Help identifying Mauser

Hey everyone. I need help identifying this Mauser. It has absolutely no markings other than what appears to be a faint letter R on the top of the receiver. All the other markings appear to have been ground off. None of the serial numbers match. I'm guessing it was sporterized later in life. The action is cock on close and there is a gas escape port on the left side of the receiver. There is also a flat indentation on the underside of the bolt body. Anyone know what this is and what caliber it takes? Thank you in advance.

 

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It is a Spanish Model 1916 Short Rifle. The original caliber was 7x57 or what we usually call 7mm Mauser, and that one does not look like it was altered, though many were. If the bore is decent, the 7x57 is a good deer cartridge. The rifles, even in good condition are not worth a lot, usually running $100-150 retail and that is in unaltered condition. That one has not only been very badly "sporterized", but has been left to rust until there is nothing left of the original finish.

In the condition that rifle is in, unfortunately, about worthless in dollar terms.

Jim

 

Thank you Jim. I appreciate the help

 

In the 1960 and up into the 1970's the gun rags were full of articles on how to turn that old surplus rifle into a bea-ti-full hunting rifle. Unfortunately the individual who worked on that rifle didn't read any of them. But on further reflection, perhaps the individual got exactly what he wanted, a no frills, cheap rifle that was capable of bring down a deer.

 

There were a lot of Mausers cut down like this one in the Pre GCA 1968 era. I don't know where the sweat shop was that did the work.

The store I hung out at while in college had them piled up like cordwood in the back room. They didn't move well over the counter but they sold mailorder back when legal. I watched the dealer in action and $5 extra for "hand picked" did not get you a whole lot of special attention on a $29.95 rifle.

 

If it were in safe working condition, I would clean up the metal, spray paint it with flat black auto enamel, give the stock a wax and hot hair drier melt and polish, and throw it in the back of the truck in a case with a box of ammo as a spare gun on trips to the mountain. Otherwise, there is not great value in that gun as is.

What is sad is to look at the Sears and Wards ads from the 1950s and 1960s. You could buy an army surplus rifle for 20 or 30 dollars, but for 5 dollars more get one that the importer/distributor had semi-sporterized like that Mauser in the photo. Today an unaltered military rifle is worth much more as a curio'n'relic collectible than a cutdown "sem-sporterized" rifle is worth as a hunting weapon.

Years back I thought nothing of taking a military rifle in less than pristine condition and making a spare hunter out of it. The nice condition ones were wall hangers, but most were "Fair to Good" external condition while "Good to Very Good" internal condition, and only "Excellant" or like new were considered collectible. Today even a beat up surplus rifle is worth more as a collector's item than as a shooting weapon.