Brazilian Mauser 1954 30-06
- Thread starter mosinlover
- Start date
Boolitcaster
CGN Regular
- Location
- Vancouver Island
In the late 70s I bought a surplus Brazilian Mauser rifle from Princess Auto. It was in 30-06 and looked like it has spent the previous decades submerged in a barrel of used engine oil. I could squeeze the oil out of the wood. It had the classic Kar 98 looks but the big Brazilian crest on the receiver. It was parkerized.
I sold it in Grande Prairie in 1979.
I don't know the history of these rifles.
I sold it in Grande Prairie in 1979.
I don't know the history of these rifles.
I have had one for a while and it is one amazing rifle good sir. I have had so much fun with it, and I picked up mine for $200 and I regret nothing. I still dont know much about mine but from what I heard Brazil was desinging a g43 copy in .30-06 and they decided to introduce this rifle along with it to use the same ammo. I have heard nothing to prove this story true so I still really dont know much about it. I had a thread on it a little while back "m954".
Came across a 1954 Brazilian Mauser several years ago that really lived up to the idea of "rode hard and put away wet". Looked not too bad externally, but the bore was a completely useless sewer pipe.
If you want a nice shooter, find yourself a 1908 or 1935 Brazilian Mauser in 7x57. These were generally used as parade rifles so they show very light use. I've had three 1908's that were amazing. The Mausers that were re-done to 30-06, on the other hand, saw legitimate hard use and generally look like it.
When International in Montreal first started to release those to the public, around 1977, they were $35 each plus shipping.
As far as I can remember, they were a mixture of 1908/1935/and Itajuaba built receivers.
It was luck of the draw with those. Some had beautiful exteriors and lousy bores, some had beautiful exteriors and beautiful bores. Most had parked exteriors but not all of them did.
Most of them were well used, inside and out.
I bought 50 of them, hoping to get a decent one in the mix. The best I could find, was about 80%. I saw hundreds of them at one point, still on their shipping pallets. None of them that I saw were better than 90% and they were being picked out of the mix by local dealers to sell for a premium price. The VG rifles were few and far between. If you didn't wear coveralls, your clothes got extremely dirty and greasy.
If you can find one with a decent bore, it will shoot well. Even a relatively worn bore will shoot OK.
I recently saw a few of these at local gunshows at what I considered to be outrageous prices. I guess it's because everyone knows what 30-06 is and ammunition is often on sale.
The vendors were asking higher prices for the 954s than for similar condition 1908s and 1935s.
None of the rifles I saw, shot or owned, were jewels but they were reliable and according to their bores, accurate.
They were made from some of the best steel available/suitable for firearms at the time of their manufacture. Even the later produced Etajuba were well made of the best steel.
Brazil, is famous for more than the nuts and rubber. The produce some of best steel in the world. I've toured some of their factories and have seen up close what they do.
Mannesmann is a huge conglomerate and produces most of the steel used in Brazilian firearms since WWII and maybe during WWII.
OP, that rifle is made of stern stuff. The people that made it or converted it from the original cartridge, were genuine craftsmen and proud of their work.
As far as I can remember, they were a mixture of 1908/1935/and Itajuaba built receivers.
It was luck of the draw with those. Some had beautiful exteriors and lousy bores, some had beautiful exteriors and beautiful bores. Most had parked exteriors but not all of them did.
Most of them were well used, inside and out.
I bought 50 of them, hoping to get a decent one in the mix. The best I could find, was about 80%. I saw hundreds of them at one point, still on their shipping pallets. None of them that I saw were better than 90% and they were being picked out of the mix by local dealers to sell for a premium price. The VG rifles were few and far between. If you didn't wear coveralls, your clothes got extremely dirty and greasy.
If you can find one with a decent bore, it will shoot well. Even a relatively worn bore will shoot OK.
I recently saw a few of these at local gunshows at what I considered to be outrageous prices. I guess it's because everyone knows what 30-06 is and ammunition is often on sale.
The vendors were asking higher prices for the 954s than for similar condition 1908s and 1935s.
None of the rifles I saw, shot or owned, were jewels but they were reliable and according to their bores, accurate.
They were made from some of the best steel available/suitable for firearms at the time of their manufacture. Even the later produced Etajuba were well made of the best steel.
Brazil, is famous for more than the nuts and rubber. The produce some of best steel in the world. I've toured some of their factories and have seen up close what they do.
Mannesmann is a huge conglomerate and produces most of the steel used in Brazilian firearms since WWII and maybe during WWII.
OP, that rifle is made of stern stuff. The people that made it or converted it from the original cartridge, were genuine craftsmen and proud of their work.
I have one and it's NOT for sale!
Bearhunter is 100% on this one. They look like garbage or, at least, mine sure does.
But INSIDE they are just fine. Mine has a near-mint bore and shoots very nicely.
Not bad at all for a collection of scrapped pre-WWI German parts with an old CZ bolt.
Interesting point: this was Brazil's FIRST effort at building military equipment. They started with what they had, which was a zillion broken-down old 7mm rifles, and they hauled them all apart, cut the barrels to Short Rifle length, crowned them, bored and re-rifled them, ran reamers into the old chambers and made them into .30-06s, reinforced the ancient stocks, Parkerised them and sent them out to do another 20 years' service, then sold them off for surplus. The NEXT batch they did were turned into the M968, which was/is a .308 military Mauser and was a LOT nicer. Today, Brazil is making some of the best firearms in the world, but this is where they started.
ONLY problem you might run into with one is if you try to shoot military .30-06 out of it. With my rifle, a military '06 round is about ONE millimeter too long for the old 7x57 magazine box. Commercial rounds or handloads work just fine.
Great old rifles.
.
Bearhunter is 100% on this one. They look like garbage or, at least, mine sure does.
But INSIDE they are just fine. Mine has a near-mint bore and shoots very nicely.
Not bad at all for a collection of scrapped pre-WWI German parts with an old CZ bolt.
Interesting point: this was Brazil's FIRST effort at building military equipment. They started with what they had, which was a zillion broken-down old 7mm rifles, and they hauled them all apart, cut the barrels to Short Rifle length, crowned them, bored and re-rifled them, ran reamers into the old chambers and made them into .30-06s, reinforced the ancient stocks, Parkerised them and sent them out to do another 20 years' service, then sold them off for surplus. The NEXT batch they did were turned into the M968, which was/is a .308 military Mauser and was a LOT nicer. Today, Brazil is making some of the best firearms in the world, but this is where they started.
ONLY problem you might run into with one is if you try to shoot military .30-06 out of it. With my rifle, a military '06 round is about ONE millimeter too long for the old 7x57 magazine box. Commercial rounds or handloads work just fine.
Great old rifles.
.
Contrary to popular believe the 954 was not made in Brazil but were converted contract made German built rifles. Most were converted from the 1908 and 1935 mausers that Brazil had in stock. I wrote an article for the old International Military Arms Society back in the 80's on the 954 when they were a total enigma to the collecting fraternity.
If you pull one down you will find the mauser mark on the internal parts and also on the very odd one you will find the remains of the mauser marking on the left side of the receiver wall. I had a very large sample to make my observations from and also was able to tear down a large number to confirm my suspicions.
The threaded muzzle was for a grenade launcher as the previous models took the VB style launcher and if anyone is looking for a VB contact me via PM.
If you pull one down you will find the mauser mark on the internal parts and also on the very odd one you will find the remains of the mauser marking on the left side of the receiver wall. I had a very large sample to make my observations from and also was able to tear down a large number to confirm my suspicions.
The threaded muzzle was for a grenade launcher as the previous models took the VB style launcher and if anyone is looking for a VB contact me via PM.
INFO NEEDED!! An acquaintance recently showed me a GORGEOUS copper-chromed Brazilian Mauser M954 in 30.06.
http://s350.photobucket.com/user/crazycanadian17/media/Copper 3_zpsk5lohrbh.jpg.html
http://s350.photobucket.com/user/crazycanadian17/media/Copper 4_zpsohbzhvcy.jpg.html
http://s350.photobucket.com/user/crazycanadian17/media/Copper 2_zpsklzesx0x.jpg.html
My question is, does anyone know if this is a factory copper-chrome job? I have never seen this and wonder if it's just a custom commercial job. Thoughts on price?
http://s350.photobucket.com/user/crazycanadian17/media/Copper 3_zpsk5lohrbh.jpg.html
http://s350.photobucket.com/user/crazycanadian17/media/Copper 4_zpsohbzhvcy.jpg.html
http://s350.photobucket.com/user/crazycanadian17/media/Copper 2_zpsklzesx0x.jpg.html
My question is, does anyone know if this is a factory copper-chrome job? I have never seen this and wonder if it's just a custom commercial job. Thoughts on price?
- Location
- Steel Town
member kjohn (?) recently had one for sale. There seems to be some conflicting stories here but my research is 100% consistent with bearhunter, who I know is a knowledgable chap, with some real history to back up his statements.
They are pretty ugly, but if you find one with a good bore, why not? Handy rifle in 30-06 built using Oberndorf-made Mauser parts. Win-Win.
They are pretty ugly, but if you find one with a good bore, why not? Handy rifle in 30-06 built using Oberndorf-made Mauser parts. Win-Win.
