I don't have any good pictures of the action but I know that it is a Mauser. Can anyone recognize the style of engraving, markings, etc. on this rifle?

The forearm has a strange shape, set triggers, pretty heavily engraved.

Can anyone guess the country and approximate era of this rifle?

I don't really know that it is a particular style. The stock I believe is an old Richards Microfit with a varmint forend. The floor plate is an after market that was available back in the 70's and 80's. I haven't seen one in a while so don't know if they are still available. They were sold, mostly to hobby gunsmiths, to dress up a sporterized rifle.

As to the engraving on the receiver I cannot guess.

That rifle screams "Product of Lapland" circa '72.

Seriously, I have seen similar engraving, the guy who owned the rifle was Danish, don't know the history. I saw a similar style stock on an old Sweede (maybe) elk rifle. guy said it was for riding the backpack when aiming from prone. I would check with some of our resident Vikings.

As for the floorplate, the engraving is a very common pattern still in use today by many engravers. It looks to be very well done from the pics I see.

The clue is in the Proof Marks as to its origins. Now that may be when the thing was unadorned, for sure, but it may indicate that it had the engraving done there also?

And these appear that NP joined as one, to be Austro-Hungarian proof marks. The small letter beneath that P of the joined NP may indicate the town of proof?

http://www.phoenixinvestmentar...hives/Proofmarks.pdf

Other reference to Czechoslovakain marks when I assume part of Austria-Hungary's empire pre 1919

http://gunaccessory.com/Proof_Marks/proofmarks.htm

This...scroll down to page 404 and 405 is also useful to see if it is Czechoslovakian up to 1951 with that NP marke:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/1047...Republic-Proof-Marks

So I am thinking a dressed up Voere? BUT...

This is mere speculation in that maybe the .59 indicates the year 1959? So this may be a bringback from NATO service with a US serviceman or servicewoman?

However what is does evidence with no doubt is that the barrel, action and bolt were all together, as one weapon, when the thing was sent to proof. So it is the original barrel from that time of the proof being done.

Thanks guys.

One last! Can you do a picture of the LEFT side of the receiver please? Just to be sure that this is not a BRNO Model 21?

I wish I had more pictures but sadly I don't. Thanks for offering though.

Make GOOGLE search "kleinguenther voere vöhrenbach" and you will find many quite similar rifles.

I used to collect Kleinguenthers. Not one of those. I'd say Reinhardt Fajen type of stock though if assembled here.

Without knowing the country of origin, it's not possible to say for sure, but there's a good chance that the 1185.59 stamping indicates that the rifle was proofed in 1959. 1185 would be the number of firearms run through the proof house to the date of proofing of that particular rifle.

I have no idea if the stock is original or a replacement.

quote:

I have no idea if the stock is original or a replacement.

In my eyes stock looks like re-modelled original one. Buttstock is quite typical for Voere-rifles but fore end seems to be reshaped in upper side.