M1896 Swedish Mauser

[JSF01 13]

So I was at a gun show and found this M1896 It has a scope base mount which serial number matches the bolt and the butt plate. I am not seeing a serial number stamped on the receiver, and things like the magazine plate, barrel bands, and bolt removal lever have different. The sticker on the butt stock reads "Kontrollerad av tekniker" which acourding to the google translation translates to "Checked by technician" The receiver is stamped 1908.

 

I did make a terrible mistake while I was at the gun show while I had been browsing I cam across a M98 Mauser that a dealer had amongst all the new black rifles (my guess is he got it as some part of a trade or something) for $200 I had only glanced over it real quick, it had a 7.62 stamped on the receiver, before moving on. It was not until I had left and was half way home that it clicked, and I believe that Mauser was actually a pretty rare specimen. See that Mauser had two 6 sided stars stamped on it as well which indicated it was one of the ones Israel had acquired, and means they were the ones to that converted it to 7.62. Now that alone not super special, as the Israelis had gotten quite a few k98's, except that rifle was not a k98 Mauser, it was dated 1917.  How much was that rifle worth, I don't have any clue other than it was probably worth at least the $200 it was being sold for.

[GRIZ 3,369]

The brass disc is an inspection tag indicating bore condition, bore size, and any variation of elevation shooting military ammo. Google "swedish mauser brass disc" and go to the link for Chuck Hawks website and he explains it all well. Yours has some wear but the Swedish armorers were very picky. The Swedes were so picky they even insisted on providing the steel to Mauser for making these rifles.

 

The Israeli Mauser you saw is worth more than the $200 if it was in decent shooting condition. I wouldn't say the 1917 date makes it rare. Just means it was made during WWI. It still is a 98 Mauser. Mausers were commonly marked by maker and the year of production. I have an Israeli Mauser in near mint condition and the receiver was made by FN for the Germans in 1944. Most of the Israelis I've seen were made from receivers made during WWII. I'm sure some WWI receivers found their way into being converted so I wouldn't call them rare. Maybe less common but not rare. If you look at photos from the Yom Kippur War you'll see reservists still carrying these rifles.

 

IIRC Maks seemed to know a bit about these Israelis. Perhaps you could PM him and he can provide more info.

[JSF01 13]

Rare was probably the wrong word with less common being a better description. I am just really kicking my self for not picking it up, since my gut was telling me to pick it up but I ignored it as I already had spent my self imposed limit (well okay I was a little under but that Mauser would have put me over).