Buying a used mauser

[Patrick Chadwick]

Thank you for providing good illustrations on a topic that needs illumination. Many people think that they can look down a bore and judge a rifle correctly. So they will probably rate the bores shown here in the order in which you have posted them.

In fact, all three may be perfectly serviceable rifles, but the parts that matter are not shown in the photos. Neither are they obvious by looking straight down the bore.

1) The most important is the muzzle. The very best bore will not be much use if the muzzle is damaged, or bell-mouthed. In such a case, the bullet will emerge with an uneven gas thrust over the last fraction of an inch, causing it to be diverted off the axis of the barrel.
a) The Hannover "Pickelgewehr" (pillar-breech rifle) as found. Looked like a hopeless case.
Attachment 70195
b) Cleaned up and recrowned. Rifling right to the end. BTW, all other photos show the rifles as found!
Attachment 70194
Swiss Peabody. As found. Clean rifling right up to the end.
Attachment 70198
And an as-new SMLE muzzle
Attachment 70199
Note the trick: plugging the bore with a piece of white felt provides a good diffused backlight to show up the rifling and the muzzle when the photo is at an angle to the bore axis. The "straight down the bore" view effectively blinds the eye (or the camera) to the muzzle area.

2) The second most important is the throat or transition. It is also the most difficult item to photograph!
This region is often seriously worn in old service rifles, making it difficult to prepare cartridges that seat the bullet cleanly in the throat. Looseness here causes gas blow-by that erodes the throat further. Because the loaded cartridge must have some play, it sits on the bottom of the chamber. So the bullets are rammed into the throat on a slight skew which is engraved on the bullet - which then emerges from the muzzle with a "wobble". I invite you to calculate how much axis skew over the length of a bullet corresponds to 1 MOA. The amount is very, very small.

My 1871 Mauser
Attachment 70200

And the Martini-Henry.
Attachment 70197


It is not easy to look at or photograph these areas. But much more important than admiring the rifling by looking straight down the bore. Do the same with the 3 rifles you have presented, and the choice may be much easier.