Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice example of the Mauser Model 1871/84 rifle, the first Magazine rifle widely used by the German Empire. The rifle is covered with Imperial German inspection and acceptance markings. The serial number 9288 or shortened number 88 appear on most components of the rifle, with a few parts replaced while in service. "Mostly Matching" examples are somewhat hard to find, as parts swapping was very common while at arsenal.

The receiver is dated 1888. on the right and marked I. G. Mod. 71/84. on the opposite side in "Black Letter" typeface. The top of the chamber is marked Crown over ERFURT, for the Royal Erfurt Arsenal, located in Thuringia. Below this is the Crown over FW proof for Kaiser Wilhelm I, who used this cypher during his reign 1861-1888.

The rifle is complete with all major parts intact and functional, and much of the original finish. The receiver was originally bright steel, but has acquired a light gray oxidized patina over the decades. The barrel and other fittings are a nice faded blued finish, with some wear on the fittings. Overall it has the look of a typical service used gun that was well cared for. Of note is that the front sight was replaced with a "Marksman's" style, which could be fitted with a sight hood. There is also a very nice leather sling fitted to the rifle, which is period but not the original German style.

The bore is in excellent condition, showing crisp lands and grooves with a bright finish. There is very little wear of any kind, so this rifle saw very little use in service, if any at all. The action works well, however the magazine feed system is quite stiff. It works much more smoothly with the magazine cutoff engaged.

The stock shows the expected wear and small dents from service, but does not look to have been arsenal reconditioned, so the stock cartouches are still crisp. It was however varnished at some point, probably when the front sight was replaced. The wood used in the stock is lovely, with lots of "tiger flame" figure in the butt stock, which extends up the bottom of most of the fore stock.

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 very nice Mauser rifle to your collection. Ready to display!

Specifications:-

Year of Manufacture: 1887
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.

NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.