Mauser 71/84

[MauserMike]

There's been lots of action on the old 71's and 71/84's lately so I thought I would show off mine. Spandau 1888 production. I haven't fired it yet but it seem to be in good working order. I had to replace the magazine spring, that's about it and the price was right.

Sorry for the crummy pics but my flash died and I had to use on camera.

As you can see, bubba never got a hold of this doll.

The famous wing safety, invented by Paul Mauser originally for the model 71, when the army requested a safety device. This is what he came up with and its nearly full proof as it blocks the firing pin, not the trigger. Stamped 1888. You can see the take down screw. These are pinned so they don't fall out in the 71/84's. If forced they will break, so it only needs to be loosened enough for the bolt to come out.

Infantrie Gewehr Model 71/84, with the magazine cutoff. The military doctrine of the time dictated that troops loaded the tube magazine full and used the cutoff to operate in single shot mode until it became necessary to increase the rate of fire.

Marked for Kaiser Wilhelm I, made in the Spandau arsenal in Berlin. You can get a hint of the quality of the machined parts throughout by examining the sight letter grip serrations. The rifle is truly made to be fit for a Emperor.

Unit marking. I believe 10th Reserve Infantrie, 2nd Kompanie, rifle 234. As you can see on the screw, each and every small part is stamped and matched to the serial number of the rifle.

A view of the shell carrier. With the magazine cutoff off, it flips down then up to feed the round from the tube magazine into the chamber.

Question: anyone know where I can get a bayonet to match? It would be impressive - I'm nearly 6 feet tall and the rifle nearly comes to my shoulders!

 

[jbmauser]

Very nice! It looks to be in very good condition. The unit markings are very cool.

 

[smellie]

I think you will find that with the bayonet attached, the rifle will dwarf you!

I believe the Seitengewehr 71 will fit, but I could be wrong on that.

Blade was about 22 inches! It would actually make a pretty decent short-sword.
.

 

[tokguy]

This one is living "In Estate" at the moment.
It's probably mine if I speak up, but I've no hurry; nor does the executor of the will.

I wish I could have gotten the Carbine actually, but sera, sera, right?

 

[Nabs]

I have your sister rifle. Made at Spandau in 1888, serial number 9600.

Your unit marking refers to the Ersatz battalion of an Infantry regiment (the replacement unit where replacements would be drawn from). It could be read as 10th Infantry regiment, Ersatz battalion, 2nd company, weapon # 234.

My unit marking is to the same regiment, same company, but weapon # 130.

I recently got two consecutive unit marked 71.84s, one is another Spandau 1888 and the other is my Danzig 1887. Both are unit marked to a training school for an infantry regiment and are two weapon numbers apart. I am presently hunting down the two in between rifles so I can have four in a row.

I recently shot my 1887 Danzig and boy that was alot of fun. I'll be sure to reload for her and take her out again as she was very accurate and quite pleasant to shoot. I also had no trouble figuring out which hits were mine on a public target .

 

[polaris]

Here is mine:

it's a great shooter as well.

 

[MauserMike]

Nabs, that's quite a coincidence for you and I to have two rifles from the same Kompanie within the same Batallion! I'm not up on 19th century German Army organization, but there has to be about 150 men per Kompanie, maybe with twice as many rifles to account for replacements? Their former owners might have been buddies. The rifles may have crossed sword bayonets in training.

Very nice to see these coming out of the safe to see the light of day. Some nice looking pieces here. I have everything to shoot mine, but with me moving, reloading stuff is getting all packed up. That doesn't excuse that I've had it for a year though LOL.

 

[BadgerDog]

Nice piece MauserMike ...

Here's mine …

Had it a few years now…

Probably going on the block with a lot of other stuff this Fall sometime …

(Click PIC to Enlarge)

1887 I.G. (Infanterie-Gewehr) Model 71/84 (11mm) Mauserhttp://www.milsurps.com/content.php?r=217-1887-I.G.-(Infanterie-Gewehr)-Model-71-84-(11mm)-Mauser
(Manufactured at Amberg Arsenal in 1887)

Regards,
Doug

 

[Nabs]

Polaris, that is one exceptional looking Danzig!

I have a regimental sister rifle, made at Erfurt in 1887, marked to your infantry regiment but to company # 4, weapon # 234.

Badger, that Amberg is a real beauty, you do not commonly see Bavarian made rifles as their number of regiments was significantly smaller than Prussia. You can just imagine Bavarian troops drilling, parading, cleaning, and learning to shoot with that rifle in their hands.

For those that may have been around when these were brought in, or perhaps know the story, were these rifles brought in in packing crates in grease ? This may explain why we are bumping into rifles that are marked to the same regiment. It may also explain that many of these rifles were sold off most likely in the 1890-1900s to pay for the Gewehr 88s and Gewehr 98s being made. If so, we also have a link to regiments that were likely rearmed with Gewehr 88s for training and familiarization.

 

[polaris]

Nice piece MauserMike ...

Here's mine …

Had it a few years now…

Probably going on the block with a lot of other stuff this Fall sometime …

(Click PIC to Enlarge)

1887 I.G. (Infanterie-Gewehr) Model 71/84 (11mm) Mauserhttp://www.milsurps.com/content.php?r=217-1887-I.G.-(Infanterie-Gewehr)-Model-71-84-(11mm)-Mauser
(Manufactured at Amberg Arsenal in 1887)

Regards,
Doug

Very nice rifle Doug.

It is very interesting to see the L under the crown. What is not to sure is it for Prinzregent Luitpold of Bavaria or for King Ludwig II of Bavaria, who died in 1886.
King Ludwig II is the same guy who built all the castles, and on June 13. 1886 drowned mysteriously in the lake of Starnberg, just south of Munich

 

[polaris]

Polaris, that is one exceptional looking Danzig!

I have a regimental sister rifle, made at Erfurt in 1887, marked to your infantry regiment but to company # 4, weapon # 234.
Badger, that Amberg is a real beauty, you do not commonly see Bavarian made rifles as their number of regiments was significantly smaller than Prussia. You can just imagine Bavarian troops drilling, parading, cleaning, and learning to shoot with that rifle in their hands.

For those that may have been around when these were brought in, or perhaps know the story, were these rifles brought in in packing crates in grease ? This may explain why we are bumping into rifles that are marked to the same regiment. It may also explain that many of these rifles were sold off most likely in the 1890-1900s to pay for the Gewehr 88s and Gewehr 98s being made. If so, we also have a link to regiments that were likely rearmed with Gewehr 88s for training and familiarization.

any pictures?

 

[Nabs]

Here we are:

Bubba got to them but I am in the process of restoring the Erfurt as well as the Spandau 1888 (the one marked to the training school). The Erfurt is on top, the Spandau, on the bottom. It is nice to see the Monarch's initials are still intact on both of them.

Erfurt's cartouche markings:

Spandau's cartouche markings:

Here are some of my Danzig. Bubba also got to her but not as bad. I couldn't find my full length shot of her but hopefully these will give you all an idea how she is:

Now here is where it gets interesting. I found the Danzig at a local gun show up in T-bay about four months ago. The second Spandau 1888 came with the Erfurt from a gun shop in Southern Ontario. Both were once on the same regiment rifle rack 120 years ago, about two rifles apart.

The Danzig's unit marking: 11th infanterie regiment, training school, weapon # 318

The Spandau's unit marking: 11th infanterie regiment, training school, weapon # 315

Restoration is underway for all three of them. The one rifle that is helping me with measurements was the first 71.84 I purchased, a Spandau 1888.

She is marked to the 10th infanterie regiment, ersatz battalion, 2nd company, weapon # 130.

I thought this would also be interesting to show; two 71.84 bayonets. These are proving to be difficult to locate as a number of them I have seen on Ebay are Spanish short bayonets that were scrubbed of markings and mis-identified.

The first bayonet would be closely linked with Badger's Amberg. It was marked to a Bavarian infantry regiment training school but then cancelled out and re-issued to a Bavarian line infantry regiment. Most notable is the blood pitting that covers much of the metal on the bayonet from end to end. The bayonet was made in 1896 and bears Bavarian acceptance marks on the spine.

Last, but not least, a 71.84 bayonet marked to a Machine gun company of an infantry regiment. This one was definitely carried and used. Perhaps it was on the belt of an MG gunner during the Somme ? It was made in 1888 and has Prussian proof marks on the spine. I also got some pictures of the bayonet fixed to one of my 88s and 71.84s.

 

[polaris]

it is quite astonishing that we have rifles from the same regiment, which was stationed at the Garrison city of Rawitsch in lower Silesia, today Poland.

50. Niederschlesisches Infanterieregiment.

Here is a postcard from the Garrison city of Rawitsch from before the turn of the 20. century:

PS you know that Numrich has still a lot of parts to complete your "sporterized" Mausers.

Anybody shoots their 71/84?

here is my recipe, which is quite accurate:

Bullet Barn bullets
1/2 sheets of toilet paper and
36.5 grs of Varget powder

lots of fun

BTW these loads produce a shower of confetties, and when asked about it, I tell the bystanders that this is my "Party Gun"

 

[fugawi]

Interesting thread. Nice to see these rifles - I don't know anything about them though.

 

[kjohn]

Great pics and histories. Thanks for taking the time to share this info.

 

[Nabs]

Thank you for the info, Polaris. It is amazing what a marking on a butt plate can do to change an ordinary rifle to something more.

I see you have re-used Dominion brass for reloading, have you had any issues ? I heard their cases can be tricky. The reason I ask is I have about 20 once fired cases that I wish to use for my Danzig.

I also had a peak at Numrich's website and I can only seem to find the Mauser 1871 listed ? Seems they have changed the website since I last bought parts from them.

 

[polaris]

I purchased the brass "new" (at least 30 years old) from a guy on the site.
The brass in the pictures was used for 3 reloads already.
Reloading is very easy and straight forward, but you must flare (slightly)the case mouth before seating the bullets.

Numrich's website is a little bit tricky, you have to research more.
There are lots of parts for the 71/84 Mauser, I checked the site yesterday and it was still there.

I guess I will have to do it myself, it's so difficult to get good help nowadays
http://www.gunpartscorp.com/catalog/Products.aspx?catid=4218

 

[Nabs]

Good to know and thank you for the link on Numrich. They do actually have the parts I require in stock so I will have to save up the funds then these rifles can be in their proper trim once again.

I also thought I would post this image. It comes from a good friend of mine, A1Coyote on Gew88.com and Gunboards and is borrowed with permission.

From what I understand, this picture was taken at a POW camp. The Landsturmmen are armed mostly with Gewehr 71s but there are a few Gewehr 71.84s present most notably with the soldier on the far left of the group, seated in the first row.

 

[polaris]

Looks like a very serious bunch of "crackshots".

The guy in the front row on the far left you say?

Isn't that a broom and a dust pan?

 

[Nabs]

I guess I should have said their left ? .

Alright, lets be correct and say on the right side of the image from your computer screen, the first person in the first seated row .