Help identify this rifle

[Whiskey-Echo]

Ok, so i got my hands on a well used 30-06 from a friend who's had it forever and has no idea what it is either. He's thinking it's a Winchester, but the bolt looks kinda Mauser if you ask me. There are no markings on the receiver except for a 5-digit serial number. The barrel is stamped "30-06 CAL." and there's a faint stamping on the top of the barrel just forward of the receiver that looks like an oval with maybe two letters inside. The whole left side is worn away, but the right side looks like the lower-case "b". Here's some pics to help you out. If you would like to see other pics, let me know and I can snap a few more.

 

[Captain Kirk]

Re: Help identify this rifle

Looks like a old winchester pre 64 model 70 action, not 100% sure

Kirk R

 

[doc76251]

Re: Help identify this rifle

It's a sporterized Mauser 98.

Cheers,

Doc

 

[BobinNC]

Re: Help identify this rifle

It's a military Mauser Model 98 maybe or Model 96, as evidenced by the clip slot, and thumb cutout. Not a Winchester of any kind, nor is a commercial Mauser, which hand no thumb cutouts.

So it's a converted military job. If you can pull the action from the stock, you might have more marks to show country of origin, as Mauser's were made in many country's other than Germany. Also pull the front base, many Mauser's were marked there.

Bob

 

[DODGE268]

Re: Help identify this rifle

Military Mauser, pull the front base and take photos of the crest. That's the easiest way to identify them. Good action put it in a nice stock and you can pass it down to your grandkids.
Patrick

 

[Whiskey-Echo]

Re: Help identify this rifle

Thanks for the quick responses. I just took the scope bases off and nothing under there. I had already taken the action out of the stock and nothing in there either. I did find a few stampings on the magazine follower. I couldn't get a pic of them, but I managed to sketch out what I saw.

This first one is the stamping that's on the top of the barrel just forward of the receiver. Orientation being the muzzle pointing away from you.

This next one is the stamping on the magazine follower. Same orientation. ...yes that does look like a bug to me too.

 

[DODGE268]

Re: Help identify this rifle

The barrel wouldn't matter, it's been replaced. I'll try to find something in my Mauser book(s) at home. Not familiar with that stamp on the follower. Is the floor plate fixed or hinged? If it's hinged, you got lucky and scored a 1909 Argentine. I can't tell from the pictures. It's pretty academic since it's been sporterized, but I'll bet it'll be a great deer rifle when you get it fixed up to your liking.
Patrick

 

[Whiskey-Echo]

Re: Help identify this rifle

It's a fixed floorplate.

Alright, I took the action out of the stock again and looked at it with fresh eyes. I guess I was more tired than I thought yesterday. There seem to be a few markings on the trigger, trigger guard, under the front action screw and after tweeking my camera settings, I managed to get a picture of them all including the one on the magazine follower. Here they are.

 

[kkracht]

Re: Help identify this rifle

it may be a CZ vz-24 BRNO, a Czech rifle very similar tho not identical to a Mauser. It is a very high quality rifle. I have one in 7mm mag and the action looks very much the same. but with out a crest or any markings but the little bug this could be a tough one...good luck

 

[Whiskey-Echo]

Re: Help identify this rifle

I just broke down and ordered a book, "mauser military rifles of the world" from amazon.com cuz i gotta know what this thing is. the book is supposed to have tons of examples of proof stampings and show other differences between the gazillion variants of the mauser. if i find out what i got i'll be sure to post it here, but in the meantime, i'm still open to suggestions or guesses. wtf is that little bug?!?! lol

 

[RBell24]

Re: Help identify this rifle

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Beeshooter505</div><div class="ubbcode-body">it may be a CZ vz-24 BRNO, a Czech rifle very similar tho not identical to a Mauser. It is a very high quality rifle. I have one in 7mm mag and the action looks very much the same. but with out a crest or any markings but the little bug this could be a tough one...good luck </div></div>

I have one as well and the one Whiskey has isn't like it. Sporterized Mauser, yes. CZ, don't think so.

 

[kkracht]

Re: Help identify this rifle

rebelbell24- really? mine is sporterized too and looks just like whiskey's(the stock is a little different of course) and i do realize this is most likely a mauser and was just ofering up a long shot as I always thought that mine was a mauser of some sort until I replaced the scope mounts and saw Ceska Zbrojovka printed under one so you never know...

 

[bohem]

Re: Help identify this rifle

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Beeshooter505</div><div class="ubbcode-body">rebelbell24- really? mine is sporterized too and looks just like whiskey's(the stock is a little different of course) and i do realize this is most likely a mauser and was just ofering up a long shot as I always thought that mine was a mauser of some sort until I replaced the scope mounts and saw <span style="font-weight: bold">Ceska Zbrojovka </span>printed under one so you never know... </div></div>

That's one of the companies that produced mausers, it sounds like you have a VZ 24

 

[Jerry m]

Re: Help identify this rifle

If it cocks on opening and has a third lug on the bolt it's a 98 Mauser. 100's of Manufactures by countless countries.

Good luck in your quest.

Jerry