I am trying to determine which Mauser Rifle I have. It was previously my dad's, and i may be forced to sell it. I have looked at different websites and auctions only to find a range of prices from $295-$14,995. What identifiable markings should i be looking for?

Thank you in advance,
August

I own a few, but am not an expert. The first thing would be to determine if it's an old military rifle. Many were "sporterized" for hunting use. Mine were made by FN, not Mauser, but have Mauser actions. Does the barrel get smaller evenly from the breach to the end, or does it have a series of step-downs? Also, what's the caliber?

I'll go check. I'll try and post a picture or two as well.
Thank you very very much for the help.

it is a 7x57 and has a steel plate displaying MAUSER on the butt of the gun. The actual barrel appears to get smaller evenly, but there is notch or thin ring around the halfway point of the barrel.The barrel is very wide at first but quickly tapers down to be consistent with the remaining and majority of the barrel. I've taken a few pictures and will post them.

trust me August, pictures will go a LONG ways in helping to identify a Mauser. i have two of them myself, and just describing them wont help you much. pictures will give away any little things like Markings or hinged bottom metal that will help us tell you what you have.

and by the way, Welcome to the 'Fire.

I feel so much better already. thank you for the being so welcoming and helpful.

any way you can make those pictures full size?

so far all i can tell you is that you have a Manlicher style stock, and it looks like there is a set of sights on it as well.
and you have a barrel band which is probably what is holding the sling swivel on.

need pictures of the bottom metal, and any markings on the gun.

yes there are a few more pics i will post now. The barrel snaps on and off with a push of a button and can be fired immediately after attaching it without re-adjusting anything. When i was younger i remember watching my dad do this and gather a respectable crowd.one man in particular ended up trying to trade 3-4 of his fancy guns (i was young and thats all i remember about them), for the MAUSER.

Hi August,

Mine are 7X57s also. As Ironeagle suggested, it would be good to see the whole gun in a photo. I would also expect that a shot of the breach from the top down (close-up) would show more about the manufacturer. 7X57 is a popular hunting caliber (formerly a military caliber) in Europe, I think the "Mauser" on the butt, along with what I can see of the barrel, makes it a commercial/sporting gun, not a military conversion. It will probably be worth more than a military conversion. The highest value ones you've seen for sale are probably custom rifles on a "Mauser action." This means either a Mauser-style action, or that somebody built an entire gun around an existing Mauser action (not the barrel, stock or trigger).

Let's see more of this one (if you have time). The quality of the stock, the scope, the bluing on the gun and the action will all contribute to its value.

I was remiss in not welcoming you to the 'Fire too, but I'm a newbie also!

i assume that this picture is the bottom of the bolt handle?

yes its on the very top of the bolt lever

What's it say on the side of left side of the receiver, just after the thumbnotch?

And those marks are German proof marks from the German Democratic Republic used after 1950

Page 225 of Mauser Military Rifles of World, 4th edition

Hey August,

You might want to get on a Mauser-centric website and see if somebody has a reference book with serial #s. Given that yours is a sporting rifle (from what I can see) and has the switchable barrel feature (something I'm not familiar with), you might need a "Mauser guy" to hunt it down. Do you know when your dad got the gun? They stopped making rifles (I think) in the 90's. The action is legendary and it's tough to establish the value with what I've seen. I don't have a Blue Book, but many people do (your gun dealer will too, but you have to be careful there)and it may be more straightforward to get a ballpark value that way.

Just looking on GunBroker, the floor for this gun should be $500 but, if it's a rare model, it could be worth several thousand. I don't think it's a $15,000 rifle from the looks of it, but that's all out of my league!

JJ

If i'm looking in the right place, "MAUSER-WERKE A:G.OBERNDORF A/N."

That Mannlicher stock is cool! Probably not merely a $500 gun!

wow ok thanks..whats a Mannlicher stock, out of curiosity? (i could Google it but I prefer your guys' answers)

It's a stock that goes all the way to the end of the barrel (or nearly). Very German! It reminds me of something some guy wearing a Hamburg would go boar hunting with!

What I figured. Good. So yeah its a post war Mauser. Oberndorf is the city, Mauser-Werke is the company. If you have time to sell it you could get north of $800. Probably less than $1,500 though. I know, I know, huge ballpark, but stuff like this is priced individually. There's not much of a "book value" for it and this is a wild-assed guess.

Ha my grandpa is from Germany and it was originally his rifle.

thats a lot better than a range of $300-$14,000.

thank you

after seeing the pictures and reading the rest of the responses, i am guessing that you have the price range narrowed down a bit. IMHO, i would say for the bare rifle, with no scope, $800. with the scope, closer to $1200.

nice rifle, now you gotta take it out and kill something with it to prove its worth...

i just looked thru 100+ Mausers on this other site and as best I can tell this one is the same as what I have here, but asking 5k?

http://www.gunsinternational.com/MAUSER-Commercial-Single-Square-Bridge.cfm?gun_id=100002664

No. That's a pre war model and they tend to be more highly valued.

I didn't notice the twin set triggers on yours. That probably makes it worth more. The one you posted discusses the detachable barrel also. I really don't know. I'd get on a Mauser-centric site. Speaking for me, I'm a lot more familiar with the Mauser-actioned military guns. They are more in the $2-6oo range (unless a sniper variant).

$5K seems steep to me, but if you must sell it, obviously you want the most you can get. If you want to sell it, you might contact Kull Auctions. They do a couple of big auctions per year with lots of good exposure. The problem with a local guy will be the scarcity of the gun you're trying to sell.

It's a beautiful rifle. I'd be loathe to sell it, but if it's not your thing, you should shop it around.

JJ

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=233826254

Another pre war
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=232859225

Maybe a little higher than I first quoted you, but I'd be surprised if you got close to $2,000 for it.

It looks like a model M and in that caliber and depending on how much other extranious mods it might have a $2000 figure is not out of line.

thanks, thats very close, bt a cople distinct differences...Im definitely not selling the gn after this mini crash course in Mauser History...i've fallen off-task and am purely researching out of interest now

this is so much fun, you guys are awesome.

Phil,
Was this a cataloged rifle?

August327,

You have an Original Oberndorf Sporting Rifle made by Mauser, not a remodeled military rifle. Commercial proof marks Crowns over BUGN. Looks like Sporting Carbine Type M pattern 720 (pg. 126 Jon Speed Original Oberndorf Sporting Rifles). Serial # 118197 places it pre-war 1936-37. There were only 127,000 Commercial Mausers produced and many have been altered or destroyed. Mr Speed evaluates the Model M carbine between $1000. and $5,500. depending on condition and extras. Its a pretty keeper for people who like fine commercial mausers, but if you must sell get Mr Speeds book and educate yourself on what you have and not get cheated on price. Good luck, wish it were mine.

Bob

Awesome, I was just writing 6197 occurs all over the rifle from the 116197 on barrel and receiver to the 97 on the rear most switch on the bolt- (i dont know what this piece is called, the 6197 BU on the lever, and i just noticed a 197 when i removed the scope. Thanks again guys. i feel closer to this piece and consequently the men that proceeded it.
Sincerely

BC UN i believe or EC UN

also..1936-37 sounds more in line with it being the gun my grandpa used to shoot his first game...being born in 1909
anyways thx

So when did they quit using the full crowns over BUGN? And everything I've read said serial numbers are generally meaningless in Mausers. Is this not the case with commercial sporters?

Thanks

why is it recommended to not disclose the full serial number? i've seen several posts with the full info XX'd out..

August,

A little more info on the proof marks, 1924 German commercial proof laws changed and in addition to Crown over B (rifle proofed in assembled form), Crown over U(final inspection proof), sporting arms were stamped with a Crown over G (indicating a weapon with a rifled bbl). The BUG proofs were applied from 1924-1934, a fourth mark, Crown over N was applied from 1933-34 to late 1939 (to signify the rifle was proofed with nitro-based powder, Crown N was also used on military contract guns for export.)

The BGN marks on your rifle look washed out from being polished, with a distinct Crown over U. Maybe it was reblued at the Mauser factory ?

Your barrel does not snap on/off its most likely the scope is removeable with quick detatchable mounts.
Bob

I sold a well used but all original model M 30-06 a few years ago for $1000. It was not in as good of condition as the one you have. I visited Fred Wells in Prescott ( his son Rube has one of the best Mauser sporter collections in the US) later that year and told him. At that time he said I had sold if for less than half of it's worth!
This past year I picked up another model B in 30-06 here in Alaska and I don't plan on letting it go.
Rifle magazine will have a seperate magazine out this October specificly on Mauser sporters.

That is a pretty neat rifle. Heirloom, really.
Shoot and enjoy it. That's what your grandpa did.

August,

Not a Mauser expert...My thoughts go out to you and your family. Do not sell that rifle! As others have stated, I would dig ditches to keep from selling a heirloom!

Jason

The script on the side of the action matches my commercial Mauser 98, and it is dated to mid 30s production. I was not aware of any post war production of Mausers in the 50s (German arms companies were disbanded, the machines and tooling sold or confiscated). The Brevex Mauser was reportedly manufactured in France on machinery confiscated/bought from the German arms industry closure.

There are Mausers and there are other Mausers. But that is a MAUSER!!! I am not an expert but that is waaaaayy above a run of the mill Mauser sporter-even a nice one. Try and keep it in the family and cherish and protect it. Value--?? I would guess north of $5000 maybe well north. PH

I would look at other alternatives instead of selling a rifle my Granddad and my Dad owned. That's a family heirloom, a very nice one at that, and I believe you will regret it if you choose to sell.

Got a Mauser 30 / 06 and I know nothing about it it has the German eagle on it. Help please.

Could be quite valuable. The germans made very few of them in 30-06

ive got a few old mausers,this one is interesting.i say its a factory sporter,any markings under neath?

how do you actually find out how old they are because i just bought one pre 1930's and a cheek head rest bit has been added

Ok, I'll bite. What is a "cheek head rest"?

I assume you are talking about the claw mount scope that is detachable? I'm pretty certain the barrel is not set up as a take down.

I'd put the over under on that rifle at about $2000. 7x57 brings a premium, mannlicher stock brings a premium, original mauser logo with hinged trap brings a premium, period correct optics brings a premium. Condition is excellent and it hasn't been monkeyed with. I take that back, more like $3000. They aren't making any more commercial Oberndorfs.

Were it me, I'd just keep it. it will never depreciate unless it's messed with or abused.

This!

If you really want to find out the most you can about your rifle, go the German Gun Collectors Forum and post pictures of ALL markings on the piece, both above and below the wood. Those boys have forgotten more about Mausers than most folks have ever known.

www.germanguns.com/upload/forum.php

I need help identifying this mod 1908 mauser rifle so I can try to find the correct ammo.

It would be safer for you to take it to a gunsmith to have it inspected for safety and to have a chamber cast made so that you aren't guessing.