My buddy is trying to sell an old gun but he has no idea what it is. Its an 8mm mauser that was sporterized probably 50 years ago, and he said the only markings he can find are 286 grB1 . I have not seen the gun, I asked him for pics but it might take a while. Anyone know anything by these markings?
8mm mauser ID
- Thread starter tyrajam
- Start date
OK, got him on the phone yesterday with the gun in his hands, and he found more markings on the gun (of course!)
N with a crown over it--proofmark for smokeless powder?
285 gr. B.P. --I assumed it is a faded 265 for the powder charge?
St. mG- steel jacket bullet
122 on the barrel and action- Date? January of '22??
Thats what I have guessed so far with a little checking, but until he gives me pics of the action and bolt I doubt we can narrow it down but probably a k98?
Here's an old picture he already had, don't really help at all.
N with a crown over it--proofmark for smokeless powder?
285 gr. B.P. --I assumed it is a faded 265 for the powder charge?
St. mG- steel jacket bullet
122 on the barrel and action- Date? January of '22??
Thats what I have guessed so far with a little checking, but until he gives me pics of the action and bolt I doubt we can narrow it down but probably a k98?
Here's an old picture he already had, don't really help at all.
simonkenton
New member
...
30-30remchester
New member
From the little I can see in the photo there isnt enough imformation that can be gleemed about the rifle. If you could get him to photograph all sides more can be learned. I can tell you from the floorplate that it doesnt have a bug screw like so many models of military heritage did.
If the pictures were a little fuzzier and pixellated we could sell them as impressionist art.
So far, here's what I can tell you:
* It is a Mauser 98, vintage unknown, but probably military judging from the floorplate.
* The bolt handle has been cut off and an aftermarket bolt handle welded on (looks like a Brownells bolt handle. But who knows?)
* It may have been rebarreled with an aftermarket barrel of some sort. There should be a chambering stamped in the barrel somewhere, but not necessarily. You will have to measure bore diameter and do a chamber cast to find out what cartridge it is chambered for.
* It has been drilled/tapped and equipped with Weaver bases
* It has a mid-1960s Weaver K-series scope living on top of Weaver rings
* It has been restocked in a figured walnut stock of indeterminate lineage
* It has been equipped with a Dayton-Traister Mark 2 safety
* From the shape of the trigger, I would guess it has a Dayton-Traister trigger in it also.
So far, here's what I can tell you:
* It is a Mauser 98, vintage unknown, but probably military judging from the floorplate.
* The bolt handle has been cut off and an aftermarket bolt handle welded on (looks like a Brownells bolt handle. But who knows?)
* It may have been rebarreled with an aftermarket barrel of some sort. There should be a chambering stamped in the barrel somewhere, but not necessarily. You will have to measure bore diameter and do a chamber cast to find out what cartridge it is chambered for.
* It has been drilled/tapped and equipped with Weaver bases
* It has a mid-1960s Weaver K-series scope living on top of Weaver rings
* It has been restocked in a figured walnut stock of indeterminate lineage
* It has been equipped with a Dayton-Traister Mark 2 safety
* From the shape of the trigger, I would guess it has a Dayton-Traister trigger in it also.
My experience
I bought an 8mm Spanish Mauser (1943 model, made in 1951) a while back. It had 7.9 stamped on the barrel (i.e. 7.92X57). However, when a lot of these were sporterized they were bored to something like 30.06. What I did was asked my gunsmith to do a chamber cast to assure that the rifle was an 8mm Mauser (7.92X57) with a .323 bore. (Some really old Mausers had a .318 bore, all made before 1905, but if yours does not have the original barrel, who knows). Once it was verified, I started shooting it. It ended up being a great rifle and including the chamber cast, cost me $100.
I should also mention that mine has R202 on the bolt, receiver, floor plate and barrel and I think this is its serial number. They all matched.
I bought an 8mm Spanish Mauser (1943 model, made in 1951) a while back. It had 7.9 stamped on the barrel (i.e. 7.92X57). However, when a lot of these were sporterized they were bored to something like 30.06. What I did was asked my gunsmith to do a chamber cast to assure that the rifle was an 8mm Mauser (7.92X57) with a .323 bore. (Some really old Mausers had a .318 bore, all made before 1905, but if yours does not have the original barrel, who knows). Once it was verified, I started shooting it. It ended up being a great rifle and including the chamber cast, cost me $100.
I should also mention that mine has R202 on the bolt, receiver, floor plate and barrel and I think this is its serial number. They all matched.
mapsjanhere
New member
He's got a pre-1912 Mauser from the stamp, it's 2.85 grams gewehr blaettchen pulver. They stopped putting the amount of powder in the proof on the guns in 1912. I doubt this is a "sporter" in the sense that it got converted from a military gun, it has a civilian butterfly rear sight. Looks like a typical commercial product from before WWI.
And I agree the trigger is probably not original, most German hunting guns from that era would have had a set trigger.
As for the barrel, the original barrel will have the caliber stamped underneath (need to take out of stock to see), and often also a date.
And I agree the trigger is probably not original, most German hunting guns from that era would have had a set trigger.
As for the barrel, the original barrel will have the caliber stamped underneath (need to take out of stock to see), and often also a date.
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