Identification Help

[Bomberman]

I picked this rifle up at an auction last evening and am looking to identify what it is...I believe it is an older military rifle action and barrel that has been put on a newer monte carlo style stock.

I did slug the barrel and got .317 groove diameter and .311 bore diameter. It appears to be a rimless type of cartridge from the way the extractor looks. There are no markings other than a M P on the barrel and a serial number on the receiver. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I know that the only sure way to know what cartridge it takes will be to do a receiver cast but anything close is more than I have right now. Thanks in advance.

Here are some pictures.

http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l612/Bomberman461/2012-04-15_11-53-12_393.jpg

http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l612/Bomberman461/2012-04-15_11-53-37_872.jpg

http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l612/Bomberman461/2012-04-15_11-55-20_550.jpg

http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l612/Bomberman461/2012-04-15_11-54-44_219.jpg

http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l612/Bomberman461/2012-04-15_11-52-47_931.jpg

http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l612/Bomberman461/2012-04-15_11-54-53_410.jpg

[midnight]

Sure looks like some kind of Mauser. That method of locking the screw is the Mauser way. Other than that I'm not much help.

Bob

[OTThomas]

Looks to me like a k98 that has been converted to 30 06. Nice rifle by the way.

[gnoahhh]

Mauser with a 7.65 Argentine barrel? The bore dimensions are a little sloppy for a .30/06. I would definitely do a chamber cast to determine exactly what cartridge it is chambered for before buying any ammo and firing it. A competent 'smith should be able to make that determination for you too.

Nice rifle. Looks for all the world like a 60's vintage Bishop stock. If you don't like the 'clubby' feel of it, there's plenty of meat left to trim it down to a more pleasing size. I did that to a Bishop stock last winter- lost the Monte Carlo cheek piece leaving a kidney-shaped one, and cut off the forend behind the plastic tip and reshaped it into a schnabel. But I digress. Nice rifle!

[skeet1]

It is a "98" Mauser the only thing I could think of is a pre 1905 8MM Mauser, that is when they changed the groove diameter from .318 to .323. The barrel however looks like a replacement and not military so my theory about a pre 1905 barrel is probably not correct.

Ken

[P.K.]

It's a Mauser alright, no missing that bolt release and flip safety. With those diameters I'd bet an 7mm one. As for the stampings I have no real idea except for a maybe a later one for Prauge (SP)?

[Bomberman]

Nice rifle. Looks for all the world like a 60's vintage Bishop stock. If you don't like the 'clubby' feel of it, there's plenty of meat left to trim it down to a more pleasing size. I did that to a Bishop stock last winter- lost the Monte Carlo cheek piece leaving a kidney-shaped one, and cut off the forend behind the plastic tip and reshaped it into a schnabel. But I digress. Nice rifle!

It is in fact a Bishop stock...it clearly says so on the butt plate. It definitely feels like a club in your hand...I may very well remove the cheek piece...it's hard to line up the sights with it there.

The barrel, although dirty when I got it, cleaned up perfectly and is in great shape. There is some surface rust in places on the exterior that will need to be addressed but I figured for the $50.00 it cost me I could hardly do wrong.

[TNsailorman]

I would get some cerrosafe and do a chamber cast, as already mentioned OR take it to a gunsmith and let him decide what caliber it is. It is not a 7mm as the 7 is a .284", which makes .317 way too large for the 7mm.. It has all the characteristics of a 98 mauser. I don't think Argentine because the trigger guard does not have the magazine release in it as the 98 Argies do. Sorry but not a whole lot of help without close up inspection(in hand). James

[MtGun44]

Model 98 military Mauser for certain, which exact maker, hard to tell. Bore diam is about right for
7.65 Argie, and Peru used the same cartridge, and some Peruvian models were "converted" to .30-06
with reamer, so really are a 7.65x63 "almost a 30-06", but not really. I have one.

maybe MP ='military Peru' or 'Mauser Peru' ?????

Bill

[gnoahhh]

For $50 I wouldn't much care what it was chambered for! Bill's answer is very logical.

[Haggway]

Heck that peep sight is woth the price. Good deal, and a good mauser to play with. Worse case is you put a different barrel on it.

[gew98]

It could very well be what's left of a belgian mauser that has been rebuilt by some fella. I see no torque shoulder on the barrel so my thinking is the barrel has had the chamber cut down. If so it may have been rechambered for .308 for use with 303/7,65 bullets. Just a WAG from the pics.

[Bomberman]

I have the Cerrosafe on order...I'll post the chamber dimensions once I do the casting. Should be interesting to find out.

[adrians]

i don't really know just a guess.

might be a gew 88 "j" bore barrel (sleeve removed.)on a mauser action .
some were as small as .316 but usually .318+.

As a side note i have a 1891 arg with a bishop stock and i shaved some wood off the comb to get a better line of sight through the peep.
nice rifle by the way.

[Bomberman]

i don't really know just a guess.

might be a gew 88 "j" bore barrel (sleeve removed.)on a mauser action .
some were as small as .316 but usually .318+.

As a side note i have a 1891 arg with a bishop stock and i shaved some wood off the comb to get a better line of sight through the peep.
nice rifle by the way.

All guesses are welcome...heck I didn't even know it was a Mauser when I bought it...never had one in my hands before. The auctioneer described it as "an old, looks to be .30 caliber, could be foreign...who'll start the bidding?" Really anxious to get the chamber cast so I know exactly what it is...then I can start casting boolits for it!

Yeah, that stock is definitely getting a shave...another project.

[gew98]

i don't really know just a guess.

might be a gew 88 .

No sir , It's a straight up 98 model action.

[Larry Gibson]

I did slug the barrel and got .317 groove diameter and .311 bore diameter.

Not sure how we got "7mm" from that either?

Much too large to be a 7.65 Argie but I've seen a couple Belgians that come close to that. Action is a M98 for sure and the action, stock and reciever sight alone are worth more than $50. My guess would be it is the 7.92 "j" bore also. What is the stamping on the left side of the front reciever ring?

Larry Gibson

[frnkeore]

My guess is a small ring thread, large ring, Turk 98 in 7.65x53/54

Frank

[Bomberman]

What is the stamping on the left side of the front reciever ring?

Larry Gibson

It's a serial number:

http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l612/Bomberman461/2012-04-15_11-53-58_731.jpg

[Gtek]

Chech Re-grind Romanian post war contract? Gtek