Super rare Mauser 1888 w/ 16 gauge under lever

[ROMAC]

I was cleaning up some old photo files and came across these photos that I took back in July of 2012. I was told then that it is one of 4 known original Mauser 1888's O/U's with a 3 shot rifle cartridge magazine and an under barrel lever for a side swing16 gauge shotgun barrel.

The "story" is that a 4 star general in WWII was in charge of signing off on GI bring backs and when this came along he told the GI thanks, now go find yourself something else, and kept it for himself. Again, allegedly right off the wall of the Mauserwerks factory showroom as the Allies took over the area. The current owner got it from the generals' estate.

I apologize for the poor quality. Had I known how rare it was at the time I might have worn out my welcome at the store taking more and better staged pictures. I did learn afterwards that there was a run of something like 20-25 copies of this gun made before WWI.

If I remember correctly, the store was asking in the neighborhood of $15K for it at the time.

[ROMAC]

[Jim Cloninger]

Very interesting, Roger!

[44whiskey]

amazing and good looking weapon,thanks for sharing Roger. i guess rank has its privilege

[Stan Hillis]

Interesting gun, but that was a rotten thing for him to do to an enlisted man. I saw a lot of that kind of crap in the military. Never got used to it.

[Researcher]

When I saw this gun, I immediately thought of this 1911 ad from the mind of Frank A. Hollenbeck --

I've never seen one of the guns!!

[ROMAC]

I did find some more information about the manufacture of the copies, which were not 100% replicas. They were done by a company called Gecado, which, I think, which has morphed into a company that today makes mostly air rifles.

I made some edits to my original post. The run of copies was before WWI. There was record of a sale at auction of one in the 70's

Researcher, there might be a slim chance that the ad you posted was referencing one of these. Who knows?

[Jeff S]

Thanks for the additional pictures. Someone was a clever engineer.

[ROMAC]

To be clear, The pictures are of two different guns.

The first set are of the original Mauser pattern 1888 that I saw in a shop.

The second set are auction pictures of a Gecado that is very similar but not an exact copy.

My hat is off to the craftsmen that executed the work.

[Jim Cloninger]

Roger, how does the shotgun barrel open to load and remove fired shells?

[ROMAC]

Jim, The forearm underlever swings to the left and the barrel pivots open to the right.

[Sporrns]

Wow, what a wildly cool and finely crafted gun! It reminds me of the Hoenig "side-swing opener" over / under design that came on the scene a few years ago. A gun dealer friend of mine bought one just to have it and shoot it as a novelty; I think they were around $6K at the time. Showed it and shot it for a year of so then sold it for $8K!! The workmanship on European guns is mesmerizing; today at the range a member showed me a beautifully hand=fitted and finished .22 LR single shot made by Mauser Oberndorf on what looked like a Martini action - drop lever / falling block affair, beautifully engraved and finely checkered stock & forend. He bought it off the internet from someone who didn't like single shot .22s with cheekpieces and fitted metal buttplates nor sling swivels, etc. etc. What a great gun! Kevin

[MARSHFELLOW]

Interesting Roger, thanks.
tjw

[Brian Dudley]

That is cool as heck. I have never seen one of them. The only mauser combination that I have seen before was the type with the small .22 barrel underneath.
The Germans were truly some of the most effective problem solvers when it came to firearms.