This is an early production example of a rare Model 1896 "Mauser Carbine" serial number "2" with the cone hammer. These antique cone hammer carbines are rare as so few were manufactured before Mauser changed to the large ring hammer design. These early Mauser carbines were actually intended as a short rifle substitute, and they are very unique in that the underside, rear area of the receiver is machined with an integral dovetail lug, and it is also manufactured with a pistol grip stock that has the corresponding matching attaching iron on top of the pistol grip. This makes the carbine easy to disassemble, store and transport it via a small leather travel case. This carbine is very desirable as it has an extremely low serial number (2), it has all the early transitional features, with only a handful of "cone hammer" carbines having been actually documented in existence today! This rare example has a 11.75 inch length barrel with the full length, milled barrel rib with the early long reinforced chamber area. The chamber area is marked in three lines with: "WAFFENFABRIK/MAUSER/OBERNDORF A/N". The sides of the frame has the early style, heavier, flat top, square frame rails with no milling cuts only found on these early carbines. The barrel is fitted with a standard bead front sight mounted on top of the rib and the correct early transitional tangent rear sight graduated from "50-500" meters. The left side of the chamber area is stamped with a single "Crown/U" proofmark. The sides of the frame have the early large milled panels with no markings. The lower left side of the frame and attaching iron are both correctly serial numbered "2", and the other parts are correctly unnumbered and have only a very small Mauser factory "M" proof. It has the early bolt that has the dovetailed firing pin block. The barrel and receiver have a rust blue finish. The bolt is bright. The cone hammer and lock frame have a casehardened finish. The extractor, rear sight slide, bolt stop, safety lever are heat blued. The stock and forearm are European walnut with a varnish finish. The stock has a black, checkered hard rubber buttplate embossed with a small Mauser monogram. Mauser Model 1896 con hammer carbines were produced in very limited numbers and any example is considered very rare.

Very fine as professionally restored with 95% of the blue finish overall with only minor edge and high spot wear. The smaller parts retain 75% of their straw colors overall. The stock and forend are both in very fine condition with a nice matching medium brown color overall with only a couple very minor handling marks on the sides of the buttstock. Mechanically excellent. This is an exceptionally rare early production Mauser carbine.