Feast your eyes on one of the if not THE, rarest Rifle you will see--and its mine ;-)

I bought this rifle some 15 years ago--paid a LOT for it then and its easily worth 25-30 times that now. Anyway, this is my German Army Mauser Sniper rifle variant. Why is it so rare? for one--it comes with a 25 round fixed (Ansteckmagazin) as well is as mint as the photograph shows and has had EXACTLY 50 rounds fired through it since it was built in 1935. The rifle below it is an 1898 Krag Carbine wiht original leather sling. This one too--is a rare variant because it was one of those "Philippine Contract" rifles.

Behind the Mauser-is an original and in mint condition--German Army recruiting poster for Machine Gun Troops. It also comes with a postcard with the same image on it. The postcard is also mint adn is VERY rare. What's even rarer about that is that they both came together and you DO NOT--see that at all.

Quote from Lt. Brannigan

I have to ask, so please forgive me...

Is this for self defense or offense when you do your shopping friday?

Neat gun, by the way.

Strictly for investment. IF I eve get rid of it? it will be for at least $50,000 or a trade for fully functional:
MG-42:



And an STG-44 (aka) MP-43:




Or even an MP-40:

Classic image of two Sergeants in Stalingrad about to send their sections to the attack: Both have MP-40s.

I have one of these in the collection--an AC-43 made Walther P-38:

Quote from Hondo Duke Lane

Very unique guns. I suppose you have the ammo for these guns. Reguard me as one who does not know much about guns. But can you get ammo for them today, meaning are they available to purchase?

A neat colletion.

Cheers Hondo

Thank you Lt and H/ And yup--you can get ammo for all of them. The MG-42 fires I think 7.62x54 L, the MP-40 fires standard 9mm and the STG fires a Kurz round which is being produced in Germany. The Mauser fires an 8MM rifle cartridge and that ammo can be found even at WalMart--any good gun shop and any good sporting goods stores as well as at: http://www.mitchellsmausers.com

Quote from Hawkswill

Very COOL, Carl. And I thought I was cool just because I had shot Mausers before, (parents' friend had a very nice collection from WWI and WWII, and I shot my first one at 12 years of age. Sure wish Bill was still around so I could compare what he had with what you do. He had some really rare stuff.
Where is the world do you hide the things? LOL.
Where those on the ones I posted for you.....I remember seeing some fifles on ONE of the CDs?

Deer hunting tomorrow......my .45 caliber muzzleloader is all ready to go. Moon should be here around Noon, (he shoots flint, I use cap).........we will finish scouting out our places, and try for a late afternoon shoot. Then, will go again Saturday Morning. I just go out my pasture's back gate and into the woods about 20 yards, LOL...............they have a trail that they use every morning and afternoon.

Guess you will never shoot those guns? SLEEP WELL, KEITH

Thank you Maam. These as well as my Walther P-38 are in one of my Nephews gun safes. I wouldnt keep these in the neighborhood im living in ;-)) Im thinking of buying a cheapo .45 at the gun show tomorrow. These go for $200,00.

These were on the CD--but my Walther isnt on one. It WOULD have been because I took several pics of it--but turned the film into a Walmart in Houston--and the jerk who was supposed to develop the negatives--purposely cut the pics of my Walther from them and refused to develop them because there were pics of a "nasty, evil" gun. I complained to the store manager and he told me that I could even sue the store for destroying my property (the film) but I told them I didnt want that and only wanted my pics developed. The negatives with the pics of my Walther-were cut up and thrown away. That store employee was disciplined but not sure if anything else ever happened?

Im going to be Militaria and gun hunting tomorrow at the gun show ;-))

Take care and have fun--C.

Found one of these today in 22 Cal, that I HOPEFULLY will be getting at the next gun show in December.

I MIGHT be trading my AC-43 Walther P-38 for it--maybe??

Info on my Mauser as found by USMC Historian Dieter Stenger and sent to me on March 30-2001.

My rifle is NOT a K-98--as over 99% of the WWII and WWII era Mauser rifles are, mine is known as an M-98. There is also such thing as an A-98--however--I dont know what those are?

The info:

The rifle I have based on an article that Dieter found--said that my rifle is super rare (already established ;-)) Apparently people know of it, but there are no photos of actual collector pieces (untill mine posted in post Nr 1--that is ;-))

The Mauser M-98 w/ Large Capacity Magazine.

Once the "rate of fire" had a decisive inpact at Infantry level engagements, it was found that the somewhat encumbering stripper-clip loaded 5-round magazine did not always suffice for evvery situation.

During the inter-war period, the solution was found in lengthening the magazine after the original magazine cover was removed and configured in its place. Through this modification, the G-98 had a higher magazinecapicity of 25 rounds, although it required loading by way of the conventional method. The lengthened magazine, however, was impractical when firing the weapon in the prone position.

The outcry for a quickly changeable and higher capacity magazine (more than 5 rounds) was quickly heard after the onset of WWII. Studies and experiments conducted by the Heeres Waffenamt (Army Weapons Dept) albeit the net result were a few experimental models. Several examples with the large capacity magazines are circulating in collector circles; however, all magazines are of well-known automatic weapon origination. The magazine configurations in carbine (K-98) were improvised or field expedient modifications. No one has been able to offer original documentation for the modifications.

The only authrnetication for the modification was found in the Waffenamt device protocol of April 1944. It depicted one example, built and modified by a Mauser firm, of a 10-round removable magazine that was attached to a modified (K-98) designed for experiments with a sniper scope.

As early as March 1942 the question about a removable magazine had been addressed by way of a letter from the Army General Staff to the Department of the Army (Heeresamt) . "unit requests for a weapon with a higher than 5-round capacity magazine (removable magazine) is expected. However, the requisition of such a high magazine would place the greatest pressure on an already over-burdoned industry and delay the current deelopments for the completion of a semi-automatic weapon (MP-43/STG-44 & G-43 rifles) and a proposed machine carbine. Since both these weapons already have a more than 5-round capacity, it is unproductive to produce yet another removable magazine."

Some of these experimental modles may have found their way to the Russian where they fell into Soviet hands. More than likely, the weapons were sold to the NVA & VC to assist in fighting the Americans during Vietnam. ((((I know this because the Vet who authored: Military Mausers of the World--captured one in Vietnam after killing the NVA sniper and taking his rifle. However, that rifle was produced at least 5 years after mine.))))

Dieter recommended contacting Richard Law who wrote (and in which i have as reference) "Backbone fo the Wehrmacht," I have vol 2 on sniper rifles and variants.

Quote from ethanedwards

Great stuff Carl

Thank you Keith. Also, its the only info I have been able to get on it since Dieter sent it to me on March 30, 2001. Since then--nothing anywhere. Also, not until I posted a pix of mine here and on two other sites--none of these have ever been seen on the net ;-))