doublegunshop.com - home Forums Thread Like Summary - I have posted this to warn others about this fraud

Hello All

I have posted this to warn others about this fraudulent seller on Gun Broker.

here is the original listing ... https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1034173843

A thoughtful wife bought this rifle for her husband as a Valentine's Day gift. But, she didn't know that you can't trust a seller on Gunbroker with an A+(585) rating. She didn't know to check the feedback to see that the seller had over 34 Negatives. (4 Negatives in the last 3 weeks) She didn't now that when the seller says MAGNUM in 3 places in the listing that he may be lying.

Even though many of us know guns, and that we know that Mauser did make Model A Magnum action rifles, we can't see in pictures the 5/15" difference in length between a Standard length action, and a Magnum length action. We look to the description.

After the sale, I had a chance to review the rifle in hand ... Here is what I found along with observations that were confirmed from Axel E., a World Renowned Expert on Mauser rifles.

This is a real type A Mauser Commercial rifle, built 1930 – 31 for retail by Manton, Calcutta. But, it is NOT a rare Oberndorf “Magnum” action rifle. It is a 10.75x68 rifle on a common standard length action.

In addition, the rifle was severely altered, which was not disclosed by the seller. Alterations that have totally destroyed its collector value. These include:

The rear receiver bridge was ground down, removing the clip guide ears, the front and rear receiver were drilled and tapped for a scope mount base. The bolt handle is a new low profile handle that was welded on in place of the original, and the stock was altered to accept that new handle, and a low profile Buehler safety was installed to clear a scope.

These mutilations have totally destroyed collector value, even though it was a rare model A Mauser in 10.75x68 caliber. Original Mauser, Oberndorf Commercial rifles in 10.75x68 caliber are rare since most of them are of the B type. Only about 15% of the small number of these rifles are type A. But with the alterations, and its not being a rare Magnum, the value is only about HALF of what the lady paid.

As I said, the lady buyer didn't know about rifles, and she bought it as a gift for her husband, and went by the description. Only later was it found NOT to be a Magnum. We can't fault her for believing the seller, and trying to surprise her husband with a special gift.

The husband has now filed a complaint with the Credit Card Co. and received a temporary charge-back, but it will be months before all the back-and-forth arguments are settled, because the seller has stated that the listing says that he doesn't accept returns, and the buyer should have relied on the pictures.

The husband hasn't pushed the issue and told her that she was defrauded, because after all it was a Valentine's Day Present and she meant well. But unfortunately she got taken by a crooked dealer. Lets just hope it all gets settled, and the rifle gets sent back to the dealer, so he can try to stick it to someone else.

Beware this seller - page through and read all his Negatives.

.

So I bid $1900 for a gun, maybe my high limit and my wife buys the gun for $5000 plus while I am out of town??? One thing is for sure, I will never go out of town again unless my wife is with me or the computer is disabled.

That guy must have wrote ad copy for Herters in a previous life.

John

There is way to much BS and self promotion on both sides of this story. A blind man (or woman) could have seen to avoid the seller in question. If the story is as you said, then I feel for the lady, but the fact that she exceeded her husbands max bid shows a lack of trust in his judgment of firearms and how best to spend the family finances.

You have done your duty and informed the three people in the world that didn't already know, that the seller in question is questionable at best. I think we can let it go now.

John

You are wasting internet time! LOL
You said; " Yes, I only tagged the item with an early $123 bid to see how high it would go ...I had no desire to own it " Why did you not want it? I wonder if you knew the seller was defrauding buyers at any point, why you didn't say something? You had plenty of time to do so. Or maybe your outrage is just because it was a friend whose wife was not very knowledgeable about guns. Which then says the rest of the community is not your prime focus. I am sure she just didn't wake up one morning and say, "Oh today I will jump on GB and buy a gun, lets see, this one my husband would like."
What is the real back story here? Or let it drop and as I said "let it be".

Now remember if you reply then your new title will be "Mr. Last Word".

Yeah, that dealer is playing some games, but it looks like you don't mind playing games either.

I don't want to seem like a jerk here, but maybe you're going a bit far. Now, if I had seen that listing, I would have had some skepticism from the Herter inspired description and fanfare. But to call this a fraud is a bit of a stretch. The guy posted a hundred pictures, nothing was hidden, the bolt handle, safety, scope holes and ground bridge were all visible. As for the action, the thumb slot, would have been my first clue to dig a little deeper.

How many dealers are familiar with magnum Mausers? This guy may have never seen one before. If he sold you a rifle advertised as a converted military action, and it was built on an Oberndorf kurz action, would you be yelling fraud? The world is full of misidentified guns, it isn't always intentional. If you're spending this kind of money, with this kind of dealer, with no homework, you're not giving yourself a lot of wiggle room.

I wish I could have warned the other 40 who left NEGATIVES that didn't know.