A tale of two Oberndorf Mauser S carbines

bracebeemer · #1 05-14-2020, 09:07 AM

I own two Oberndorf Mauser S carbines. One carbine is one of the earliest known havng a serial number that dates it to 1914. Jon Speed Whose written many books on original Mauser sporting rifles insists that the S carbines were all introduced after WW1. The serial number is listed in his book as a B Model rifle of 1914. Obviously that’s a mistake. At any rate it’s a beautiful full stock Mauser S carbines in 7mm Mauser caliber. Mauser made 2 carbines, an S and an M carbine. The S had a round or pear shap d bolt handle with no metal cap on the fore end tip and had a double schnabel on the fore end. One at the tip and one about a foot farther down the stock. The M carbine had a metal cap at the fore end and a metal buttplate with a trap door and the S had a hard rubber buttplate. My S.also has a seldom seen Lyman 35 receiver sight made for a Mauser rifle and mounted to the bolt release.
The other S carbine is one of the last Oberndorf proofed rifles to leave the Maeser factory under French occupation and has a proof date of August 1946 . That was over a year after the end of the war in Europe and shortly before the French blew up the Oberndorf factory. The carbine is an 8X57mm S bore and if you look closely you’ll see the extractor and bolt release are very plum colored. Some worker didn’t have the temperature or timing right for the blueing of these two parts. Both rifles remain in near new condition. Very little wear with great bores. Since I have so many pictures, I’ll use 2 threads to show the guns. The first thread will be the early S carbine from 1914. This particular gun was exported and is stamped “Germany” on the buttstock and floorplate. Bill

bracebeemer · #2 05-14-2020, 09:12 AM

Here are more photos of the S carbine,

bracebeemer · #3 05-14-2020, 09:16 AM

More photos of the S carbine.

bracebeemer · #4 05-14-2020, 09:20 AM

Last batch of photos of the S carbine. Bill

Gene L · #5 05-14-2020, 10:09 AM

Those are beautiful rifles. I've got an original rifle made in 1910-1911. It's made on a 98 Mauser action, but it wasn't made by Mauser. It's a guild built rifle and very well made. Master gunmakers would buy 98 actions and make sporting rifles using that action, as it was the best. Mine is in 8mm J caliber, not JS.

Yours might have the same roots, especially if it doesn't have the Mauser banner on the receiver, then it probably is a guild built gun.

I researched mine thoroughly on German Gun Collectors, a very knowledgeable source of German guns. The website isn't free, but it's worth it. There is a whole lot of information on the exterior of my rifle, both above and beneath the stock, On my gun, which is not marked "Germany" the name of the seller is engraved on one side of the barrel, and IIRC, the master smith on the other. Even the stocker's code is beneath the forearm. The last 4 is on the side of the stock in a way I don't know how, faint and only visible in bright sunlight. I found out all this info from German Gun Collectors, experts in those matters.

The guild system of firearms makers in Germany is worth studying. The guilds were jealously guarded and their work was overseen by a master who rose thru the ranks and passed (apparently) a lot of tests to be recognized as masters.

Not saying your guns aren't Mauser built from the factory, but guild rifles were individually built and IMO (and the opinion of others) were more desirable rifles.

I have no idea how my rifle came to the USA, but it looked virtually unfired. Has a Lyman receiver sight that also as I understand it, was not unusual as the Guilds bought them, since there wasn't any better ones available in Germany, although I don't know this to be true.

What I would recommend is to slug the bore. The J (actually the way Germans write the letter I, for Infantry) is tighter than a JS bore.

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bracebeemer · #6 05-14-2020, 12:12 PM

Gene, thanks for your input. That’s a beautiful guild gun. I’ve been a member of the GermanbGun Collectors Association for many years. It is a great organization and I’m proud to be a member . My two S carbines are factory made by Mauser in Oberndorf Germany. All the serial numbers and Factory buttplates are factory. I would disagree that guild guns are better or more desirable than factory guns. There are some great guild guns but factory guns would be much more desired by collectors than guild guns IMHO. Bill

bulletslap · #7 05-14-2020, 12:29 PM

I have a JP Sauer M98 Sported with a Lyman 35 rear sight in 9x57, it was made for the English speaking world as it is marked JP Sauer & Son. As I recall VL&A, VL&D, and A&F imported and these Mauser Sporters before WWI.

I also have a "cigarette" rifle built on a K98Az in 8x57.

2152hq · #8 05-14-2020, 12:36 PM

Love those MAuser sporters.
I had a K-action Mauser M Carbine in 6.5P for some time. Then sold it.
Beautiful condition. Got a lot of bucks for it, maybe should have kept it. That was an early one too,
The seller I bought it from had another that had been slightly altered with D&T holes but didn't want to sell that one.

Mauser and Mannlicher sporters are about the nicest handling and looking rifles & carbines around IMO.

bulletslap · #9 05-14-2020, 12:46 PM

Someday I will snag a Mannlicher 1903.

weatherby · #10 05-14-2020, 01:32 PM

Beautiful rifle Bill.
My Oberndorf got massaged by Flaig.
It is in 243.
It was affordable.

Gene L · #11 05-14-2020, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bracebeemer

Gene, thanks for your input. That’s a beautiful guild gun. I’ve been a member of the GermanbGun Collectors Association for many years. It is a great organization and I’m proud to be a member . My two S carbines are factory made by Mauser in Oberndorf Germany. All the serial numbers and Factory buttplates are factory. I would disagree that guild guns are better or more desirable than factory guns. There are some great guild guns but factory guns would be much more desired by collectors than guild guns IMHO. Bill

Well, definitely Mausers are more collectible. I don't see how a factory made Mauser could be better than a rifle built by a master craftsman but I might be wrong there. My rifle was also made in Oberndorf; apparently a gun making center. I don't know if the gun guilds in Germany survived WW1, but with the restrictions and the economy, I doubt it.

I paid $250 for mine as neither the seller nor I knew what it was at the time. I liked the paneled stock which looed like the picture of a Mauser I saw in a magazine.

Your rifles are beautiful. Mine is very lightweight and kicks like a mule, so I load down for it.

edwardyoung · #12 05-14-2020, 09:16 PM

Mine's a 1915 Oberndorf Mauser. Might be considered an abomination compared to yours. Douglas Barrel, Redfield receiver sight. Pretty well done.