Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Osa Johnson's Oberndorf Mauser Type A 9.3x62

I purchased this rifle from the seller on December 10. I'll probably receive it in the next 2 or 3 weeks. In the meantime, I thought I would post the seller's description of the rifle and the seller's photos. When the rifle comes in I'll take some new photos and post them.

Cheers!
-Bob F.



Dec 10, 2008
Category: Rifles - African Dangerous Game Magazine - Mauser Rifles Sporters Pre War
Title: Osa Johnson's 9.3x62 Type A Mauser
Description:
This is a highly desirable Oberndorf Mauser Type A in 9.3 X 62 owned by the famous explorer and film maker, Osa Johnson. Together with her husband Martin Johnson, she pretty much invented the wildlife documentary. Her book, "I Married Adventure", was made into a movie in 1940 starring Mrs. Johnson as herself. Google Osa to learn more about her life and the museum devoted to her exploits. Rifle is inlaid in platinum on the barrel, "Specially made for Chas. Heyer & Co. Nairobi". Comes with letter from auction house that handled her estate at the time of her death in 1953, identifying this rifle by serial number.













[img]http://www.geh.org/ar/strip37/m198512580084.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.safarimuseum.com/logos/safari_title_o.gif[/img]
http://www.safarimuseum.com/

[img]http://www.bunduki.com/bob/osa/m_o-onserengeti.small.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.bunduki.com/bob/osa/chanute1/IMG_0057-640x480.jpg[/img]
Little ol' me on my recent visit to the museum.
(photo taken on November 22, 2008)

What a wonderful rifle. Congratulations, looks like the find of a lifetime. Not only beautiful but it looks like it has a lot of life left in it. What is the LOP?

When you get it, please post more pics!

Terry

What a cool thing. Her book is quite a hoot. She had pluck, to say the least.

Hopefully the gun is not so valuable that you would not deny it one more trip back to Africa.

Looking at the photos more carefully, it looks like all you would need to do is drill and tap for a scope and maybe take a dremel tool to those open sights and you would be ready to go.

Don't know the LOP. Wasn't stated on the web site and I forgot to ask the seller when I spoke with him on the phone. Oh well... doesn't matter. I'll measure it when the rifle comes in.

-Bob F.

Well, yeah! How did you guess that I was planning to do that exact work on it????

-Bob F.

Cerakote and a swirly while you are at it. Might as well go all out.

Yea, I was just wondering since it was a womans rifle. Not to worry, just slip one of those recoil pad/boots on when shooting if proves to be too short and pull it back off when finished.

Osa was a beautiful woman.


I really like your new toy!

Terry

Wow, my dream rifle and my dream girl! I was under the impression she mostly used a Winchester 95. Seeing her with that Mauser 9.3 makes my fantasy complete.

It would be interesting to think about what modern rifles might be a similar classic with a neat history somewhere down the road. It may not happen because the current crop of gun writers change rifles like Liz Taylor changed husbands. Sure won't be Jim Shockey's Encore. And the era of exploring is long gone.

Maybe a Boddington-owned rifle comes as close as any.

Good snag!
She was quite a gal wasn't she.

On a more serious note, if the stock did not fit you, it would be possible to get another stock made for it that did. This is clearly a gun that deserves to continue to be used.

When it arrives, I'll have my gunsmith check it out thoroughly. Check for oil damaged wood and repair it, check the bedding, etc. Of course, the most important thing is proper restoration/repair if needed while keeping the rifle original. If the gun is safe to fire, then I will definitely shoot it a few times.

I MIGHT use it to hunt a deer or a feral hog here in Texas while being very careful with it in the field, of course. I will most definitely NOT risk taking it to Africa (or take it on a commercial airline at all). Too much chance of damage to the rifle or having it stolen. Kind of a shame really.... It would be cool to take the old rifle back to Africa but I just don't want to chance it.

After I've played with it some and enjoyed having it in my home, I may talk to the Safari Museum to see if they would like to have it on loan from me in order to display it at the museum for a while.

Cheers!
-Bob F.

Anything Finn Aagaard used in Africa and that ugly pet 30-06 he used in Texas.

On a related note,I have a nice old custom 7x57 Mauser with a short LOP that looks for all the world like the one Eleanor O'Connor used.

I have no documentation but it had to be inspired by hers if it is not the real deal.

Your rifle is so cool,it would be the perfect companion to the one that I have. Great find.

Bob--
I suppose you are right that the rifle is too irreplaceable to entrust to the luggage gorillas. But it is a shame that it will never truly be used again as it was intended.

How about a nilgai hunt? Maybe there would be a magazine article in it that would cover some of the cost. Why don't you invite JB down to do that hunt with you for an article?

Bob,

All I can say is WOW!!!

Steve

Way to go! You have snagged a great piece of history.

If it were mine, it would find a place of honor in the house somewhere, and never be touched or altered with a tool of any kind. I might use it for hunting, but only in its present condition.

Nice find. I started reading I Married Adventure just about a year ago, and finished it in two sittings. After that I grabbed [u]Bride of the Soloman's[/u. Fascinating!

All I can say is, WOW.
Incredibly nice find. Congrats!!