This is a rare example of a Mauser Model 1896 Small Ring Hammer Carbine. This model was the final form of the Model 1896 Carbine. The carbine has a rust blue barrel and receiver with a bright bolt and rear sight face, a casehardened small ring hammer, and niter blue trigger, extractor, rear sight slide, bolt stop, safety lever and stock attaching piece. The 14 1/2 inch long barrel is fitted with a ramp front sight with drift-adjustable blade with nickel-silver bead. The tangent rear sight is graduated from 50-500 meters. The top of the chamber is roll-stamped "WAFFENFABRIK/MAUSER/OBERNDORFA/N" and the right side of the frame has "WAFFENFABRIK MAUSER/OBERNDORF A. NECKER". The full serial number ("1045) is visible on the left side of the chamber, the lower left side of the frame and on the left side of the stock attaching piece, with the partial serial number ("045") stamped on top of the bolt along with a "Double Crown/U" proof mark. All of the visible serial numbers match. The European walnut stock and forearm have a varnish finish. The stock has a black checkered hard rubber buttplate embossed with the Mauser monogram. Sling swivels are fitted on the forearm and detachable stock .The Small Ring Hammer Carbine was a limited production firearm. Serial number 1045 is the highest known serial number carbine and is illustrated in the "2009 STANDARD CATALOG OF FIREARMS".