This is a solid representative example of a scarce WWII G41(M) rifle that was manufactured circa 1942 that is fitted with a very rare late production stamped trigger housing. The stamping process was really pioneered by the Germans during WWII, and in this example, it was used to produce the complete trigger housing and box magazine assembly as a manufacturing shortcut versus the complete machining and assembly process used on the earlier models. This rifle design is well known as an early German attempt to develop and produce a semi-automatic rifle. Two firms competed in this effort: Walther and Mauser with the Mauser design (shown here) being a complicated, dual bolt action/semi-automatic design which used a modified Bang gas trap system. In the semi-automatic mode, the bolt served as the charging handle, chambering the first round and cocking the striker, but in event of a gas system failure the operator could continue to fire the weapon like a conventional bolt action rifle. This was a complicated rifle to produce, and it lost out the Walther design, the G41(W) which eventually evolved into the G/K43 semi-automatic rifle design. The Mauser design was only produced for a few years before it was deemed too costly and time consuming. The top of the receiver is stamped "G41(M)/1942," with the standard Mauser "Eagle/135" Waffenamt proof on various parts and components. The barrel is fitted with a standard blade front sight with a sheet metal sight cover and a tangent rear sight graduated "1-12" (100-1200 meters). It is fitted with a standard pistol grip walnut stock with a cupped steel buttplate and a short mid-length walnut handguard. This example is currently fitted with a set of K98 milled, unnumbered and unproofed barrel bands. There are matching serial numbers present on the remaining visible parts overall. The left side of the buttstock and underside of the pistol grip area are both stamped with a standard "Eagle/135" Waffenamt proof. This example is complete with a WWII German cross-hatched, brown leather sling.

Fine with 75% of the original blue finish still remaining overall, the exposed metal finish of the receiver, action cover stamped trigger guard assembly and box magazine having a thinning blue finish; and the upper exposed barrel and gas system having a mixed gray/brown patina finish on the metal. The stock and handguard are both very fine with a nice light honey colored finish overall. It has matching visible numbers overall except for the K98 barrel bands being unnumbered and unproofed as noted above. A solid representative example of an early scarce Mauser G41(M) rifle.