I recently came into possession of what I initially believed to be a sporterized military rifle. I bought it because it had a certain Old World charm and the price was right, and as of yet my local go-to guys, coworkers, and ersatz experts have yet to pin it down. The best we've got is that it's European in origin.
Its type, model number, factory configuration, and history are a blank, so I figured I'd see what the collective wisdom of the board has to say.
Hard facts, theories, and scientific wild-ass guesses welcome.
Here's what we know:
The barrel is not original. Stamped on the left side near the receiver is the caliber (.30-06) and presumably the gunsmith (E.K. SPEER). Aside from the serial number stamped in various locations, this is the only notable marking.
The front sight is a ramped Redfield with what appears to be some light engraving.
The rear sight is affixed to the rear of the bolt, missing the screw-in aperture. The sight itself is unmarked and folds to lie parallel to the bolt body. The safety is a lever type located on the right sight of the bolt. The end of the lever is aggressively checkered and seems to have three positions.
The bolt has six (6) locking lugs. The extractor is reminiscent of the Mauser claw-type.
The underside of the bolt knob is textured but the upper side is not. The bolt handle does not appear to have been reworked.
The trigger appears to be adjustable via a screw running vertically up into the trigger housing. Given the arrangement of receiver components I'm wondering if this may not have been fitted with set triggers at some point. The trigger assembly is unfamiliar to me.
Apart from the trigger assembly the receiver strongly resembles a Mauser, less the hinged bolt removal lever on the left side. No evidence suggests such a lever was ever present. The upper/rear portion of the receiver features an integrated rib and milled guides for the use of clipped ammunition.
The floorplate is hinged and, once open, functions as a lever to unscrew the barreled action from the trigger guard unit. When assembled, the floor sits flush with no screw holes.
The tang is a two-piece unit similar to the M1 Carbine. Rather than the barreled action attaching to the trigger guard via screw, the rear of the receiver is hooked to engage a second piece which would normally comprise the back end of the tang.
The buttplate is steel, held in with two screws, and inlet to the stock in a short point at the top. No trapdoor is present.
Any ideas?
Its type, model number, factory configuration, and history are a blank, so I figured I'd see what the collective wisdom of the board has to say.
Hard facts, theories, and scientific wild-ass guesses welcome.
Here's what we know:
The barrel is not original. Stamped on the left side near the receiver is the caliber (.30-06) and presumably the gunsmith (E.K. SPEER). Aside from the serial number stamped in various locations, this is the only notable marking.
The front sight is a ramped Redfield with what appears to be some light engraving.
The rear sight is affixed to the rear of the bolt, missing the screw-in aperture. The sight itself is unmarked and folds to lie parallel to the bolt body. The safety is a lever type located on the right sight of the bolt. The end of the lever is aggressively checkered and seems to have three positions.
The bolt has six (6) locking lugs. The extractor is reminiscent of the Mauser claw-type.
The underside of the bolt knob is textured but the upper side is not. The bolt handle does not appear to have been reworked.
The trigger appears to be adjustable via a screw running vertically up into the trigger housing. Given the arrangement of receiver components I'm wondering if this may not have been fitted with set triggers at some point. The trigger assembly is unfamiliar to me.
Apart from the trigger assembly the receiver strongly resembles a Mauser, less the hinged bolt removal lever on the left side. No evidence suggests such a lever was ever present. The upper/rear portion of the receiver features an integrated rib and milled guides for the use of clipped ammunition.
The floorplate is hinged and, once open, functions as a lever to unscrew the barreled action from the trigger guard unit. When assembled, the floor sits flush with no screw holes.
The tang is a two-piece unit similar to the M1 Carbine. Rather than the barreled action attaching to the trigger guard via screw, the rear of the receiver is hooked to engage a second piece which would normally comprise the back end of the tang.
The buttplate is steel, held in with two screws, and inlet to the stock in a short point at the top. No trapdoor is present.
Any ideas?
