Just got this mauser - what is it?

It looks like a Mauser than took a Far East vacation, was rode hard, then put up wet.

I don't think you got ripped off" for $150 - I also wouldn't even buy a rifle in that condition, but then, I'm not into battle rifles.

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The Mauser you bought is a FN model 1930 short rifle that was exported to China in the late 1930's. It looks to be in decent condition for a Chinese contract rifle since most of these are really beat up.
 
The Mauser you bought is a FN model 1930 short rifle that was exported to China in the late 1930's. It looks to be in decent condition for a Chinese contract rifle since most of these are really beat up.
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What are they worth? Just curious. Its hard to find any kind of a decent mauser for $200 that is WWII or older (aside from Russian capture, which often is still over $200).

How many were made?
 
According to Ball's Military Mausers book, FN send 24,000 from 1930 - 1934 and a second batch of 165,000 from 1937 - 1939. Compared to the millions of copies the Chinese made themselves, original FN are pretty rare. $150 for any 98 model is pretty cheap nowadays, so you probably have a find there.
Oh, and the "hebrew" character is part of the Belgian rampart lion over PV proof mark (the top E with star is the inspector's mark, the perron underneath the main proof).
 
Chinese Mausers have never really been worth a lot because they are usually found in very bad condition and the Chinese manufactured rifles have questionable metallurgy. Since your rifle is an FN manufactured piece and its in decent shape I'd say $180-225 would be about right as long as the bore isn't shot out. There's one for sale at a shop near me for $175 and a Chinese copy for the same price and both have been there for quite some time.
 
I'd say $180-225 would be about right as long as the bore isn't shot out
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I forgot about the bore.......its not in the ad and I didn't ask......wow was that a bad thing to forget. Well I didn't send the money yet, I will ask them today.
 
Based on the style of the markings, that is the Model 1930 Short Rifle. I am not sure, but if it is like the FN Model 24, it is a short action, like the Yugo M48 and some standard German 98 or Czech Vz 24 parts won't interchange.

Jim
 
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