Originally Posted by HalfaDouble
Does the number on the bolt handle appear anyplace else?
Hello HalfaDouble,
Thanks for the reply.

The numbers on this rifle were explained by a knowledgeable member of a different Forum. ....

Originally Posted by buckstix
".....Its hard to see in the picture .. the bolt handle number is numbered "6328" which does not match the rifle action number of "26311". However, there is a small number "10" on the other side of the bolt handle. You can see in the pictures the same number "10" on the bottom of the action and on the bottom of the barrel. There is also a number "10" on the wedge. The trigger-guard assembly is numbered "311" which matches the last 3 numbers of the action number. ....."

Originally Posted by a member of a different Forum
" ...... the number "10“ is an assembly number by the shop that put the rifle together. Such assembly numbers served the purpose of keeping the fitted parts sorted during further steps of hardening, polishing, bluing and so on. Apparently the gunsmiths did not care much about keeping purchased Mauser parts sorted by Mauser serial numbers. It’s not unusual to find parts of several Mauser actions combined in one pre-WWI rifle. Here the bolt from action number "26328" was used to complete action number "26311". Another such mix-up may be seen in an old thread about a 9.3x62 rifle by Foerster, Berlin. On that rifle receiver and bottom metal of two 1908 commercial Mauser actions were combined with an even older Mauser bolt. ...."
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