1. Chilean 1895 Mauser

Chilepage1 The Rifles of Chile from 1890 to 1990 by Dan Reynolds The first modern rifle in issue in Chile in 1890's was the Steyr built Mannlicher of 1888 in 8x50mm using a heavy round nose bullet. The rifles were used in the Civil War of 1891-92. These were held in limited quantity and most forces were armed with obsolete black powder firing large bore rifles. Winchester M1873 rifles in.44-40 were imported by the insurgents and fell into the government inventory. Over the next few years it became necessary to rearm with many new rifles to replace the obsolete weapons. It was necessary because arch rival Argentina was adopting the new Mauser Modelo 1891 in 7.65mm as standard for her armed forces and so large numbers of the best and latest design had to be adopted to counter this potential threat.

That 1895 Chilean Mauser is an antique. Ludwig Loewe and a few other companies were consolidated into DWM in November of 1896, and your rifle was made before then. I have a C block serial numbered M95 that is in the same overall shape, that is all matching except for the magazine floor plate.

1. Serial Number: B9286 Year of Manufacture: 1895 to 1897 Caliber: 7mm Mauser (7x57mm) Action Type: Bolt Action with Internal Magazine Markings: There is no visible import mark. The top of the receiver is marked with a faded Chilean Crest.
2. Circa 1934-35 Steyr Model 1929 Mauser short rifles were purchased in small numbers in 7x57mm. It is believed these were called Modelo 1935, but this is not a certainty. Chilean Crest on Ring. In 1935, large numbers of Mauser Standard Modell short rifles and carbines were purchased from Mauser Werke.

The Chilean Army tested various available models and were very impressed with the new Spanish Modelo 1893. This rifle introduced the excellent new 7x57mm Mauser cartridge. In 1894 the FN rifle plant in Herstal Belgium began producing a modified Modelo 1893 in 7x57mm for Brazil as the Modelo 1894. Uruguay and Costa Rica also bought this weapon from FN and it is rumored that Guatemala may also have purchased some. Chile decided to buy this model. A problem developed.

FN was licensed by Ludwig Loewe & Co., the owners of the Mauser patents, to produce the M1889 Mauser for the Belgians. Ludwig Loewe & Co. Was a German Banking House that had financed the Mauser Brothers and eventually bought them out. It had established a machine tool company which produced copies of the Smith & Wesson Russian Model revolver for the Czarist Government and held a large contract to produce the German M1888 rifle and was producing the Modelo 1893 for the Spanish Government while the Mauser factory at Oberndorf was busy making a modified M1893 in 7.65mm for Turkey.

Loewe strongly objected to FN making M1893 type rifles for export, claiming that the license it granted to FN was limited to making and selling M1889 rifles to the Belgian Army. Eventually A deal was struck. Although Loewe had a 50% interest in the firm, Loewe wanted FN to accept an quota allocation from what was to become the Mauser Rifle Cartel. The cartel consisted of Mauser Waffenfabrik owned by Loewe, Ludwig Loewe & CO. ( later merged with various Loewe ammunition and powder companies into DWM late in 1896 ), FN, in which DWM held a share, and the great Austrian rifle works at Steyr. The result was that Ludwig Loewe & Co.

Took over supply of subsequent deliveries of M1894 7x57mm rifles to Brazil, and M1895 marked rifles to Uruguay, and Costa Rica. Rifles delivered after late 1896 were marked DWM instead of Loewe. The Chilean contracts went to Loewe and later DWM. The only known FN M1894 marked rifles bought by Chile were initial test specimens with FN logo on the ring. The first Loewe rifles delivered to Chile were identical to the FN rifles except for the maker marks, proofs and crest of Chile on the ring.

These rifles were marked Modelo 1895. Long rifles, short rifles and carbines were purchased and variations will be noted in markings and features. The most important improvement was the so called 'super strength' action with a locking shoulder on the tang behind the bolt handle. This is found on most but not all later production Mausers delivered to Chile. An exception is the group of Mausers order by the Boer Orange Free State, identified by the 'OVS' stamping on the receiver. These failed to penetrate the British blockade and were restamped with the Chilean Crest and sold to Chile at a later date. Deliveries of M1895 Mausers continued into 1901.

There are long rifles with turned down bolts, however all these seem to lack the 'SS' feature and they may have been diverted to Chile from another contract that defaulted for some reason. The next Mauser to be purchased was the Model 1904 from Waffenfabrik Mauser. This was similar to the Tukish Model 1903, but in 7x57mm and featuring a very narrow upper band. Only a small number were acquired. Some sources list this rifle as being supplied by DWM which later as the M1907 supplied it to several South American nations. The next Mauser adopted was the Steyr Modelo 1912 in 7x57mm. It was made in long rifle and carbine models.

It is the same type adopted by Columbia and Mexico as the Modelo 1912. When WW1 broke out in August 1914, the Austro-Hungarian Government recquisitioned all M1912 rifles, carbines and parts on hand at the Steyr factory and issued them to its own forces. This chiefly affected Mexican contract Mausers as the United States was enforcing an arms embargo on Mexico and the U.S. Navy had seized Vera Cruz and was blocading the coast, preventing delivery of most of these fine rifles. ( Information e-mailed in by A V Ballistics) Just after WW I, the British Government sold a pre -WW I cruiser to Chile, and its on-board small arms were new M1910.Mk III Ross rifles, in cal. They have a serial Number 'DA xxx' (Directorado de Armada?). This serial is added to the receiver.

Normal British and Canadian Ross Rifles have no receiver stamped Serials. Indian service DP rifles have a number in the 5066xxxx range. Stand numbers and year of adoption/acceptance were stamped into the right side of the butt, in the WW I issues. I think the cruiser was the HMS Canada. ( Information e-mailed by Tony Edwards- England) In 1914 Britain was building two battleships for Chile and these were seized in August 1914 for the Royal Navy. Almirante Lattore became HMS Canada and Almirante Cochrane eventually beacme the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle.

When these vessels were seized we also got the small arms, about 820 Model 1912 Mausers in 7 x 57 and these went into service with the Royal Navy. We made ammo for them and the rifles were used to arm second line vessels, minesweepers and armed merchantmen. In 1918, HMS Canada was sold back to Chile and by then the rifles on board had been replaced by the Ross rifles mentioned above. The ship was re-named back to Almirante Lattore and served as the Chilean flagship until she was scrapped in 1958. Post WW1 in the mid 1920's, some FN Modelo 1924 carbines similar to the Mexican pattern of that year were purchased in 7x57mm.

These are believed to have been for police use. Circa 1934-35 Steyr Model 1929 Mauser short rifles were purchased in small numbers in 7x57mm. It is believed these were called Modelo 1935, but this is not a certainty. Chilean Crest on Ring. In 1935, large numbers of Mauser Standard Modell short rifles and carbines were purchased from Mauser Werke. The only difference was carbines had turned down bolt handles and the short rifles had horizontal bolts.

These were in 7x57mm and were issued to the Army, Navy and National Police ( 'Carbineros' ). Army rifles had Chilean Crest, Navy rifles had 'Rope & Anchor' Crest, Police had 'Crossed Cannon' crest. At least some long rifles were purchased.

In 1941 1,000 M1941 Johnson Rifles in 7x57mm were purchased by the Carbineros. These still bore markings for.30-06 cartridge as they were part of the undelivered Dutch East Indies order with new 7mm barrels. In the Johnsom design you could switch the caliber/cartridge type in seconds by changing out the barrel. The next rifles acquired were several hundred Caliber.30 M1903 Springfield rifles which were acquired as part of the armament of the U.S.S. Brooklyn circa 1948 when that heavy cruiser was sold to Chile and became the 'Bernardo O'Higgins'of the Chilean Navy. It appears that Chilean Mausers at some point replaced the Springfields on the O'Higgins for a period of time.

In the early 1950's the U.S. Supplied some Calibre.30 M1 Garand rifles and it is rumored that some Mausers were bored out and converted to.30-06. Around 1959-60 some FN FAL rifles in 7.62mm NATO were purchased. In 1961 a program of converting some of the began. The next rifle purchase was for SIG 510-4 rifles in 7.62mm NATO around 1967.

Licensed production was begun some years later of this weapon, but production was switched to the 5.56mm SG540 in 1986. In 1990 at least some of all the rifles mentioned except the Mannlichers and Winchesters were still in inventory and the M1935 rifles were regularly seen in the hands of ceremonial troops in Santiago during parades and when Honor Guards were mounted. Copyright 2001-2003 Dan Reynolds.

Antique Arms, Inc. Rare Chilean Navy Mauser 1895 Rifle Rare Chilean Navy Mauser 1895 Rifle Mauser Model 1895 Rifle in 7mm manufactured by Ludwig Loewe of Berlin. Antique, pre-1898 production. This one is a very scarce Chilean Naval Contract. Over the years, we've seen lots of military Chilean 1895's from Fair to Mint condition.but this is the first and only example of a Chilean Navy we've ever come across. The fellow we got it from knew some people who worked at Interarms many years ago.

Chilean 1895 Mauser

This was apparently one of the odd-balls they had tucked away in their warehouse. Note: Since its antique, there are no import marks. Instead of the traditional Chilean crest, the top of the receiver bears a fouled Naval anchor with a Chilean star. See Photos. Robert Ball's book, Mauser Military Rifles of the World 4th Ed.

Notes on page 77 that the Chilean Navy only used a small number of these rifles. The serial number is very low, #157 with no batch pre-fix. Given that there is no block letter, this was probably a very small run for the Navy of perhaps a few hundred rifles and carbines. There is also one pictured in Ball's book that is also a very low 3 digit number in the 300 range. All the numbers match 100% which include the receiver, stock, bolt, rear of bolt, trigger/magazine housing, floor plate, and cleaning rod.

Left side of stock has the Chilean national crest with Chilean acceptance markings 'M.F.' Overall condition is NRA Antique Excellent. Being a Naval gun and exposed to salty air, it was probably returned to Mauser during its service life over 100 years ago for a re-furb. The good news is that if you already have a Mauser Model 1895 Chilean Army rifle in near-perfect condition, this rifle would show very well with it on display.

One of the biggest challenges for Mauser collectors is finding rare variants and smaller contract rifles is condition. Often, these guns were used hard and/or poorly stored and won't go well in overall appearance next to a 1895 Chilean, 1891 Argentine, or 1909 Argentine in mint condition.

This one looks like a minty gun from a few feet away as the work was well-done with markings, knurlings, and edges left intact. Metal has has 97% blue. Bolt and sight ladder are still bright with most of the fire blue remeaining on the sight elevator, band springs, magazine charger, trigger, screws, and band springs. Very good markings throughout.

Wood is Excellent with nice light hued walnut that's solid and has nice wood to metal fit. Both serial number and Chilean crest/cartouche, are in excellent condition. Action works nicely and good+ bore with strong rifling. A very rare opportunity to pick up a rare Chilean Naval Contract.

Comes with original brass muzzle cover. Item# 0845 SOLD.