I found a Mauser sporter in a gun shop, and I was wondering about info about these. This doesn't appear to be a recent made do it yourself sporter either. However there are no markings on it whatsoever. Its on consignment so they dont know anything about it, but I am probably going to contact the owner to see if he does.



It has the military action and military barrel, but cut down to about 24", with a hunting front blade sight. Rear sight has one folding leaf. It also has claw bases on the action. Double set triggers, and a very dainty, German style stock with a Schnabel foreend, very thin comb and foreend, tight checking on the grip. The wood around the action is a little thicker (not sure what the proper word for this is) as is common with other German and Austian guns I've seen. Sling mount on the barrel, not a barrel band though. Little bit of scroll engraving on the floorplate and tang. Turn down bolt, with a checkered bolt handle. The bolt slides great.



The stock and action looks much like this Otto Seelig, except with claw bases and the bluing is in better shape.







I realize that this info doesn't tell you much, but with the folding leaf rear sight, claw mount bases, double set trigger, and a very German stock, do you think its pretty reasonable to say a real gunsmith built this gun? On the other hand, typically a smith would have turned down the barrel step. They're asking about $450 for it, which I'm guessing is a pretty good price?



Oh yeah, caliber is supposedly 8x57, however this is the same gunshop that told me 9.3x62 is no longer made or chambered so it could easily be 8x60 or almost anything else.

I would say that if the double set trigger works as such, it was assembled by someone who knew what they were doing. Those are not easy to set up. Overall, it sounds like a nice rifle, and definitely worth $450. Did you note any markings on the action left siderail, or the front ring? Was the barrel still stepped?

I would at least put it on layaway.

Todd

That's the thing, no markings at all, and the barrel is still stepped. That all makes me think an amatuer did it. However everything else makes me think professional. And it just feels really good, very trim stock contours and all.

However, I already have a military Mauser turned sporter, so I dont really "need" this one. I think I'm going to contact the owner and see what he knows about it, it might have a cool history or something.

The skill needed to build a sporter as you describe was once as common as the skill needed to rebarrel a Remington. There were literally hundreds of German and Austrian smiths who could turn out a rifle like that. Unless you find distinctive markings, even under the woodline, the possibilities are endless. That in no way diminishes the quality of the firearm.

The stepped contour was actually quite popular, and some commercial barrels left that factory that way. It is an efficient way to attach sight and sling bands, as you can "butt" the band up against the step and then contour the lead edge. Look at the Brno 21 and 22. The barrels are actually stepped, with the sight bands soldered up against them and buffed flush.

You say that your barrel was shortened to 24." If that is the case, then the barrel was once 29" and is a WWI era rifle. That does leave open the possibility that it was rechambered to 8x60, as the 8x57 was illegal for about 15 years after the war. Try pushing an 8x57 cartridge in by hand. If the rim goes flush with the barrel lip, you know it is an 8x60.

I suspect that is a "Guild gun", one of many made by a little old German smithy who could make a ball out of a chunk of steel with a file and had a shop about like one of our closets, skilled indeed....I love those old guns, particulary in such calibers as 9.3x62 and 10.75x68 etc....$450 is a more than fair price if the barrel is shiny.....they handle and shoot well for the most part.

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I was thinking it was a guild gun, but it doesn't display any guild stamps above the woodline so I was hesitant to call it that.



Also, the stepped barrel and military floorplate and release seemed semi-uncharacteristic.



If I buy it, I'm definently checking the chamber as I think there's as much chance of it being 8x60 as 8x57. Does anyone European factory load 8x60 or will I have to handload them all?

RWS ammo and brass in 8x60 is still available, but you have to look for it. Reports are that they are not currently making it. I put a few boxes aside just in case, and neck size my reloads to get longer life out of the cases.

So...ya say it looks like this?

Note the stepped barrel and military floorplate. If it is 8x60s you will have to handload. Run a .30'06 case into a Hornady 8x60s die, trim to length, load and fire.

From what I recall, very much in that style at least.

Might not have a rounded grip, might have a grip cap. Not sure if it had a cheekpiece, but it was a really thin comb. But thats basically what it looked like. I'm guessing the 8x60 ballistics are only mildly better than the 8x57?