1900 mauser 96?

T

tahunua001

New member
hello all,
my LGS has a mauser 96 in it's original 6.5. I didn't have a tape measure on me so I don't know if it's a shortened M38 or original but it seems quite long. it appears to be all parts matching BUT...

it's been drilled and tapped for a 2 piece scope mount and it looks like they had to cut into the handguard ring to place the front mount. other than that it looks pretty good to the uninitiated, everything either has a crown stamped or a 3 digit serial that matches the last three of the gun. is $300 a fair asking price? were the handguard rings serialized or did they just have a crown? how hard would a replacement be if I wanted to return it to semi-original but slightly molested?
 
That is a tough question, but it seems pretty high to me. I would think $250-300 for an unmolested M96, and a little more for a M38. From a collector standpoint, drilling holes in it is a big hit in value.

Does it have a bent bolt? M38 would be bent, a M96 and 96/38 would be straight.

The easiest way to tell a 96 from a 38 is looking at the space between the barrel bands.

On a M38 or a 96/38 it will be about 4 inches. On a M96 it will be considerably longer.

It is easy to spot when looking at them side by side. Here are a couple examples on Gunbroker:

Nice M96 that sold for under $300
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=298290483

Here is a decent M38 with Bayonet that sold for $380
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=306200295

Decent 96/38 that sold for $325.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=309608281

For What it's worth, my matching Husky M38 the handguard ring is not marked at all.
 
Drill and Tap halves the value. It's no longer collectable... it's in the category of "ruined" for historical value. Offer $175... and be ready to walk away.

Willie

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it has a bent bolt and at this point I really can't remember the spacing on the barrel bands but one would expect that a rifle stamped 1900 would have the straight bolt. I do not recall a serial on the bolt knob so I'm going to guess that it was modified like that and ground down so that serials would all match to an uneducated buyer. I will probably pass on this one but will keep my eyes open in the future, I love cock on close rifles and was pleasantly surprised when I cycled the bolt and felt that smooth open and firm lock on close. I wasn't aware that any of the mauser families had cock on close bolts.
 
;)

Really like the 6.5X55.

2d7246d1.jpg


..MJ..
 
FWIW, ALL Mauser BA rifles, prior to the Model 1898/98, were "cock-on-closing" - M91, M93, M94, M95, & M96.


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