Trying to get info on this rifle.

This belongs to an man who inherited it from his father. he would like to sell it to me, but has no idea of either the caliber or a fair price for this gun.

Bolt action, Mauser 98, built in Germany.

-Double set triggers
-barrel is octagon to round, 22". The top of the barrel has a solid rib, fixed sight with a extra fold up leaf.
Barrel is marked "C. Turath, Dessau" and "Hofbuchsenmacher"(Arms Maker to the Court" I think). The barrel is also stamped "6970" near the sight, and theres an "8" further back toward the receiver.

-Receiver is marked "25 gGBP",and is embellished with simple scroolwork through-out. If there are any other marking on the receiver, they would have to be under the Leupold base mount. The bolt is jeweled and the only marks I can find are a "98" on the underside of the extractor, and a single unreadable character on the underside of the bolt handle where it joins the bolt body. It has a flat safety that clears the scope(of course) and the rear of the safety is marked "Mark II".
The stock is walnut, nicely shaped and inleted, and since the buttplate says "Fajen" I suspect it was restocked, and done so nicely. Not an easy task with a barrel profile like that!
_The magazine floorplate is lightly engraved, with an unusual release lever centered on the bottom. Manipulating the lever to the side, however, does not seem to release the floorplate, and I'm leery of forcing it.
- Using vernier calipers, it appears to be a 7.62 bore.
I suppose a chamber cast is the only accurate way to determine the caliber?






In that second pic, it looks like the bolt release is shaped funny. Actually, it's flat sided, with a shiny steel insert running the length of the release.

Overall configuration(barreltype,engraving,bottomnetal and lever for opening) shows a typical Suhl made rifle.
the marking on the front receiver ring means:
2.5 gramms (38,6gr) B- lättchen P-ulver (Blättchenpulver is a nitropowder in the configuration of very small sheets(=Blättchen).

The safety is a post world war 2. aftermarket product( So far I know by Parker Hale).

BTW: You can open the magazine as follows.
Turn the lever 90 degrees clockwise and than push back the floorplate back to the triggerguard(like opening the typical military magazine).
Caliber maybe 8x57 I( .318 )

quote:

Caliber maybe 8x57 I( .318 )

But it would fire the "modern" .323 bullets???

Care to offer even a possible ball park value on this gun???? The workmanship on the barreled action seems first rate, and whoever replaced the stock did a nice job as well.

If the exact measurement of the barrel shows that the caliber is .318 you should never ever fire the .323 bullets!!!!!!!!

Hell, Uncle, just check the barrel interior diameter.

If it's Suhl, damed hard to beat for quality.

I agree with Mauser93. The inside barrel interior dia, will tell the tale. Its a very clean,excelent looking rifle and I have seen a couple similar rifles. My best guess is an 8x57 (318).



"If winning isnt important , Why keep score"

I appreciate the replys very much folks, I'm learning a lot!!

If I can continue?

-Is there any chance that there are additional important markings on the receiver(i.e. caliber) that are obscured by the Leupold base?

-Is there an easy way to verify if it is a Shul?

-Is it safe to say that any real collectors value was compromised by the replacement Fajen stock and the drilling and tapping of the receiver?

Under the scope mount base you´ll certainly not find any markings.

The only location , where to find something is on the underside of the barrel (shank).
IMHO the stock is not that bad, but the scope mount base is simply bashing a serious collector.

quote:

but the scope mount base is simply bashing a serious collector.

Indeed!
I'm of the opinion that the rifle was assembled as a practical hunting gun by an "Old School" type rifleman/tinkerer, the kind that grew up reading Jack O'Connor and the like.
Being the Old School type myself, I want this gun as a practical hunting rifle as well, so the drilling/tapping does not bother me much, but seems he picked an awful nice gun to go drilling on!

Dessau is only a little over 100 mies from Suhl as the crow flys going toward Berlin.

I would assume this gunmaker (C.Turath) would have gotten his matierial -barrels , trigger groups, lever hinged floorplates,etc from Suhl. It's no surprise that the rifle has a Suhler flare to it. Woulde'nt surprise me to find out that he apprentaced in Suhl before returning to his home town. This is all speculation based on some pritty good evedence.

As for caliber it's best to make a casting of both your chamber and bore. Espesially if it is 8mm. Not only do you need to determine barrel diameter but don't assume it is an 8x57js or j because it could well be an 8x60.

The stock is a Fajen also that safty lever is not original surly added to the the bolt sleeve when it was drilled for the scope bases.

If I can't get ammo for this gun easily, I figure maybe I'll just pass on it. Hate to go to the trouble/money of making or having made a chamber cast just to fnd out ammo is exotic yes/no?

The metal work is really pre-war, but the stock is new one!
Beautiful rifle, but this ugly mount and scope - not nice for a german rifle! For such an old german rifle, there must bee a claw-mount (and a Hensoldt scope or a Voigtlander or a Kahles))

quote:

For such an old german rifle, there must bee a claw-mount (and a Hensoldt scope or a Voigtlander or a Kahles))

Agreed!
However, is it safe to think that the rifle, as originally made, had no way to easily fit a scope? The stationary rear sight with additional folding leaf makes me think that maybe a scope was not seen in this guns future?