This rifle came out of a private collection in Iowa about 25 years ago. I didn't know the details of this rifle until I got it. What makes it unusual?
Its a rebuild with all the parts being stamped with the number 5. On the receiver sidewall where it would normally be stamped IG71 it was carefully removed and polished over. Not roughly ground off but polished. What really gets the curiosity going is that brass thumbtack with the number 10.
The late Mauser expert John Wall suggested this rifle was a sample piece where prospective buyers could view and handle items for sale. Northern Ireland was one such customer of these early Mauser rifles. The facts of this sample are lost to history.
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