Robert Schrader Mauser Rifle

[ellenbr]

Gothic script SS attribute compensation & liability to S. Schilling. Those initials are very common. The Crown over N is actually a 4k ATM test



Cheers,

Raimey
rse

[ellenbr]

I might have missed one, but all the marks look pre-1912.

Cheers,

Raimey
rse

[Axel E]

I have seen such a mixup of pre-WW1 Mauser commercial serial numbers on Suhl made sporters several times. Apparently the actions were shipped from the Oberndorf factory with receiver and bottom metal numbers matching. But the Suhl specialists who barreled, stocked and finished these rifles for all the German guntrade did not care about keeping receivers and bottom metal sorted together when building the rifles. So you often find a real hodgepot of serial numbers on and inside these rifles: One Mauser number under receiver, another Mauser number on rear of magazine, an assembly number by the real maker and finally the serial number of the retailer who sold the rifle as "his own" product. I have the dates of another, slightly later, 1908 Mauser action, but CROWN - crown/N Suhl proofed 1912 or later, rifle in 9.3x62, retailed by W.Foerster, Berlin, receiver Mauser # 22064, magazine # 21697, Foerster's # 9753:


The crown/N nitro proof mark was used on rifles from 1893 on, but only combined with the big CROWN, indicating proof using the special "4000 atm" proof powder for a service load of GBlP = (military) rifle flake powder. So you don't find it on other firarms of that period using other nitro powders, like pistols, shotguns or rifles proofed for the use of other powders. From 1912 on the crown/N was used as a common mark for smokeless proof on all kinds of guns. So your rifle was most likely made for Schrader in 1906 – 7.
The early Mauser actions most often came from the factory with the military type floorplate release. Often, but not always, the Suhl gunsmithes made these floorplates lever detachable.

[Nathaniel Myers]

So the SS marking relate to the barrel maker? Who used Krupp Steel?

Was this built for Robert Schrader or for his business? I believe it would have been sold at his shop with his trade name?

Then, my question becomes, who built it?

Is there anymore information on the other marks such as the crown JB?

Axel, thank you for the additional explanation. I was confused, and as my german is rather poor, I did not glean much from the article. I was in the process of posting a question for Raimey when you posted.

[Axel E]

So the SS marking relate to the barrel maker?

Yes. as the mark is doubled, rifling and chambering the barrel were done at the same shop.

Who used Krupp Steel?

An easier question would be: Who did not use Krupp barrel steel? Though Krupp came only into the small arms barrel steel business in the 1890s, Krupp was a name in Germany since the 1870 – 71 Franco – Prussian war: The Prussian rifled breechloading 80 mm field artillery guns C64, made of Krupp steel and to Krupp's design, were superior to the French counterparts in every way: accuracy, rate of fire and range. The French army was then still using muzzleloaders, a rifled version of the "12-pounder Napoleon Model 1857" of the American Civil War. So "Krupp" cannon were decisive in that war.

Was this built for Robert Schrader or for his business? I believe it would have been sold at his shop with his trade name?

It was built to be retailed at Robert Schrader's gunshop, Prinzenstrasse 8, Göttingen.

Then, my question becomes, who built it?

As I cannot positively identify the crown/JB mark, I don't know. As I wrote before, apparently a few independent craftsmen built most of the Mauser rifles for all the guntrade, even for "name" companies. At least the stocks are so similar, so they were bought in from a few specialised stockmakers.

[Nathaniel Myers]

Axel, thank you for your follow up. I poorly worded my first statement about the barrel. I'm still learning the process of the trade. My statement about Krupp was more that the barrel maker sourced essentially barstock from Krupp. Such as today in the US, I might mark a barrel K for krieger, but somehow mark it Crucible for their steel source.

It is amazing what Krupp accomplished over time. Battles were fought with Krupp Artillery on both sides. Through devastation and destruction the continued on. I have a large book about Krupp I have never fully read, but it covers the companies history from the 1800's through the 1900's .