I can`t seem to find solid info either way. Were the Chilean 1912 carbines 7.62 mm conversion rebarreled, or that chamber reamed out and insert soldered in? I know the 1895 conversions were the soldered in version.
I don't know how they were made, but they sure shoot well. It's a shame they weren't left in their original cartridge though. I can see why they were converted, lack of available quantities of ammunition and Nato/UN compliance. The 7.65x53 case is very good and holds a tad more powder than the 7.62x51.
Now you've got me curious and I will have to check mine out.
I have one but I thought they just installed new barrels.
Didn't they convert some to 30-06 by rechambering the barrel?
I recall reading somewhere that Springfield 1903a3 2 groove barrels were used to convert the short rifles.
In the book, "Mauser Military Rifles of the World" by "Robert W. D. Ball" Page 80 bottom left side. He mentions the long rifles were converted to 7.62 NATO by re-barreling them with 60cm barrels.
My example has a two groove barrel and the exterior finish is very thin, with lots of milling marks. My rifle is marked with the following:
MODELO 191261
NATO
mine is a complete mixmaster. It has a standard stepped 29 inch mauser type barrel with, now that i look at it in the light, 5 groove barrel.
The receiver is blued, rather than in the white, like the 7x57 (i forgot i actually had it). It is also stamped 7.62 over n on the rear receiver bridge. To bad it's missing the cleaning rod.
I had forgotten about the vg+ 1012 rifles that jp was offering in 7x57. They are very nice, matching numbers and complete.




























