I was given this rifle by a good friend. It had been in his family for ever. It was sporterized at some point in it's life. The SN numbers put it as made in 1944 by Gustloff Werke, Weimar. It's pretty rough looking at first glance.
Tt has a Redfield peep sight.
There is almost no finish left on it. The gun as set in the back of a closet for 30 plus years. Bolt is really stiff. Dried grease and oil in the action. Surprisingly there is very little rust. Just brown dried grease and oil. It is soaking at the moment.
It has a Redfield rear peep sight. the stock that is on it is pretty much just firewood. I have always wanted a Mauser. We will see what she turns in to. It's to far along in the sporter process to turn back now.
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I finally got around to disassembling the rifle and looking everything over thoroughly. And I addressed a few issues. Amazingly the numbers match on whats left of the original rifle. I really wish it had not been sporterized and had stored better. But at least I don't have to feel guilty about making any changes to it. It's already pretty much past the point of no return at this point.
It turns out the barrel has a bright shiny bore. Sadly the outside surface of it is pretty pitted but chamber looks excellent. The machining on the receiver is not the prettiest. You can tell it was build at the end of the war. Nothing is polished or finely finished on the bolt or the receiver. When I got it he bolt was really stiff and the safety was stuck in the fire position. I disassembled the bolt and thoroughly cleaned it. Most of the stiffness was because of crud and dried grease in the bolt and in the extractor ring groove. I am pretty sure most of it was cosmoline. The bolt locking lug area of the receiver was pretty crudded up too. The safety now works and the bolt cycles much much better.
The action is still a little tight though. I think some of it is still the extractor ring. It is not very circular. It looks a little "filed to fit" I need to degrease everything really well and put some Dychem on the bolt and see what it is going on with it.
I am going to put the action in a Boyds stock and maybe cold blue it for now. I am going to have some fun with it. And will probably go farther with it at a later date. Story has it that the bolt has always been stiff on this gun and it wasn't fired because of it. I don't think it was ever really thoroughly cleaned. When I am done with it I am going to take the previous owner to the range to shoot it and see what he thinks of it.
More to come.....
Tt has a Redfield peep sight.
There is almost no finish left on it. The gun as set in the back of a closet for 30 plus years. Bolt is really stiff. Dried grease and oil in the action. Surprisingly there is very little rust. Just brown dried grease and oil. It is soaking at the moment.
It has a Redfield rear peep sight. the stock that is on it is pretty much just firewood. I have always wanted a Mauser. We will see what she turns in to. It's to far along in the sporter process to turn back now.
-------------------
I finally got around to disassembling the rifle and looking everything over thoroughly. And I addressed a few issues. Amazingly the numbers match on whats left of the original rifle. I really wish it had not been sporterized and had stored better. But at least I don't have to feel guilty about making any changes to it. It's already pretty much past the point of no return at this point.
It turns out the barrel has a bright shiny bore. Sadly the outside surface of it is pretty pitted but chamber looks excellent. The machining on the receiver is not the prettiest. You can tell it was build at the end of the war. Nothing is polished or finely finished on the bolt or the receiver. When I got it he bolt was really stiff and the safety was stuck in the fire position. I disassembled the bolt and thoroughly cleaned it. Most of the stiffness was because of crud and dried grease in the bolt and in the extractor ring groove. I am pretty sure most of it was cosmoline. The bolt locking lug area of the receiver was pretty crudded up too. The safety now works and the bolt cycles much much better.
The action is still a little tight though. I think some of it is still the extractor ring. It is not very circular. It looks a little "filed to fit" I need to degrease everything really well and put some Dychem on the bolt and see what it is going on with it.
I am going to put the action in a Boyds stock and maybe cold blue it for now. I am going to have some fun with it. And will probably go farther with it at a later date. Story has it that the bolt has always been stiff on this gun and it wasn't fired because of it. I don't think it was ever really thoroughly cleaned. When I am done with it I am going to take the previous owner to the range to shoot it and see what he thinks of it.
More to come.....