Picked up a 1910 today and picked up a 1910 today

[crank]

Ah yes, confusing, isn't it! ;D I went all the way up to the Costa Mesa gun show to pick up the 1910 that I made a deal for about 2 weeks ago. I putzed around and found the guy, we talked for a bit and I was very happy to find out the gun has a peep sight, which his buddy forgot, so I will look forward to that getting mailed to me. Since I hadn't seen the whole show, I asked if I could leave it at his table and pick it up later. I headed off and saw all sorts of treasures trying to follow me home. As I walked up to this one table, there was an older gentleman making a deal with one of the vendors for some parts and there was a Winchester auto-loader propped against the table. I peered down and was looking at a surprisingly familiar muzzle. I asked the gent if he was selling and he said he was, and I was now inspecting ANOTHER 1910. This one is 1912 production, in much nicer condition and the owner makes a point to say that it is "British" proofed. Sadly, he has no magazine for it, but using that as a bargaining chip, I am now walking around with another 1910 and thinking God has a funny sense of humor. This is not an uncommon occurrence, I have several duplicates of fairly odd hard to find guns. I finally headed home with my TWO 1910's. I thought something looked odd about the proof marks because they were neatly and orderly stamped, not randomly struck with a hammer by some bloke who was drunk more at work than at the pub. Now I don't have every proof mark listed, in my books or on the interwebs, but, I have still absolutely confirmed that this rifle did not go to Britain but instead "vent tu der Kaisers' homeland". It has German proofs neatly applied on barrel, bolt and receiver, it is identified as a 10mm and proofed with 13 grains of Nitro powder. The original one I bought is rougher and has an ungainly replacement butt stock, but it is a 1910 production and it has a magazine and the peep sight. I will try to get around to some photos, but please bear with me if it takes a while.

Mark

[Hardrada55]

Now that is just "unfair". You're going to have to put up some pictures of the one with the German proofs. For good measure, lets see pictures of both these treasures. Lucky stiff.... Well, when it rains, it pours. ....on you it pours riches. Seriously, that is a good story and so often good things happen when you least expect them.

[crank]

Okay, here we go, I will hopefully succeed. The first rifle is the one that I went to get, the other was the unexpected adoption.
























Nobody can complain I didn't take enough photos. I have already started reshaping the stock, but it has so much drop, it probably will be miserable to shoot due to recoil. I may just knuckle under and order up a replacement stock. By the way, the checkered forearm almost looks like it was a factory piece until somebody decided to adorn it with the carving and the front swivel appears to have been constructed as a part of the nose cap with the inside of the cap having all of its bluing
Enjoy!

Mark

[crank]

I almost forgot, if anyone has a serviceable magazine that they would like to sell or trade, please let me know.
Thanks

Mark

[johnl]

Mark,

Lucky find on the German proofed 1910 - very nice and interesting that someone imported it over there to shoot what exactly? Red deer? Boar?

I think there are a couple of .401 mags being sold on Gunbroker as we speak. One is at $89.99 with no bidders and the other has two bidders and is at $90 and some change.

John

[crank]

John,
Thanks for the compliment. It does seem strange that it would go over there since they have a very different hunting mentality. It would be interesting to see if I can get any info from Cody that might indicate if it was delivered to a domestic address or was shipped overseas right away. My research shows some of these proofs coming into use in 1912, at the same time the rifle was built, so it is possible the rifle was proofed as a new gun. I saw the mags and figure I will wait a day or two, to avoid getting in a bidding war. I have one mag to work with and I don't see that I will be fighting off the zombie hordes with a .401 just yet. I need to load up some appropriate anti-zombie ammo, since the old ammo was not designed for the same class of zombie we have today.

Mark