I want to turn a somewhat worked on Mauser into the style of sporter from around WWII. I've seen some beauties posted here. Butterknife handles, shotgun trigger guards, paneled stocks...etc. What would the proper color be for a recoil pad? I want to go with a round ball grip and schnabel forend tip, so there's no color to match up with. Cal will be 9.3x57 - not harsh, but some rubber might be better than hard plastic. Red, Black...brown???
Thoughts from those that own or have built would be appreciated. The only book pics I find are B+W.

Pads AFAIK aren't really a genuine German addition to a Mauser sporter but something you'll find on those bespoke British guns built on Mauser actions by the likes of Holland and Holland, Jeffery, etc., etc.

The two most seen styles are either the red rubber (sometimes an orange) with the black spacer or leather covered.

What you will never see IMHO as an original "put on at the time" pad is either black rubber or brown rubber.

If you check out the auction sites of the large British auction houses you'll see pictures in colour.

Yes I'm more familiar with the looks of the British guns. As far as German Mauser sporters, I'm learning. Thats what I'm looking to create.

quote:

Originally posted by walnut:
I want to turn a somewhat worked on Mauser into the style of sporter from around WWII. I've seen some beauties posted here. Butterknife handles, shotgun trigger guards, paneled stocks...etc. What would the proper color be for a recoil pad? I want to go with a round ball grip and schnabel forend tip, so there's no color to match up with. Cal will be 9.3x57 - not harsh, but some rubber might be better than hard plastic. Red, Black...brown???
Thoughts from those that own or have built would be appreciated. The only book pics I find are B+W.

Rubber on a 9.3x57??? C'mon now...

During that time frame it would have been compressed horn or steel I would imagine. A nice reproduction Mauser butt plate would be appropriate. If the recoil bothers you get one of these:

http://www.battenfeldtechnolog...ily=past-recoil-pads

You guys are right. I couldn't find one original German sporter with rubber on the auctions. Austrian, yes. German, no. 99% are steel. Shouldn't be any worse than an 06 I would guess. The Mauser plate or the horn would look good, that's for sure.
I shouldn't have put this where Mike would see it - I'll never hear the end of it. LOL.

I own a "few" older german sporting rifles, so far all my acquistions in that time-line have steel butt plates. --- John303.

My J.P. Sauer has a buffalo horn butt plate.

Nice old rifle BH, there's just something appealing about them. If you or anyone else wishes to see my latest the pics are on Nitroexpress>Mauser Forum Photos> Carl Grundig of Dresden you'll see others there too. --- John303.

quote:

Originally posted by John303.:
I own a "few" older german sporting rifles, so far all my acquistions in that time-line have steel butt plates. --- John303.

All mine had either hard rubber or horn. The majority being horn. Curiously, My Oberndorf "S" Type has hard rubber.


Here's a little guild gun. Horn Buttplate & grip cap.

Here are a couple, one with the rounded grip you like.


Here's an 8x60S with a spoon handle. Horn Buttplate.

Nice collection Mike. Beautiful rifles.

Terry

Nice rifles Mike, just curious but are any on a small ring 98a Mauser? --- John303.

Very nice. I love that style. Would you call them "cigarette" rifles.

i have a obendorf (spelling) mauser in 7x57 that was left to me. It has a nice wood laminate stock which i can not tell it is not wood and double set triggers that i was thinking of selling as i will not ever use it. is this a sought after action and is anyone interested in something like this?
thanks

That one on the bottom is a Mauser tybe B right? I love it, that stock is what I'm going for on my springfield project. See Lon Paul's interpretation, beautiful

Calibre 7x57 with 27" barrel listed on British website "mick's guns".

Everyone of you should be banned from this forum for posting pictures of such beautiful and sexy rifles.

Joe A.

quote:

Originally posted by richj:
Very nice. I love that style. Would you call them "cigarette" rifles.

This one likely is a cigerette gun ... though it has an interesting bottommetal -- the octogon barrels are likely guild guns or geco

How about these two, Mauser Model B's, kurz action, both in 250 Savage. One from 1925 and on from the early 1930's. the scoped one is not owned byme, and has been refinished by bubba.

what's a cigarette gun?

quote:

Originally posted by John303.:
Nice rifles Mike, just curious but are any on a small ring 98a Mauser? --- John303.

Thanks. No all are built upon Standard LR 98 actions except the two pictured with the Sierra bullets which are Husqvarnas built on 96 actions. Those two date from the 20's and 40's.

I'm not a big fan of the Kar98a's, though I am building one in 9.3x57. However, it utilizes a later Polish Kar action.

Thanks Terry.

The Gecos I have all have Horn buttplates.

If I restock a Mauser and keep the German features, I would always add a red pad just for comfort of shooting it and enjoying it. There is no collector's value in keeping a steel pad on & there is no point in being scared of shooting it because of recoil. The 9.3X57 (a Swedish and not German caliber) will kick more than a 30'06 - I owned one. You could consider a 9.3X62 which is a more classical German Mauser caliber.

Here is my Simson 9.3X62 which I got restored with rust bluing and restocked. The original rifle was built before 1912 according to the German proof marks.

quote:

Originally posted by Dago Red:
what's a cigarette gun?

I'd like to know as well....Thanks.

+3 on the cigarette gun? For that matter what's a Geco?
Man, there's some beautiful stuff in this post.

cig gun, guild gun, geco
cig gun -- made by reburbishing whatever was handy for (mostly americans) occupiying troops in exchange for contraband, largely american cigs - not super high quality, lots or reworks from anything hand "hey joe, if you get me 10 cartons, i'll make you a rifle fit for the kaiser" ... hans gets issue lucky strikes, and is happy, joe gets shootable-custom and is happy

guild gun .. those unmarked-by-maker nice rifles floating around.. lots of full length ribs, octogons, and doubletriggers - do *I* think they are made by guild level gunmakers? some times

geco - as i understand it, a clearing house label, not unlike merkel or suhl, back in the day... lots of german guns are marked geco -- i'f got a shotty somewhere so marked ... of decent quality, not great, and no one so named for making

i am certain i'll be corrected, but look for yourself.

could be bull but I heard the term used for rifles that were built in Germany after the war for allied soldiers who paid with cigarettes.

"cigarettes" really being anything the soldiers could use to trade with.

like I said could be lore

NakiHunter,

Nice pea-shooter!

A couple of my 9.3x57 weigh no more than 6.5 lbs. To me they seem to recoil on par with 180 grain '06 loads. But, recoil has a lot to do with many things. I have a couple of sub 7 lb 9.3x62's that will get your attention but are not punishing by any means. However, I once had a Tang Safety Ruger 77 in 9,3x62 that weighed 9 lbs scoped and it was the most unpleasant rifle I ever shot. Go figure, poor stock design on that one.


GECO= Gustav Genschow & Co.

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:


geco - as i understand it, a clearing house label, not unlike merkel or suhl, back in the day... lots of german guns are marked geco -- i'f got a shotty somewhere so marked ... of decent quality, not great, and no one so named for making

GECO was the brand name of Gustav Genschow, a distributor in Hamburg.....Art

quote:

Originally posted by Tentman:
How about these two, Mauser Model B's, kurz action, both in 250 Savage. One from 1925 and on from the early 1930's. the scoped one is not owned byme, and has been refinished by bubba.

Sorry to be off topic here but what would these be worth??

Cheers,
Mark.

Difficult question as to the value of Mauser B's "down-under". I se a Mauser Kurz for sale in very nice original condition (as far as can be judged from the photo) on UsedGuns.com.au for AUD$4,700. The top rifle in the photo I posted does not belong to me is in about the same condition but scoped, and is regarded as a family heirloom by the owners, so I doubt that it will be sold in the forseeable future.

I gave NZ$800 for the bottom rifle without a bolt. I also have another Model B Kurz with single square bridge in 250 on the way, it has been seriously bubba'ed with but is shootable (and restorable apart from the stock which isn't even good for a pattern) and I gave NZ$1000 for it from a pretty knowledgeable collector (who is not really interested in sporting rifles).

So its what you find and where, I have been after one for at least 10 years, and I know of guys who have been looking for longer.

Best of Luck

Foster

"However, I once had a Tang Safety Ruger 77 in 9,3x62 that weighed 9 lbs scoped and it was the most unpleasant rifle I ever shot. Go figure, poor stock design on that one."
I have an old Ruger with TS that is very light, an -06. It pounds also. Terry and others here discussed stock design and leaning on a bench to shoot as contributing factors and I believe that.
John 303-I have viewed these and they are fabulous.
Dago Red-I noticed Lon Paul went with red when duplicating that stock, but IIRC it was a British caliber on that one.
Naki-That is gorgeous...as are all that have been posted in this thread. And I thank all of you for the visual help.
So now that my curiosity has been sparked about horn, how's it to work with? Can it be checkered or filed - all I see sold are smooth backed.

Any idea what lurks under this scope? All I know is its a 8mm and a M98. I am trying to get some more details

Just a guess but it looks like some possibly home made "high" scope mounts, possibly see through, on a 98a small ring Mauser - going mostly by the trigger guard and receiver to barrel difference. --- John303. ***more views / name would help***

In my signature is my custom mauser I had made. Its painted with DuraCoat.
Its a Small Ring Swedish Mauser I kept the chamber of 6.5X55.
It was made by J.S.Baily in St. Albens Maine.
customeguns.us

quote:

Originally posted by James Kain:
In my signature is my custom mauser I had made. Its painted with DuraCoat.
Its a Small Ring Swedish Mauser I kept the chamber of 6.5X55.
It was made by J.S.Baily in St. Albens Maine.
customeguns.us

That's nice, but hardly what I'd call a "Mauser in the style of sporter from around WWII."

oh I thought because it was made in 1943. I miss understood and I didnt read as much as I should have.

James,

No biggie. I personally get a thrill out of seeing an action made in 1943 turned into a useful new tool. As I said, your rifle looks good. How's it shoot?

-Mike

I m still working up loads. It shoots very well, but the shooter needs to work on target practice more.
But most groups are 1MOA or smaller. The rifle is much better then that, as I said user failure. I try to be hard on my groups because I know I can do better.

I thought they were called "cigarette guns" because if you own one or shot one...
You would need a cigarette and a nap.

Nice thread, keep posting pictures!

Dad brought a "treasure" home from his early morning garage sale mission last weekend; has anyone seen a tubular magazine 98 sporter before? I know there were some post WWI 2-shot shotgun builds (Geha, Remo, Hard Hit Hard) but this one has a multi-shot magazine running the full length of the forearm under the barrel. The barrel is marked "Remo Cal. 44" and the chamber cast measures as a 44-40!? It has a pressed horn buttplate labeled Remo as well. He sent this picture and is working on sending some more showing the elevator/magazine mechanism.