Mauser identification and value?

[2ndAmendmentNut]

I bought this rifle on a whim a while back and never got to shoot her and now need to sell.

Looking for a little help identifying the model and value.

The left side of the barrel is marked "Bohler Spezial." The top of the barrel is marked "Waffenfrankonia Wurzburg."

Left side of the recover is marked "1696." The right side is the serial number and the first four digits are the same 1696xx. The barrel has the same serial number also on the right side.

24" barrel, 30-06cal and double set triggers. That's all I know. Any and all info would be of help.
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[RustyReel]

Can't help you out with the ID, but I like it!

[bouncer50]

Nice rifle very well made. Most likely made for the US market because of 30-06 caliber. I would guess after WW11. Who made the scope is it also German made.

[mattw]

Scope is Leopold. i love that rifle!

[MtGun44]

Civilian variant of the military Mauser 98 model. Probably never a military rifle,
just a civilian action built into a nice sporter by a gunsmith named Bohler, although
it is possibly based on a highly modified original military Mauser action.

I would imagine that you could get $600-800 or possibly more for the old girl, if you
find the right buyer. Lots of folks still like blued steel and wood, although the younger
folks tend towards aluminum and fiberglass.

Bill

[JHeath]

Nice piece. I've not seen that forend shape before.

[2ndAmendmentNut]

Nice piece. I've not seen that forend shape before.

Yes the stock has a great feel and the rifle swings into the shoulder like a fitted skeet shotgun. The forehand is unique but not unnatural. It reminds me of a friends vintage Savage 99. Very slim.

[2ndAmendmentNut]

Civilian variant of the military Mauser 98 model. Probably never a military rifle,
just a civilian action built into a nice sporter by a gunsmith named Bohler, although
it is possibly based on a highly modified original military Mauser action.

I would imagine that you could get $600-800 or possibly more for the old girl, if you
find the right buyer. Lots of folks still like blued steel and wood, although the younger
folks tend towards aluminum and fiberglass.

Bill

Thank you very much for the input!

[Uncle Grinch]

It appears you have a nicely sporterized M98 Mauser and judging by the thumb cut in the left receiver wall it is a military action. Many were made up by European guild gunsmiths after WWI and quite a few after WWII by American gunsmiths.

Yours looks like a nice rifle!

[EMC45]

Someone put some time into that rifle. I like it! That is a higher end Leupold too. Nice rig.

[2ndAmendmentNut]

Yeah, I am probably going to regret letting this one slip away.

[BruceB]

"Bohler Spezial" probably refers to the barrel steel . I've seen that name on other barrels, and the words , of course, just mean "Bohler Special".

The .30'06 is widely used in Europe as well as on our side of the Pond. The styling and double-set trigger implies to me that it was built for the European market

Waffenfrankonia is a HUGE commercial outdoors store in Germany. Consider a mix of Cabela's, Orvis, Abercrombie &Fitch, etc etc.... and you MIGHT approach the scope of this operation.

They commission many firearms from various makers, and have their name applied thereon. This includes double rifles and shotguns, drillings, and all the other various types of multi-barrel sporters. Some of their catalogs also included military-surplus rifles, as well as the full range of normal sporting firearms.

I seriously doubt that this was a one-off conversion by a gunsmith. Rather, it is probably one of the Wf-contract guns from a European producer.

A full range of other sporting equipment is usually included in the catalog. The last Wf catalog I saw was larger than a Midway "Master" catalog or the hard-bound Cabela's annual wishbook.... it is BIG. The photography in this book almost reaches the level of "art".

It's a huge and fascinating catalog, if one has the willingness to puzzle-out the German text to make sense in English. A little study will generally allow at least some comprehension of what the various terms mean. .Even just looking at the pictures is a huge pleasure, though.

[pietro]

.

Bohler Spezial Stahl refers to the barrel maker - Bohler special steel - and not the maker.

RE: "Waffenfrankonia Wurzburg" is in Wurzburg (Germany).

Waffen- Frankonia sold original Mauser rifles before WWII (1936-39), and their gunsmiths made up sporters using both military & commercial M-98 actions (http://viglink.pgpartner.com/rd.php?r=402&m=981269350&q=n&rdgt=1423930945&it=1424362945&et=1424535745&priceret=207.06&pg=~~3&k=f27a3b183bd56aa8600dfadf6efe1939&source=feed&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eamazon%2Ecom%2Fdp%2FB001TEB KVO%2Fref%3Dasc%5Fdf%5FB001TEBKVO3537212%3Fsmid%3D ATVPDKIKX0DER%26tag%3Dpg%2D1585%2D01%2D20%26linkCo de%3Ddf0%26creative%3D395097%26creativeASIN%3DB001 TEBKVO&st=feed&mt=~~~~~~~~n~~~).


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[2ndAmendmentNut]

"Bohler Spezial" probably refers to the barrel steel . I've seen that name on other barrels, and the words , of course, just mean "Bohler Special".

The .30'06 is widely used in Europe as well as on our side of the Pond. The styling and double-set trigger implies to me that it was built for the European market

Waffenfrankonia is a HUGE commercial outdoors store in Germany. Consider a mix of Cabela's, Orvis, Abercrombie &Fitch, etc etc.... and you MIGHT approach the scope of this operation.

They commission many firearms from various makers, and have their name applied thereon. This includes double rifles and shotguns, drillings, and all the other various types of multi-barrel sporters. Some of their catalogs also included military-surplus rifles, as well as the full range of normal sporting firearms.

I seriously doubt that this was a one-off conversion by a gunsmith. Rather, it is probably one of the Wf-contract guns from a European producer.

A full range of other sporting equipment is usually included in the catalog. The last Wf catalog I saw was larger than a Midway "Master" catalog or the hard-bound Cabela's annual wishbook.... it is BIG. The photography in this book almost reaches the level of "art".

It's a huge and fascinating catalog, if one has the willingness to puzzle-out the German text to make sense in English. A little study will generally allow at least some comprehension of what the various terms mean. .Even just looking at the pictures is a huge pleasure, though.

Wow thank you for that post!