[Grampa]

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Here are some photos of a Mauser 22 Dad recently passed along to me. It came back with Dad from WWII, so has special meaning. I remember shooting it as a boy, and falling in love with it then. It is remarkably accurate.

Over the past 20 years it had been neglected. It had been stored in a garage, and subject to a lot of moisture. When he gave it to me, it had rust speckling all over, the stock was moldy, and the action was gummed up so bad that the firing pin was barely able to move. So, I tore it down to the smallest part and cleaned it, rubbed out the barrel and receiver with 0000 steel wool and oil, and cleaned the stock thoroughly with mineral spirits.

Can anyone help identify it? There are lots of numbers and marks on it, both on the outside and under the stock. I took pics of some of them, but none state a model #.

http://www.hunt101.com/img/233932.jpg

http://www.hunt101.com/img/233934.jpg

http://www.hunt101.com/img/233933.jpg

http://www.hunt101.com/img/233935.jpg

http://www.hunt101.com/img/233936.jpg

Thanks!

(edited to gain better placement of the pics.) P95Carry

[Jim K]

Hi, Granpa,

Mauser made a number of .22 rifles of that type, but I can't tell from the picture exactly which model you have. There might be a model number on the barrel or receiver. The caliber is probably marked ".22 Lfb" which stands for ".22 Lang für Buchsen" or the standard .22 Long Rifle.

These are very well made little rifles and, as you say, are very accurate. They were commercially imported before WWII and many were brought back by returning soldiers in WWII. They are not military rifles, of course, just civilian plinking and target rifles, though some could have been used by the Hitler Youth or other groups.

You have a beautiful little rifle and an ideal beginners rifle; I hope there is a youngster to pass it on to.

Jim

[P95Carry]

Can't ID that - wish I could. But for interest' sake, let me show you my Mauser 22.

It is a ''Mauser Obendorfe'' .. circa 1920 I believe. It has all the weight and heft of a 243 at least - and the chamber is approx 1" ... but tho heavy it feels great and is a superb shooter. I read somewhere it was worth approx $1k in good shape ... mine is I guess a 90% or better.

BTW Grampa ... respaced your pics ... watch for that - it helps avoid a huge horizontal scrolling prob!! :) Put 2 to 3 returns between each (img) set of tags.


http://www.acbsystems.com/boards/thr/cb_gun2/obendorfe_s.jpg

[Grampa]

Thanks. Other than the serial number, the only number I've found is "459", after the serial number on the barrel. And, it actually does say. "22 LONG RIFLE". It also has the letters "G" "B" and "U" stamped on the barrel and receiver, each with a crown over it.

Yes, the rifle will stay in the family. My son is currently in the Army (got back this spring from "somewhere on a mountain in eastern Afghanistan") and his sons are 4 an 5, so I'll be holding on to it for now.

[Jim K]

Mauser did mark some rifles, mainly those in lines intended primarily for export, with the English ".22 Long Rifle." The other markings are the normal German commercial proof marks. The B is the initial proof of an unfinished barrel; the U is the final definitive proof; and the G is the proof required for rifled barrels. (Collectors sometimes refer to these as "the bug marks".)

You don't mention if there is a "Germany" or "Made in Germany" mark; if there is, it indicates the rifle was commercially imported rather than having been brought back by a GI.

Jim

[Grampa]

Nope, no "Germany" nor "Made in Germany" stamping. Just before the "22 LONG RIFLE" is stamped, "PATRONE" 'cept the "E" is missing most of the top horizontal strike. The serial number is stamped inside the barrel channel of the stock, and the last 3 digits stamped on the trigger guard.

Thanks for the GBU information.

[mete]

Mine is the single shot one that is like a miniature M98.Brought back from the war . I learned to shoot with it .Very accurate .I'm glad to hear you fixed up yours.

[Jim K]

"Patrone" is German for "cartridge".

Jim