Need help evaluating a Mauser 98

Just speculating, we can never know...
I think someone, your brother in law or a previous owner, started with a German sporting rifle in some obscure metric caliber, with toothpick stock and funny furrin scope mount. He stripped it for the action and bottom metal, thus retaining the engraving. A US gunsmith - likely Mr Abe did all the work, not just the stock - rebarrelled and reworked the action for .375 and put on the Winchester type safety and American style stock.

Do you have the scope or at least the rings to fit?
 
Jim,
I think you are spot on. I suspect Walter Abe took a nice magnum Oberndorf and made it an African sporting gun including the barrel and the stock. Who engraved it or why probably will remain a mystery forever. Still the daunting question: what's it worth? I see 375 Mauser mags for thousands. I see Abe customs for thousands yet you guys seem stuck on a thousand or so.
 
The fella I had look at it is a gun appraiser by virtue of his hobby, not trade. He said 1500-2500. Maybe he's right. I just know that my brother-in-law was very wealthy. He did not buy cheap weapons
 
very nice custom rifle, despite the engraving not being to my personal taste. The model 70 style swing lever safety is a nice touch.

The problem is market value. Fine custom rifles from noted smiths do go for thousands of dollars, BUT equal quality work from an unknown smith (minus the engraving) might be on a dealers show table for less than $500.

your rifle, is in an even more specialized niche.

Not any kind of expert, but I would estimate the magnum mauser action alone to be worth around a grand, maybe more. They were never cheap, or common, and today are almost pearls beyond price.
 
It is interesting that the serial number, proof mark and caliber marking all appear to have been engraved and gold inlaid. Does that mean they were done at the same time? And where? By whom? A lot more questions than answers, unfortunately.

The engraving is good and deep; IMHO, it is not top quality (the lions are not very lifelike) but it is not bad and is far above the "cigarette carton" engraving I mentioned earlier before seeing the pictures. It is certainly Germanic, whether done in Germany or by a German-trained engraver here, I don't know.

Jim
 
Do we know it is a Magnum Mauser action?
A standard length can have the magazine box and magazine opening in the receiver lengthened to take magnum rounds. The .375 is pretty mild as such things go, so as not to overheat and overpressure in the tropics and the gun will hold up fairly well. Weatherbys etc on opened up standard actions do not.

The Magnum Mauser receiver is 9.15" overall, a standard is 8.75". The Magnum bolt body is 6.77", standard 6.37".


(the lions are not very lifelike)
Click to expand...
I cannot count the number of engraved guns I have seen with very nice scroll - or oak leaf as here - with poorly drawn animals, or people. If you want a portrait of yourself or your dog or the game you plan to take, you must find a great engraver, not just a good one.
 
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Have yet to make any measurements on the gun to verify magnum action. The engraving is not gold inlaid. I crayoned some of the proof marks and serial numbers for clarity.
 
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