Way back in 2019 just before the cheese slid off the cracker I was at a gunshow in PA and found a guy with three Mauser rifles. The cheapest was also the least bubba’d so I bought it. Speed’s book says probably 1905 manufacture. The hieroglyphics on the barrel indicate it’s the newer bore 8x57 diameter. All the metal is decent, it shoots as well as I can with iron sights and the stock has a small chip missing behind the action tang that may have been gone 100 years.

I’d like to mount a scope on it but I’m not sure what is the best route. From what research I’ve done rings to fit the claw mounts will be around $1,000? Is that the best option?

Thanks for any and all input gents

PM SENT.

It's not the cheapest route, but would look best IMHO. Select a vintage, steel tube scope. Oil finish the stock, checker the forend and have a design or a border engraved on the bolt handle flat.

There are several options available, but personally I would go with the claw mounts if you can stomach the cost. If you need a recommendation, I have a friend that will fit and install them for you.

I would also recommend, since you mentioned the chipped stock, to skim bed the stock to prevent any further damage.

quote:

Originally posted by Fal Grunt:
There are several options available, but personally I would go with the claw mounts if you can stomach the cost. If you need a recommendation, I have a friend that will fit and install them for you.

I would also recommend, since you mentioned the chipped stock, to skim bed the stock to prevent any further damage.

That’s what I was fishing around for, somebody who knows something.

I sent you a PM

I don't see a low scope safety. I wonder if the original scope was very high. One solution that is entirely period correct would be to replace the military safety with the type of safety put on Mauser sniper rifles. The protrude to the rear and require no modification to the rifle except perhaps fitting the sear.

The rifle went to the fellow FAL Grunt referred me to about a month ago. Now I’m in “my rifle’s at the gunsmith” purgatory.
My plan is to buy one of the OEM bolt shrouds converted to a two position safety since most of my rifles have similar safties.

That's a sweet rifle! Yes, they had very high scopes with the originals safety.

I have a commercial FN Mauser from the 1950s with a custom bolt shroud safety someone made - best looking one I have ever seen and works - much better than the aftermarket ones.

Here's a post I did on it: https://forums.accuratereloadi...251054432#6251054432

That is a classic early type B and personality I would attempt to keep it that way. They are highly collectible as well as still being imminently useful hunting rifles.

From the looks of the bolt handle it appears someone has altered it for a low mounted scope.
You can have claw mounts made, they are not cheap ! Or removed the bases and have modern scope bases mounted to dovetails that fit.

Those claw mount bases have grooves down the centre to allow the iron sights to be used when the scope is removed. I imagine it would be good to somehow maintain this feature if the claw bases were replaced with modern bases. Perhaps some modern steel bases with depressed or grooved centres could be cut and milled to fit the dovetails on the action?

I can’t argue with anything you’ve decided to do. I love these old Mausers. Glad you’re sticking with the claw mounts.

On the safety, you may want to consider keeping the flag but cutting it down in size.

I have seen that done, and actually have it on one rifle.

It permits the scope to be mounted lower, although not as low as a wing safety would do.

With respect to the claw mounts, it has always amazed me that so many rifles are floating around out there with claw mount bases, but with the rings and scope missing.

It must stem from a time when making and fitting claw amounts did not cost a king’s ransom!

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
I can’t argue with anything you’ve decided to do. I love these old Mausers. Glad you’re sticking with the claw mounts.

On the safety, you may want to consider keeping the flag but cutting it down in size.

I have seen that done, and actually have it on one rifle.

It permits the scope to be mounted lower, although not as low as a wing safety would do.

With respect to the claw mounts, it has always amazed me that so many rifles are floating around out there with claw mount bases, but with the rings and scope missing.

It must stem from a time when making and fitting claw amounts did not cost a king’s ransom!

It came with one of the lever safeties that is “on” when it’s up and almost touching the scope. To my mind they are an abomination and not to Rick Spec. I’m planning on buying a shroud with a two position safety and preserving the original as is. The shortened or elongated flag might be a good option too.

My theory is that either the original scopes failed with time and were discarded along with the soldered on bases or the guns were pressed into battlefield use in WWII and the scopes removed due to the perils of being captured as a “sniper”.

The little rifle just has a “feel” that nothing coming out of a modern factory can match.

From what I saw when spending a year in West Germany back in the early '80s and associating with many hunters, they often remove the scopes for storage, sometimes having 2 or 3 scopes that fit the same rifle for different hunting situations. This could lead to scopes being misplaced as the original owners die off and families disperse of firearms and hunting equipment.

Agree that the Mauser flag safeties and bolt handle shapes, and split bridges on MS rifles, do inhibit low mounting of scopes but for a lot of the European shooting from huts, high seats and sitting positions in forests, the high mounting of scopes can be accommodated reasonably well.

I had a German hunting licence and used a variety of high value rifles and scopes while in that country but did find them rather awkward to carry and use with the high mounted scopes and sometimes odd actions compared with my usual plain Jane bolt actions with low scopes in simple mounts and safeties back home.

That Type B is a nice rifle, not original now with the bolt handle scalloped for a scope but more usable with that modification.

quote:

Originally posted by eagle27:

Agree that the Mauser flag safeties and bolt handle shapes, and split bridges on MS rifles, do inhibit low mounting of scopes but for a lot of the European shooting from huts, high seats and sitting positions in forests, the high mounting of scopes can be accommodated reasonably well.


That Type B is a nice rifle, not original now with the bolt handle scalloped for a scope but more usable with that modification.

The high stands and elevated blinds sounds like how most of the guys I know hunt here in the USA these days. Most of us are too old to do much more than shamble out to the stand in the early morning for our first nap of the day.


It would be interesting to know the history of this rifle. I imagine the mounts/scope were added and the bolt bent later as the owner aged into stand hunting instead of bounding around the forest.

I look forward to hunting with this old gun and then hopefully passing it on in time.

I'd suggest pretty much of a conservative approach to any changes (aka lowering value)


I'd bet the spacing on those mounts are of the older, narrower variety. Might try Lee Le Bas in Minden NV He has lots of claw hardware and might also have a good, refurbished older scope

quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe (CG&R):
I'd suggest pretty much of a conservative approach to any changes (aka lowering value)


I'd bet the spacing on those mounts are of the older, narrower variety. Might try Lee Le Bas in Minden NV He has lots of claw hardware and might also have a good, refurbished older scope

quote:

Originally posted by rcraig:
https://learmsllc.com/contact/

You guys certainly know how to help a fellow spend his kids inheritance! I didn’t know about that Lee Arms site and now my wife wants a word with you two.
(Actually she’s the one who walked in the door at Eurooptic and said “Oh Look! A Mauser!” before I even got in the door. It was, a $14,000 new Mauser)
My Type B is off to the gunsmith being fitted for a 1-5x Leupold which should look good and be enough scope for my needs

She will have to take a number! HAR! Good luck

She could send me a PM.