A Spanish Mauser

[leverboy]

It is with humble heart and quiet steps that I enter the Milsurp sanctum with this one, but I was at my Dad's today, and I brought his old Mauser home to play with. Like so many others, he bought this gun for pocket change in the early 60s, and true to the time, it was stripped down and "sporterized". I know this can be a touchy business today, as these old rifles become more scarce, but I'll show it to you anyway. This gun is a 7x57 chambering, stamped made in Spain. You will note that it has been drilled and tapped for both a scope and a rear aperture sight. To clear the scope the safety lever was removed and a different one soldered on. The barrel seems quite short to me. It is 21" from muzzle to receiver; is this a carbine of some sort? Also there is a definite joint in the barrel under the front sight. The last 3/4" looks like a seperate piece entirely, not sure why that might be. This is pretty much a run of the mill surplus sporter, but for me it's quite an heirloom because my Dad hand carved this stock from a solid piece of walnut. Probably took him most of a winter's free time because it was before he owned any power saws or sanders of any kind. It really is gorgeous, and these pictures don't do it justice.
This gun has not been fired a lot in recent years, but I brought his old Lee Loader with me and some brass, so I'm going to make some smoke with the old girl soon Thanks for looking.

 

[Pete04]

Exellent work! Well done considering the times and sensebilities(sp).

 

[cyclone]

Just don't load anything too hot......it's a gorgeous-looking rifle , and more power to you for a cool heirloom piece !

 

[bearhunter]

Those were different times. Back then milsurp collectors were few and far between and many of the rifles we see today, were bought to be turned into what you have there. Back then, there were a lot of after market products around to turn those rifles into viable sporters that were every bit as good as any of the commercial sporters available. Not only that, but if you did the work yourself, or as with that rifle, just the bare basics you could do it quite a bit cheaper than buying a new or even used commercial sporter.

A lot of people cringe and turn their noses up at rifles like that. I like them. If it weren't for those cheap surplus rifles flooding the markets back then most people wouldn't have been able to afford to buy a hunting rifle. In the early sixties, a new commercial sporter, bare bones, cost around a months average wages. That was more than most laborers with a family could even think to afford. In those days, labor intensive jobs were the norm and the wages reflected it. Not only that many men considered it unmanly to have their wives working.

A milsurp was the way to go for the average man. In the early sixties, scopes were noted for problems and many just didn't use them at all.

Many of the milsurps bought in those days were ruined by amateurs. They cut down stocks, removed pillars and fore end pressure and screwed with the bedding. That's where so many Lee Enfields got the reputation of being bumper jack handles. Many, just got hidden away, forgotten and have just been discovered by surviving family. Many, are still in full milsurp garb, filled with cosmoline.

Your father did a good job on that rifle, he soldered or brazed on a front sight, altered the safety to clear a scope, maybe did some trigger work? That stock is great. Not a lot of figure but that may have been due to financial restrictions or just some good common sense. Heavily figured stocks need years to normalise and dry properly. Then they have to be sealled properly when after they are finished.
I knew an old guy that went off shore to work. He would be gone for 3-6 months at a time. He was an engineer with a passion for sporterising milsurps. He carved some gorgeous stocks. I still have one waiting for a chopped Brazilinan 1935 Mauser to be fitted. When he went away, he would thin down some varnish and appply a thin coat to the whole stock to seal it. He did the same with any blanks he had on hand. It's the little things that make the difference in the end.

Your father sealed that rifle really well from the pics. Keep it that way and it will serve you well. Any commercial 7x57 ammunition, loaded in North America will be safe in your rifle. The Lyman manuals list safe loads under 45000psi. A good safe and accurate load for that rifle is 49 grains of W760 or H414 over CCI 250 magnum primers, under 139 grain spbt bullets give good velocities, accuracy and 40000psi.

That rifle, was throated for long 175 grain round nose bullets by the way. You may need those to get the best results with it. Some are finicky that way.

 

[John303]

A great family keep-sake to be passed on and on, wouldn't change a thing but enjoy. You may or may not be familiar but that I believe that is a 98a Mauser (small front ring with a large ring barrel thread, trigger guard is also different from the large ring). FWIW --- John303.

 

[leverboy]

Thanks for the kind words guys! Thanks for the info John303 I wasn't sure exactly what model this was. And yes, I know that accuracy has always been an issue with this gun. It is due to a few factors, I believe. First off, the scope that was initially mounted was of pretty poor quality, and the recoil alone was enough to throw it off, making it all but impossible to even sight in. That's when the aperture sight was installed (nothing is currently on the gun, I'm planning to put a scope back on it). Another factor was that I know that they were loading it hot with a fairly light bullet; the leftovers I brought home are Norma bullets only 110 gr. My reading here on the forum has informed me that this is not really suited to the 7x57, especially not in the Mauser, so I will try some bigger bullets at more moderate velocity. The other thing that I'm not sure of is what shape the barrel really is in; it looks fine to me but I am far from an expert in these things. How were these barrels bedded in the original stocks, were they only supported in certain spots? This stock is quite close fitting, but the barrel only touches on a shim at the front of the wood. Really I don't care if I can't get perfect pinpoint accuracy out of this gun, but it would be fun to see if I can get it grouping reasonably well.