rebarreling a mauser

[xsn10s]

@crazymonkey what's your load for your 7-08? I was thinking of throating mine for a 180 ELDM. I'm thinking it should be able to mirror the 7mm SAW's ballistics in a long action Mauser.

 

[crazymonkey]

@crazymonkey what's your load for your 7-08? I was thinking of throating mine for a 180 ELDM. I'm thinking it should be able to mirror the 7mm SAW's ballistics in a long action Mauser.

I have it setup to hunt California with my dad if needed so it's lapua brass federal mag primer currently running 51.3 gr staball 6.5 and barns 140 gr ttsx for 3060 fps . I was running r17 at 3034 not sure on powder charge I'd have to look it up but it wasn't temp stable and lost over 100 plus fps when it cooled off here in Arizona. The staball6.5 load it near max .

 

[Mike Matteson]

I've received an old mauser in 7 x 57 which is a good round but I'm covered in that area . I'm thinking about rebarrelling it to a 220 swift because I've always wanted one, is there any issues with this idea?
and if not what is a good recommendation for a barrel maker?

Been thinking about the 220 Swift. I started yesterday looking at getting better brass cases. Even looking at converting other brass to 220 Swift. I am look something like Peterson brass or on that line. Does anybody know what can be coverted to 220 Swift?

 

[xsn10s]

I have it setup to hunt California with my dad if needed so it's lapua brass federal mag primer currently running 51.3 gr staball 6.5 and barns 140 gr ttsx for 3060 fps . I was running r17 at 3034 not sure on powder charge I'd have to look it up but it wasn't temp stable and lost over 100 plus fps when it cooled off here in Arizona. The staball6.5 load it near max .

I just started using Staball 6.5 for my 260 AI because of the temp stability. I planned on trying it for the 7-08 also. Good to know it's working working well in varying temps. Thanks for the info.

 

[std7mag]

@crazymonkey what's your load for your 7-08? I was thinking of throating mine for a 180 ELDM. I'm thinking it should be able to mirror the 7mm SAW's ballistics in a long action Mauser.

You'd be closer to the 7mm SAW with the 7mm-08AI (improved, 40°).

My Stevens 200 reamed to AI with the factory 22" sporter was running the 140gr Berger VLD over RL17 at 2,916fps.
Best powder from an accuracy standpoint was Alliant PP2000MR.
2,832fps
ES/6
SD/2 .

 

[archeratlrg]

Is it a small ring mauser? Is it a 98 large ring is it a commercial or military mauser? 220 Swift pressures top out at 62K PSI so well beyond what a small ring or military 98 mauser specs. I'd verify with a gunsmith. I'm not a gunsmith, but I play one on tv.

A military 98 or small ring 98 KAR or Mexican intermediate leangth are good at that pressure with no problems. I built over 50 custom rifle on various 98 mausers with absolutely no issues. By the way, I will never send business to McGowen barrels again. Biggest ripoff Jerks in the business. Ask me in private about my experiences with them.

 

[archeratlrg]

I don't know the models used there but the crest is labeled "Brasil"... check by zooming.

It appears to be a 1908 Brazilian Mauser 98.

 

[xsn10s]

A military 98 or small ring 98 KAR or Mexican intermediate leangth are good at that pressure with no problems. I built over 50 custom rifle on various 98 mausers with absolutely no issues. By the way, I will never send business to McGowen barrels again. Biggest ripoff Jerks in the business. Ask me in private about my experiences with them.

Personally I'd rather have a commercial 98 action. Especially one built off a 270 Win action. I've had commercial experience with McGowen and won't need any barrels for awhile.

 

[Chokoloskee Joe]

I agree it is a 1908 large ring Brazilian Mauser. Most of them are very high quality actions made by DWM. Yes, it will cost more to build a sporter with the action than to buy a cheap bolt action rifle, but then you won't end up with a true heirloom rifle you'd be proud to hand down to your kids. All depends on what you want. I would go with a 22-250 over the 220 Swift unless you want to reload exclusively. 220 Swift is hard to find in factory ammo and is more of a barrel burner. Numrich happens to have some nice ER Shaw 22-250 barrels for $160. If you don't mind doing some minor stock work, Richards Microfit makes some nice stocks for the 98 Mauser and you can get a nice seconds stock with A or AA walnut for about $200. I've built a few Mauser sporters and they are truly a joy to shoot.

 

[Citified]

98 Mausers are good actions but as others have stated you have to love them to invest in all the upgrades. When I was 14, I acquired a sporterized Mauser action in .243. Made the stock myself from a walnut blank finished in linseed oil. Took all summer. Shot that rifle with a Timney trigger upgrade and a faster lock firing pin kit until I wore out the barrel. I could ring steel at 450 yards most of the time.
Took a few deer with it. When the barrel finally started to wear out, I bought a Midway stainless semi prefit, lapped the lugs and trued the bolt face. Bought the reamer and finish reamed the chamber for the go guage. This rifle is still in my stable 59 years later. Likes 70-80 grain bullets for varmints and 95s for deer.
Will pass it to my son or grandsons some day.
You would be very happy with one in 220 Swift. Not sure if Timney still makes the adjustable trigger assembly.

 

[std7mag]

It's probably already been said but it gets expensive and good gunsmith that will take on a Mauser build ar getting hard to find . I had my grandfather's interarms Mauser rebuilt from a 243 to a 7-08 and it was a expensive endeavor. It wasn't about cost as it is a family gun and my dad was going to rebarrel it anyway back in the early 80s. I took it to the extreme and made it into a tack driver . It's now a 7-08 with a 26 inch brux and mcmillan stock . Sports a 5x25x56 atacr and a suppressor. All in its probably a 10k or more rebuild.

You have to really love Mausers to build one now. Even screwing on a barrel yourself isn't a cheap endeavor anymore. Don't get me wrong I have a JC Higgins FN Belgium Mauser waiting for a new barrel. I'll probably end up keeping it and rebarrel it latter on. But for now I bought a new Remarms ADL and that with a used KRG Bravo stock will still come in under a grand.

I bought a used Whitworth Mark X in 270 Win for a donor rifle.
$259.
Put a B&C Medalist on it.
eBay used $100.
E.R. Shaw 1.5 contour, 24" in 284 Win. 11° recessed crown. Polished, blued.
$284 delivered to my house.
EGW 20 MOA one piece rail & their Keystone line of rings.

Was a nice rifle! Shot well.
But it was too heavy for a hunting rifle for me.
And too light, with the wrong kind of stock for competitions.

You don't have to spend a fortune.
But a Mauser isn't a light weight rifle either.

 

[Lenny Foffa]

I have one now in 270 Win, as a single shot target rifle. Heavy Heart 26-inch barrel with a very long throat and an 8 twist . I have only shot 150 Grn ABLR's at 300 yards so far. I also did one a long time ago in 338 Win Mag. For the 338 Mag had the bolt face opened, and the feed Ramp modified. Love that Classic old action. If I were ever to do another one, I think I'd like it in 308, or even a .243 with a short barrel, in a Mannlicher stock. In my Inter Arms which is also a 98 Commercial action, in 30 -06 , I had the bolt body and the extractor claw and the follower all jeweled. Makes a nice appearance. All My 98 actions happened to have the early anti Binding" Ridge " machined into the bolt body. Not sure what the proper name of the ridge is?? As the war went on, many were produced without that that ridge, as the machining was simpler. Lastly below is my fully engraved FN 98 Mauser from Germany chambered in 30 06 . The scope is a removable Heinzholt

 

[jjmp]

Congrats Lenny, your rifles are Beautiful,great taste as always , enjoy and happy times a comming,thks for posting Cheers.

 

[comen]

I've received an old mauser in 7 x 57 which is a good round but I'm covered in that area . I'm thinking about rebarrelling it to a 220 swift because I've always wanted one, is there any issues with this idea?
and if not what is a good recommendation for a barrel maker?

Make it into a 22-6mm and it will feed perfectly as you are using the same parent case. I have two. You can easily load these to 220 swift velocity at lower case pressure with the larger case volume, or push a little harder and beat swift velocity by a fair margin