Lack of marks

[yamoon]

I have a Mauser sporter with few marks. The serial number on the action is 25377. The only proof marks are a crown and a crown over N. The receiver ring measures 1.410. The proof load is 2.5gr G.B.P. with a St.M.G bullet. It has a part oct. barrel marked Krupp Essen and Guss Stahl. It has a A. Jackenkroll 4x68 scope serial number 34714. The barrell is marked P. Schikorh & Co Nachf. Posen. The safety is shaoed differently than the ones I have seen. I think the rifle was assembled from parts after WW1. Any information would be appreciated.
Thanks Mike

[algmule]

Hello

Mike,
P(aul) Schikora & Co., Nachfolger, Inhaber, Eugen Minke, Waffenhandlung und B?chsenmacherei, Viktoriastra?e 15, Posen. (1917). This is the only address I have for the establishment and if you are correct in your assessment that the rifle is put together post WW1 both the address and owner of the business may have changed by then.

A. Jackenkroll, Optische Anstalt G.m.b.H., Schlesische-Stra?e 29. 30 T, Berlin.

I wouldn't mind a couple of images. If the rifle is a "put-together" of military parts there are usually some "hieroglyphics" on the action.

EDIT: Posen I believe changed name to Poznań after WW1.

EDIT again: Eugen Minke took over the business in either 1912 or 1913. I'd put my money on 1913.

Kind regards
Peter

[mike ford]

yamoon,
Mike, The safety seems to be a military one, modified to clear the scope. The rear scope clawmount base and bolt handel have a more modern look than post WW1. There seems to be a little engraving showing under the mount base. If so, that also points to a later addition. It is not usual to have nitro proof marks and proof load, without the other common proof marks. If you remove the barreled action from the stock and there are no proof marks under the barrel, that is one sign that it might have been rebarreled in the USA. If it has the common proof marks, they might give us additional info. I agree with Peter, we need additional photos.
Mike

[yamoon]

ps1.jpg ps2.jpg ps3.jpg Mike you are correct about the safety, on close inspection I can see a faint braze line. The rifle just looks to o Germanic to be the product of a USA gunsmith. It appears the scope mounts were added later. I am posting several photos.
Mike

[yamoon]

ps4.jpg schill3.jpg schill4.jpg ps6.jpg ps7.jpg

[yamoon]

ps8.jpg ps9.jpg ps10.jpg ps11.jpg safety 1.jpg

[Axel E]

The rifle was built in Suhl pre-WW1 for retail by "successor to Schikora" on a bought in commercial Mauser, Oberndorf action. The Mauser serial number 52269 dates the action to 1912. "Modell 88 - 8mm" was a pre-WW1 name of the 8x57I cartridge. The CROWN + crown/N proofmarks indicate use of the "4000 atm Special Proof Powder" according to the rule of July 23, 1893 for rifles using the M88 cartridge. The 4x Ajack scope was mounted later, in the 1920s - 30s.

[yamoon]

Thanks Axel, quite surprised it is a commercial action.
Mike

[Axel E]

quite surprised it is a commercial action.
Mike

Suspected so from the first photo you posted. The long cocking piece and the teardrop shape of the bolt handle already pointed to a commercial action. The bolt handle merely had a groove cut in to clear the scope later.

[Axel E]

Posen I believe changed name to Poznań after WW1.

As West Prussia with Posen was given to Poland in 1920, after the Versailles "peace treaty", a post-WW1 date was unlikely anyhow.

[algmule]

Hello

EDIT

AlexAxle.JPG

Peter

[yamoon]

Thanks everyone for the information. I am looking forward to a trip to the range to see how it shoots.
Mike

[algmule]

Mike,
how did it go at the range?

Here's some info on Schikora:

In unser Gesellschafts-Register ist heute unter No. 671 die am 1. Juni 1898 mit dem Sitze in Posen unter der Firma P. Schikora et Co errichtete Handelsgesellschaft, deren Gesellschafter der Kaufmann Paul Schikora und der B?chsenmacher Kasimir Spizewski daselbst sind, eingetragen worden (12936) Posen, den 13. Juni 1898. K?nigl. Amtsgericht. Abth. 4.

Spizewski (address Wallischei 65) left the business in 1900

In unser Gesellschafts-Register ist heute unter No. 671 bei der Handelsgesellschaft P. Schikora & Co. zu Posen eingetragen worden, dass die Gesellschaft durch gegenseitige Uebereinkunft aufgel?st worden ist und der Kaufmann Paul Schikora zu Posen das Handelsgesch?ft unter unver?nderter Firma fortsetzt. Die Firma ist im Handels-Register Abtheilung A unter No. 74 neu eingetragen. Posen, den 28. April 1900 (17072). K?nigliches Amtsgericht.

Anyway, the business of Paul Schikora started out at Wilhelmsplatz 6, Posen as a Gewehr- und Munitionsfabrik in 1898 with the above mentioned people involved. A year later the business moved to Viktoriastra?e 15 and was a B?chsenmacherei u, Waffen-Munition-Handlung. I am no longer sure I would put money on 1913 if it came to a bet as to when Eugen Minke took over the business. He was most certainly, like Schikora, a retailer.

Spizewski's role in the business was likely just performing smaller work, if any at all, like fitting scopes etc, or, he may just have been performing some legal part when the business was founded. We will never know. It wasn't like there was a shortage of B?chsenmachers in Posen in the 1890's.

Eugen Minke is elusive. Can't find him in any Handelsregister. To be honest, I gave up pretty quickly as it was like looking for a needle in a haystack, but, as mentioned above, I'm leaning towards him entering the Schikora business in 1912. Just a hunch. If the Mauser serial date is correct the action and Minke may have crossed paths. Minke's abode seems to have been at the same address as the business.

Also: nice rifle, in fact, I'm a shade of green.

Kind regards
Peter

[yamoon]

Thank you Peter for the information. The winter weather here prevents me from spending any time on the range. I fired it twice yesterday at the indoor range to determine what bullet to use. A .321 bullet slips into the fired case, a .323 will not. When the weather moderates, I plan on working up a load using a 165 gr Hornaday .321 FTX. I hope to take a Kansas white tail deer with it next fall.
Mike