Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Mauser disease

I probably just got creamed with an impulse purchase.

I stopped at the local gun store and I noted that they had a mauser that was sporterized with a bent bolt, a trimmed and recrowned barrel, metal floor plate, a decent trigger and a very nice finished yet uncheckered Fajen walnut stock that must be from the late 50s/Early 60s style. It has a Williams external rear and a hooded front sight.

It is a GEW98K with an obendorf stamp marked 1917 with matching serial numbers of 591. It points well and the barrel appears to be in very great shape. It looks to be chambered in 8X57.

The main owner who knows rifles wasn't in today and the junior partner who is a nice guy but kind of bumbles around bought it from some young yuppie-who got it from his grandfather-wanted to buy Christmas presents and they called it in and it was clear. They bought it for 200 and wanted 250. I looked it over and it seemed very well intentioned. Maybe its a turd but its a pretty nice looking sporter and I don't have a 8X57 so I put it on layaway and will pay the rest of the 250 dollars next week.

The stock while very nice has a rosewood forend tip and a couple of hunting gouges. It is above 90% NRA condition for the stock and much higher for metal and bore. It doesn't look like it has been shot much at all.


I guess I can mess around with it during Xmas break.

I have bought three mausers in the last year so either I am really getting sick or maybe I am just starting to be able to reason at the age of 42.

I am putting it here because it isn't a 700 and it isn't a kimber so I probably wouldn't get much for info on it in hunting rifles. However, most of the old coots that hang around in this section seem to know their stuff.

Sincerely,
Thomas

I am not an old coot, whatever that is. You have a sickness and it is called Mausers. I had an good buddy expose me to the world of Mauser and I really like them. They are the platform for many high quality firearms. I bought a 8x57 at a gun show that was sporterized and was a great rifle, shot really and well very light. I have several rifles with Mauser actions.

I am an aging coot and have put together about 5 of these over the years. You did very well at that price. I wish I owned it, and you had a better one.

Once aquired the Mauser disease comes and goes - some what like malaria - but it is incurable. Fortunately you can easily find temporary relief at many gun shops and gun shows.
I obtained some relief at the local gunshow this weekend. It's a 1921 vintage Oberndorf model B sporter.

I better go look at some Mcswirlys and read about turrets so I don't catch this stuff...

That's a good price, and the 8x57 will do anything you want. Mausers are kewl. I know, I have the disease.

Like Phil says. The disease comes and goes... I had a VERY severe case of it a few years ago. In that I purchased about 25 or 30 Sporterized Mausers. The cure was slow and long... Now I have mostly gotten over it. I think I'm down to an 8x60, a .284 Win, and a 6mm/.284.

Now the commercial Mausers are a whole different form of the diesease! I don't even know how many of those are hiding in the cave... A couple of Mark X's, A JC Higgins Model 50, a H&R, M-300 Ultra... etc...

I think the commercial form of the disease is even harder to cure than the other kind. I'm not even sure there is a cure...

Like a junkie, sometimes I find myself just sitting for hours in the basement, wiping them down with an oily rag, fondling them, and studying them, making plans for improving them in the form of wildcat chamberings, odd chamberings.... etc! OH! The affliction! I pity you, I truly do...

Perhaps we should form a support group: The MLA (Mauser Loonies Anonymous) I don't know, what's a guy to do?

GH

"I think the commercial form of the disease is even harder to cure than the other kind. I'm not even sure there is a cure..."

There is no cure,,,,,only hope!

Kaywoodie

My ex made me go to MA. I had to stand up and say I was an addict.
By the end of the meeting, we had made a group buy.
I went home and told her I thought it helped.........
Her becoming an ex helped even more.
You have heard of Typhoid Mary. You should get near some of Mauser Frank's(wells) work...........no hope.

the contouring around the thumbslot...

the thumbslot alone is reason enough--and the marked rail and ring

US 1906?

Luckily, the only pain and suffering we endure with our affliction is in the wallet, and come to think of it, that ain't even so bad, considering. As I read your description, it sounded like you were describing the very first one I ever bought, at the ripe age of 17; bent bolt, all parts matching, 60's Fajen uncheckered with ebony forend tip, white line spacers on the grip cap, butt plate, and forend, cut and re-crown, Williams sights. Only difference is, mine started out as a Persian carbine. I paid 225.00 and that was 22 years ago. I still have it, though it's now in a different stock and the rear sight is now a ghost ring peep. It's my favorite carry rifle.

Best -
Andy

"US 1906?"

I suspect that is the calibre mark (30-06).

My only hope and dream is to have that Oberndorf Type A or even a B walk into the shop with a minty bore in 9,3x62 or 7x57, and by some miracle I end up with it for $225 or something like that......

Kaywoodie

I like the comparison to malaria. It's fitting. I love the things and can't stay away from them. And they're a heluvalot more fun than 700s, turrets (or is that Tourette's?), and McSwirlys. And much more satisfying from the point of view of aesthetics, design and the art of the machinist. Far superioir to thinwall steel pipe with a few threads cut in it.

Maybe we need a Mauser support group? I have about 5-6 right now in various forms of funtion or disfuntion just waiting for the right project.


ddj

I kept thinking this same thought as I was writing my last post. They're entirely too much fun. It would be fair to say that I have more than one. And as soon as I have some vocational stability I intend to find another that calls my name.

Mauser fever is enjoyable to endure. Savage 99's will afflict one in a similar fashion. Major symptoms include crowding of the gun safe.

What? You only have one safe?

I like my Mausers enough that I build them. You'll enjoy the disease. Akin to the 99 and .22 Mossberg rifles in character.

I have a Mauser made by Walther, that I bought for $60 at a gun show. It is completely rough, but I heard Walther did not make many, so I have it put up.

I have a 96 Sweede with nary a hint of wear according to the stock disc.



I am building a 7x57 on an Oberndorf Style Stock and Niedener Style plate and cap.






My first build is on a 39 Turk Action, #7 Contour Barrel in .308





[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v159/amg2r/Guns/308BRVR/308VRBR-3.jpg[/img]

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v159/amg2r/Guns/308BRVR/308VRBR-4.jpg[/img]

I had MD really bad for a while, but these days it only flares up now and then....

Mine flares up like Irritable Bowel Syndrome. When it hits....it hits like thunder.


ddj