Please Identify this German Rifle

[ribaalber]

This is a 315
Has a Made in germany mark
Pretty light and very well balanced... But there is no mark of the maker or the make.


Also, What would be the market price of this in India..?

Thanks in advance

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[Vikram]

Interesting.

The photos are not clear re the markings.Is it possible for you to post clearer pictures of the markings?

The BNP is definitely Birmingham nitro proof mark since 1954. Typical German military action.

Now, please tell us if it is .315 or .318 that we see on the barrel? If it is .318, then it is 8X57 I or J. From what I can see,it most likely is a sporterised military rifle originally intended for the UK market. At least that's what the proof mark suggests.

If you know more about the rifle, please tell us.Did you see the ammunition? More details will help.

Looking at it, I would not want to do anything with it,made in Germany or not. If you want a .315, get the new one from IOF. Or get the IFO .30/06.Why take a chance with that beat up old gun with a questionable pedigree? JMHO and no offence.

Best-
Vikram

[Safarigent]

It does say 8x57 .
Vikram, do you think any german maker would scratch that .31 something made in germany on the barrels so shoddily?
Or maybe its been done here to make easier to sell off to unsuspecting buyers?

[Vikram]

Yes,it does say 8X57 right above the proof mark. The .315 he mentions on the barrel makes it a suspect.

Best-
Vikram

[herb]

It looks like a sporter converted from a 98 military Mauser action. Would have been in 8x57 originally but it is better to stay away from it if the chamber/bore has been tampered to suit a caliber that is more readily available in India like the .315.

Herb

[miroflex]

I have found many dealers in North India loosely referring to the 8x57 as the .315 rimless. Perhaps this is to take revenge on the Kirkee Factory for stamping their .315 rimmed cartridge as 8 mm.

Cheerio.

[ribaalber]

It does have a marking as 315 as well and he was using 315 cartridges.. SO perhaps you are right. I was hoping this might be a rare gun since he's had it since the 80's.

"If you want a .315, get the new one from IOF. Or get the IFO .30/06."
Are the Indian 315s and 30/06's good?
Also since we don't use the gun anything but for target practice, which one is recommended.. 315 or .30/06?

[TwoRivers]

In that case it would have been interesting to get (better) pictures of the bolt and bolt face. The pictures are not clear enough to see if the barrel is the stepped military barrel. All military barrels, M88 Commission and M98 Mauser, had .323" grooves since 1895, regardless of what you read in US writings. An original Mauser rifle for a rimmed cartridge would have a slanted magazine box.

".315" is simply the inch equivalent of 8mm. And since the ".315 India" is simply the old 8x50R Mannlicher..., Kirkee is correct in their barrel marking. But if that is what it is chambered for, why "8x57" on the receiver ring, unusual in it self.

[Safarigent]

Stay away from this rifle and pick up the iof .30-06

[Katana]

Looks like a .318 convert. Would agree with Safarigent on opting for the IOF .30-06

[BowMan]

It's a sporterized Kar 98.

The 3rd picture just in front of the sight is a band/sleeve where the woodwork of the original military rifle would have fitted in.

The BNP proof mark suggests the rifle has landed on the shores of England and got it's proofing done at Birmingham. Probably a military surplus/war trophy.

Also for sure the 'Germany' written on the barrel is not original lettering and someone has got it done after the rifle was sporterized.

I hope this helps.

Regards,

[YogiBear]

Aloha,

Best would be a casting of the chamber and measuring the casting.

Also slugging the bore and measuring that will give the inforamation that you need.

[TwoRivers]

Looks like a .318 convert.

How do you figure that? Everything I can see points to it having been post 1903-05, when the existing stock of rifles was rechambered for the "Patrone S". The early long Mauser rifles have an entirely different rear sight. And no German military Mauser ever had .318" grooves. Whatever cartridge it is chambered for now, I'm sure it started out as a 98k 8x57IS, a.k.a. 7.92mm, a.k.a. .312" Mauser.

[coltpython]

Where is this rifle located?

[marksman]

Have this dealer/owner fire a round of our desi 315 IOF through it while you stand at a safe distance. This done, examine the dimensions of the fired shell visually and you'll have your answer. I had a friend re bored a beautiful German double (8X60R) rifle to 315 IOF, It fired alright except that the bottleneck shell fire formed into a straight wall. He managed to sell it at a decent price as well. We Indians don't care about the spent shell once the bullet manages to leave the barrel as long as it manages to hit somewhere around the intended target.

Marksman