Rifle arrived this morning and upon examination I came to some conclusions. 1.Q.D. studs are replacements for pre-war type loop swivels, as the bases of the Q.D.'S are ever so smaller [.03] than the originals and you can see the imprint in the wood of the originals. 2.Recoil pad is a very recent addition. I believe it originally had a horn or bakelite buttplate and someone let it slip through their hand while sitting it down. The results the plate broke as there is a small repaired crack in the stock's toe [looks solid...not perfect, but solid] 3.The new low scope safety looks as recent as the new recoil pad and the bolt handle. I surmise when the buttplate was broken the owner decided to mount a scope, had the bolt work done at the same time as the pad and stock and when he found out what a good side mount cost, scuttled the idea. The gunsmith who did the bolt work may have been unfamiliar, as many young gunsmiths are, with the older mounts cost's. Who knows? Now the good news... I do believe the rifle is pre-war. The rifle is light 6lbs 5ozs!!! The barrel has been turned downed to a very light contour and the workmanship on the bolt release is outstanding, including the metal checkering on it with a Swiss file [36 l.p.i.]. The release was shaped to wrap around and hug the receiver and is case colored [though thinning now].The trigger is single stage and has the slightest take up [not gritty creep, smooth take up] and breaks like a glass rod at 2.25 lbs. The checkering is almost perfect but with some wear at 30 l.p.i., wraparound on forearm and grip. As to the stock styling being post war, I looked in some of my research books and the key here is, this guns was made, I believe in Austria for Chamois hunting in the ALPS. The humpback style was popular there, all the way back to after WWI and was commonplace while the Classic straight comb Mauser style was made popular in Germany. One thing that tipped me off was the sights, the rear sight has 3 leaves marked in meters 100...225...395 and the funny increments reminded me of something I had seen once in an old catalog I had! I looked through my old catalogs and I found the exact sight set on the rifle in an Albrecht Kind Catalog from 1934 marked Chamois Hunting Sight Set. I looked in a 1939 catalog of theirs and over the picture of the sight set it said Nicht Mehr Availble or "no longer available" The rear sight is mounted in an integral turned barrel boss [Like on early MODEL 70'S] The engraved eagle work is top notch as is the stippling, I'm not one for Eagles on my rifles but I believe it lends credence to the consulate story as the eagle is more of a Consulate STYLE Eagle than a U.S. Army. The bore is pristine hardly shot, I imagine if you're going after Chamois you don't get many shots! The stock is hand shaped and is not from a duplicator, chisel and scraper marks are readily apparent but very clean and smooth in the bedding. Hand work on the pancake Shadowline cheekpiece is excellent! The grip cap is real handcarved ebony with a garland of olive leaves individually carved on the edge with center screw and oval summit. Schnabel forearm tip is understated but very neatly done. Bolt is damascened. Front sight has no provision for a hood. Stock is a nice straight piece of English walnut. That about does it... not bad for less money spent than the cost of a midlevel Leupold 3-9 scope. They're getting harder to find all the time. Comments welcome!!! Warmest to all!
p.s.I just may have to talk to J.D. Steele about one of those Jaeger Q.D. MOUNTS he has at that great price of his, ESPECIALLY if he has one for a 1903 SPRINGFIELD MKI and all you guys haven't bought him out!!!!!! How about it Mr.J.D. ?
