doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com M94 Mauser

I picked up a M94 Mauser last weekend as part of of trade. Does anyone here know anything about the M94? I would like to know if the gun is original or if it has been cobbled together. If the gun is original I would like to see it in the hands of a collector. If not I plan to use the action for a custom 6.5x55 project. Thanks, JB

I'm certainly not an expert but recently sold a similar original one and am currently building another one into a custom. There are at least 2 and I believe 3 versions of the 1894, all of them are carbines with the short 17.5" barrel but at least one of them is NOT intended to take a bayonet. I do know that there are some fakes out there, the buyer of my rifle was very inquisitive about the specific exact furniture such as spring retainers and similar. I think there's some sort of collector book available but don't have details. BTW I also have a relative rarity, an 1896 long infantry rifle dated 1895 on the receiver ring! It's one that apparently was rebuilt into a rifle from a carbine and used by the Finns, has the SA proof on the receiver ring and the 3 crowns burnt into the wood. All of the first contract 1894s were carbines made by Mauser at Oberndorf and were dated 1895, they are currently commanding somewhat of a premium price since they are pre-1898. Many of the 1894 carbines will be found with a 1/2" extension silver-soldered or brazed to the end of their barrels, to make them legal under the old 18" law. IMO these early Oberndorf Swedes are the cream of the crop.
Regards, Joe

Go to Dutchman's House of Karlina at http://dutchman.rebooty.com/ for complete information on Swedish M94 mauser carbines.

Although I have one, and read up on them some before buying from an acquaintance, I'm certainly no expert either! I know that it should have the medallion, sling swivels, bayonet shroud (if it had one originally), matching numbers, bent bolt handle, (the 96, and 38 have straight bolts handles).

A couple of things I learned while reading up on the 94. One may look like a 94, but it could actually be a cut down 96. I guess this was/is popular with those trying to fool would be purchasers. Another is, although preferable, it could be that the numbers don't match due to arsenal re-conditioning.

Although the Oberndorf 94's bring a premium if all original, due to their rarity, it seems as though the serious collectors (at least what I deduced from my limited research) prefer the quality of the 94's built in Sweden. As a matter of fact, that is why the Swede's started making the Mauser in Sweden. They thought they could build a better quality rifle (again what I read) then the Germans.

Regards

http://www.northcapepubs.com/swmauser.htm

Here's some good information of the various Swede Mausers.

Back when I first got interested in guns I was in the sporting department of the local Sears Roebuck store and couldnt decide between the 94 sweed and the enfield jungle carbine. They were two days of my salary then. I took the sweed for $25 and learned how to remove berdan primers with my tong tool. That was one of the most accurate military rifles I have ever owned. Also the noisiest. Wish I had it back. I Have a pristine 96 I will turn into a carbine some day. Some where out there is an Arisaka 99 I made into a carbine confusing some collector. Wish i had that back also. The 94s are now priced beyond my means. Besides I have discovered Samuri swords. They are starting to facinate me.

Back when I first got interested in guns I was in the sporting department of the local Sears Roebuck store and couldnt decide between the 94 sweed and the enfield jungle carbine. They were two days of my salary then. I took the sweed for $25 and learned how to remove berdan primers with my tong tool. That was one of the most accurate military rifles I have ever owned. Also the noisiest. Wish I had it back. I Have a pristine 96 I will turn into a carbine some day. Some where out there is an Arisaka 99 I made into a carbine confusing some collector. Wish i had that back also. The 94s are now priced beyond my means. Besides I have discovered Samuri swords. They are starting to facinate me.

Thanks for all the replies, those are some very in depth websites. Looks like my gun had the barrel band replaced which is 15 digits off. The nosepiece although numbered to the gun wears the tilted crown of Husqvarna. What does that mean as far as authenticity? Is this a good project gun or one that should be left alone? Thanks, JB

Back when I started my interest in guns there lots of M96's were still being imported. I would go down to a store on Long Island and they would let me go in the back and handpick them. They were usually $79, sometimes on sale for $69. I have been selling them off over the years , they now bring $3-400 in top condition. I also have one of the ones that Kimber sporterized years ago. Mine is still in 6.5x55 and it is a surprisingly loud boomer but very accurate. Kimber did a bunch up in the .308 family and I have read of setback problems.

My first, and only, attempt at home sporterization was done to a lovely, $79, high condition, 1896 Obendorf. I had the barrel shortened by a good smith and then tried to alter the stock and some of the metal. It ended up looking like one of those guns the apes carried in the original "Planet of the Apes"movie. Someday I may post picture or even let it out of the house....

If a Swede has any condition I would keep it together, there are too many ones out there that have been cut already at cheap prices. I picked up a barreled action at an auction for $30, another at a store for $50. I have never read of one that didn't shoot well (though I am having scope problems on my Kimber). Brownells used to have barrels for them in great old cartridges like .300 Savage, .250 Savage and .35 Rem.

The tilted Husqvarna crown on the nosepiece is not unusual, particularly on carbines dated earlier than 1914 on the front receiver ring. (If the date was overstamped by InterArmco when it was imported, the carbine has little collector value). Carbines produced prior to 1914 were not originally fitted for bayonet mounting and were usually converted by changing the nosepiece. Husqvarna manufactured nosepieces were sometmes used in the conversion.

A complete review of the collectibility of your carbine can be obtained by posting a request, with pictures, on the Swedish Military Forum on GunBoards Forum, http://forums.gunboards.com/