What Mauser Action is This?

[rookhawk]

I get a bit sloppy with Mausers made in Europe and assume small bores 99.9999% of the time are 98 large rings.

This one may not be. Large ring scope mounts are not correct (first clue) and there is a peculiar piece on the right side of the rear bridge.

It’s a Ferlach. Anyone know what this is? Lightest stalking rifle I’ve handled in awhile. @Red Leg ?

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

I’ll venture a guess and likely prove my ignorance.

Looks like a Husqvarna action that had a peep sight installed that the stock was inletted for and someone removed it at some point and filled the gap.

Probably wrong.

 

[rookhawk]

I’ll venture a guess and likely prove my ignorance.

Looks like a Husqvarna action that had a peep sight installed that the stock was inletted for and someone removed it at some point and filled the gap.

Probably wrong.

Not the case. Ferlach (Austrian) and a great many of the google images on these Marholdt Peterlongo of Tyrol guns have that thing on the side of the rear bridge.

This gun was built in '53 and remains new and unfired. I just drilled and tapped it for scope mounts last night, then fit optic and rings before I send them off to be engraved to match the rifle.

I just have no idea what the action actually is. I assumed large ring mauser because that's what Germanic peoples use. The gun cocks on open. It has the larger front ring so it isn't a small ring mauser. However, the height of the rear bridge is .062" lower than a standard 98 large ring so by coincidence a small ring mauser rear scope base is....062" shorter and will work perfectly.

Other nifty things about the action is that it has double triggers, a cocking piece shroud custom safety, and a tang safety for stalking. Whatever it was, a ton of custom work was done to it, unless Marholdt Peterlongo actually built their own custom actions which I find very hard to believe.

Chambered for 30-06 so not a Kurz or other obvious action type.

 

[VertigoBE]

I'll be following this with interest

 

[Monsai52]

Love to see more pictures!

Best regards,

 

[rookhawk]

Some additional examples from this same maker. No stripper clip slot, no thumb groove in the left action wall. Definitely a commercial action of some sort. Cock on open like a normal 98 large ring. Just this strange piece added to the right side, rear bridge by the maker.

 

[Sarg]

Very nice rifle you have there for sure, congrats !

Would like to see more of it to know what it was for sure.

Don't you think the makers ground off the stripper clip loading parts to form the sporter action & took it down to the small ring height ?

 

[R.M.C.]

That's a sweet looking rifle no matter what it is!

 

[rookhawk]

Very nice rifle you have there for sure, congrats !

Would like to see more of it to know what it was for sure.

Don't you think the makers ground off the stripper clip loading parts to form the sporter action & took it down to the small ring height ?

I do not. It was a commercial action because it does not have the thumb cut on the left side of the action.

 

[rookhawk]

Just trolling google images for “Ferlach Mauser” I started finding other Austrian makers that also had this action. Still no idea what it is though.

 

[AZDAVE]

Looks like it is one of the Banner commercial mauser action from the 40-50s time frame.

 

[rookhawk]

Looks like it is one of the Banner commercial mauser action from the 40-50s time frame.

But what is the blued steel plate, retained by one screw, featured on the right rear bridge of these actions?

I don’t think it’s for an aperture sight mount unless there was an Austrian proprietary accessory they pre-drilled and then covered with a plate?

Many guns all have this same feature and it’s a curious one.

 

[Clodo Ferreira]

Hi rookhawk,

Looks like an FN action, to me. Strange it has not the drilled and tapped holes...perhaps the Ferlach maker asked for one not drilled and tapped. Or the Ferlach maker filled the holes.

 

[rookhawk]

Well, I still have no idea what Mauser action it is but I’ve been puttering around with it in the workshop.

I drilled and tapped the action for scope bases and put on a set of Talley 98 “Large Rings” to find the fit was rather poor. Specifically, the rear bridge mount was about .062” higher than the front mount. I spoke to Talley and they mentioned their “Small Ring“ mounts were .062” lower in the rear and they sent me a set. I tried And they were a good fit. But it isn’t a small ring, the front ring measures “large ring” and it cocks on open. Add to that, Ferlach (Austrian) Mausers are almost always Oberndorff with a small handful being Belgian. In 1953 I’m not sure who was in the mauser action business making odd commercial actions, but it is what it is.

Next step was finding a proper “stalking rifle” Scope for the weapon. It is so svelte in the hand and such a nice lightweight gun I gave this a lot of thought. I couldn’t think of a better scope to mount low than the Swarovski Z3 3-9x36mm with a 1” tube. This is an absolutely fantastic scope for relatively reasonable money that weighs next to nothing. ($650 delivered)

A couple of other odd projects are left to do on the rifle before I give it to my youngest son as a present, his first “personal Rifle”.

Look how absolutely perfect the bolt shroud safety lever’s geometry matches the scope focal objective.

 

[VertigoBE]

That is one lovely rifle @rookhawk! Excellent mounting of that scope as well !

 

[AZDAVE]

Nice touches, your son will have a great rifle to make a lifetime of memories with.

 

[pjaln]

most likely an FN action , I think the screw is there to stop any wobble in the bolt when retracted

 

[ZG47]

Could it be a Ferlach interpretation of Wilhelm Brenneke’s modification to reduce breechbolt play?

 

[pjaln]

Could it be a Ferlach interpretation of Wilhelm Brenneke’s modification to reduce breechbolt play?

thats what it looks like

 

[pjaln]

these ferlach rifles , marholdt , waffen dshulnigg , type are a lot of gun for the money if you like the Tyrolean style