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View Full Version : Cuban Mauser in .30-'06?


Hutch
May 19, 2000, 10:46 AM
I have encountered a 98-looking Mauser in a pawnshop that's been lightly sporterized. It has been drilled and tapped for scope, and has a modest 3x9 mounted. It has had some of the forend wood removed, along with the handguard. It still has the military contoured stepped barrel. A modified ("low swing") safety is in place on the bolt. It is marked "FN" and "Herstal", making Belgian, I suppose. I'm told that under the wood the action is marked Cuba, and that this piece was built for Battista (or earlier regime) by FN and is an original, not rechambered for .30-'06.

Does anyone have any experience with these? Any idea or guesses on how it can be expected to shoot? Any ideas welcome.

Herodotus
May 19, 2000, 06:11 PM
Take the action out of the stock and see if there really are any markings attributable to Cuba.
If this is true, buy the rifle. It is unusual and probably rare from a collector's point of view and may be one of the few rifles that would be of interest even though it has been hacked upon.
But try to get it cheap, as it is not in pristine conditon.
FN Belgian made Masuers are very nice in any case, so you cannot go too far wrong, even if the market were to somehow be flooded with these things from some foriegn source sometime in the future. Uncle Fidel could have a nice little pile of these tucked away in back of his enormous safe. That would be nice.
The fact that it is in 30/06 makes it even better.

[This message has been edited by Herodotus (edited May 19, 2000).]