Help Identifying WWII era Mauser

jqjones · May 23, 2011, 04:56 PM

Years ago I inherited a WWII era Mauser from my Grandfather. Story has it that he brought it back from Germany.

Markings on the gun are as follows.

22 Long Rifle
Serial Number= 957**
Proof Marks are crowns with a "U" and a "B" with a 459 stamped by it.
Mauser-Werke A.G. Oberndorf

Here is a link to a Flickr with pictures.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/6324881...7626790524442/

Thanks for the help.

Jim Watson · May 23, 2011, 06:03 PM

The (crown) B, U, and G are the German Imperial "BUG" proof marks seen before the Nazi designations came into use in the late 1930s. No doubt some German's nice target rifle, confiscated by Americans during the Occupation.

Mauser made a number of different models of .22 sporting and target rifles and I don't know enough to say which this is. The "diopter" peep sight is a good catch, most of these were lost because it was European practice to store the gun with the sights removed, and the GIs confiscating them did not track down the sights.

PetahW · May 23, 2011, 08:48 PM

IMO, you have what appears to be a pre-1935 Modell ES-350 Target Rifle.

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May 23, 2011, 04:56 PM	#1
jqjones Junior Member Join Date: May 23, 2011 Posts: 1	Help Identifying WWII era Mauser Years ago I inherited a WWII era Mauser from my Grandfather. Story has it that he brought it back from Germany. Markings on the gun are as follows. 22 Long Rifle Serial Number= 957** Proof Marks are crowns with a "U" and a "B" with a 459 stamped by it. Mauser-Werke A.G. Oberndorf Here is a link to a Flickr with pictures. http://www.flickr.com/photos/6324881...7626790524442/ Thanks for the help.

May 23, 2011, 06:03 PM	#2
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,539	The (crown) B, U, and G are the German Imperial "BUG" proof marks seen before the Nazi designations came into use in the late 1930s. No doubt some German's nice target rifle, confiscated by Americans during the Occupation. Mauser made a number of different models of .22 sporting and target rifles and I don't know enough to say which this is. The "diopter" peep sight is a good catch, most of these were lost because it was European practice to store the gun with the sights removed, and the GIs confiscating them did not track down the sights.

May 23, 2011, 08:48 PM	#3
PetahW Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2008 Posts: 4,678	IMO, you have what appears to be a pre-1935 Modell ES-350 Target Rifle. .