[Bayonetcollector]

I recently came across a seller who has a few spanish 1916 Mausers, most have the standard oviedo markings, but some have unmarked receivers and only have a serial number (letter + 3 or 4 number serial number).

According to the seller these are republican made in 1937-38.

Now, I know there are 1916 Mausers marked Generalitat de catalunya, and that those are republican made, but what about unmarked ones? The ones I have seen do not appear to be scrubbed, it would appear that they were never stamped, but if professionally scrubbed they may perhaps appear as if they were never stamped?

Could anyone here shed some light on this question? Sorry, I do not have pictures of them at present.

 

[DocAV]

Except for the M16s and M95s made specifically and marked by Republican organisations during the SCW, (Industria de Guerra de Cataluna, Segretariado de Armamiento, etc.) The "scrubbed" rifles are just that...rifles refurbed during the 1931-36 period Before the Civil War, by the then "Republican" gov't of the early 1930s, at the old Gov't arsenals (Oviedo, Toledo etc etc). The refurbishing consisted of cutting a deeper thumb notch for charger loading, and drilling/milling the gas relief holes in the Receivers. Bolts also had longer oval gas holes when made new from the late 20s onwards. Some (older) Bolts may have had Oval holes also added then.

It is possible that some "republican" rifles were made during the SCW without any markings except a serial #.


regards,
Doc AV

 

[Bayonetcollector]

Thanks DocAV! That means there is no need to pay extra for a "republican" rifle that probably isn't one.... That would mean that these, just like any other 1916 mauser, might have ended up on either side during the SCW. Still looking for a republican marked one, but I understand they are pretty hard to find.

 

[Fritz1255]

Doc, I agree that they are "scrubbed", but don't know any more specifics than that. Where do the dates of 1931-1936 come from?

 

[DocAV]

From other (Spanish) Boards/research, as to when Spain started refurbishing its inventory of 7mm rifles. They sort of stopped making Long M93s about 1930 ( only 1928 is the latest seen with any frequiency) and there are no "New" M16s or M95 carbines that late either. The Republic dates from the Dictatorship of Primo de Rivera ( 1923-30) and then subsequent Socialist governments voted in by general elections after 1931, following that. The real Military revolt only occurred in 1936; so the SCW was 36-39.

As there are no "date marks" on the otherwise anonymous M16s etc one cannot say definitely if they were done ( re-finished) during the early Republican period ( 31-36) during the SCW( Oviedo remained in the hands of the republicans for two years of the SCW) or afterwards, by the Victorious Franco Forces.;

A lot of refurbishment and building new (7,9) Mausers went on from 1940 to the 1950s.

The information is probably still in the Archives somewhere in Spain...just a matter of research.

Regards,
Doc AV

 

[Bob In St. Louis]

From what I gathered, most of the refurbishments were done during the 2nd Republic (1931 to 1936), and it is theorized they were "scrubbed" in order to be used by tribesmen in Morroco that were pro-Spanish. Could be hogwash, but sounds like a good theory. Definately the 308 calber conversions were done in the Franco era, 1950s-60s.

 

[Fritz1255]

Model 1893's have been reported with dates as late as 1933. From 1928 to 1933, the serial numbers have an "RE" prefix, which indicates they were refurbed. Model 1916's have been reported as late as 1936. The serial number sequence of the "scrubbed" 1916's goes up to the "Y" prefix, followed by the ones with the Guardia Civil receiver crest, which starts with a "Z" serial number prefix. This means that about 250,000 "scrubbed" models were produced. Seems like a lot for the 5 year period 1931-1936, since the typical production rates for Model 1893's and 1916's were about 15,000 units of each annually. OTOH, most of the "scrubbed" rifles I have seen looked like they had seen wartime use, as opposed to the Guardia Civil and later models, which apparently spent most of their working lives sitting in racks or boxes, and look nearly new. See the pages below:

http://masterton.us/model_1893_serial_numbers
http://masterton.us/model_1916_serial_numbers
http://masterton.us/unmarked_1916_serial_numbers