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Posted By: SDH-MT FRASER .318 Mauser - 05/18/18 07:56 PM






I photographed and wrote a column in Sports Afield about his very interesting Fraser with multiple sights, original scope and take-down mechanism in .318 WR. The owner, my friend had minimal restoration done, took it to NZ a shot a few stags with it. Appropriate game for a very special rifle.
I hope these images work. I have much trouble with using Imgur and never know if I'm going to get images or just the nomenclature???THANKFULLY it worked!
I'm trying to checker a stock and doing this in between...
Posted By: skeettx Re: FRASER .318 Mauser - 05/18/18 09:08 PM
Great picture posting smile
Fantastic gun
Thank you for sharing

Bolt peep, barrel sight and scope, kinda like suspenders and a belt, and ??

Mike
Posted By: cpa Re: FRASER .318 Mauser - 05/19/18 12:23 AM
Would be fun to hunt Africa with Steve Bertram's 7x57 posted earlier and your .318 for a light and medium rifle - the things dreams are made of.
Posted By: Huvius Re: FRASER .318 Mauser - 05/19/18 01:16 AM
That particular rifle would be the only Mauser ‘98 318WR built by Fraser and one of only two 318s overall, the other being a Winchester ‘95!
The 7x57 on Steve’s other thread is actually mine for a short time.

Fraser built only 15 Mauser ‘98s according to the records in Kirton’s book on Daniel Fraser.
Posted By: SDH-MT Re: FRASER .318 Mauser - 05/19/18 03:09 AM
It's got two or three barrel sights as well~~
Posted By: Mike Rowe Re: FRASER .318 Mauser - 05/19/18 03:30 PM
The records in Kirton's book are only rifles and guns that have been recorded as surviving. I myself have over 50 more on my own list that are not in Kirton's book - a dozen of those are single shots, as well a a couple of very unusual guns.
Fraser's shop records disappeared 100 years ago, so the true production is just speculation.
Posted By: Nero Re: FRASER .318 Mauser - 05/19/18 09:19 PM
It amazes me the people who go hunting for a couple of weeks with only a scope and no iron sights on a rifle.
The peep sight on that rifle is probably there as well because of a better sight picture and much easier to use.
Reckon that rifle ticks all the boxes and so inconspicuous when traveling.
Posted By: SDH-MT Re: FRASER .318 Mauser - 05/19/18 11:23 PM
The bolt handle is particularly interesting/peculiar. It leaves the bolt as a flat spoon type and at the lower end has a bulbus roundish lump with four checkered panels.
There are so many peculiar particulars about this rifle I had it for a week or more before I discovered them all. My friend purchased it at the Bozeman Gunshow where it languished because it was so peculiar and relatively expensive. Truth is, it was really inexpensive considering it's uniqueness and rarity. If offered by a national dealer it would have been a couple thousand dollars more.
It came in a wrong case but was all there including a cleaning rod in the buttstock that had knocked a hole in the toe line behind the grip.
I plugged the hole from the inside with matching walnut, shortened the rod slightly and did a mild touch-up to the stock finish.
Posted By: Huvius Re: FRASER .318 Mauser - 05/20/18 01:51 PM
Originally Posted By: Mike Rowe
The records in Kirton's book are only rifles and guns that have been recorded as surviving.


I see that now, thanks.
For some reason, I was thinking that the list was complete and simply went down the right column looking for "98s.
That eases my seller's remorse a bit...
Posted By: LRF Re: FRASER .318 Mauser - 05/21/18 03:05 AM
Steve, I have a question concerning the scope mount. In the left side view of the mount, it appears that it is attached to the action with 3 screws, however just to the left of the screw nearest the muzzle there appears to be a larger headed screw. Do you know what it's purpose is? Thanks for sharing the pictures.
Posted By: SDH-MT Re: FRASER .318 Mauser - 05/21/18 03:19 AM
The large headed screw is the take-down barrel locking screw. Look at the other Fraser posted by Steve Bertram and it will be clear.
...you are welcome~
Posted By: Bob Saathoff Re: FRASER .318 Mauser - 05/22/18 07:36 PM
I'm surprised at the great variation of the wood in the two pieces used. You would think that Fraser would have made the 2 piece stock from the same blank. Almost looks like the back half is stained maple?
Posted By: SDH-MT Re: FRASER .318 Mauser - 05/23/18 08:54 PM
They chose the forend piece for it's quarter-sawn very straight grain. Early makers often did thing for reasons we will never really understand. Have you ever seen the quite common Alex Henry grip splice?
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