What have I got?

stevejones

stevejones

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I have recently had a hunting rifle come into my possession. I am trying to figure out what I have. On the receiver is marked Obbendorf on the side and forward of it is 30 US gov. It has a a 2 leaf folding rear sight. Quality seems very nice and overall condition is somewhere between good-very good.
Any help would be appreciated and perhaps some idea of its value.

Cheers. Steve.
 
stevejones said:
i have recently had a hunting rifle come into my possession. I am trying to figure out what i have. On the receiver is marked obbendorf on the side and forward of it is 30 us gov. It has a a 2 leaf folding rear sight. Quality seems very nice and overall condition is somewhere between good-very good.
Any help would be appreciated and perhaps some idea of its value.

Cheers. Steve.
Click to expand...
ttiwwop
 
.30 US Gov without the '06 designation could be a .30/40 Krag. Although it would seem unlikely to run a rimmed cartridge through a 98 action, Model 70 Winchesters were occasionally chambered for rimmed cartridges. If the rifle is an Oberndorf commercial sporter, it could be valuable. If on the other hand its just a military rifle cut up into a hunting rifle, with a .30/06 barrel spun on it, not so much.

Some features to look for are: appealing wood and checkering, a lever opening hinged floor plate, integral scope bases, a scalloped butt plate, and a bead front sight, possibly on a barrel band. The leaf sight suggests you might have something special, so try to post a picture.
 
Photos would really help.
It could be an original Mauser sporting rifle.
It could be a Mauser actionned sporting rifle made by a skilled German gunmaker.
It could also be a Mauser actionned sporting rifle made up using a salvaged military action. There were a lot of these cranked out in the '20s and early '30s with quality all over the place.
 
I too think it is a .30-40 Kraig. I'd do a chamber cast using Cerrosafe available through Brownells. You could also try a round to see if it chambers properly, but to be super safe, I wouldn't shoot it before I did the chamber cast. Also, you might try a web search for "Obbendorf".

Pete
 
Oberndorf - German, .30 US. Gov. - 30-06, 98 Mauser - quite likely. Pics would certainly help. FWIW --- John303.
 
John303 said:
Oberndorf - German, .30 US. Gov. - 30-06, 98 Mauser - quite likely. Pics would certainly help. FWIW --- John303.
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Obbendorf is a castle town in Germany....BURG OBBENDORF. .30 Govt was the designation for the .30-40 Kraig as is .45-70 Govt. Similarly, .32 WCF was the original designation for the .32-20.....etc. etc.

Pete
 
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Boomer said:
.30 US Gov without the '06 designation could be a .30/40 Krag. Although it would seem unlikely to run a rimmed cartridge through a 98 action, Model 70 Winchesters were occasionally chambered for rimmed cartridges. If the rifle is an Oberndorf commercial sporter, it could be valuable. If on the other hand its just a military rifle cut up into a hunting rifle, with a .30/06 barrel spun on it, not so much.

Some features to look for are: appealing wood and checkering, a lever opening hinged floor plate, integral scope bases, a scalloped butt plate, and a bead front sight, possibly on a barrel band. The leaf sight suggests you might have something special, so try to post a picture.
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Your description seems to match what I'm looking at. Its a very nicely done rifle and does not appear to be a conversion. All the features you described are on the rifle. I will try to get pics posted soon. Thanks very much for your help.

Cheers. Steve.
 
I have never heard of a 98 mauser in 30/40. I would be confident to say its a 30-06. I have seen these stamped as such and they were fine guns.
 
:popCorn:
Anxiously waiting to see some pics!
It would be nice if it is an original Oberndorf Sporting rifle chambered in 30 Gov't (30-06 Springfield). A fair bit of value there!;)
 
Conversions come in all cartridges. I sold a pre-war Mauser 98 converted to civilian in 9.3 Mauser. Absolutely no markings except for a few proofmarks. Double set triggers, bent handle and flattened bolt knob. The barrel was needle thin, with a two-leaf express sight. The foreend was barely thick enough around the receiver, tapering to a toothpick with a little bumpy schnabel knob.
 
Now you've got me thinking. I'm finding this whole ".30 US Gov't" thing somewhat confusing. Commercial made firearms made in ".30-06" were stamped .30 US Gov't or .30-06 Springfield or .30-06. What I found was that the .30-40 Krag was designated as a .30 US Army. And then there was the .30-03 (.30 US ????)
 
:redface:Hey Everyone. Pictures are coming...So I must have taken a stupid pill. It is stamped US 1906 on the receiver and Wafefrabik Oberndorf. The serial numbers on the barrel and receiver both match. It has a commercial floor plate release that is incorporated into the trigger guard. There is a barrel band with a swing swivel and a ramp front sight. Did they come drilled and tapped for a scope? It has an old Bushnell 2 power post/cross hair on it and the safety has been changed to accept the scope.

Cheers. Steve.
 
stevejones said:
:redface:Hey Everyone. Pictures are coming...So I must have taken a stupid pill. It is stamped US 1906 on the receiver and Wafefrabik Oberndorf. The serial numbers on the barrel and receiver both match. It has a commercial floor plate release that is incorporated into the trigger guard. There is a barrel band with a swing swivel and a ramp front sight. Did they come drilled and tapped for a scope? It has an old Bushnell 2 power post/cross hair on it and the safety has been changed to accept the scope.

Cheers. Steve.
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A lot of wheels were turning in peoples heads as to a great value, until you came to the scope! Oh dear.
 
Rifles like yours have been referred to on Accurate Reloading a couple of times over the past year or two. It appears they were made for export to the U.S. and possibly Canadian markets. The photos shown on AR had the same cartridge markings you are mentioning. You might try doing a search there for those threads. Think they were in the gunsmithing forum.
 
Steve. Does look like this? If so it's Oberndorf commercial sporter. Note mine's been altered for scope.
Geoff
ModBcalibrescript.jpg

ModBrightaction.jpg

Geoff
 
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