BGlass,
You asked for information. There is no doubt you bought the rifle as a 38-55 as it is plainly marked 38-55. However, it was proofed as having an 8,7mm bore (not groove or bullet) diameter barrel, which speaks to one of the 9,3 cartridges instead. The most common of the 9.3's was the 9.3x72R, but the closest to the 38-55 was the 9.3x57R. Immediately after the war, when German ammunition was scarce to non-existent, 38-55 ammunition was often fired in 9.3x72R rifles. This was because there wasn't much information about German rifles and the 38-55 would chamber in many of them and they didn't blow up. In spite of the difference in bullet diameters, lead bullets are pretty forgiving and 38-55 jacketed bullets were made for modest velocity and had a chance to move before encountering the smaller diameter barrel. There is a chance that the rifle was rechambered to 38-55, if it wouldn't chamber in this particular rifle. If you want to find out whether it was made as a 9.3x57R or 9.3x72R (or one of the other 9.3s) or if it was rechambered; the answer lies in a chamber cast. If you have been shooting it as a 38-55 and are satisfied with the accuracy, you might not care what the answer is. You also wondered why such a rifle wouldn't show the maker's name. Such rifles were made "for the trade" and sold to different dealers for marketing to the "end users". These dealers often applied their own name, but some did not. This is why many seemingly identical rifles have different names, or no name. While it is not actually a model 1871 Mauser, this type of action was known as a 71 Mauser type and was a popular style rifle for small cartridges up to the 9.3x72R, including cartridges for both hunting and target shooting. While it is counterintuitive, production of sporting rifles continued through the war.
I was interested that the rifle in the photo was laying on a Berdan decapping tool. Did it come with the rifle? Do you handload Berdan primed cartridges?
Mike
