Identifying a Possible Old Sniper Rifle?

[retirednow48]

Hi, I'm new here and hoping to help in identifying at least one rifle that is possibly a sniper rifle from WWII.
I don't want to make this long-winded.
I'm helping to research a book about the late Ivan T. Sanderson.
I have a photo of Mr. Sanderson's rifles & shotguns taken in 1969. One came with a suppressor and was allegedly a Mauser action sniper rifle.
Anyone willing to look at the photo can email me.
Thanks!

 

[Abel]

Said photo?

 

[retirednow48]

How do I attach a photo to a message?

 

[Abel]

click on the "Go Advanced" link below the reply bar....and scroll down to where it says "attach files".

 

[retirednow48]

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=125616&stc=1&d=1281287693

 

[gun guy]

it does seem some spec ops sniper/black ops rifles were made during ww2, i have seen a few, usually odd barrel lengths, unusual scopes, often no markings of any kind. something you could fire from a window, leave on the floor and walk away from. usually built on mauser or sprinfield actions, custom fit stocks, it its odd, and old, that could be it. and there is NO records of any kind on these rifles, as it should be.

 

[retirednow48]

Thank you~should have photo now.
Top rifle the one in question.

 

[retirednow48]

Considering Mr. Sanderson worked for British Naval Intelligence during WWII, and claimed one of his "godfathers" was the arms dealer Basil Zaharoff, that could very well be true.

 

[fireman 9731]

Which one?

The bottom two look like shotguns...

The top one looks like it may be threaded for a suppressor...

The middle two look like sporterized Mausers...

I would also think that if the top rifle is the one in question, and it was a military sniper rifle, that it is not in its original stock.

 

[retirednow48]

Yes, the top and it was threaded for a suppressor~actually he had that as well.
Yes, there is a 12 ga. & .410, one Welby air rifle and the other rifle was chambered to fire a .242 Nitro Express round. Don't know make of this one either.

 

[rcmodel]

It looks like a typical Mauser Sporter of the era to me.
It does appear to have a thread protector for a silencer on the muzzle.

But that doesn't make it a sniper rifle.
Silencers were widely available, and used all over the world by sport shooters, except in the United States where they were outlawed under the 1936 Federal Firearms Act.

The complete lack of sling swivels would make one question it's use as a sniper rifle.
Snipers use slings, both to get there, and as a shooting aid.

On the other hand, any rifle is a sniper rifle if it's used to snipe someone.

rc

 

[Jim Watson]

Agree with rc.
The top rifle looks like a bog standard Mauser actioned British hunting rifle except for the threaded muzzle.

Do you know the calibre?

 

[retirednow48]

Mr. Sanderson was a definite Showman, so his description of it as a sniper's rifle may not be accurate. Mr. Sanderson himself never professed to be a marksman.

 

[retirednow48]

I believe it was .300, but I'm remembering 40 years back.

 

[zoom6zoom]

Silencers were widely available, and used all over the world by sport shooters, except in the United States where they were outlawed under the 1936 Federal Firearms Act.

That should read "highly regulated". They are indeed still legal at the Federal level. And of course, "suppressor" is the preferred term. "Silencer" was a trade name of the Maxim company, and only in the movies do they actually "silence" anything.

 

[Runningman]

I would say it is not a WWII sniper rifle myself. This rifle resembles a typical sporterized 1950s and 1960s rifle in many ways.

WWII sniper rifles were generally standard issue rifles hand picked for accuracy. The iron sights are not correct for a WWII military rifle.

White line spacer in forearm of stock not right, Never seen a Picture of a WWII sniper rifle with a white line spacer. Lack of a sling set up.

 

[retirednow48]

There was no white line spacer~that maybe glare in the photo.
Regarding the scope, it attached/removed by turning 90 degrees.
I am looking for another picture of the rifle I have.

 

[rcmodel]

The scope appears to be of European manufacture, probably a German Nickel or something similiar. Nothing with that kind of turrent knob was made in the USA until very recently.

The mount would be typical for a german or english sporter of that era too.

A claw mount would have been more typical of a German gun however.

rc

 

[Runningman]

There was no white line spacer~that maybe glare in the photo.

You sure about that? Look about 1/3 of the way back from the front of the rear sight. Looks like a ebony forearm cap with a white line spacer to me.

 

[retirednow48]

Here's another picture of the rifle.
Ignore the person holding it. http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=125628&stc=1&d=1281295513