Sirs, I recently won on an online auction a Mauser rifle advertised as being FN manufactured and 8mm. It arrived at my ffl guy and these were the only markings anywhere on the receiver. The barrel was not marked anywhere at all. There might be stamps/marks if I separate the action and the stock. Does any one know what these stamps mean and how does the seller know it is 8mm? The previous owners word? It does have an Adolph Jackenkroll claw mount scope set up which is nice.

That is a proof mark that shows nitro proof with a 12.7 gram steel jacketed bullet. This proof would be consistent with 8x57. You should remove the stock and show the other proof marks, this one is on the action and would not apply if it has been rebarreled. The dovetail cut for the scope mount removed the identifiers.
Mike

Mike,

Are these Belgian or German proof marks?

Rob

The proof mark is German commercial proof.

It was the smokeless powder proof for a rifled bbl.
..But the mark was only used up until 1912.
(mid 1893 when manditory proof went into effect until 1912 when the marking was changed)

I don't know that FN/Liege was making a (licensed) Model 98 action in or before 1912. If they were I can't recall any.

My guess would be that a 98 action that recv'd that early of a proof mark was an Oberndorf Mauser mfg.

I think you will find that mark is not pre 1912, rather it is post 1912. The older mark had the powder proof load included. It caused confusion( along with showing bore diameter in gauge measurement) when ammo boxes showed it was loaded with more powder than the proof load, which was stronger powder.
Mike

NICE looking gun !!

See marks #19- 21

http://www.shotguns.se/html/germany_1890-1945.html

I think 17 and 20 combined is what you have

Maybe there is also a date code somewhere

Wonder if the front scope mount is covering or removed the maker mark?

RedofTx,
We still need to see the proof marks under the barrel. You will have to remove barreled action from stock to show them.
Mike

Thanks for the info Mike. Here are some more pics. I believe I have posted now all the markings I could find. Any other info to learn about this rifle would be great.

A few more.

Hopefully a better pic of the bolt.

RedofTx,
Your rifle was built from a surplus military action by someone in or around Zella Mehlis and was proofed in June 1932, with the ledger number 427. The 7.9/57 means it is 8x57, but could have either .318" or .323" groove diameter. You can "slug" the barrel to determine which. If you fire a cartridge in it and a .323" bullet will go into the fired case, base first, without effort, you can load it with .323" bullets.
Mike

So no Belgian proofs, it's not an FN, correct?

It's not FN.
Mike

Per Vanderlinden FN was specifically disallowed making 98s by contract and partial German ownership(and board positions) until after WWI.

First (small) contract for 98s was the Brazilian 1922 Carbine.
Large manufacture of 98s began with the 1924 contract for the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.

RedofTX,

Is this rifle built on a small ring action?

Your pictures just miss the portion that would tell us for sure?

The rifle is large ring, there are several photos that show this.
Mike

It may be, but the shadows in the pictures(at least on my monitor) conceal the step behind the ring.

I asked as small ring KAR98a production continued (briefly) after the war in civilian guise until shut down by terms of the Treaty of Versailles. There is a collector market for those rifles.

Sorry for the late reply. Just now checking in and reading email and such. Been hunting hard 11/7 & 8th. Thankfully harvested two does for the freezer. Skinned and quartered them on the 9th and Sunday is church day. Now for me it's bucks only left to fill my tags.

Utah what pictures do you need of the rifle and I will take and post.

Also would pictures and questions go on this forum for a recently acquired R.F. Sedgley rifle? It's not a 30-06 but......250/3000. and it's on a Mauser action and not a 1903.

I would like to see photos of your Sedgley .250 Sav.

Wonder if it is on a kurz Mauser action?