Tutt's 71/84 arrived!

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CowboyTutt
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Tutt's 71/84 arrived!

Post by CowboyTutt »

Hey guys, my 71/84 Mauser arrived today. She looks pretty good for a 119 year old rifle! :shock: The gun is still a little tight, and the bluing and fire-bluing are in very good shape, and I think a light polishing will bring those parts back to excellent condition. The parts in the white have a little more stain and corrosion on them than the blued parts, but I hope that can be improved upon somewhat too. The wood has a couple of more dings than were visible in the Gunbroker photos, but still, it is an EXCELLENT example of the breed, and I am very satisfied with my purchase. The seller did not missrepresent the product, and his customer service was excellent. The trigger is smooth and has very good feel, but a bit more effort than I like. It turns out the one I sampled from Jim Williamson had an improvement made by Mic McPherson, by the simple substitution of a spring. I'm hoping to do the same to mine.

The sling is dark in color and slightly aged, and matches the color of the wood very well. Most importantly, the bore looks very smooth and shiny to the naked eye. Hopefully, it will shoot as good as it looks.

It is hard to fathom just how old this rifle is. I did a search on what was happening in history at that time, just to put things in perspective for me. Here is what I got:

In Germany, 1888 is known as the Year of Three Emperors and is also a secret code to mean Adolf Hitler Heil Hitler (1=A, 8=H). Currently, it is the year that, when written in Roman numerals, has the most digits (13). This record will not be equalled until 2388 (MMCCCLXXXVIII), or surpassed until 2888 (MMDCCCLXXXVIII).

[edit] Events of 1888

[edit] January - March
January 3 - The 91-centimeter telescope is first used at Lick Observatory.
January 12 - Blizzards (see: Schoolhouse Blizzard) hit Dakota Territory, the states of Montana, Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Texas, with 235 dead, many of whom were children on their way home from school.
January 27 - In Washington, DC, the National Geographic Society is founded.
February 27 - In West Orange, New Jersey, Thomas Edison meets with Eadweard Muybridge who proposes a scheme for sound film.
March 8 -The Agriculture College of Utah, which would become Utah State University is founded in Logan, Utah.
March 11 - The "Great Blizzard of '88" begins along the eastern seaboard of the United States, shutting down commerce and killing more than 400.
March 22 - The Football League is formed
March 27 - Dorus Rijkers saves the 30-man crew of the Renown, risking his own life.

March 11: Great Blizzard of 1888.
[edit] April - June
April 11 - The Concertgebouw in Amsterdam is inaugurated.
May 1 - The United States Congress establishes the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation.
May 13 - Brazil abolishes the last remnants of slavery.
May 28 - In Scotland, Celtic F.C. played its first official match against Rangers F.C. and won 5-2
June 3
"Kingdom of Sedang" formed in modern-day Vietnam
Casey at the Bat published
June 15 - Wilhelm II is crowned Emperor of the German Empire
June 19 - In Chicago, Republican Convention opens at Auditorium Building. Benjamin Harrison & Levi Morton will win the nominations for President and VicePresident, respectively.
June 29 - Handel's Israel in Egypt is recorded onto wax cylinder at The Crystal Palace, it being the earliest known recording of classical music.

[edit] July - September

August 31: Victim found from Jack the Ripper?July 25 - Frank Edward McGurrin, a court stenographer from Salt Lake City, Utah, who was purportedly the only person using touch typing at the time, won a decisive victory over Louis Traub in a typing contest held in Cincinnati, Ohio. This date can be called the birthday of the touch typing method that is widely used now.
July 27 - British parliament passes an act that permits bicycles on road on condition that they are equipped with a bell that should be rung while on the carriageway. The law was abolished in 1930.
August 5 - Berta Benz arrived in Pforzheim in a car, which was manufactured by her husband Karl Benz, in order to complete the first "long-distance" drive in the history of the automobile, which was started in Mannheim (40 miles away from Pforzheim).
August 7 - The body of Martha Tabram was found, a possible murder victim of Jack the Ripper.
August 20 - There is a mutiny at Dufile, India, and the Emin Pasha is imprisoned.
August 31 - Mary Ann Nichols is murdered. She was perhaps the first of Jack the Ripper's victims.
September 4 - George Eastman registers the trademark Kodak, and receives a patent for his camera which uses roll film.
September 6 - Charles Turner becomes the first cricket bowler (a sport) to take 250 wickets in an English season - a feat since accomplished only by Tom Richardson (twice), J.T. Hearne, Wilfred Rhodes (twice) and Tich Freeman (six times).
September 8
In London, the dead body of Annie Chapman is found. She is considered to be the second victim of Jack the Ripper.
In England, the first 6 Football League matches ever were played.
September 30 - In London, the bodies of Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes are found. They are generally considered Jack the Ripper's third and fourth victim respectively.

October 6: Washington Monument opens.
[edit] October - December
October 1 - Sofia University is officialy opened becoming the first university in liberated Bulgaria.
October 9 - The Washington Monument officially opens to the general public.
October 14 - Louis Le Prince films the first motion picture: Roundhay Garden Scene in Roundhay, Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK. Followed by his movie Leeds Bridge.
November 6 - The U.S. presidential election, 1888. United States Democratic Party incumbent Grover Cleveland wins the popular vote, but loses the Electoral College vote to Republican challenger Benjamin Harrison, therefore losing the election.
November 9 - In London, England, the dead body of Mary Jane Kelly is found. She is considered to be the fifth, and last, of Jack the Ripper's victims. A number of similar murders in England follow, but the police attribute them to copy-cat killers.
December 23 - During a bout of mental illness, Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh infamously cuts off the lower part of his own left ear and gives it to a prostitute.

[edit] Undated
Annie Besant organizes the London matchgirls strike of 1888 in June
John Robert Gregg first publishes Gregg Shorthand.
Prosecution of Edward King, Anglican bishop of Lincoln for using ritualistic practices begins.
Sarawak and Borneo become British protectorates.
Susan B. Anthony organizes a "congress for women's" rights in Washington, DC.
National library in Athens, Greece, (established?)
The first railway in China goes into operation.
The Kodak camera increases the popularity of photography as a hobby.
The first recorded film, Roundhay Garden Scene, is made in Roundhay in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The film is two seconds and 18 frames in length.
First sightings of the dolphin Pelorus Jack in Cook Strait, New Zealand.
Camborne School of Mines founded in Cornwall, United Kingdom.
The Finnish epic, Kalevala published for the first time in the English Language by John Martin Crawford.
An unknown inventor develops Mum (deodorant), widely recognized as the first personal product developed to prevent body odor.


So, not as interesting as 1886 was when I looked that up, but not bad. Mr. Benz had invented the first automobile that year if I read correctly.

All this just helps to put the rifle in perspective for me. This was the first repeating bolt action rifle, using a system adapted from the 1866 Winchester design. Only a year or two earlier, the Russians had been soundly defeated by the Turks, despite superior numbers, because the Turks had many repeating Winchester '66s in thier employ. The Germans quickly realized they needed more fire power, and modified their Model 71 single shot rifles into a repeater design.

It is interesting to note that despite the size of the "pond" between us, that ideas flowed freely between the continental US and Europe.

Anyhow, I'll be meeting up with Jim Williamson this coming weekend to look over my rifle, show me how to dismantle it, clean it, and just assess its condition. Jim is a Shootist, and a personal friend of Mc McPherson, and I am really greatfull for all of his help, and Mic's for showing me the "ins and outs" of these rifles.

Jim and I will take it out shooting over Christmas Break sometime, so will report back then.

Here are the not so great pics as I unwrapped her, and some others from in the house. Not the best, but better than nothing.


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With the combination of parts "in the white", blued, and fire-blued, I can only imagine what these rifles looked like when new! And all the parts have a cartouche and a part of the serial number on them, even the screws. And the bolt is buttery smooth, and all parts fit very well. Wow.

-Tutt
The Lewis
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Post by The Lewis »

Things that old are cool, especially things you can still use! Good looking rifle, congrats!
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Ysabel Kid
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Post by Ysabel Kid »

Congrats and thank you for sharing the pictures!!! 8)
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CowboyTutt
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Post by CowboyTutt »

Thanks guys! They seem to be a really neat rifle. They are considered the "high water mark" in craftmanship of military rifles. If I seem to be pumping them, its only because it would be neat to see more people who have one and enjoy them. They really, truly are a neat rifle.

And most likely, I could share the load data that has been passed on to me by very knowledgable folk. probably the most experienced people with the cartridge in the world. You could own a replica Sharps, or one of these originals.

-Tutt
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Old Savage
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Post by Old Savage »

Old 3120 looks very good. Merry Xmas.
In the High Desert of Southern Calif. ..."on the cutting edge of going back in time"...

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1886
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Tutt's Toy

Post by 1886 »

Nice rifle Tutt. That is quite a chronology you laid out. Spoken with Mic lately? 1886.
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Post by Hobie »

There was ONE at the last local show and it was not in that good a condition. Asked $899. I'd just read Venturino's article on his (which is/was for sale) and my mouth watered. The cartridge itself is really neat.
Sincerely,

Hobie

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CowboyTutt
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Post by CowboyTutt »

Hobie, I saw the add for Venturino's rifle at Guns America. They were only asking $1100 for his! It is supposedly museum quality. It had me thinking I paid too much for mine. Maybe. They have really gone up in price over the years.

1886, I've "spoken" to Mic but just by email lately. I almost called him last night, but it was getting kind of late his time.

The rear sight on these are really neat. A standard open sight, a flip up open sight, and a ladder bar that all pivot on the same pin. Here are some more pics.

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-Tutt
dr walker
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Post by dr walker »

Fine example you have, looks great
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Post by jazman »

Very cool Tutt, nice job in getting it.
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Post by WCF3030 »

Very nice.
like other I've always had a soft spot for old military rifles.
That which does not kill me has made a grave tactical error.

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jhrosier
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Re: Tutt's 71/84 arrived!

Post by jhrosier »

CowboyTutt wrote:..... This was the first repeating bolt action rifle, using a system adapted from the 1866 Winchester design. ...
Close, but no cigar....

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1869 Swiss Vetterli, 10.4x38mm, 12 shot tubular magazine.

Jack
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CowboyTutt
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Post by CowboyTutt »

JH, I stand corrected. The information I got about the '66 Winchester being what spurred the development of the 71/84 tubular magazine came from the internet, so perhaps I should have been more careful. However, I did read on more than one website about the battle between the Russians and the Turks, so I think that part of the story is accurate. Sorry for the confusion.

-Tutt
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Post by jhrosier »

Tutt,
No problem, there was a lot of firearms development going on in those first years of self contained cartridges. The Vetterli rifles also copied the magazine and elevator from the Henry rifle.
Like you, I am thrilled to be able to get and shoot these pieces of history.

I have a writeup about converting the Vetterli from rimfire to centerfire, making ammo and shooting it here:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=21917

Jack
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Post by Ben_Rumson »

Back in the 70s I had a mint 71/84 that I traded off for a Colt New Service chambered for 45 Colt... I shot the 71/84 w/CIL 43 Mauser.. It shot nicely with those soft slightly hollow based .446 bullets..Clop clop as I cycled the action..Gettin all gunny just thinking about it now...Even ran a couple of boxes of original BP PP rounds through it.. I those days I used the boiling water method for BP clean up.. Total disassembly..Sweated bullets to not mar anything up.. Decided I'd mess it up if I kept shooting it.. didn't want that.. So I traded it off for the new Service..I still have GEW 71
Enjoy it Tutt
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CowboyTutt
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Post by CowboyTutt »

JH, I will read that link when I get home from work (last day of school before break so we're messin' around here). Sounds interesting.

Ben, MAN! I can only guess how expensive and special your 71/84 would be now! The '71's sound nice, but I hear they had some trouble with light hammer strikes on some. They also need a larger diameter bullet because of the deeper groves.

I hope to be shooting mine soon. Will try to take some pics when we do!

The trigger is pretty good on mine, but a tad heavy. It is supposed to be easy to fix with a spring change. Jim's has a GREAT trigger after some simple mods. Jim's load gets about 1400 fps with smokeless and a 395 grain bullet.

Will keep you guys posted.

-Tutt
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