HELP ME HARLEY - Factory Mauser sporter...

[Hemicuda]

I have, in my posession, what fully appears to be a FACTORY mauser Sporter, but which I can find NO information on...

the SIDE of the action, above woodline has "FOREST" stamped into the front ring, left side, and below the side cut, it says "WAFFEN FRANKONIA-WUERZBURG"

the barrel is marked .308W (.308 Winchester is the caliber)

the UNDERSIDE of the barrel, side of the magazine housing/trigger guard, bolt, and underside of the action all have "365" stamped into them...

the safety (Bueller style), trigger, & bolt shroud, all have a "1" inside a small box on them...

the floorplate has a side-swing lever to open it, and the rear sight is built/machined INTO the barrel assembly where it is still enlarged for the chamber, and it has a tall "checkered" rear site blade... front sight is an express ramp style...

Checkering on the stock is hand cut but of VERY high quality, and is oil finished, with a small "european" cheekpiece...

overall fit and finish is EXCELLENT, with EXTREMELY smooth, shiny deep black bluing, and almost NO signs of wear... and also NO signs of ever having been refinished... (my father and I are WELL versed in OLD winchesters, and are quite good at spotting refinishing)

I am suspecting that it might be an Europen "Guild Gun" but can find nothing on this thing...

Do you have any idea what this thing is? or the history behind it?

 

[Jim Watson]

Waffen Frankonia is a major big, maybe THE major big sporting goods house in Germany, with stores in Wurzburg and a dozen other places. Kind of the Cabela's of Europe. I suspect they had rifles made up to their specs by one or another contractor. "Forest" is a fairly common model designation for European sporting rifles, what would be called brush guns here. J.P. Sauer makes one, too. A Google found mention of several other W.F. rifles in the US, some bought at PX Rod and Gun shops and brought home by servicemen.

 

[Hemicuda]

Thanks for the info...

the fit and finish on this thing is EXCELLENT... not what you'd expect from an "store brand" gun here in America, I can asure you of that!

 

[T. O'Heir]

Store brand firearms were made by most of the major manufacturers. The only major makers that don't appear on the lists are Remington and Browning.

 

[Gil Gladwell]

Waffen-Frankonia rifle

Harley,

I have inherited a rifle with the following markings on the left side of the receiver--CAL 6mm REM serial# Waffen-Frankonia. It has a mauser action, hingeplate magazine, the stock resembles the style used in Sako rifles. The gun is in excellent condition and appears not to have been fired. Can you tell me anything about this rifle? Thank you.

Gil_44