Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very good 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 1920 or shortened number 20 appear on almost every component of the rifle, making this a very nice "ALL MATCHING" example, with no major parts swapped out over the years! This looks to have been one of many released from stores following the first world war and imported, though this example definitely has an interesting twist to it!

The right side of the butt stock has had a U.S. 1887 dated Silver Dollar inlaid into it. There is no reason this would have been done during service, so we can only assume that the soldier who brought it back decided to put it into the stock. The "heads" side is showing, with a clear E PLURIBUS UNUM visible. Additionally, the stock is in really great shape, with a lovely honey color, and flame figuring on both sides of the butt stock, with some running up to the fore stock on the right side. really a beautiful stock!

The receiver is dated 1887. 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 with a 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. Below this is the Crown over FW proof for Kaiser Wilhelm I, who used this cypher during his reign 1861-1888. Next to this is a 11 designation, giving the bore diameter in millimeters.

The butt plate tang of the rifle gives the clear regimental designation K. A. R. E. 3. 77.. Research indicates this would be for the Kaiser Alexander Garde Grenadier Regiment, also known as the "1st (Emperor Alexander) Guards Grenadiers". Designated in German as the Kaiser Alexander Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 1, this unit was first raised in 1814 and located in Berlin. The rest of the designation indicates it is for the Ersatz (Replacement) 3rd Squadron, Weapon 77. Guard regiments were usually staffed by the elite of German society, so it's not abnormal to find rifles that have seen very little service marked to these regiments.

The rifle is complete with all major parts intact and functional, and much of the original finish retained on the metalwork. The receiver and bolt are still clearly bright steel, though there is a bit of light oxidation staining. The barrel still retains almost all of the original gloss blue finish, except for a bit of wear next to the receiver. The blued fittings show just a bit of wear and oxidation and areas, and the "niter bluing" on the magazine cutoff spring is almost fully retained.

We checked the action, and it cycles well, with a strong dry fire, and the bolt still has an intact firing pin and extractor. The safety works as it should, and the magazine feed system and cutoff are also functional, though we have no way of testing it on real brass. The bore is in very good condition, showing a bright finish and crisp lands and grooves. There is just a bit of past oxidation and fouling in the grooves, so the rifle definitely did see some level of service. The rear sight is fully functional, sticking just a bit due to dried old grease.

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 early Mauser rifle to your collection. Ready to hang on the wall and 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.