Mauser ID?? Check This Out

[albayo]

I have an interesting Mauser action but don't know if its harpoon or line throwing gun. It is registered as a Shotgun.
The a smooth bore barrel is 19" long, Cal 12mm. At the very end it is threaded on the inside about 15mm. The fore stock is heavily reinforced. There is a ring under the barrel that holds a spool about 7" in diameter.
I have included pictures of the gun, it appears to be unfired. The bolt is missing as it was stolen in a break in at the previous owners residence, and an ordenary 98 won't work.

This is the info on the Barrel
KONGSBERG VAPENFARIKK
Cal 12mm Made in Norway Patents Pending​

 

[tula]

freaky looking rig!!

 

[snowhunter]

I have fired one of those "Kongsberg" Mauser guns. The drum with the line is missing, and the line is connected to a rocket a rod that fits inside the barrel. The rockets is just outside the barrel, which are ignited by the guns blast, which then takes the line to a considerable distance.

I was trained with this "line gun", in which many ships are supplied with, and would be used in case of a stranding of ships, and a line had to be "throwed" ashore for rescuing the crew, if there were people ashore who could help. Could also be used between ships, if a towing line had to be sent to a rescuing ship.

The same gun can also be supplied with harpoon instead, that would then be attached to the line, for hunting smaller whales and larger seals.

So far I remember, it uses a form of the old norwegian service cartridge ?

 

[snowhunter]

I looked it up further. This norwegians Kongsberg harpoon rifle was made between 1952-75, from the large stock of captured 98 rifles from the german occupation of Norway. All german marking has been removed and replaced with Kongsberg markings. I believe the one I fired for training, used the blank
10.15x61R Jarmann cartridge, but could also be fired with a soft point bullet.
The line is 300 meter.

All variations of the Kongsberg Mausers, including military snipers in 7.62 NATO, are made up from captured german 98, albeit with all german marking removed, and replaced with Kongsberg Vaaben Fabrik and other norwegian markings.

Please look up "Kongsberg Harpoon gun".