Picked up a new Mauser, might be bringback, curious what it is?

[cplnorton]

Long story short, picked up this mauser yesterday. It's all matching serial numbers except the stock, buttplate, and bands. When I fist saw it, my fist thought was it was a sporterized bring back that someone restored and put a different stock, buttplate, and bands on it. So I bought it pretty reasonable, brought it home and tore it apart. It hadn't been apart in a long, long time and the screws were rusted in with lots and lots of dirt and grime. The capture screws are still present with the inspector stamps on them. Now I don't think it had been sporterized but it has been this way for a long time.

It's not import stamped, and it's not a russian capture. The stock has not been sanded but the only mark I see on it is a circle with what looks like a Y and a B stamp. Is that a rebuild stamp maybe? There are no regular german stamps that I can see on the stock.

The rifle is a 1937 S/243 that is both the old german eagle stamp on the left hand side of the receiver and nazi stamped on the right side with two 211 inspector stamps and a 280 stamp. The matching serial number parts are a mix of 211 and 280 stamps. The finish is original and the bore is perfect.

My quesiton is this, was this stock replaced in the German military because the original was maybe broken? Or maybe was this mauser used by another country and they replaced the stock at sometime? Like I said, when I bought it I thought it was a restored sporterized rifle, but I don't think that at all anymore. I think this stock was replaced by whichever country used it last, and with the lack of a importer stamp, and it's not a russian capture it almost leads me to believe it was changed in the German army.

I just don't get why every part of the gun has the same serial except for the stock components, and what that symbol is on the buttplate.

What do you guys think?

[kcw]

Could also be a pre '68 import, generally no import stamps on those.

[randy langford]

The stock is a laminated German stock I don't think any other country used that type stock. Nice looking Rifle. What did it set you back if you don't mind me asking?

[cplnorton]

I picked it up for $300. I thought at that price it was worth it as Russian Captures seem to go for that much in my area.

[Sarge]

Your rifle would appear to be a post war Yougoslav rework, based on the marking on the stock.
Even so a nice rifle.
Sarge

[dave]

I would agree--post war Yugo rework. Probably nothing really wrong with the rifle except damaged stock so they just switched that out. Early after the war they probably just put to-gether servicable rifles as fast as possible, later they did the extensive rebuilds, scrubbing and refiinish, renumbering. Are there serial numbers in the barrel channel--stock & handguard?
Swivel on bottom of butt stock not original German part. I think the letter is an R not a B.

[kcw]

I would agree--post war Yugo rework. Probably nothing really wrong with the rifle except damaged stock so they just switched that out. Early after the war they probably just put to-gether servicable rifles as fast as possible, later they did the extensive rebuilds, scrubbing and refiinish, renumbering. Are there serial numbers in the barrel channel--stock & handguard?
Swivel on bottom of butt stock not original German part. I think the letter is an R not a B.

Good catch on the swivel Dave! My father was stationed on S.W. Germany during the winter of '45-'46. He often told of watching Balkan region troops coming in during that time and loading up long convoys of German war material of all types, including arms & ammo, for transport back to their homelands. They were also transfered huge amounts of American goods, trucks, trailers, tents, medical, ect.

[Chaz]

stuff happens

"I just don't get why every part of the gun has the same serial except for the stock components, and what that symbol is on the buttplate." cplnorton

Well, my cousin just gave me his late father-in-law's K98. Luther was a captain, USA, in the ETO and brought it home along with a dozen fine Lugers and Walthers, a nice Remington auto shotgun, and at least half of Goehring's treasure trove...but back to the point. Stuff happens, and this 1940 Erfurt Mauser is 100% matching (including the stock and handguard) except for the follower, the lousy stinkin follower! I'd love to hear this rifle talk so I could find out how that happened. Even so, they made fine rifles because although the stock looks like it was dragged to Italy and back, the metal finish is surprisingly beautiful. In fact it is prettier than the blue on my nice '03 NRA Sporter. Disappointed by the mismatched follower, I'm still impressed.
Cautionary note: Because his children didn't care, all of the pistols were taken by his 24/7 homecare people during the final year or two of his life. So make sure your valuables are locked in a vault!

[dave]

Field repair units worked out of trailers, just behind the lines. They may have used 2-3 rifles to put a good one to-gether. Re-number parts? Only if a bolt was changed and headspace was OK, no minor parts. If they had left over good parts they kept them and used them! So m/m rifles could be bring backs, but it can-not be proven w/o papers. They were imported by the thousands during the '60's. I never got one (too many available in gun shops that could be examined) so I have no idea what they looked like as far as matched. Generaly in those days if the gun was matched they said that in the ad, never saw an ad that said these were matched.
With the stock on this one however, odds are it is not a bring back!

[Johnny P]

[QUOTE=Chaz;241205

Well, my cousin just gave me his late father-in-law's K98. Luther was a captain, USA, in the ETO and brought it home along with a dozen fine Lugers and Walthers, a nice Remington auto shotgun, and at least half of Goehring's treasure trove...but back to the point. [/QUOTE]

This must be the other half he missed from Goring's treasure trove. This is just a small part that came out of a cave near Berchtesgaden in May of 1945. The men are from the 1269th Engineer Combat Battalion, and the soldier in the white tee shirt is my late uncle, Sgt. Harold O. Courtney.

[Chaz]

That's it, the other half! There were quality silver services, candlesticks, clocks, and etc, just like in your photo. BTW, that's a really neat photograph. Thanks.

[coastie]

Chaz,
If you have the serial numbers, photos, and other references, file a report to your LEO.
And get the copy of the report for stolen database.
Three of 10 have been recovered from a home break in and theft in the early 1990's.
Thank you Houston Police Department.
Also, have you the name of the agency that sent the characters for home care?
Sue them in small claims court for value of the "lost" items.
In Texas small claims court goes to $10,000!
Try it, never know.
Good Luck, Paul