Colonel Custer
New member
Got a 1891 Argentine Mauser serial number A 2404 can anyone tell me when it was made?
Here's your basic answer.Unfortunately someone along the way "sporterised the stock" why anyone would take a piece of history and chop confuses me.
^^^This. Imagine a world where your choices in a new hunting rifle are a new Marlin or Winchester lever rifle for $450 and up or a new Remington or Winchester bolt rifle for $700 and up. However, your local hardware store has unmodified Argentines for $75; there are about 20 of them stuffed into a 55-gal drum, muzzle down, all basically identical. The background check consists of "Hey buddy, you got the sevenny-five bucks?" You can also pick up your new issue of American Rifleman and mail-order nicely dressed-up ones for $200, no license required.They imported a lot of these rifles in the 50's/60's as sporting rifles and they were chopped down and had front sights replaced by the companies who bought them, like my deer rifle.
^^^This. Imagine a world where your choices in a new hunting rifle are a new Marlin or Winchester lever rifle for $450 and up or a new Remington or Winchester bolt rifle for $700 and up. However, your local hardware store has unmodified Argentines for $75; there are about 20 of them stuffed into a 55-gal drum, muzzle down, all basically identical. The background check consists of "Hey buddy, you got the sevenny-five bucks?" You can also pick up your new issue of American Rifleman and mail-order nicely dressed-up ones for $200, no license required.
Welcome to 1962 (figures adjusted for inflation).
but it would be like putting dual exhaust and a lift kit on a model T
Except in 1962, a Winchester or Marlin was about $75.00 and the Argies were around $19.95. In those days, long before "collectormania" set in, they were just surplus "junk," highly suitable for making a cheap sporter.
I can remember going to Century Arms' Miami outlet in 1966 and getting my pick of the rack unissued 1895 Chilean Mauser 7mm for $29.95.
Lee-Enfields sold for $9.95-$14.95, Carcanos were about $8.00 at your local Army-Navy surplus store, a Luger could be had for $39.95, etc. etc.