which mausers are safe?

Most any of the Mauser 98 actions are safe - up to 50,000 CUP....as long as the particular action is in good condition. The earlier Mauser models....the 88, 91, 93, 95, 96 (built by various nations at various times) are NOT safe for full-pressure cartridges. This includes the Swedish Model 96 in 6.5 x 55 (which is very highly regarded by Mauser enthusiasts). This cartridge is designed for well below 50,000 CUP.

Stick with a Model 98 action (or one of the copies thereof)...in GOOD condition....and it will be fine for your purposes.

 

Re: re: which mausers are safe?

I'm interested in what you said regarding the 1909. I have a chance to buy a Argentine 1909 engineer carbine for $250, in fair to good condition. Is this a good or bad deal?

Dave

 

Re: re: which mausers are safe?

the Argentine 1909 is a very good variation on 1898 mauser action, probably the very best. actually I own two Argentine 1909 mauser military rifles. one of them is a custom built cal .308 winchester and the other one is an infantry model, 100% original, including its caliber; barrel, stock, bolt, cleaning rod and bayonet have matching numbers.

sorrowfully, the original caliber is actually odd: 7,65 x 53 mm. the only modern ammo available is loaded by norma (sweden) and flb (argentine), but luckily it can be reloaded easily using bullets made for .303 british (both, 7,65 mm and .303 are actually .311/.312 diameter).

we use to make customs rifles with this action and 7,62 x 51 barrels (308 win) due to ammo is cheaper (being GI ammo in argentina, fired by armed forces issued FN FAL, FAP and MAG) and readiily available.

 

hi again,

an engineer carbine for $250, in fair to good condition is a fair price in usa (here, in argentina, they´re very scarce, so they are very very expensive, more than 500 american dollars even in not so good condition).

besides, if you´re going to build a custom rifle, it isn´t important the barrel or stock condition. look only at the bolt action condition.

remember: many of these guns NEVER were fired, but others were fired using corrosive ammo; then you must be careful watching around the firing poin hole: if the gun was misused the bolt front specially around the firing pin hole will show rust and, in very bad condition, some erosion.

a trick: lock the bolt and shake the carbine vigorously un and down and left to right. you have to hear no noise at all. if the gun is ok the bolt will remain firmly in its place.

for further information, you can read the article "Model 1909 Argentine Mauser" in guns and ammo on line (link: http://www.gunsandammomag.com/classics/ ... index.html)

i hope to be of help.

 

finally, there was a 1891 argentine mauser (7,65 x 53 mm too), but its bolt action is not as strong as model 1909 is, so it has to bie fired in its original caliber, because it can´t stand very well high pressure calibers of nowadays.

anyway, 7,65 x 53 is an outstanding caliber; its ballistics fall between 7,62 x 51 and 30 - 06 springfield.

as you can see i´m an enthusiast of these rifles (not in vain i choose "mauserman" as nick in this and other forums).

kind regards from "down south"