better after one session. Checkering is better but still has old oil and dirt in it.
Took the action out of the stock and the bluing below the woodline is excellent. Will post pics soon of the proof marks below the wood. Nice to see matching serials in the magazine well and stock barrel channel. Only thing that doesn't match is the bolt shroud. The cocking piece does match. Haven't looked at the firing pin yet.
Boy this rifle is light! So different than a full stocked 29" military mauser.
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CJF
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I tried the recommendation from folks at the DoubleGun BBS to use raw linseed oil, rags and a tooth brush to clean the stock. About 30 minutes of care eliminated the matt mottled spots on the stock and brought out the tiger stripe. Very happy with this rifle.
This first pics shows the stock before a oil:
Here's after some oil and rubbing...I suspect more oil and friction would continue to clean the stock. The checkering is better after, but no where near as good as the pics shared under the stock cleaning thread.
Edited by CJF (24/02/22 01:14 PM)
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CJF
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And here are the barrel proof marks and action flats (bottom)
Edited by CJF (24/02/22 01:17 PM)
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CJF
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Lastly, I noticed that while the trigger guard and floorplate are not numbered on the exterior surfaces, both are numbered on the inside. The magazine box rear face (facing the trigger) is numbered with the rifles full number and the floor plate bears the last two digits, as do many other parts. Only non-matching part is the bolt shroud.
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PatagonHunter
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Hi CJF,
Great!!! Love your rifle!
About the marks:
7,00-7,25 are the lands-groove diameter
222,5 is the rifling twist, 1 turn in 222,5 mm, about 1 turn in 8,7598...". In round numbers 1:8,76". The original standard 7 mm Mauser rifling twist.
I don´t know the meaning of the 220 numbers...I would like to know it.
Congrats!
PH
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CJF
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Thank you PH. I never would have guessed the the proofs included barrel twist.
I did enjoy how the German and English proofs competed for space. I didn’t show it but the bolt shank but also has both countries’ proofs on it, and some how they fit in that small space
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kuduae
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Loc: middle of Germany
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Sorry, Patagon Hunter, the rifling twist is 220 mm = 8.66". 222.5 is an old fashioned gauge number, lead balls to a British pound, for the 7 mm bore/land diameter. For unknown reasons Mauser marked the gauge numbers on their barrels up to WW2, though they were out of use in Germany since 1912 otherwise.
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PatagonHunter
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Loc: Bariloche, Patagonia Argentina
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Hi kuduae,
Thank you very much! Until now the 222,5 was, to me, the rifling twist. The same numbers are in the same location in my original DWM factory sporting 1893 rifle.
PH
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metal
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Loc: Australia
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Very nice. Seeing as it’s drilled and tapped, bolt handle altered and charger hump gone, I would mount a nice older German scope on it and go hunting.
I own an identical one in original condition, admittedly the iron sights on it limit my hunting efficiency due to dodgy eyesight.
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kuduae
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Reged: 13/01/10
Posts: 1806
Loc: middle of Germany
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Mauser, Oberndorf a.N., marked the barrel dimensions of commercial rifles on the underside in one line: Land diameter, groove diameter, twist length, all in mm. Besides, they marked the old fashioned gauge numbers. Some examples:
459 = 5.5 mm, on all prewar .22 smallbores
278 = 6.5 mm
222.5 = 7 mm
172.28 = 7.62 mm, on 8 mm barrels
118.35 = 8.64 mm, 9 mm and some 9.3 mm barrels
108.49 = 8.89 mm, on 9.3 mm barrels
72.68 = 10.16 mm, 10.75 and .404 barrels
These gauge numbers were apparently taken over from the British proofhouses, as 172.28 is .300”, the next larger 156.14 is .310”, 141.95 is .320” and so on. There were no intermediate steps.
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PatagonHunter
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Hi kuduae,
VERY INTERESTING! And strange, by the way!
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kuduae
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Posts: 1806
Loc: middle of Germany
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For general information: here are the original 1892 – 95 black powder proof tables with the gauge numbers for rifles. The first column lists the gauge numbers, the second the diameter in mm of the cylindrical plugs used for measuring. As I told, no in between, incremental numbers were used.
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CJF
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Loc: United States
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Very interesting. Thank you for sharing.
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