Original German Mauser Model 1871/84 Magazine Rifle by Spandau Dated 1887 – Matching Serial 4560 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a wonderful all matching serial number example of the Mauser Model 1871/84 rifle. It is covered with Imperial German inspection and acceptance markings, even on the wood stock. The serial number 4560 appears on the barrel, receiver, and bolt, while smaller components have 60 stamped. The receiver is dated 1887 and marked I. G. Mod. 71/84. on the opposite side.

Complete with all parts intact and functional, though the magazine feed and cutoff stick a bit. The exterior metal finish on the fittings does show wear, but no evidence of pitting, and the barrel and receiver are in similar condition. The barrel still has a good amount of the original bluing. The wood stock is in good condition, with only small dents and scratches, and has very little wear of any kind. It does not appear to have been refinished, and the proof marks on the side and by the trigger guard are still crisp.

The bore is in excellent condition, with a bright finish and clear lands and grooves. The top of the chamber is marked Crown over SPANDAU, for the Prussian (and later Imperial) Spandau arsenal in Berlin, a storied production plant that would produce weapons up until 1919, including the famous MG08 Maxim.

This gun is most likely a WW1 Veteran’s “bring back” souvenir, as this rifle is in truly excellent condition. 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.

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.

Offered in very nice fully functional condition.

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: 1887
Caliber: 11x60mmR Mauser
Cartridge Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Overall Length: 51 Inches
Action type: Bolt-Action
Feed System: 8 Round Tubular Magazine

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