Is my 1895 Chilean carbine a Boer mauser

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clift83

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Hello everyone! I recently bought a 1895 Chilean Mauser Carbine that I suspect may be a Boer Mauser. I have been doing a bit of research on several different forum web sites but I am still fifty, fifty on whether this rifle made it to South Africa.

However there are some things that this rifle has going for it and the main thing is that the receiver never had a crest stamped on it, and that the serial number B9564 falls in to the Chilean contract rifles that were sent to South Africa but never made it threw the blockade. Another interesting thing on this rifle is that some one has removed the side sling mount and installed it under the butt stock for personal preference and left his initials on the blank spot where the sling mount went.

There is no proving its the initials of a Boer but you can tell the modification was done a long time ago. The main thing that has me not 100% sure whether this was used in Africa is the fact that it has Mauser Chileno on the side receiver. My understanding is that if this rifle was sent back it should have the Chilean crest on it. Is it possible that this one got threw which would explain why there is no crest?

I have posted some pictures of the rifle and would love to hear some opinions and thoughts on this subject, I find the information on Boer Mausers to be all over the place with lots of contradiction but its very interesting never the less. Thanks for looking.

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The side sling mount is missing completely, not moved. That rifle should have had both. You can get a side sling mount from Numerich.

I was under the impression that the rifles that were sent to South Africa also bore the "OVS" stamp on the left side of the receiver ring.

Orange Vrie Stat. or Orange Free State.

The Mausers that didn't make it through the blockade were sold on the world market later. What happened to that old girl will always be a mystery.

Is it chambered in 7.65x53 or 7x57?? Whatever, they are nice rifles and shoot better than most of their owners can hold.
 
I also thought that all Boer Mauser's had Ovs on them but I found out that the rifles made for the Transvaal state only had A,B or C before the serial numbers. If it had the Chilean crest then I would say that this rifle isn't a Boer Mauser but for it to have no crest is a real mystery. Going back to the sling mount I strongly believe that they never had one under the butt stock. If you type in 1895 Chilean carbine and go to images you will see that none of them have a sling mount under the butt stock, they seem to only have them on the side. I am not sure on the caliber yet I am assuming its still in 7mm I don't think the 7.65 was very common.
 
clift83 said:
I am not sure on the caliber yet I am assuming its still in 7mm I don't think the 7.65 was very common.
Click to expand...

You may or may not know this, but it's a good idea to have a gunsmith do a chamber cast if you're not sure what round that rifle shoots. It wouldn't be a good idea to assume........
 
My documented Ludwig Loewe 7x57 carbine was one of 2000 produced in July/August of 1897 and sent to South Africa in late August. Its serial number is 6691.

It has no chamber marks but it DOES have -

a. The serial number stamped in the wood of the stock just below the metal stamp.

b. A cryptic cypher stamped on the left-hand lower part of the butt.

c. My bolt, like all true cavalry carbines, has a turned-down bolt handle

d. The name of the owner is carved into the right-hand side of the stock. Thanks to André in the Anglo/Boerse Oorlogs Museum in Bloemfontein, I have traced not only the man, but the incident that led him to handing over his carbine. AND the place where he did it, and to whom he did it, and the notary who issued his license to 'cease all warlike activity against the British Crown'.

It can be seen in an Australian-produced book that is too expensive for me to buy. Images to anybody here via email.

As for the removed and relocated rear sling swivel, well, that's not uncommon with privately-owned carbines. Mine is still in the original location, but I advise anybody shooting these VERY short carbines with a full factory load to make sure that the swivel is folded forwards. Mine turns out a 175gr FMJ at just inder 2250fps, and that swivel in the rear-most position will open up the corner of your mouth with ease unless you have chops like Alvin the Chipmunk. My cheekbones are like Loki on hungerstrike, and it hurts.

tac
 
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That would make a lot of sense as to why the sling swivel was relocated, I figure there was a reason for it. After doing more research and receiving some more info from other forums I don't believe that this rifle is a Boer Mauser. A little disappointing but I would rather have the truth in the end. It is still a nice rifle and I am sure it will be a great shooter. I feel very confident that if I ever come across a real Boer Mauser that I will be able to identify it right away and obviously snatch it right up. Thanks everyone for all the information, I learned a lot.
 
Although I haven't had a chance to create a formal Knowledge Library entry for it, here's a piece from my collection …

1896 Boer Mauser Rifle Serial # B7772 (click here)http://imageevent.com/badgerdog/germanservicerifles/1896boermauserrifleserialb7772

"One of the first 20,000 rifles delivered in 1896 to Z.A.R.
Serial number ranges were A1 - A10000 & B1 - B10000"

"All matching numbers except cleaning rod and un-numbered bolt"
"Vet bring back and was originally part of CMI collection"

Regards,
Doug
 
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