Quote Originally Posted by browningautorifleicon View Post
It looks pretty good like it is, why not leave it?
First, I want to determine how and why it was done. Patrick offers some good suggestions. This was certainly done in a professional machine shop.

Second, if it was not a military mod, then it's not correct for the rifle, and the value is reduced, and it should be fixed as well as possible.

If it turns out it was an armorer repair, or likely to be, then of course it should be retained that way.

"Looks good" is the death of so many artifacts--people who incorrectly polish swords, clean coins, chrome plate Mausers, etc.

I haven't had one in hand before, so I'm wondering if that baseplate is original. If so, Patrick's hypothesis gains additional weight. If it was fabricated from Mauser parts, we still don't know. I've got a query in with a Danishicon collector who may have additional insight.

And of course, I would try to keep the modded parts as well, since one way or another they're beautifully done examples of gunsmithing.

---------- Post added at 12:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:06 PM ----------
Quote Originally Posted by Patrick Chadwick View Post
My impression: not ex-arsenal, and not Bubba either,

To use the well-worn phrase, that magazine is "part of its history". To replace it, for instance, in the misguided attempt to make it more "original" or "correct" would, in fact, be a falsification. I am not suggesting that that is what you are intending to do, merely taking the opportunity to point out what is, alas, all too frequently done.
Yes, but it's only "part of history" if it's not Bubba.

First I need to figure out what and why. Then decide how to proceed.