Original Item: Only one available. This is a rare example of a Model 1891 Argentine Mauser, one of many "export" models made for foreign governments, all based on the Mauser Model 1889. Unlike those we have had before, this is in the rare "Engineer's Carbine" configuration, a modification of the standard cavalry carbine so it will take a standard sling and bayonet. The sling loop under the buttstock has been removed and replaced with a plate, and there is now a sling loop on the left side of the butt stock. The front of the carbine has a barrel band with a bayonet lug and sling swivel attached, and there is another fitting just behind the front sight for the bayonet crossguard.

We assume that these will fit the standard M1891 bayonet, but we unfortunately do not have any in house to fit them with. Engineer / Pioneer units in the field would often find a full length rifle cumbersome while navigating obstacles, so these were made to give a shorter weapon that was set up for use on the ground, not on a horse.

Unlike most examples we have, this example was made by D.W.M. of Berlin, not Ludwig Loewe, the company's predecessor. It is marked with matching serial number C 2148 on the barrel, receiver, and bolt, while the other markings are all non-matching. This means it saw long service and had parts swapped out as needed from carbines that were too damaged to use anymore.

D.W.M. was formed by the Ludwig Loewe company, which was actually part owner of Mauser Waffenfabrik from 1887 onward, which is why they were the primary contractor for the export Mauser rifles. In 1896 the company consolidated its arms manufacturing, and founded Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken (German weapons and ammunition factories). All rifles made 1897 onward were marked with the new company name and/or abbreviation. For the the Argentine contract, the carbines were serialized with a letter prefix followed by a 4 digit serial number, though the order of production was not linear. Serials A0000 - A4999 & B0000 - B4999 were made in 1893 by Ludwig Loewe, with Serials A5000 - A9999 made in 1895. Production was not restarted until after the formation of D.W.M., with later B-series serial numbers starting production in 1898, followed by early C-series serials. "C" Serial numbers under approximately 3000 were produced during 1898, and are considered PRE-1899 ANTIQUES by U.S. FEDERAL LAW. Most DWM export Mausers were made after this, so this is a rare chance to get a DWM-marked antique Mauser.

The left side of the receiver is marked with the production information:

Unlike almost all of the Argentine Mausers we have seen, this one never had the Argentine Crest removed from above the chamber! This shows a Sun wreathed panel with a sun on top, and a "Phrygian Cap" on a pole in the center, with two clasped hands below. The marking is still quite crisp, so we do not believe that this carbine was arsenal refurbished at any time, which would have made the fine lines faint. The "Clasped Hands" markings is present on other components as well, such as the firing pin holder and bolt release.

The metal finish is very good, still retaining the original bluing strongly throughout. There is some wear on the bottom of the fittings near the muzzle, and the butt plate also shows a good amount of wear. The bolt, originally bright steel, still shows that finish well, with some light staining and dried grease in areas. The stock is in very good shape, showing no major damage such as cracks or repairs, but it does have the expected dents, dings, and other damage from service. It looks like it may have been refinished at some point, as the fittings are a bit proud over the level of the butt stock.

The rifle cycles well, with a crisp dry fire, and no mechanical issues we can see. The Mauser "wing" safety moves relatively easily, and is fully functional, locking the bolt closed and preventing firing. The firing pin is still present, as is the bolt extractor, however we have no way to check to see if the magazine still feeds correctly. The bore is in excellent condition, showing a bright finish with strong land and grooves, and no oxidation or past fouling we can see. There is a bit of rounding on the lands, but nothing major, and the carbine was well cared for during its life.

Another Military Contract from the Victorian era that Mauser managed to snag from all its European competitors. A rare variant in very nice condition and ready to display!

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: 1898
Caliber: 7.65×53mm Mauser
Cartridge Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 17 1/2 Inches
Overall Length: 37 Inches
Action type: Bolt-Action
Feed System: 5 round box magazine

More on the Model 1891 Argentine Mauser:

After 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 (Gewehr-Prüfungskommission) was formed. The commission preferred to create their own design, which was what became the Gewehr 1888, often called the "Commission Rifle".

In 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.

The 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.

At 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.

One 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.

IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to most US States and most U.S. territories.

These antique guns are not sold in "live" condition, and are not tested for the the ability to feed or load any type of cartridge. They are sold as collector's items or as "wall hangers" not for use, and we make no guarantees regarding functionality aside from what is stated in the description. Any attempt at restoring an antique gun to be operational is strongly discouraged and is done so at the risk of the customer. By purchasing an antique gun from IMA you thereby release IMA, its employees and corporate officers from any and all liability associated with use of our Antique guns.

Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to most addresses within the United States.