Rodda 98 in 10.75x63

GermanHunter

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Hi Community,
I got a Rodda 98 in 10.75x63. Did Rodda bought the action in Germany and finished the guns? Did they bought the whole Rifle? Who were they buying from? I saw that there are in fact some 10.75 around in India and the region.
Krupp Steel. Is it from Suhl?
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Lovely rifle
 
Hopefully someone with much better knowledge than me will chime in. However from internet research the proof marks on the left side of the receiver:
The funny hat shaped object over the N is a Suhl proof mark for Nitro proofed.
The 3.5 gr G.B.P. means 3.5 grams of Gewehr Blattchen Pulver (military flake powder)
The St. m G means Stahl-mantel Geschoss (steel jacketed bullet). Post 1912 receivers also listed the projectile weight.

(Note these marks may have related to proof as originally manufactured. If rebarreled later in life they may be irrelevant to the present calibre)

The barrel should have a calibre marked on it, probably showing bore diameter rather than groove diameter. I can't tell whether your picture showing a calibre is from the barrel or some other part. It may also have been added later to comply with local regulations.
 
At the time this rifle was created, Rodda had store fronts in both Birmingham, England and Calcutta. They were rather like the Army & Navy CSL in that the company sourced rifles from English and Continental makers (such as your Suhl built Mauser) and then marketed them under their name. Sometimes they would finish them in house, and others were marked "R. B. Rodda" by the actual manufacturer.

They are most famous for their double rifles which were always well built and often of extraordinarily fine finish. Many found their way into collections of the wealthy Marajas of the British Raj in India prior to WWII. Their bolt actions are actually fairly rare and typically of superb if plainer quality. Yours is an example of such a rifle with a forged rib as part of the barrel and a classic Germanic stock secured by a traditional forend a key.

I suspect it was used on tiger and gaur in India, or lion and buffalo in German East Africa before it found its way back to Europe. You have a truly wonderful rifle.

I should note the caliber (introduced around 1910) was beginning to gain popularity among German hunters prior to the loss of the German colonies in Africa following WWI. Afterwards, it largely vanished as British cartridges dominated the post war African hunting scene. We are more familiar with the 10.75x68 of the same era.

Zum Zeitpunkt der Herstellung dieses Gewehrs hatte Rodda sowohl in Birmingham, England als auch in Kalkutta Ladenfronten. Sie ähnelten eher der Army & Navy CSL, da das Unternehmen Gewehre von englischen und kontinentalen Herstellern (wie Ihrem von Suhl gebauten Mauser) beschaffte und sie dann unter ihrem Namen vermarktete. Manchmal beendeten sie sie im Haus, andere wurden vom tatsächlichen Hersteller mit "R. B. Rodda" gekennzeichnet.

Sie sind am bekanntesten für ihre Doppelgewehre, die immer gut gebaut waren und oft ein außergewöhnlich feines Finish hatten. Viele fanden vor dem Zweiten Weltkrieg ihren Weg in Sammlungen der wohlhabenden Marajas des britischen Raj in Indien. Ihre Bolzenaktionen sind eigentlich ziemlich selten und typischerweise von hervorragender, wenn auch schlichterer Qualität. Ihr ist ein Beispiel für ein solches Gewehr mit einer geschmiedeten Rippe als Teil des Laufs und einem klassischen germanischen Schaft, der durch ein traditionelles Vorderteil eines Schlüssels gesichert ist.

Ich sollte beachten, dass das Kaliber (eingeführt um 1910) bei deutschen Jägern vor dem Verlust der deutschen Kolonien in Afrika nach dem Ersten Weltkrieg zunehmend an Beliebtheit gewann. Danach verschwand es weitgehend, als britische Patronen die afrikanische Jagdszene der Nachkriegszeit dominierten. Wir sind besser mit den 10,75 x 68 der gleichen Ära vertraut.

 
GermanHunter: You have a beautiful rifle and funny you should mention them in India; I recently read an article about a wealthy Indian hunter who had a 10.75 rifle in his collection of weapons and used it for hunting man eating tigers. However it was noted in the article that the 10.75 ammunition was so rare in India that 1(one) box of 20 cartridges total was all the ammunition he had for the rifle during his entire career and therefore used it sparingly.
 
By the way I’m a German Hunter in Ontario:)
Jeez - then the hell with the google translation effort. :cautious: Though the noun verb agreement had me fooled. :cool: Probably a Canadian thing.

A really nice rifle. Would love to know how it made its way to Canada.
 
GermanHunter: You have a beautiful rifle and funny you should mention them in India; I recently read an article about a wealthy Indian hunter who had a 10.75 rifle in his collection of weapons and used it for hunting man eating tigers. However it was noted in the article that the 10.75 ammunition was so rare in India that 1(one) box of 20 cartridges total was all the ammunition he had for the rifle during his entire career and therefore used it sparingly.
@deewayne2003
Was that Indian hunter Donald Anderson , by any chance ?
 

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