Mauser barrel question

[FLWMLARRY]

I am cleaning out my hobby room and came across a large ring Mauser barrel I need help to identify. The barrel is Large Ring, 21.25 inchs long to the shoulder, it appears to be 30, but a 308 or 30-06 will not fit the chamber so I think it might be 7.65 x 53. It has a Lange Vizier (Roller Coaster) rear sight, and is marked to 200 meters. The barrel is a heavy duty type and thicker than a normal military. The barrel has 2 "steps" and the serial number on the barrel is "H7700." I assume this barrel is off a Mauser made for one of the South American countries and issued to a combat engineer or cavalry trooper. If anyone has any idea what model Mauser this came off, please let me know. Thanks!!

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[Patrick Chadwick]

If it is in 7.65x53, then it could be for an Argentinian, Peruvian or Belgian rifle. The series number does not help, as it is not country-specific. And they all used large-ring actions, so that doesn't help either.

What does narrow it down is the Lange Vizier, as that was used by Peru. Which model? Quien sabe? Probably the M1891, which was modified in 1912 to take the Lange Vizier at the time of the introduction of spitzer bullets. Ot the M1909, which was basically an export version of the Gew.98, complete with Lange Vizier. It would have been useful to measure the barrel length in the normal way. The length to the shoulder suggests that it might be a cut-down example, especially since I do not know of a short rifle made as new with a Lange Vizier. However, Ball shows an example of an arsenal-converted M1891 cut down to carbine length (barrel 19.75") that retains its Lange Vizíer, and you may have something similar. And a cut-down barrel would indeed give the impression of being fatter (in proportion to its length).

I am surprised that you were not able to identify the country by the crest on the receiver ring. If this has been ground off, then you probably have a "Bubba Special", not something done by an arsenal.

How about a couple of photos?

[FLWMLARRY]

Thanks for your info. Sadly, all i have is the barrel- i bought five columbian mausers actions and a box of mauser parts 20+ yrs ago and the barrel was included. I did see the peruivan 1891 mauser in my copy of ball's mauser rifles and the setup looks right except for the length. I recall seeing another so american mauser carbine with the same length barrel-21 .25 as mine, but it had the regular type rear sight. I sat this barrel on my work table next to a full lengthand 08 brizalian mauser barrel and it seemed to be thicker than the brazilian at the same length. I thought the "h" serial prefix might, like a brazilian serials having the stylized b prefix. I see you are in gm, i spent my last 3 yrs in stuttgart. Enjoy octoberfest and drink a couple of monchshof's for me. Larry