Original German Mauser Model 1871/84 Magazine Service Rifle by Erfurt Arsenal Dated 1888 – Serial 267 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a nice example of the Mauser Model 1871/84 rifle, which is covered with Imperial German inspection and acceptance markings on the metal work, though they are a bit worn in places. The serial number 276 appears on the barrel, receiver, bolt, trigger guard, and other components. Other parts bear different numbers, indicating it was probably reissued after front line use. It was common in most countries for obsolete long arms to be refurbished are arsenal for use by reserve and home guards.

The receiver is dated 1888. and marked I. G. Mod. 71/84. on the opposite side. The rifle is complete with all major parts intact and functional, and in good condition. The exterior metal has a nice patina of age, with some areas of light rust on the bright receiver components. The barrel still retains a lot of its original blued finish, as do the fittings.

The wood stock is good condition, though it has definitely seen use and long service. There are numerous dents, scratches, and small gouges, but nothing that would seriously impact the structural integrity. It has the look of a rifles that saw a long service life.

The bore, on the other hand is in excellent condition, with a mirror bright finish and crisp lands and grooves. This was a gun that saw much service, but not much actual firing. 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 the F.W. monogram. 

It also has regimental markings on the butt plate tang: 4. R. J. / 2. 170.. This is most likely not the first set of regimental markings on this rifle, as old markings would be removed once it was reissued. The Script R in the regimental designation indicates reserve use, so this rifle was last issued to the 4th Reserve Infantry, 2nd battalion, weapon 170.

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. The action works well, as does the magazine cutoff and feed mechanism.

Ready to display!

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.

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

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