Help with value

[09cs]

I went to look at a Mauser, and what I was shown was a sporterized one. Need help with the value, the guy is asking 1K. I thought it was going to be a non molested Mauser, but it was still a beautiful rifle, if I can get it for a decent price maybe I will! Here are some pics! If anyone has an idea of what something similar goes for I'd be very thankful!

[I Swan]

Need more pics of the markings if possible. Those double set triggers are interesting.

[09cs]

Those were the only pics I can get, they were very small and hard to see, but was told they were Austrian

[Fjold]

I don't think that I would call it "sporterized". It looks like a custom rifle built on a Mauser action. Custom rifles vary on price depending on the builder, components, ornamentation, etc.

That is a very decorated rifle. That is a Roebuck on the trigger guard and the animal engraved on the floorplate could be a stag but looks more like an American elk. The engraving style, butterknife bolt handle and double (set) triggers says European manufacture.

It would help to know what cartridge it is chambered in and any names or markings on the barrel and action.

Interesting thing is that the front action ring is heavily engraved but doesn't seem to be drilled and tapped for a scope and there are no open sights on it.

[echo1]

Deffinately not sporterized, custom built si. Caliber should give an indication of usage, Euro vs Yank. Any back story on this fine rig? PAX

[Enfield47]

Is it possibly a Mannlicher-Schoenauer rifle? If so, $1,000 seems like a good deal.

[09cs]

I don't think that I would call it "sporterized". It looks like a custom rifle built on a Mauser action. Custom rifles vary on price depending on the builder, components, ornamentation, etc.

That is a very decorated rifle. That is a Roebuck on the trigger guard and the animal engraved on the floorplate could be a stag but looks more like an American elk. The engraving style, butterknife bolt handle and double (set) triggers says European manufacture.

It would help to know what cartridge it is chambered in and any names or markings on the barrel and action.

Interesting thing is that the front action ring is heavily engraved but doesn't seem to be drilled and tapped for a scope and there are no open sights on it.

It is chamber 30-06, believed to be Austrian made. No names on barrel/action, just those small markings/numbers

Yes there were no holes drilled for a scope, it's hard to tell in the picture but had a sight similar to this http://picturearchive.gunauction.com...thumbnail0.jpg


If you were to buy this what would you offer?

Deffinately not sporterized, custom built si. Caliber should give an indication of usage, Euro vs Yank. Any back story on this fine rig? PAX

Wasn't really sure what term to use, as I've seen them called "Mauser sporters" before. It's 30-06, not back story, guy has had it about 7 years, never shot it and just sat now needs money, but I think he's asking a little high possibly.

[09cs]

Is it possibly a Mannlicher-Schoenauer rifle? If so, $1,000 seems like a good deal.

Not sure who/what that this, never heard of before care to elaborate? but did a quick google search and what came up, the bolt handle seems to be more forward than what I looked at.

[Enfield47]

Here is a brief history of the Mannlicher-Schoenauer rifles.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/m-s_carbine.htm

I don't know much about them, but they are very fine hunting rifles. I recently learned a little about them. The description of them seems to fit with the one you posted pics of with the butter knife bolt handle, double set triggers, and style of the rifle. Hopefully someone who is more knowledgeable than me will step in and identify what you have.

[Discogodfather]

Looks like a old Steyr S/T that has been engraved. Is it in .375 mag? It's basically the long action Steyr bolt rifle, they are very accurate and amazing values. They go from around $1000-3000 depending on the caliber. The trigger is what is called a set trigger, which allows you to engage the trigger in two different methods. One is to pull the rear trigger straight, which yields a 3-4 pound pull. If you pull the front trigger, it sets the rear to a hair 1-2 pound pull. Hunters use this when they need to go from a controlled trigger to a sniper depending on the situation.

I am pretty sure these have rear locking lugs, which is kind of cool. Hammer forged barrel and amazing craftsmanship.

[kendog4570]

Picture 4 looks like a 98 large ring. Note the claw extractor. Also, the bottom metal is very 98 ish. It's definitely not a Mannlicher-Shoenauer or Steyr Mannlicher. Both of those had very different magazines and floor plates. The butterknife bolt handle is very M-S but is likely a custom feature. The stock has California style to it with the slanted white line forend tip and the flared pistol grip cap. Weatherby rifles are good examples of extreme California styling.
As far as value, it depends on who built it, when, with what components, and the actual quality of the work. And also it is whatever you are willing to pay for custom work.

[echo1]

If you're truley interested in it, just ask him what his "bottom" dollar is. If you're comfortable with that price, scarf it up. This is a game-meat-on-the-table rifle. It does look like there's something going on with stock wear aft of the comb, and the wrist looks to have some carry wear also. Do the rear sites have multiple blades that flip up, and is the front a gold beaded hooded ramp? Have you drawn it up, shouldered it to fire? It may not fit you just right. If a Smith truely buit it custom, the LOP would have been matched to the original shooter. Better try it on for size before you buy. PAX

[Fjold]

The floorplate is a 1970's vintage U.S. commercially sold unit that was made for people to dress up their rifles. That's why it looks like an American Elk while the rest of the engraving looks European.

From the identical proof marks on the barrel and the action, they were proofed together as one unit so it's not a custom barrel. The NP proofmark was used in Austria-Hungary and Czechoslovakia but the Czechs only used NP through 1951 and I suspect that the .59 proof stands for 1959.

The Stock is very like the old Richard's Microfit Varmint model that has been checkered.

IMHO, just from the limited pictures it looks like someone took an import commercial Mauser and did a half customization job. They either converted a 7.65X53 Mauser (which is why they had to replace the floorplate for the longer 30.06 cartridge) or it was already a 30.06 and they just added the fancy floorplate.

It is interesting as a shooter only, unless you just like pretty guns.

[09cs]

Thank you all for the help, I wish I had more information on it, but the owner had none. I've seen some similar looking rifles online with scopes and less engraving, but still double triggers and 30-06 going for about 300

[gun toting monkeyboy]

Thank you all for the help, I wish I had more information on it, but the owner had none. I've seen some similar looking rifles online with scopes and less engraving, but still double triggers and 30-06 going for about 300

Yes, but were they sporterized military actions, or purpose-built commercial Mauser actions. I can't tell which it is from the pictures, but I would lean more towards this being a commercial gun. If that is the case, and the rest of it is original to the gun, or mostly original. $1k isn't too far out of line. I might go for it if it were in the $600-750 range, but $1k isn't unheard of for what was a high-end sporting rifle of its time.

-Mb

(edit) I also don't know if the magazine is an after market job. The scroll work is identical to the work on the trigger guard. And it isn't an elk on the floor plate. It is a red deer. They are almost the same as our elk, but a bit smaller. So that doesn't rule out an original floor plate.