Custom Mauser ID help plzzzz!

[Uncle Alvah]

Trying to get info on this rifle,

Bolt action, Mauser 98, built in Germany.
Caliber unknown.

-Double set triggers

-barrel is octagon to round, 22". The top of the barrel has a solid rib, fixed sight with a extra fold up leaf.
Barrel is marked "C. Turath, Dessau" and "Hofbuchsenmacher"(Arms Maker to the Court" I think?). The barrel is also stamped "6970" near the sight, and theres an "8" further back toward the receiver.

-Receiver is marked "25 gGBP",and is embellished with simple scroolwork through-out. If there are any other marking on the receiver, they would have to be under the Leupold base mount. The bolt is jeweled and the only marks I can find are a "98" on the underside of the extractor, and a single unreadable character on the underside of the bolt handle where it joins the bolt body. It has a flat safety that clears the scope(of course) and the rear of the safety is marked "Mark II". I suspect the safety is from a Parker-Hale and the bolt replaced or bent for the scope.

The stock is walnut, nicely shaped and inleted, and since the buttplate says "Fajen" I'm sure it was restocked, and done so nicely. Not an easy task with a barrel profile like that!

-The magazine floorplate is lightly engraved, with an unusual release lever centered on the bottom. Manipulating the lever to the side, however, does not seem to release the floorplate, and I'm leery of forcing it. ??????

- I have not yet had a chance to slug the bore, let alone do a chamber cast.






In that second pic, it looks like the bolt release is shaped funny. Actually, it's flat sided, with a shiny steel insert running the length of the release.





Any info or insights would be MUCH appreciated. In particular, if anyone cares to offer even a ballpark estimate of the value, I'd sure like to hear it.
In a nutshell, the owner, who inherited the gun, thinks it is quite valuable, say $1000 or so. I'm of the opinion that while whole the barreled action is surely top-notch, the act of "sporterizing" the gun relegates to the realm of more moderately priced sporterized Mauser's. The fact that the caliber is unknown does not help the selling of this gun either huh?

 

[Jim Watson]

I think you have it pegged.
It looks like a traditional European sporting rifle that has been "re-sporterized" to American tastes by mounting a scope and restocking. I doubt there will be any information about Herr Turath forthcoming; just another small gunmaker long since out of business.

I don't know why the lever floorplate won't open unless it is interference somewhere with the Fajen stock.

Bore and chamber measurements to identify caliber seem the next step. If it is something common, the rifle might sell for a thousand, but I doubt it.

 

[Slamfire]

You posted an identical thread here:

http://www.trapperman.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1953160/Help_with_Mauser_ID.html


I have examined a number of post war Mausers made into Sporting rifles by German and Austrian gunsmiths. This rifle looks similiar.

There were a lot of rifles around in Germany, there were a lot of GI's in the occupational forces, and gunsmiths needed work.

This rifle looks like a professional job. Left side Arsenal markings have been hidden by the scroll.

I have seen German sporterized K98 stocks that cracked. Maybe the owner replaced it in the US with a Fajen stock.

As for the value, it is up to the buyer. There have been lots of gunsmiths who built quality rifles. Unless they made it into a Gun Magazine, and were labled as "legendary" enough times by shill gunwriters to gain recognition at a National level, no one knows about them.

Since this was a German gunsmith, the likely hood that a living American knows the guy is going to be small. The original owner knew, and he is dead.

I would not pay as much for this as I would for an all original, all matching, excellent condition M98K.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

You might check with Robert LeBlanc at
German Gun Collectors Association
P.O Box 385 or 438 Willow Brook Rd.
Meriden, NH 03770 USA
Tel. 603-469-3438
Fax. 603-469-3800
[email protected]
Who knows? Won't hurt to ask.

 

[Uncle Alvah]

You posted an identical thread here:

I have this same thread on five forums all together, I'm desperate! :banghead:

I'd really like to buy this gun, it "talks to me" ya know?
But dealing with the owner has been difficult, she's a tough nut to crack! Figures the gun is worth about $1000, and she may be correct, but it ain't worth that to ME!

I like to think I know a good bit about gun dealing and, to me, one of the "rules" is to never be afraid to walk away from a deal if it ain't "right" in whatever manner......

 

[Slamfire]

Figures the gun is worth about $1000, and she may be correct, but it ain't worth that to ME!

In terms of today's money, it may cost $1000 total in gunsmithing for the work done on that rifle.

But in terms of resale value, getting $1000 back on that rifle would be very difficult.

Let the little old lady keep the thing.

 

[Maverick223]

I concur that it isn't worth that much. Looking at the rifle's sights I'd speculate that the rifle is chambered in a large caliber cartridge...something like the 9.3x64Brenneke would fit...but the "8" could indicate that it was chambered for the original 8mmMauser. I'd cast to determine the chambering before making an offer (less than $1k either way).

 

[falmike]

Caliber may be under the wood...would be on the barrel.

Need more photos.

Please PM me if you wish. I speak German and have contacts over there.

Believe that the "25 gGBP" is part of the proofing.

If you can't find a crown or bird with an "N", then it probably hasn't been Nitro proofed.

Here is a link for some proofmarks as well:

http://www.phoenixinvestmentarms.com/archives/Proofmarks.pdf

https://store.bluebookinc.com/Info/PDF/Firearm/Proofmarks.pdf

Mike

 

[falmike]

I found a reference to a Buchsenmacher named Turath form the right area. Looks like he received an award as a soldier.

Try googling this: "inf. regt. nr. 93"

This is the unit.

I have printed the reference and will have my wife help translate since it is written in old-german.

The gun part should be easy, the gun maker will be tougher but much more challenging.

 

[falmike]

The shiny part of the bolt release is the spring...it's kind of j-shaped...sucks if it breaks...ask me how I know :-/

 

[jimmyraythomason]

The shiny part of the bolt release is the spring...it's kind of j-shaped...sucks if it breaks...ask me how I know :-/

Dozens of them on Gun Broker. I've bought quite a few.