1908 Brazil 7mm

[Mentis]

I’m glad to see there are others out there that truly appreciate the pre-WW1 contract built Mausers. Alamo308 you have a couple nice examples there. I especially like the walnut grain in the 1895 Chilean. The Mauser factory had to work to get the contracts for their rifles. They built works of art. The finest military bolt rifles ever built are the 1908 Brazilian and the 1909 Peruvian. The 1909 Argentine are also quite nice and maybe a little easier to find in high condition these days. TJmoore and Patrick Chadwick point out the differences in the 1895 and the 1898 actions. The 95 is so gracefully slender and handles so well, yet the 98 in 7mm shoots smooth due to the added weight and the perfection of the design of the cartridge itself. The 1908 Brazilian is my favorite of all these. I can’t imagine what it would cost in todays dollars to build these again. I would like to share photos of my Brazilian, I bought sold and traded many to finally come across this one. Notice how the receiver, bolt and inner workings were left in the white, yet the bolt release lever and the sight slide were a magical deep violet blue.

[Mentis]

I have a couple 1895's and 1908's I shoot but these photos are one I believe never saw the light of day from the time it got to the Brazilian arms room until imported to the USA. I cleaned the grease from the bolt face to discover what looks like the original appearance of the hardened metal and not a sign of the head of a cartridge ever striking it. I'll stop gushing now...but you can tell I am very partial to these pre-WW1 German Mausers.

[Calif-Steve]

Everyone thinks the Argentine-contract 98's are the best. But, as you can see, the mint Brazilian-contract Mausers were top notch in all regards. The French Army Museum in Paris has a mint Turk 98 Muaser, catptured at Gallipoli. All made to very high pre-WWI standards.

[Mentis]

Who contracted the pre WW1 Turkish mausers? The only ones I have experience with are the ANKRA (I think) crest marked ones made in Turkey. Those I've seen are pretty well used up. I have seen some very nice Persian rifles I think they were CZ made.

[Calif-Steve]

Very few of the original DWM Turk Mausers survived in mint condition. They were made in 7.65 caliber and were are re-built in the mid-1930's into 8mm Mausers. Finding a mint Turk Mauser is not going to happen. I did see one in Paris, France. It is the only original Turk I have ever seen. Likely 1-2 still in Turkey, none here, that I know of.