Well, I bought the Mauser Action Sporter...

[THBailey]

High bidder when the gavel went down, paying too much for a gun in West Virginia I have yet to fondle. Hardly a collectable piece, and I need another Mauser chambered for 8x57S like I need another hole in my head, but there is just something about Mannlicher stocked Mauser hunting rifles...

[Ishooter]

That's a beautiful rifle.

[kris smith]

For a sporter that’s a very nice looking. Rifle.

[78marz]

That's nice

[Bladewurk]

beautiful classic style!

[Bainter1212]

That's an absolutely beautiful rifle. It's only crime is not being chambered in 6.5x55. Otherwise yeah.....I would have been sorely tempted myself.

[echo1]

It's a beauty. I'd like a Ruger #1 in 7X57 stocked like that. PAX

[pennstater]

That rifle is beautiful. Everything about it just looks right.

MLC

[Madpyro]

That’s prettier than my Ruger RSI.

[Wyatt Burp]

wow! I expected a typical rough rifle in a generic stock, but this is a really nice gun. It reminds me of the elegant little full stock BRNO 8MM I sold that was my dad’s. It had double set triggers. It had a butterknife bolt like yours. Great score.

[870classic]

Originally Posted by Wyatt Burp

wow! I expected a typical rough rifle in a generic stock, but this is a really nice gun. It reminds me of the elegant little full stock BRNO 8MM I sold that was my dad’s. It had double set triggers. It had a butterknife bolt like yours. Great score.

Wyatt beat me too it.
I was going to suggest, the only thing missing on this rifle is a set of double set triggers. Love the butterknife bolt handle and the full Mannlicher stock. Beautiful rifle, a great caliber, and a great score.

Best regards,
870classic.

[PSLguy]

For a Sporter, that's a beautiful gun!!!

[USMCM16A2]

Classic! A2

[plumbum]

Dang, that is a great looking rifle - no shame in that!

[TRAP55]

Sweet! Done here in old world style. The "only thing" missing on my check list would be double set triggers.
Looking forward to the range report!

[SVT-40]

Cool post WWII sporter. This is what your rifle looked like before it was sporterized!

The "star" in front of the serial number indicates post WWII manufacture under French supervision at Mauser Orbendorf.

[THBailey]

Thanks for the kind words and information Gentlemen.

Per my Google research there appears to be a split of opinion on the "SVW MB" usage. Some say it was the last Oberndorf markings used by the Germans at the end of the war that carried over into the French supervised manufacturing, others say it was only used after the French were in charge. Either way this is only a point of curiosity as pertains to my sporter, but I can not tell if it has a star or not from the photo of the serial number area that was included on the auction page. The photo is not the greatest and it seems the receiver may have been polished up a bit before bluing. We will give it a closer look when the gun gets here.

I agree the double set trigger would be a nice cosmetic touch, but I have never found them too practical when hunting up on the mountain. Single stage set to a little over 3lb pull is more to my liking. Timney or Dayton Traister, take your pick.

I have never popped a cap with the 6.5 x 55, but I am told it is a truly sweet cartridge that can just about do it all in North America. But no, in my ideal world the gun would be chambered for 7 x 57. Not that there is anything wrong with 8 x 57, just much better bullet choices in 7mm vs 8mm. And as a matter of fact I borrowed a Ruger #1 in 7 x 57 for a successful whitetail hunt in Wisconsin several years ago. That was one sweet rifle. Life is short echo1, get the gun! At least, that is what I was saying to myself as I kept bidding on this one.