Mauser Model 71/84 (Spandau 1888)

The classic 11mm Mauser was built at a time when German martial craftsmanship was as much a reflection of Prussian pride as the fulfillment of any military need. Virtually every part (with the exception of the bolt stop washer) is numbered to the gun. Beautiful wood, deeply struck cartouches and a level of fit and finish any wealthy sportsman would be pleased to have in his gun case. Its a shame they were intended to slog through the mud with a foot soldier.

Mauser Model 1891 Argentine Contract

The Argentine government sure bought some nice rifles. As they didn't go to war very often, quite a few have survived in pristine condition. The '91 used Mauser's original 7.65 x 53 smokeless cartridge. Today, I make brass from 30-06 and use the same bullets as for .303 British. While not as safe as the later 98 Mauser actions, the 91 action is none the less a robust and accurate gun.

Mauser Model 1891 Engineer's Carbine

The difference between mountain carbines, engineer's carbines and artillery carbines eludes me. I think the mountain carbine has an extra band with a bayonet lug. I've always thought of the plain ones like this as engineer's carbines. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. Unlike the 1894 Swedish carbine, which kicks like a mule, the '91 Argentine carbine is a joy to shoot. It looks a little nicer in the photo than in reality, but the bore is near mint. When I bought it, the guy had this Loewe built gun and a DWM. The DWMs came later and there are fewer of them, but his was in poorer condition, so I chose old age and condition over manufacturer's name.

US Model 92/96 Krag Jorgensen

I hope I got that right. This is a model 1892 rifle which has been arsenal updated by filling the cleaning rod channel in the stock. The action is dated 1894, and the stock carries an 1895 cartouche. Although chosen as the first US smokeless powder repeating rifle in 1892, it would be two years before Springfield Arsenal actually began production. How the Norwegian design came to be chosen over rifles such as the 1891 Mauser is beyond me. In its favor as a classic shooting toy, i t must be said the action is smooth and crisp - much more pleasant than any Mauser military rifle. Unlike the Danish and Norwegian Krags, the US model does not use the bolt handle as a secondary locking lug.

Model 1894 Norwegian Krag

As a Norwegian design, it was inevitable the Krag would be adopted, and enjoy the longest service life in Norway. This example was manufactured under Nazi occupation in 1944! While the craftsmanship is nowhere near what may have been expected at the turn of the century, it is remarkably good considering the circumstances in which it was produced. Many of the parts, including the stock are numbered. This seems an extravagant luxury at such a late date. The Norwegian Krag shares certain features with the US and Danish versions, though it is chambered for Norway's own 6.5 x 55 cartridge. Like the US rifle, the cartridge door is hinged at the bottom. Like the Danish rifle, the bolt handle serves as a secondary locking lug. One can appreciate this feature on a bolt with only one locking lug.

Swedish m/94 Carbine (Carl Gustafs stads gevärsfaktori)

Military thinking of the day understood engineers and artillery men couldn't carry full size rifles, but they had yet to understand all soldiers should have a light and handy rifle. The 1894 carbines were built from scratch as carbines, not cut down from rifles. This example is all matching and has an excellent bore. Unfortunately, it has been heavily (and rather poorly) sanded. The barrel extension is a common American addition. Apparently at one time it was thought the barrels were too short to be legal, so owners and importers added a short extension to the muzzle cap. Although the 1891 Argentine carbines are pleasant to shoot, for some reason this little gun kicks like a mule. The normal unit marking disc has been replaced by a bore disc. I do not know if this is correct or if it was simply put there to fill the otherwise empty hole in the stock.

Model 1896 Danish Krag

My knowledge of Danish Krags is about nil. The caliber is 8 x 58r, and the barrel is surrounded by a metal jacket. Another interesting feature of this version of the Krag is the loading gate, which has a cute little locking knob on top and swings outward. This may well be the only thing one could do to a Krag action which makes it even clumsier to load than the US and Norwegian versions. Rifling appears to polygonal, or some other form. It does not have traditional lands and grooves. Another interesting feature is the grasping grooves are different between the left and right hand sides of the rifle.

1896 Swedish Mauser

Most countries would have been thrilled to manufacture a gun as fine as the Swedes rebuilt theirs. Other than a couple missmatched (non critical) parts, this 1913 Carl Gustavs rebuild could easily be passed off as new. The bore as perfect, the bluing is perfect and the stock is new. It cost $79 by mail order as recently as half a dozen years ago. The funny spot on the safety is a lead seal. Oh, and its accurate too. There is a great story, when Mauser built the first model '96 rifles under contract, the Swedish government required them to use Swedish steel specifications. Imagine telling the Germans their steel wasn't good enough.

Mauser Model 1909 Argentine Contract

Among the late 19th and early 20th century Mausers, its hard to say which was the absolute pinnacle of quality. I've never seen a Gew 98 which didn't look as though it had been dug up 20 years after the battle, but the 1909 Argentine must be awful close to the top. This example has the matching brass and steel muzzle cover as well. If I own a rifle which never fired another round after being proofed, this is it.

Model 1911 Schmidt Rubin

This is the second major variation in the line of Swiss straight pull rifles. Although none of the Schmidt Rubin actions would be considered strong, this version was an improvement of the original Model of 1889. This rather long rifle is a joy to shoot. When clean and well cared for, the action is fast and crisp. However, the record of straight pulls in combat is decidedly mixed. Its probably just as well for the Swiss they never had to fight with these guns.

SMLE No I Mk III*

Yup, the star really belongs there on the name. It denotes the fact the magazine cutoff has been removed. The cutoff was there so a soldier, faced with anhilation by German troops, could treat his rifle as a single shot and keep the capacity of the magazine in "reserve." Yeah sure. If I had to carry a bolt gun in combat, this would be the one. My Mausers typically put five shots in a 3" circle. With the right loads, the Enfield puts 4 in a 2.75" circle. Number five is always a flyer, but then you have twice as much ammo in a faster handling gun.

Geco Deuches Sportmodel

I am a little unclear as to whether this was a military trainer, or civilian model. Although Geco single shot .22 rifles were definitely used as trainers, this example seems fancier than necessary for the military. Most of the rifles I have seen pictured were of simpler detail. As a scaled down model of the 96 Mauser it was just too cute to pass up. One could shoot this rifle rapid fire all day long without getting the action warm. Unfortunately, the extractor is messed up and appears to have been filed to the point of being unusable. Spent rounds have to be manually extracted.

FN Venezuela Contract Mauser

Among the many licensed copies of the Mauser 98 action, the FN was probably one of the best finished. This Venezuelan contract rifle is quite good, but still just a tick below the level of finish one could expect on a German made gun. Its chambered in 7 x 57. Although not particularly valuable, condition of the gun is good enough to discourage shooting it.

SMLE No. 4 MKII

The sun never sets on the British Empire, and apparently new ideas never take hold. While the world's militaries had long since begun the transition to semiautomatic and fully automatic rifles, the British doggedly held on to their belief in good old bolt action technology. This rifle, finally the last of the line, was manufactured at Fazakerly arsenal in 1954. The fact it was sold new in the wrap on the US market as a collector's piece says much about its usefulness. While some would argue its a shame to unwrap the rifle and shoot it, I'm sure enough people have preserved their's unopened. Its an Enfield ...better for shooting than collecting.