Original Item: Only One Available. This is a lovely barely fired example of the Mauser Model 1871/84 rifle, the first Magazine rifle widely used by the German Empire. It looks to have seen very little use in service since issued, however it does look to have not been stored in the best conditions, which led some of the metal components to become stained and oxidized, such as the receiver and butt plate, which were issued in bright unfinished steel. The rifle is covered with Imperial German and Bavarian inspection and acceptance markings, which are sill fully visible. The serial number 86120 or shortened number 20 appear on almost every component of the rifle, making this a very nice "ALL MATCHING" example. If you were looking for a great example for your collection, this is it!

The receiver is dated 1888. on the right and marked I. G. Mod. 71/84. on the opposite side in "Black Letter" typeface. The rifle is complete with all major parts intact and functional, and much of the original finish present on the blued components, such as the barrel, barrel bands, and trigger guards. The receiver, bolt, and butt plate now show a lightly oxidized gray stained patina, with a bit of rust spotting on the butt plate. There is still arsenal grease in some areas, such as inside the action. A spring loaded brass and steel muzzle cover, which we have never had before, is fitted to the muzzle over the front sight.

The top of the chamber is marked (Crown) over Amberg, for the Bavarian (and later Imperial) arsenal in Amberg, in the Kingdom of Bavaria. Below this is the Crown over L proof for Luitpold, Prince Regent of Bavaria, who reigned from 1886–1912. His nephew Otto was technically the King, however he was deemed unfit for rule, so his uncle and later cousin ruled in his stead. Next to this is a 10,95 designation, giving the bore diameter in millimeters.

The butt plate tang of the rifle gives the clear regimental designation B. 12. R. E. 2. 17., which most likely stands for the 12th Royal Bavarian Infantry "Prince Arnulf" Regiment, Ersatz (Replacement) company 2, 17th weapon. The muzzle cover also has a regimental designation of B. 12. R. 3. 34., for the same regiment but a different company and weapon, so it was swapped at some point. First raised July 16, 1814 and garrisoned in Neu-Ulm, this regiment was part of the I Royal Bavarian Corps (I. Königlich Bayerisches Armee-Korps).

The bore is in excellent condition, with a bright finish and crisp lands and grooves. It shows little to no signs of ever having been used, and probably qualifies as truly "MINT". We would surmise that the muzzle cover had no small part in this. There is no primer ring at all on the bolt, so we would wager that this gun was never fired after the proof firing at the factory. The action cycles great, with no issues, and the magazine cutoff is fully functional. The stock shows only light wear from service and storage, as well as probably decades of careful cleaning. The cartouches are all still crisp and fully legible. It has a lovely color and grain, with a lovely finish that looks like hand-rubbed gunstock wax.

This gun is most likely a WW1 Veteran's "bring back" souvenir. Great quantities of these 71/84 Rifles were pressed into service in WW1 since great piles of them had been put into storage in 1888 with the introduction of the M-1888 7.92mm German Commission Rifle.

This is a chance to add a great condition early Mauser rifle to your collection, complete with a very rare muzzle cover. Ready to display!

Specifications:-

Year of Manufacture: 1888
Caliber: 11x60mmR Mauser
Cartridge Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 32 inches
Overall Length: 51 Inches
Action type: Bolt-Action
Feed System: 8 Round Tubular Magazine

Originally adopted as the Gewehr 71 or Infanterie-Gewehr 71, or "Infantry Rifle 71 ("I.G.Mod.71" was stamped on the rifles themselves) this was the first rifle model in a distinguished line designed and manufactured by Paul Mauser and Wilhelm Mauser of the Mauser company, and later mass-produced at Spandau arsenal.

Paul Mauser developed his bolt-action rifle from 1866 to 1871. During 1870-71 trials with many different rifles took place, with the "M1869 Bavarian Werder" being the Mausers' chief competitor. The Mauser was provisionally adopted on 2 December 1871, pending the development of an appropriate safety. With support from the government's Spandau arsenal, the improvements to the safety mechanism were completed and the rifle was formally accepted on 14 February 1872 as Infantry Rifle Model 1871 by the German Empire excluding Bavaria. The action was not based on its predecessor, the Dreyse needle gun which had seen service during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71, and which was found to have a number of weaknesses.

The now well known Mauser "wing" type safety lever was developed for the Gewehr 71. The Gewehr 71 is a conventional looking bolt action chambered in 11mm using black powder cartridges. The action included only a bolt guide rib as its single locking lug, locking forward of the receiving bridge. The original design was a single-shot. The design was updated in 1884 with an 8-round tubular magazine designed by Alfred von Kropatschek, making this Germany's first repeating rifle. This version was designated the Gewehr 1871/84. A version of this repeater was adopted by the Ottoman Empire. Designated the M1887, it differentiated from the M71/84 in that it had a side mounted cleaning rod, a second locking lug on the rear of the bolt, and it was in caliber 9.5×60mmR, which Paul Mauser touted as the most efficient (black powder) cartridge. In the early 20th century a few were converted to 7.65×53mm smokeless by the arsenal in Ankara.

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