{"product_id":"original-argentine-model-1891-mauser-rifle-by-ludwig-loewe-berlin-1894-production-serial-no-k-2331-excellent-bore-missing-handguard","title":"Original Argentine Model 1891 Mauser Rifle by Ludwig Loewe Berlin, 1894 Production, Serial No. K 2331, Excellent Bore, Missing Handguard","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item: Only One Available. This is an original Argentine Model 1891 Mauser rifle manufactured by \u003cstrong\u003eLudwig Loewe of Berlin\u003c\/strong\u003e in \u003cstrong\u003e1894\u003c\/strong\u003e, Serial No. \u003cstrong\u003eK 2331\u003c\/strong\u003e. It retains matching numbers on the receiver, barrel, and magazine, substantial original blued and niter blued finish, a bright bolt, an excellent bore, and an unusually well-preserved stock. The bolt and cleaning rod are mismatched, the Argentine chamber crest was removed when the rifle was sold out of service, and the wooden handguard ahead of the rear sight is missing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an antique black powder firearm manufactured before 1899. Under federal law, it may generally be owned within the United States without a special license or permit and does not require transfer through a Federal Firearms Licensee. However, state and local laws may vary. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis firearm is sold solely as a historical collector’s item and has not been test fired or inspected for firing safety by a professional gunsmith. Any mechanical or bore observations provided below describe only its present condition and should not be interpreted as confirmation that the firearm is safe to load or fire. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe purchaser is solely responsible for complying with all applicable federal, state, and local laws.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Model 1891 Argentine Mauser was one of several military export rifles developed from the Mauser Model 1889 action. Argentina adopted the design as a modern repeating service rifle during a period when Mauser was competing extensively for military contracts throughout Europe and South America.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis example was manufactured by \u003cstrong\u003eLudwig Loewe \u0026amp; Company of Berlin\u003c\/strong\u003e, which had held an ownership interest in Mauser since the late 1880s. Argentine Model 1891 rifles produced under the early contract bear the Ludwig Loewe Berlin receiver marking, while later examples were marked by Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken, or DWM.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe left side of the receiver is marked:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMAUSER MODELO ARGENTINO 1891.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMANUFACTURA LOEWE BERLIN.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe rifle is serial numbered:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eK 2331\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe complete \u003cstrong\u003eK 2331\u003c\/strong\u003e number is present on the receiver, barrel, and magazine assembly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe bolt is mismatched and numbered:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eP 2437\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cleaning rod is also mismatched and numbered:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eF 7384\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo serial number is visible on the stock.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArgentine contract serial numbers were issued sequentially with letter prefixes. The supplied contract records place rifles within the G0000 through L4999 range in 1894, supporting an 1894 production date for Serial No. K 2331. The exact month of manufacture cannot be established from the serial number alone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Argentine national crest formerly located over the chamber was ground away when the rifle was sold out of government service, as commonly encountered on Argentine surplus arms. The area was smoothed and refinished with a dull gray oxide finish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOther Argentine inspection and property markings remain visible. Clasped Hands proofs are present on multiple components, and a Phrygian Cap marking remains on the left rear portion of the receiver.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMuch of the remaining metalwork retains an attractive factory blued finish with very little overall wear. Nearly all of the iridescent niter blued finish remains on the nose cap spring and bolt release, an especially appealing detail on this example.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe bright steel bolt remains in good condition and shows light overall oxidation. Somewhat heavier oxidation is present on the bolt handle, as commonly seen from handling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe buttplate retains a substantial amount of its blued finish. Light wear and oxidation are present, particularly across its upper portion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe action cycles correctly, and the trigger mechanically releases the firing mechanism. No obvious mechanical failure was observed during basic handling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe firing pin and extractor are present. The magazine’s feeding function was not tested.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe bore is one of the strongest features of this rifle. It remains bright and reflective with crisp lands and grooves and shows very little evidence of use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe stock is in excellent overall condition, with attractive color and pronounced grain. Only minor dents and handling marks are present, with no major cracks or repairs observed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe wood remains fully proud of the buttplate and does not show obvious evidence of having been sanded or refinished.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause no serial number is visible and the stock is exceptionally well preserved compared with the metal components, it may be an arsenal replacement. This assessment is based on its present physical characteristics, however, and no documentation confirms when or where it was installed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA crisp \u003cstrong\u003eArgentine RA\u003c\/strong\u003e crest is stamped into the underside of the stock behind the trigger guard. The expected additional stock cartouche is not present.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe characteristic wooden handguard located between the receiver and rear sight is missing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith its desirable Ludwig Loewe Berlin receiver marking, documented 1894 serial range, matching receiver, barrel, and magazine, extensive original blue and niter blue finish, surviving Argentine proofs, exceptionally clean stock, and excellent bore, this is a highly attractive Model 1891 Argentine Mauser. The removed chamber crest, mismatched bolt and cleaning rod, unnumbered possible replacement stock, missing cartouche, light oxidation, and absent handguard are fully disclosed. It would display particularly well in an Argentine military arms, Ludwig Loewe, early Mauser export rifle, South American contract rifle, or advanced 19th century military firearms collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications-\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYear of Manufacture: 1894\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eMaker: Ludwig Loewe, Berlin\u003cbr\u003eModel: 1891 Contract Argentine Mauser\u003cbr\u003eSerial No.: K 2331\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCaliber: 7.65×53mm Mauser\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCartridge Type: Centerfire Cartridge\u003cbr\u003eBarrel Length: 29 Inches\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOverall Length: 48.5 Inches\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAction type: Bolt-Action\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFeed System: 5 round box magazine\u003cbr\u003eFederal Classification: Pre-1899 Antique\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMore on the Model 1891 Argentine Mauser:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the Mauser brothers finished work on the Model 71\/84 for Germany in 1880, the design team set out to create a small caliber repeater that used smokeless powder. Because of setbacks brought on by Wilhelm Mauser's death, they failed to have the design completed by 1882, and the German Rifle Test Commission (\u003cem\u003eGewehr-Prüfungskommission\u003c\/em\u003e) was formed. The commission preferred to create their own design, which was what became the Gewehr 1888, often called the \"Commission Rifle\".\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the meantime, Paul Mauser created two different variations of the same rifle, one with a stock strengthened with a barrel shroud and a traditional design following the layout of the 71 series, in hope he might be able to overturn the commission's decision, or at least sell his design to the Kingdom of Bavaria, which adopted its own arms. The two rifles became known as the 89 Belgian (with a barrel shroud) and the 91 Argentine (with a 71 layout) Mausers, identical in their function and feed system. The main features were the ability to use stripper clips to feed the magazine (a revolution in rate of fire), and its rimless cartridge (7.65 Argentine Mauser), advanced for the time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Mauser Company then set about trying to sell this new design. Unfortunately they failed to convince the Commission to reverse its decision, and the attempt to win over Bavaria did not succeed either. However, Mauser already had supplied arms to numerous countries, and when they were looking to update their rifles, they came back to Mauser. At the time, Belgium was looking to bolster its domestic arms industry, and felt that manufacturing a Mauser Design would really help them in this goal. This resulted in the founding of Fabrique Nationale d'Armes de Guerre, owned in part by Ludwig Loewe, to manufacture the Model 1889 Belgian Mauser. This company would go on to become a major arms manufacturer, which exists today as FN Herstal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the same time, the Ottoman Empire had a contract for Model 1877 Turkish Mausers, which were based on the model 1871. The contract however had an \"escape clause\" that allowed them to change the contract in the event of a more advanced Mauser system being developed. This resulted in a new contract for the Model 1890 Turkish Mauser. While this was taking place, the Argentine Small Arms Commission contacted Mauser in 1886 to replace their own Model 71s. Since they wished to keep retraining of their armed forces to a minimum, they went for the Mauser 91, as the operating principles were identical. As with other early Mausers, most such arms were made by the Ludwig Loewe company, who in 1896 joined with other manufactures to form Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the principal defining features of the Belgian\/Turkish\/Argentine Mauser was its thin sheet steel jacket surrounding the barrel—a rather unusual element not common to any other Mauser mark of note. The jacket was instituted as a feature intended to maintain the effectiveness of the barrel and the solid wooden body over time, otherwise lengthening its service life and long-term accuracy when exposed to excessive firing and battlefield abuse. In spite of this approach, the jacketed barrel proved susceptible to moisture build-up and, therefore, introduced the problem of rust forming on the barrel itself–unbeknown to the user. In addition, the jacket was not perforated in any such way as to relieve the barrel of any heat build-up and consequently proved prone to denting. As such, barrel quality was affected over time regardless of the protective measure. Furthermore, another design flaw of the jacket was its extra steel content. Not only was it expensive but it was also needed in huge quantities to provide for tens of thousands of soldiers. By many accounts, the barrel jacket was not appreciated by its operators who depended on a perfect rifle in conflict. Another defining characteristic, unlike most Mausers, was a spring-loaded cock on closing bolt action resembling that of the British Lee-Metford, which predates the Mauser 1889 by five years. This development allowed for faster firing and was well received.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45489322033221,"sku":"ONJR24AD049","price":995.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/E15EB736-DF85-466B-924F-F77EAACB03F5.jpg?v=1785964008","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-argentine-model-1891-mauser-rifle-by-ludwig-loewe-berlin-1894-production-serial-no-k-2331-excellent-bore-missing-handguard","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}