98 Mauser question

[RSVP2RIP]

Looking for infor on an action I have. It has Mauser-Werke AG Oberndorf on the side, Nazi marks and D83xx serial#. It has a crest covered up by a scope mount, which I would remove, except it is welded in the rear screw hole (broken tap?). Any info on it?

 

[Edarnold]

Looking for infor on an action I have. It has Mauser-Werke AG Oberndorf on the side, Nazi marks and D83xx serial#. It has a crest covered up by a scope mount, which I would remove, except it is welded in the rear screw hole (broken tap?). Any info on it?

Mauser Oberndorf 98 actions are always highly prized, except late wartime production they are considered the best of the lot. Since yours has the name on the receiver, it's pre WW2. Next question is how much it has been modified: is the bolt handle original military straight or bent? Does the scope mount look like a US design or something else?

A photo would be the best way to get more information, the crest on the receiver ring could be from any of the dozens of nations that bought Mauser military rifles before and after WW1.

 

[RSVP2RIP]

No it's pretty butchered. It is partial polished aftermarket bolt handle, Redfield mount, 270 barrel on it in the white still, some kind of aftermarket trigger from the 50's. It was found in my granfathers basement and I was going to clean it up and finish it. I was just wondering how much of a crime was commited when it looks as though it was in great shape before the polishing wheel took it's toll. Oh yeah it was all matching, except the barrel, trigger and stock which are missing.

 

[303tom]

Pictures.............

 

[lefteyedom]

Sound like a great gun to finish building.
I love finding such old school project and finishing/rebuilding them.

 

[RSVP2RIP]

Took a few picture with the action in the new stock. Not sure about the crest but didn't really do any looking around. I think it's Portugese.

 

[Float Pilot]

What you now have is an action from which you can make a dandy sporter. Do not worry about anything you might do to it....

Originally is was a Portuguese M.1937 Mauser Short Rifle
(1937 Contract) (Espingarda Mo. 937-A).
This is a 1937 contract rifle, sometimes referred to as "a first Portuguese contract". The rifle is similar to German 'Standard Modell' and K98k, except for the sling swivels, front sight and different markings. The receiver has a crest of Portugal and a date "1937". Made by Mauser-Werke A.G., Oberndorf a/N., as indicated by markings on the left side of the receiver. Nazi Eagle is stamped on the barrel, receiver, bolt, stock, barrel bands, trigger guard, magazine cover, buttplate and some other parts.

The A/N in the title means it was the Mauser Factory on the NECKAR River.
There is more than one Oberndorf in Germany, so they used the name of a nearby river to tell the difference.

 

[RSVP2RIP]

Was it Nazi proofed before it left the factory, or was it a canceled contract like what Mitchell's is selling?

http://mauser.net/firearms/rifles/mauser-rifles/special98k/index.htm

 

[Float Pilot]

Whomever does the write-ups for Mitchell's is full of poop.....
For example they say Franco's Potugal.... When in fact Fransico Franco was the dictator of Spain.

The 1937 Oberndorf Portugese contract rifles were so marked because they were made on a Pre-WWII Nazi assembly line. Those stamps were the standard factory proof marks of that time period. Maybe they were a series of barreled actions which were already completed and when they got the contract they install the stock and front sight option the Portugese had requested. That is one therory.

There were about 20,000 rifles purchased from germany during the 1937 contract.

They also ordered another batch in 1941.

People write up all sorts of BS trying to make them into WWII bring-backs, and other baloney.. There have been a few on the market lately with regualr Kar 98 stocks as well.

Ai real complete 1937 contract rifle is not easy to find. Yours is NOT a collectors item, so grind away...

 

[RSVP2RIP]

Thans for the info. As I have gathered it was a complete original rifle before gramps took it apart. There used to be a crate full of Mauser parts in his basement. One of his best efforts was a 338 winchester, and one of his biggest crimes was to semi-sporterize a Belgian 30-06 military rifle. I'm glad he kept the original barrel though, it shoots great.

 

[Float Pilot]

Before I joined the Navy in the mid 70s (1st of three Military branches) I paid my rent and college tuition working for an old gunsmith who converted hundreds of Mausers into sporting rifles. We made lots of nice sporting rifles out of what was then $30 beaters that nobody wanted.

During one of our after hours scotch breaks, I mentioned that it would be nice to save a coupe of the better full military rifles since they might be collectable one day. He blew out a cloud of smoke from his Carlton and politely told me that nobody in their right mind would ever consider old full military Mausers a collectable item.

By the way, an all original , matching, 1937 contract rifle in pretty good shape, recently sold for $800....