Early Mauser.......
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 5:46 pm
A friend of mine recently inherited a rifle that he knew nothing about, only that he thinks his brother
bought it mail order long ago. He asked me and all I knew is it looked like an early Mauser single shot. So I
brought it home and did some research on it, turns out it is an interesting rifle. And it seems that almost every
part and screw has a stamp on it. Also it's long, 51". Actually in quite nice shape, functions well, very good bore,
and all matching numbers.
Do any of you out there have one of these rifles?
This is info that I found online.........
"The Mauser Model 1871 adopted as the Gewehr 71 or Infanterie-Gewehr 71, or "Infantry Rifle 71 ("I.G.Mod.71" was
stamped on the rifles themselves) was the first rifle model in a distinguished line designed and manufactured by
Paul Mauser and Wilhelm Mauser of the Mauser company and later mass-produced at Spandau."
"In 1894, Uruguay had their stockpile of M71 rifles converted to 6.5×53.5mm SR by Société Française d'Armes Portatives Saint Denis in France. They were given new stocks, barrels, sights, bands, and side mounted cleaning rods. These were unsatisfactory due to weak springs, and many were thrown away."
"Uruguayan Mauser-Daudeteau “Dovitis Rifle”
Closing in on the turn of the century, Uruguay was a small and poor nation still struggling for a solid national identity. In this hazy period its rowdy neighbors began to follow the smokeless powder arms race. With little to spend, the nation was lured into an unique solution by a Greek immigrant named Dovitis.
Much of the Uruguayan rifle inventory in 1890 was made of U.S. Rolling Blocks and German Mauser 1871 single-shot rifles. Both chambered in older cartridges, the Uruguayan military wanted to update on the cheap. It isn’t really clear how Mr. Dovitis knew to connect the government with the Société Française d’Armes Portatives, Saint Denis, but his name has remained intertwined with the rifle ever since. In Uruguay these guns took on the nickname “Dovitis Rifles.”
Roughly 10,000 pieces were shipped to St.Denis for conversion to a 6.5mm cartridge designed by Louis Daudeteau. There is likely some further story here, as a variety of 6.5mm cartridges were being promoted by Daudeteau rather aggressively and it likely was pushed on the Uruguayans rather than selected. Regardless, these rifles were refitted with barrels, bands, and rear sights nearly identical to the Mle.1886 Lebel (likely what was handy and cheap to work with at St. Denis) and shipped home with fresh ammunition in 1894. Remember though, these are still single shot weapons! They were also apparently paired with a bayonet similar to the Lebel’s but we had trouble spotting an example.
Now, sources vary slightly on what the root cause was, but what we know is the Mauser-Daudeteau failed miserably. Some blame the weak springs, while others point at ammunition with hard primers or rimless when semi-rimmed was called for. Regardless the guns were unreliable and saw limited service, being quickly replaced with proper Mauser repeaters. In all likelihood the ammo was to blame, however, as collectors who reload the rifles have often remarked that they function fine and shoot accurately.
These guns can still be found in the collectors market. While they don’t have much of a service history, they definitely represent one of the most unusual stories of attempted thrift and perhaps the first we’ve seen on such a scale that was a complete failure. However, by all accounts they are pleasant shooters should you take the time to reload. So if you want a large, heavy, accurate 6.5mm with an unusual story keep an eye out!"
So it will be an interesting story for my friend when I give the rifle back.
bought it mail order long ago. He asked me and all I knew is it looked like an early Mauser single shot. So I
brought it home and did some research on it, turns out it is an interesting rifle. And it seems that almost every
part and screw has a stamp on it. Also it's long, 51". Actually in quite nice shape, functions well, very good bore,
and all matching numbers.
Do any of you out there have one of these rifles?
This is info that I found online.........
"The Mauser Model 1871 adopted as the Gewehr 71 or Infanterie-Gewehr 71, or "Infantry Rifle 71 ("I.G.Mod.71" was
stamped on the rifles themselves) was the first rifle model in a distinguished line designed and manufactured by
Paul Mauser and Wilhelm Mauser of the Mauser company and later mass-produced at Spandau."
"In 1894, Uruguay had their stockpile of M71 rifles converted to 6.5×53.5mm SR by Société Française d'Armes Portatives Saint Denis in France. They were given new stocks, barrels, sights, bands, and side mounted cleaning rods. These were unsatisfactory due to weak springs, and many were thrown away."
"Uruguayan Mauser-Daudeteau “Dovitis Rifle”
Closing in on the turn of the century, Uruguay was a small and poor nation still struggling for a solid national identity. In this hazy period its rowdy neighbors began to follow the smokeless powder arms race. With little to spend, the nation was lured into an unique solution by a Greek immigrant named Dovitis.
Much of the Uruguayan rifle inventory in 1890 was made of U.S. Rolling Blocks and German Mauser 1871 single-shot rifles. Both chambered in older cartridges, the Uruguayan military wanted to update on the cheap. It isn’t really clear how Mr. Dovitis knew to connect the government with the Société Française d’Armes Portatives, Saint Denis, but his name has remained intertwined with the rifle ever since. In Uruguay these guns took on the nickname “Dovitis Rifles.”
Roughly 10,000 pieces were shipped to St.Denis for conversion to a 6.5mm cartridge designed by Louis Daudeteau. There is likely some further story here, as a variety of 6.5mm cartridges were being promoted by Daudeteau rather aggressively and it likely was pushed on the Uruguayans rather than selected. Regardless, these rifles were refitted with barrels, bands, and rear sights nearly identical to the Mle.1886 Lebel (likely what was handy and cheap to work with at St. Denis) and shipped home with fresh ammunition in 1894. Remember though, these are still single shot weapons! They were also apparently paired with a bayonet similar to the Lebel’s but we had trouble spotting an example.
Now, sources vary slightly on what the root cause was, but what we know is the Mauser-Daudeteau failed miserably. Some blame the weak springs, while others point at ammunition with hard primers or rimless when semi-rimmed was called for. Regardless the guns were unreliable and saw limited service, being quickly replaced with proper Mauser repeaters. In all likelihood the ammo was to blame, however, as collectors who reload the rifles have often remarked that they function fine and shoot accurately.
These guns can still be found in the collectors market. While they don’t have much of a service history, they definitely represent one of the most unusual stories of attempted thrift and perhaps the first we’ve seen on such a scale that was a complete failure. However, by all accounts they are pleasant shooters should you take the time to reload. So if you want a large, heavy, accurate 6.5mm with an unusual story keep an eye out!"
So it will be an interesting story for my friend when I give the rifle back.
