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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

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"Everything that doesn't kill me makes me stronger"

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