Broomhandled Mauser 1898 (Black,12.5-inches)

 (2 customer reviews)

I received this a day earlier than predicted, and it was well packaged and undamaged. The replica comes in a nice box, which is similar to the type of box used for real firearms. The replica itself has a movable bolt which, when pulled back, cocks the hammer. When released, the bolt then slides back into battery with a loud click. The hammer can be cocked without moving the bolt, too. A pull on the trigger makes the hammer fall with a satisfying clank. The rear sight can be adjusted for elevation but not windage, which is sort of an odd feature to have on a non-firing pistol. The only other moving part is the lanyard ring, which moves freely. There is a reddish-orange plastic plug in the muzzle, presumably to identify the "gun" as a non-firing item. The finish of the metal parts was covered in a thick, tacky grease, which did not come off easily. After I wiped it off, the finish looked mottled, almost as if it was rusty. I tried swabbing off a portion of the gun with Hoppe's...Read more

Avid firearms collectors like myself long for the days of displaying their items over the fireplace mantle, but thanks to theft and liability concerns, those days are long past. Anyone with half a brain locks their guns away from prying eyes these days. Enter the non-firing replicas.....this one gets kudos for looking just like the real thing to the layman, or even a pro at a distance, looks great on the wall. It is advertised as a non-firing replica with functional controls, but not all of them work as originally designed with this particular model, my only real complaint.