What 308 is it.

[banshee_00]

Hi guys, only very very new to this forum, so don't hassle me too much..
I have a 308 i need identifying.
I am trying to use the wisdom of the forum to help me...(yep that is a little bit of sucking up..lol)

The only markings it has on it are as follows:

* It is a 4 shot chamber with one in the barrel, bolt action
* On the sights - L with a circle around it.
* Right had side of chamber - 308 stamped roughly
* Left hand side of chamber - 1408
* On the base in the end of the chamber container is stamped - 1408 (again) and the right hand side of the holding screw is a circle and the left hand side of screw is an x with something above it (can't tell too worn).

* The rifle is 933mm long with timber all the way up the base of it. Open sights with the shoulder strap clips mounted onthe left had side of the weapon.

Well that is about the best i can do without pictures which i can get as soon as the camera charges up if i can upload them.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[banshee_00]

And these three as well, if that helps at all...

Thanks in advance...

 

[DPris]

Ban,
You're going to need either photos or more stampings on the barrel.

What you're calling a chamber is the magazine.
The chamber is the rear section of the barrel where a round sits in its loaded firing position.

If the sling swivels are mounted on the left side of the stock & the stock is a full-length type (if I understand you), sounds military.

Probably a .308 caliber, but the rest of your description is really meaningless.
Photos.
Denis

 

[DPris]

You posted images while I was typing.
Appears to be a Mauser carbine variant, probably re-chambered to the .308 caliber.

Denis

 

[banshee_00]

Sorry for the mis-info on the naming of parts...Been a while since i have been in the lingo. Pictures where an after thought because i had to charge camera...Hope they help some.

 

[DPris]

Can you show a photo of the top of the action, with the bolt in it?
Clearer shots of any other barrel markings?
There's no maker's name on it anywhere?
Denis

Take your photos outside in daylight.

 

[banshee_00]

The bolt also has 1408 on it but that is it....got me stumped. I was told many years ago that it was a "Jungle Carbine" but since doing some research that seems to be false.

Na sorry mate no makers name on it anywhere...

And no other barrel marking anywhere....

Cheers

Marty

 

[DPris]

It's definitely a Mauser variant, but I can't tell which for sure.

It was not originally chambered for the .308.
May be a 1916 Spanish Mauser.
The 1408 should be a serial number, if repeated in two or three places on the gun.

The "Jungle Carbine" most commonly known by that name was a British Enfield.
Denis

 

[Jim Watson]

You show a 1916 Spanish Mauser.
It started out as an 1893 Mauser long rifle in 7mm Mauser caliber.
In 1916 they started converting many to short rifles with barrel cut from 29" to 21".
They also cut a thumb notch for easier stripper clip loading and a gas escape port in case of a cartridge failure.

Much later they converted them to 7.62 NATO for use by the Guardia Civil when the Spanish army was getting 7.62 CETME autos.

They were surplused after a few years.

There is a lot of debate as to whether they are really strong enough for commercial .308 ammunition which is somewhat heavier loaded than 7.62 military which is itself a good deal hotter than the original 7mm.


Just wondering how you happen "have" a rifle you know nothing about. Gift or inheritance I can understand. Buying a pig in a poke, not.

 

[DPris]

Figured that's what it looked like on my screen, Jim, didn't those usually have a crest?
I have a buddy who bought a '95 Mauser 30-something years ago.
Had no clue what it was, just knew the caliber & I don't know how many deer he took with that old thing.
Still has it.
Denis

 

[banshee_00]

Really Jim, if i knew what it was i wouldn't be on here would I... Stop being so friendly..lol

Was an inheritance that i aquired about 20 years ago. I am sure there was a story then but long gone in my memory. Haven't really shot it that much, just kept it as barrel clean as possible. Going to get it cleaned up and research more onthe 308 issue, seen a couple of things about it, but i have shot (years ago) quite a few shots out of it and it fired perfectly.

Thanks Denis for your assistance and i will continue searching from here...

 

[DPris]

Good luck with it.
Denis

 

[303tom]

That is a Spanish Mauser M95 cavalry carbine...............

 

[DPris]

Does look more like a '95 Cavalry, doesn't it?
Denis

 

[Mauser lover]

Take the bolt out, post a picture of the bolt face, if it is flat on the bottom, it is a '93 variant, and if it is round on the bottom, it is a '95 variant.

There may be other ways to tell, but that is the only one I know of how to tell the difference between the 93 and 95 variants.

(edit) It looks to be a 95 pattern, could be something else, but probably not...

 

[Jim Watson]

It doesn't matter which variant they started with, the thumb notch and oval gas vent mark it as the 1916 upgrade. 93s and 95s don't have them.

 

[303tom]

How to tell which bolt, m93 & m95.............

 

[Jim K]

While those Spanish rifles are usually safe enough for the .308 at least for a limited amount of firing, they are not an ideal conversion and generally not highly recommended for that caliber.

I suggest having the headspace checked; if it is OK, limit the rifle to light loads. If it fails headspace checks, or if you don't reload, retire the rifle; it is not worth fixing or changing to another caliber.

That rifle was made in Spain, and originally had the Oviedo or La Coruña marking, but many companies doing those conversions removed the Spanish marking because of the poor (and often unfair) reputation of many Spanish guns.

Jim

 

[Numeric]

With that rear sight and sling loop on the wrist it sure looks like it is a Spanish M1895 carbine. Ludwig Olsen mentions that the late-model M95 carbines had the thumb cut and gas-relief vent in the receiver wall on page 72 of Mauser Bolt Rifles 3rd Ed. 15th printing. It would've had the crest of the Spanish arsenal at Oviedo on the receiver ring, but the Falangists probably removed it during a post-Civil War refurb. Make sure it has been converted to 7.62x51mm before you try firing it; that ".308" stamp certainly wasn't applied by any Spanish authority, so it must have been done by the importer. Make sure they got it right.