Mauser Stock Question

[Valkyrie45]

I have the "Service Man's" Mauser, identified in an earlier thread titled "Question about an Unusal Mauser". It is believed to have been made in the 1935 time frame and has a Caliber of 8.15 X 46R. I have begun restoring it and have a new question concerning the stock.

It is a full length Walnut stock with the bayonet lug at the end, etc.

I stripped the stock and then removed three "cut outs" that had some type of epoxy filling. Two of the cut outs are in the butt portion and are exactly opposite each other. I originally thought some one had filled in the holes where the bolt stripping aid had once been. But after removing the epoxy plugs the two cut outs were only about 3/16 inches, or less, deep. There is no hole connecting the two cut outs. Each one is approximately 15/16 inches in diameter.

The third cut out is on the right side of the receiver portion of the stock just in front of the closed bolt. This cut out is the same depth of the other two but has a diameter of approximately 1-5/16 inches.

Were these for some type of plates or discs placed in the stock for identification or some type of recoginition? I found something similar to what the butt cut outs would have in them on an Antique Military web site but there was nothing about the larger cut out.

Where can I find either originals or replica replacements of what was originally placed in these cut outs that I could use to complete the registoration?

Any help would be appreciated.

Information

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[Patrick Chadwick]

As so often, the Visier Special Edition No. 28 is a compact source of useful milsurp information, especially for Mausers. On P. 22 there is a photo of a "Wehrmannsgewehr" with a stock ID disk. BUT if is was an ID disc, it would have been fixed by a wood screw (as can be seen in the phot0). If there is no screw hole, then it was probably some kind of souvenir medallion, inlet coin or whatever, and there is no way of telling what was there orignally.

What bothers me is the cut-out "in front of the closed bolt". I presume you mean the bolt handle. This seems an unlikely place to fit a medallion or other piece of indivdualization, as it would be weakening the stock at a point where the wood is aready very thin, but it could, conceivably, be connected with the fitting of a diopter backsight or telescopic sight. Hard to tell without having the rifle in one's hands.

BTW. on the same page mentioned above you can find a table with about 15 different loads for the 8,15x46R - information that you will hardly find anywhere else!

Patrick

[Valkyrie45]

Yes, the plate on the side in front of the bolt, I was refering to the bolt handle. One knowledgeable collector thought it might have been a "Presentation" Mauser for a competition prize or something. Would love to see even an example to make a copy for this rifle.

Where can I view the source you referred to, "Visier Special Edition No. 28"? Is there a web page or source to purchase one?

[Patrick Chadwick]

Visier Verlag
e-mail: visier@vsmedien.de
Tel: 0049-2603-5060-0
Fax: 0049-2603-5060-103

German, of course, but if you send them an e-mail or fax in English I'm sure they'll puzzle it out!

Patrick