I have a Waffenbrik Mauser Orfndorf 8x60 with a serial first 4#s 1030 2 crown stamped one is B the other G full lenght mahnlicker stock double set triggers claw mounts installed

Where can I get information on this gun, ie. date of manfacture, ex. value? It was rechambered 8mm-'06 at some point but all parts have same serial #s.
I believe it was manufactured as a high end sporting rifle pre WWII.

I am working on pictures will post them shortly

There most likely will be a date code on the underside of the barrel near the action, of the form 5.22 as an arbitrary example, meaning May of 1922. A picture of the proof marks there should tell the tale.

thank you I'm away from there for a few hours but will check

Ok this is stamped on the bottom of the barrel near the receiver: The letter L.
A long number 7.85.81.310
Another # 156.14 with a O stamped next to it
A crown B a crown G and another symbol under them
The letter S
The # 21

All parts trigger, receiver, etc are stamped with the last 2 numbers of the serial #



From a Mauser site I believe I read from their codes matching : Gerb. Boehler U. Co. AG Zweigniederlassung, Edlestahlwere Berlin

The 154.14 is the bore in Guages, it translates to a .310" bore. The 7.85 is also the bore measurement.

Pics usually go a long way in helping to identify a rifle.

thank you
is the 21 the year?

An interesting set of marks. The barrel appears to be made by the Austrian firm of Gebruder Boehler, a major supplier to the firearms trade all over Europe, including Mauser. The 'long number' string you mention looks more Austrian than German and probably indicates a bore (not groove) diameter of 7.85mm (about .310").**No, see further post below! I don't have a good reference on Austrian proofs, but that format is typically Austrian. ** No, see further post below!

The German proofs of crown B and G are typical, and the number 156.14 is one of the standard German bore markings used before WWII, in this case translating to .310"; again, bore, not groove diameter.

None of these marks appear to be a date code, unfortunately, unless it's buried in the 'long number'.

If you could post a picture that would help.

I have tried but this site is impossible to me for posting I have tried several times before.
If you like I can send you a picture, send your email via PM

You have a PM

I'm remembering (always dangerous) that in the string of numbers you mention, it's possible that the '310' is the twist length in milimeters, but I can't remember what the '81' might be. 310 mm is about 12.2 inches.

** None of the marks you describe are Austrian.

In Lester Womack's book, "The Commercial Mauser '98 Sporting Rifle", on page 32 there is a picture of a 1941 vintage commercial Mauser with the numerical string '7.85 81 240' - I knew I had seen this somewhere! He states that the first two numbers are bore and groove diameters but I haven't found his reference to the twist length yet. I am certain that's what the third number is, though. 240 mm was the standard for 8x57 rounds.

Nor can I explain why there is no decimal point in the 81, either in your example or his photo. 8.1 mm is about .319". Both groove diameter and twist length are fairly simple to measure at home.

The other thing he mentions on page 17 is that serial number 110000 dates to about 1937.

German proof marks changed extensively in 1939, and your rifle with the crowned B, U and G marks shows the pre-1939 style. The 8x60 round was introduced after WWI (Dixon says 1920) as it became technically illegal to own an 8x57.

I was up late into the night doing research on this I believe I have it as a 1930-31 model S carbine as shown in the link near the bottom I would add by the list of SN
mine came to be in early 1930. http://nitroexpress.info/ezine...porterVariations.pdf
EVERYthing is original an marked with the same serial # including the stock

Amazing what you can find on the internet if willing to take your time to do so.
Foolishly my uncle rechambered it to 8mm-06 at some point, I say foolish by my standards he however was a deer hunter who could not locate 8x60 ammo so to him it made perfect sense to rechamber for at the very least one of the better conversions.
Just for shits 'n giggles I am going to have it appraised to put a value on it....I know I know Iknow it is worth whatever someone is willing to pay but a ball park figure for the insurance coverage is what I need.Cool that it is one of what remains of the original 127,000 complete Mauser actions ever built between 1898 and 1946.
Thank you for your aide.

Rifle was made early 1930 by Boehler Brothers and Co. PLC, high grade steel works, Berlin branch =
Geruider Boehler und Co AG, Edelstahlwere, Zweigniederlassung, Berlin

Def. a model S with pear shaped bolt, double trigger (single set) mahnlicker stock
apprasial value at 80% of new $4250