It has only been recently brought to my attention that I have a sporterized 1889 .308 Belgian Mauser.
My mother is a home health nurse. Occasionally on weekends, I would ride with her to go see her patients, and while she was taking care of them, I would do various things around their house. I would mow their yard, do the dishes, laundry, and what not. Most of these people were very old and poor so I never charged them anything. I met alot of very fascinating people over the years doing this. Some days, after finishing up doing whatever I was doing, my mother would go see the next patient but I would stay and listen for hours to the most interesting stories you can imagine. I learned alot about life from these people. Holocaust survivors, veterans, a former nazi, and people with terminal illnesses. You really learn to be grateful for what you have.
There was one man in particular that I became very close to over a few years, Mr.Rue. He was nearly 90 when I met him but had the spirit of an 18 year old. He had been collecting guns his entire life, and he would sometimes allow me to browse his gun/knife room. Over a period of about 3 years, he became a true friend and mentor. One day I came to visit him without my mom, and to my suprise, just out of the blue, he handed me this rifle. I had always assumed his sons would get his guns,but from what I understand they didn't really have much interest in his guns. It has been an absolute tack driver and deer-stopper. Mr.Rue has since passed on, but I learned alot from him. I knew it was an FNH Mauser but only today did it come to my attention that it was an 1889.
For now, I'm retiring this rifle until I can get it to a gunsmith and have it checked out. I've been told that the gun wasn't made for firing a round as powerful as the .308win. and with it's age, s\really needs to be checked out.
