Wanted to post some pictures of this Mauser I’ve just brought.

According to the previous owner, a reputable gunsmith here in New Zealand (Din Collings, based in Wellington, New Zealand) advised him that it dates back to 1923. Evidently, the stock and fittings were German and it arrived in England where it was fitted with a 7x57 barrel made by Midland Arms. Stamped on the barrel is the load – 38grs Cordite and a 173 grain projectile.
Barrel length is 25 inches and the island sights have one standing at 100 yards then 200, 300, 400 and 500 yards. As you will see in the photo’s it also has a flip up sight. The blade is loose, am I correct in assuming that you would put your thumb under it to support it while you took your shot?

While I have not had a chance to fire this rifle yet, the previous owner told me that it shot a very tight group with 140gr factory ammo. The bore is in excellent condition.

The gunsmith also said that the silver line on the sight leaves are platinum. Any idea’s what the front bead is made from? The pistol grip cap is evidently made from Bakerlite?, but the front tip Buffalo Horn. The trigger is 2 stage military. At some stage it was also drilled and tapped for scope bases but they have been filled and blued. What was the purpose of stippling the top of the receiver?

I would like to know what the history of this rifle is, however I’m aware that it may not be possible to trace this rifle. Is it possible that this may have been used in Africa?. The only Serial number is 114999 which is on the barrel but nothing on the action. There are no matching numbers on the rifle at all. There is no Mauser stamping on the left hand side of the receiver like other Mausers I’ve seen.

It is my intention to restore this rifle, as it has a few dings and scratches in the stock. The checkering needs a refresh and there is a piece of walnut chipped out of the toe of the stock. I wouldn’t mind replacing the steel butt plate with a silvers recoil pad. I wouldn’t mind putting a scope on it either as the intention is to have a functional hunting rifle with a bit of history attached to it.

What is the recommendation for a suitable oil finish on the stock?
Regards,

Michael.

IMO all details in this rifle looks more british than german so I think yours rifle was made by some small english gunmaker between I and II WW. Stock would maybe changed later. The action seems to be a basic military one but the cocking piece is longer civilian version. The stippling is a good way to hide old markings.
I would repair te stock and finish it in traditional lenseed oil system. The bolt handle looks to be the worst part of this rifle, someone has bubbad it when aseembling the scope.

Michael,

You've got what appears to be an English sporter rifle on a Mauser Action common for the period. If the barrel is in the condition you describe it should shoot fine. Net, you've got a servicable Boomer, nothing more, nothing less.

Yeah, the rifle has been chopped & hacked on, obviously the holes for a scope mount have been filled after the action was strippeled.

The rear blade should not be loose; you can see where someone has attempted to firm it by indenting the sight base with a punch (the two punch indentations on the outermost sides of the sight base) for a better purchase. Obviously hasn't completely cured the issue.

Personally, I wouldn't be so quick to pass off the pistol grip as Bakelite - it appears to be horn IMO.

The Action & the Barrel has two Birmingham Proof Marks with caliber designation, the way the Proofs are described for the period. The load "Cordite" was only used in Britain.

Yes, a scope for your rifle would make it a modern Boomer but realize that with the original wing safety and the large rear sight unit you'll have to manage a solution to clear both of them either by using a small scope or a full-sized scope will have to be mounted quite high above the action.

The bolt handle also appears to have been simply moved downwards a tad on the bolt assembly to clear a scope. I'd also check the bolt handle clearance for a modern scope.

Good Luck with your new Boomer.

May be wise to check headspace now and from time to time in the future.

The scope screw holes and the stippling MAY indicate that someone has done a little foolish annealing on the action rings. Maybe, maybe not, but such errors are not uncommon when some who call themselves gunsmiths get to modifying mausers.

A "no go" headspace gauge would cost bugger all and would provide ongoing peace of mind.

Enjoy the rifle - 7x57 is sweet !

Looks like and old English gun thats been monkied with some, but certainly worth a professional rebuild..Nice caliber and nice gun, I would have the headspace checked, take a good look at the scope holes and be sure they matched up straight, they look a bit suspecious in the pictures...These old guns properly restored bring some big bucks, and this one looks worth the trouble. the bolt is a replacement or turn down, and can be corrected with a little file and hone work.

Thanks for your input guys, really appreciate it.

It was my intention to redo the bottom metal by replacing with a unit with a release inside the trigger guard, 3 position safety and a new main spring to improve the lock time.

I will get the headspacing checked out too. An ideas on how I can fix the blade on the tangent site?

Recommendations on getting the bolt knob reshaped?

One other thing too, the rifle has another lug on the underside of the barrel near the fore end tip (see photograph)

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The checkering needs a definate refresh, there is a guy here in New Zealand who specialises in stock work. Needs the old finish stripped off and a few dings and gouges steamed out of the wood.

Cheers,

Michael.

If it works I don't think I would be in too much of a hurry to change anything, especially the bottom metal. It is a period piece and is not all that different from my 1907 Jeffery 404.

original

quote:

It was my intention to redo the bottom metal by replacing with a unit with a release inside the trigger guard, 3 position safety and a new main spring to improve the lock time.

If you don´t like traditional british sporting rife, IMO it´s better to sell it to someone who just want to restore it without any modernizing.

Restoration of these old guns is an artform and one must really concentrate on returning to original otherwise its very easy to ruin the value of the gun..A gun like yours has a very small customer base, but those that like them are usually willing to pay very well indeed.

I would suggest you be very carefull about any changes and find yourself an advisor on the subject.

Think I will just leave it for now and shoot as is until I find someone who can better appraise it.

The 1,000 yard sight "option" suggests use in Africa and NOT India. As I sure you all know practice in parts of Africa was to "brown" (that is fire at three or four animals) a group of herd animals and then send off trackers to collect them for the meat.

So this I'd definitely say is for use in Africa. Also, I believe, that if a rifle had sighting out to 1,000 yards it could be transported WITH a (British Army) regiment's weapons and not at the officer individual's private expense.

As "long range" capability meant that it could, in theory, be used in case of dire military necessity.

The Midland Gun were very much hard done by in later years when Parker Hale bought them and then used their name to sell all sorts of rubbish that Parker Hale were ashamed to put their own name to.

Which is a pity as it has given that company an undeserved reputation for lower quality weapons ever since.

It is a superb thing that you have there and I envy you the good fortune in having found it.

I suspect that it will be sight in at the longer ranges better with the "standard" 175 grain Mauser loading. The proof marks help in giving a bullet weight.

That 175 grain bullet is a real killer with little meat damage as against the 140 grain loadin.

The stippling is simply to disguise what would have been on the receiver ring beforehand. Which may probably be something like SPANDAU 1915 or some such.

I suspect that this is one of those many, many numbers of surrendered post-WWI Mauser 98 rifles that the British seized.

It is a good rifle. Thank you for being its custodian for a future generation after ours. I hope that you choose to pass it down to them with the least amount of changes possible!