12 gauge mauser shotgun

I recently picked up a GEHA mauser shotgun. It's a 2.5 inch 12 gauge, bolt action two shot, full choke. I don't really plan on shooting it much but my curiosity got the best of me.

The shotgun was made by german gunmakers after WW1. These were made from mauser actions and misc. The action was bored out and the front lug notches were removed. This was done to accommodate the larger 12 gauge chamber. Also there is a bolt face held on with the extractor, this was done to accommodate the larger 12 gauge rim. The magazine was modified and a stop put on the top of the receiver so the second round would stay in place. The receiver was also heat treated.

As a caveat there are some folks that say these are so poorly made that they should not be shot, then there are some folks that say they are perfectly safe. They do have german proof marks on it.

here is a few photos

overall view, pretty much looks like any sporterized mauser except for the GEHA emblem and a bead only.
https://i.imgur.com/VWqcy7Hl.jpg?1

stopper piece and boltface
https://i.imgur.com/Vi33489l.jpg

GEHA emblem
https://i.imgur.com/nV6Qw5nl.jpg

Good looking shotgun.

That is actually pretty cool....and another firearm I have never heard of....LOL
Doesn't look bad shape...and date markings?
Thanks for posting...

It certainly is an interesting piece. I don't know anything about 2.5" 12 ga ammo but if the same holds true for shooting 3" mag in 2 3/4" chambers you may run into some pressure issues shooting 2 3/4" shells in it. Were it mine, I think I would relegate it to a conversation piece.

Alan

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Originally Posted by Alan R McDaniel Jr

It certainly is an interesting piece. I don't know anything about 2.5" 12 ga ammo but if the same holds true for shooting 3" mag in 2 3/4" chambers you may run into some pressure issues shooting 2 3/4" shells in it. Were it mine, I think I would relegate it to a conversation piece.

Alan

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Unless the changer is reamed out (and the do make reams)....3" should never be fired in a 2-3/4 chamber 12 ga...
Yes, it's got to be a pressure problem...but caused by the crimp not being able to open all the way....
Bad JuJu....

There may 12 gauges out the with out the forcing cone....so that may not be a problem...but they are hard to chamber and sure sound funny.
Learned my lesson on an old .410.......it din not blow up....but I would not to do it again.
Use what it's chambered for or shorter.

Neat little conversation piece if nothing else!

there isn't a date on it but these were made during the 1920s. If I shoot it, I'll pick up some 2.5 shells. They are still available.

From what I can tell with some quick research this company made a super cheap model and a better finished model. The expensive model had a full choke and the cheap one had cylinder bore.

Remember that this was post WW1 Germany in the 1920s and the economic situation resembled what we have in some South American countries today. Runaway inflation, 50%+ unemployment, no venture capital and people scrambling to survive. This was the era that produced Hitler.

The shotguns were only produced from 1920-1929 so the latter date is the newest it can be.

Some of the material said that the bolt face was only retained by the extractor claw and occasionally popped off, but still would camber and fire the next shell in an unsupported explosion that usually did some serous damage. Advice was to look down and make sure the bolt face was still present during each bolt cycle.

That ugly "shell deflector" was added to strengthen the frame after all that metal was removed to allow the use of a 12 gauge shell. Does it also act as the stop for the second shell when it pops up from the magazine? I do not see how they could include any kind of magazine lips or feet ramp in such a design.

This does speak highly of the strength of the 98 Mauser #3 "safety lug" on the bottom of the bolt, since that is all that secures the bolt closed during firing! In normal use that lug never touches its cutout and the two forward lugs absorb all the pressure.

I suppose it is no different that the old Mossberg/Marlin/Savage bolt action shotguns that used the bolt handle as their lockup.

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Remember that this was post WW1 Germany in the 1920s and the economic situation resembled what we have in some South American countries today. Runaway inflation, 50%+ unemployment, no venture capital and people scrambling to survive.

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My Dad grew up in Germany during this time. I remember a story that he told of taking a wheelbarrow full of copper pennies to the scrap yard for a loaf of bread. I don't know what the value of 60 or so pounds of pennies is, but the depression there was really bad.

I cannot even imagine. They lived what we dare not think about.