Chinese Mauser Rifle, Hunyaug 88

[Aragorn243]

I've been watching for these on Gunbroker and they are either beat to crap with what I consider a very high price or just an even higher price and still beat to crap, just not so bad.

There's been a "Wall Hanger" listed for the past week and I was the winning bidder today. It has issues but supposedly has rifling which is a plus.

It looks to me like someone tried cleaning the stock and cracked it in the process. As I need one to stick my bayonet on and point and say, "this is a Chinese Mauser" it should be fine for my purposes. Can't wait to get my hands on it and see how bad of shape it's in. Compared to most I've seen on there it doesn't look too bad. Hopefully it is functional or can be made to be functional. It at least looks complete. I don't know the condition of the stock beyond that one large crack. He said it has lots of cracks but the other seem minor.

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[NRA]

Very nice, that looks very similar to mine. This is the only surplus rifle I own that I will never shoot. I hear they are not made up to very good quality standards. I hope others will chime in.

---------- Post added at 03:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:52 PM ----------

Can I ask what you got it for?

[Aragorn243]

I've been trying to find a Chiang Kai-shek rifle but seemed like the vast majority of them were produced after the war. I know they say the quality of those is quite variable depending on year, etc. I don't know much about this type and didn't find a lot on them yet. 1st rifle produced by China of this style (bolt action) I think.

The guy I'm getting it from has not ruled out firing it but said it is probably best as a display piece and that's probably all it will be for me. I'll wait until I can inspect if before final decision but it's a lead sled baby with a 20' string if I ever saw one.

[Patrick Chadwick]

First - and most important to the Chinese - the swastika is the mark of HANYANG (the usual transcription), the city where these rifles were built, not Hunyaug. Maybe it seems a bit picky, but Han is the mythical ancestor of the Chinese, so this is a pretty basic element. Or what would you think of a Chinese who wrote that the Statue of Liberty was in Naff Yolk Hardboard? Stick to the standard transcription - it makes it easier to find information.

Second - I once had to scrap a Chinese Mauser, for the same reason that is apparent in your example - the wood was appalling. Obviously not properly matured, and a poor cut, developing shakes from the shrinkage and a twisted grain - as you can see at the back end of the butt. This looks horrible, but is essentially cosmetic.

But the crack that would soon become dramaric if you were so adventurous as to fire it, is the one that starts behind the tang.

It looks to me like someone tried cleaning the stock and cracked it in the process.

I do not think so. This is the classic Mauser split (not only in Mausers, of course) caused by recoil that is not being adequately taken up by the recoil bolt behind the front trigger guard screw. Wood shrinkage means that the tang, which should have a visible clearance in the recess in the stock, is tight against the stock and acts like a blunt wedge when the improperly located system is rammed back by recoil.

Over-enthusiastic restorers please note: this effect is the reason why you should NOT use force to try to remove the recoil bolt. All you will do in most cases is loosen its fit by the twisting action of unscrewing, which - if it is to be a shooter - may lead one day to such a crack. If it is stuck, let it be and clean around it.

But that is academic in this case. I would not even attempt to fire it. Based on the example I had in my hands and the photos of this example, it is strictly wallhanger material.

[Calif-Steve]

The Germans sold a complete Gew88 production line before(?) WWI to China. The Chinese made piles of Gew88's, they were commonly seen in Japanese hands as WWII progressed. Also note the Germans sold something over 400,000 Gew88's into China. The rifle has quite a history in China. Not made in Manchuria (I believe), but Manchuria made Type 38's, Type 99's and Mod 98 Mausers all at the sametime with at least 3 different production lines running at the sametime. I used to see piles of Gew88's in the early 1990's in the big gunshows, very cheap ($20.00) and all beat. They were actually well made but all were really beat after serving in China for 100 years.

[Aragorn243]

All the paperwork is done at my end. Now I wait. Kind of exciting, never did this before. The great unknown of whether this is a complete bust or not. I'm basically just looking at it as a piece of history, if it can be fired, great, but I don't need to fire it and probably won't. I bought it as a display piece and I'm excited about that.

[Aragorn243]

I picked it up today. Definitely a wallhanger. The front of the stock is cracked nearly halfway. The crack at the tang doesn't appear to go that deep but the stock itself just feels light and looks like it might have worm damage. Bore has rifling but not much near the muzzle. Did not try putting a bullet in it yet. Barrel has some pitting on the exterior but not as bad as my Swede. I need a hand guard and a butt plate for it. Looks like there might be some parts interchangeability with some other types, have to investigate this.

[Aragorn243]

It would appear that a Turkish mauser hand guard will fit with some modifications and the Turkish butt plate will also fit with no modifications. Makes things a little bit easier.

[jmoore]

You are making me almost regret not getting a similar rifle that sat unloved for years in a friend's shop. Comparatively good shape. Don't know where it went.

[Aragorn243]

If I wasn't totally enthused about the history of this rifle I probably would be disappointed with it's condition but I'll get if presentable again even if it never fires another shot.

Forestock is cracked 8 inches, basically split down the middle. Wood is not oil soaked so something should stick. I need to build up a few areas on the inside where there is missing wood.

Missing the hand guard. Turk hand guard will fit perfectly with shortening about an inch and removing some wood from the interior rear.

Missing the butt plate, Turk plate should fit it without alteration although I have not physically checked this yet.

Minor cracks in butt I can glue shut, big crack I'll probably fill.

Mechanically it's all there and functioning but the bore is toast. Probably would be like shooting a musket for accuracy, bullet will probably drop right through it. It goes in all the way to the case and is loose. The case won't go in at least.

Cleaning rod is missing but I'm pretty confident I can make one. I've been experimenting with a cleaning rod for the Vetterli and the rod I have is too thick so I'll use it on this rifle. Have to make a brass head for it.