Brazilian Mauser crazy groupings
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Came across a thread on accurizing your k98k a while back..... Maybe this will help?
https://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?209030-Tutorial-How-to-restore-accuracy-to-your-Russian-capture
https://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?209030-Tutorial-How-to-restore-accuracy-to-your-Russian-capture
This is almost what mine is like with a very small difference in the very front of the stock.
That looks a lot like the Brazilian 1908/34 or the 1954, both of which are supposed to be in 30-06 according to Mauser Military Rifles of the World.
Are you on your phone? I can walk you through the pic posting process if you’d like?...
If it were chambered in 30-06, the muzzle would be threaded. That rifle doesn't have a threaded muzzle.
It's really easy, for goodness sake. Take a loaded 7x57 cartridge and stick the bullet down the muzzle. If it slips all the way in easily, without resistance, to the case neck, it's 30 caliber.
1908 receivers were finished in the WHITE. not blued.
Could is be .308? There were lots shortened and chambered in .308, either with a new barrel or chamber sleeve. I think a .308 might still let you chamber & fire a 7mm, but it would shoot like crap.
What do your spend casings look like?
Also, I assume you checked the action screws are tight?
What do your spend casings look like?
Also, I assume you checked the action screws are tight?
Even a rifle with a worn bore can shoot OK if the crown is good, the bedding is per spec and the sights are tight. I had a M1903 Springfield with a bore worn to the reject limit and the muzzle gauging .303, but with a symmetrical crown. It still shot 3 inch groups at 100 yds.
Hmmm. I don’t think you could close the bolt on a 7x57 in a 308 chamber.
Might be surprised at how easily a bullet breaks the crimp sometimes. An unsupported neck might form in there.
I have actually run the wrong caliber through a rifle. Ever notice no one admits that? It is always 'some guy at the range'. I had gotten a BUNCH of 30-40 krag for a sweet deal. In the midst there was some fireformed 303 br...need I say more? Didn't catch the headstamps when plucking them from the box...likely stopped for the day and set them down loose.
Shooting a Ross Mk 3 and notice..."The taper seems weird?"
As a testament to my luck, it was feeding .308's down a .312 bore ( which isn't a no go) in an INSANELY strong action.
But very spooky when you realize it.
Best to proceed with due diligence. Good luck and let us know if you get it figured out.
I was thinking more along the length to shoulder, not the overall length.
I've never seen a 1908 Brazilian Mauser that didn't have a full length 29 inch barrel. I've seen 1904 rifles with 24in barrels and carbines with 18.5 inch bbls.
I'm starting to think that your rifle is a put together. Does the serial number on the left side of the barrel match the serial number on the receiver.
I'm thinking your rifle may be put together from the parts of three different rifles.
Stock from a 1908/34 or, because it has finger grooves, more likely a cut down M1935
Receiver from a 1908
Barrel from a 1904
If your chamber were 30-06 or 308Win, you would definitely notice the difference between the fireformed case and that of an original, loaded cartridge.
The thing is, the 1908 Mauser was one of the best produced by German arms manufacturers. They were built from the best of everything available at the time to extremely tight standards. The tolerances were so tight on the two I have that you can't see or measure the difference between fired cases. My hand loads are completely interchangeable and they are both capable of better groups than I am of shooting them
They both will consistently shoot sub moa groups out past 400 yards with the same load data.
The M1904 does the same as does the M1904 carbine but with a lot more muzzle blast.
Even as Purple suggests, Brazilian Mausers with worn/pitted bores shoot acceptably.
Now, if that rifle is a mixmaster of parts ?????????????
It's the short barrel on a white receiver that has me confused. There were some 1908 "short" rifles but I believe they had blued receivers and may have been made up from refurbished rifles.
I'm starting to think that your rifle is a put together. Does the serial number on the left side of the barrel match the serial number on the receiver.
I'm thinking your rifle may be put together from the parts of three different rifles.
Stock from a 1908/34 or, because it has finger grooves, more likely a cut down M1935
Receiver from a 1908
Barrel from a 1904
If your chamber were 30-06 or 308Win, you would definitely notice the difference between the fireformed case and that of an original, loaded cartridge.
The thing is, the 1908 Mauser was one of the best produced by German arms manufacturers. They were built from the best of everything available at the time to extremely tight standards. The tolerances were so tight on the two I have that you can't see or measure the difference between fired cases. My hand loads are completely interchangeable and they are both capable of better groups than I am of shooting them
They both will consistently shoot sub moa groups out past 400 yards with the same load data.
The M1904 does the same as does the M1904 carbine but with a lot more muzzle blast.
Even as Purple suggests, Brazilian Mausers with worn/pitted bores shoot acceptably.
Now, if that rifle is a mixmaster of parts ?????????????
It's the short barrel on a white receiver that has me confused. There were some 1908 "short" rifles but I believe they had blued receivers and may have been made up from refurbished rifles.
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Yup, the Germans were anal about serial numbers on those rifles. If that stock were original, which I don't believe it is, there would be a serial number in the barrel channel matching the number on the receiver.
That barrel may have come from a batch of such barrels that were take offs and offered for sale by Century Interanational out of Montreal, back in the late eighties. All of the parts on that rifle were available from several sources back then.
I don't remember where those barrels came from. Yugoslavia I believe but not sure. I bought a dozen of them to make up wildcats based on the 7x57 cartridge. If you purchased ten or more, the price was about half and they shipped them for free. Tony used to take my orders and make sure I received serviceable or better grade stuff. They also had a bunch of Brazilian made 1904 carbine barrels chambered in 7x57, short chambered and still in the grease NOS. They were only slightly over 18 inches long though.
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OP are you using boat tail bullets? If so try a plain base. Also if you suspect the crown is poor, buy a 1/4'' dome headed brass screw, put the threaded part in a drill, put a dab of valve lapping compound on the domed part of the screw and run that over the crown.
Crown looks fine from what I can tell.
Used some 1980s Federal Power Shock 140 grain, modern Federal Power Shock 140 grain and Winchester grey box 145 grain. None of which I believe are boat tail.
I know it's not scientific but I figured if indeed the barrel might be 7.62 for a 3006 I took a 7mm mauser and tried to drop the bullet into the muzzle end and it wouldn't drop in freely, for what it's worth.
So long as the extractor holds the rim long enough for the firing pin to hit the primer, a 7x57 can be fired in a 30-06 chamber.
Trying cleaning the barrel. it may be leaded from cast loads ans see if someone can load some flat base bullets for you.
Trying cleaning the barrel. it may be leaded from cast loads ans see if someone can load some flat base bullets for you.
