Hello. I have an old mauser action, the bolt is similar to my 1893, but not exactly the same. The really interesting thing (to me) is that this rifle does not have the thumb cut away. It is quite pitted, below the stock line, especially in the area of the bolt head when locked. It is barrelled, and the bore measures 7mm, so it could currently be a 7x57. What are the limits for using a pitted action? Thanks
Using a pitted action?
- Thread starter 22to45
- Start date
I have used pitted actions before which hasn’t harmed anything. It really depends how deep the pits are and how rusty it is. I used a Long Branch with minor pits. Cleaned it up and reblued.
Unless those pits are very deep, say 20% or more of thickness at that point the actions should be fine.
From what you describe, it's a pre 98 type action and handloads should be around 45k psi or less.
North American made commercial ammo won't exceed this limit to my knowledge.
European or South American ammo is a different story and you need to know what you're buying.
From what you describe, it's a pre 98 type action and handloads should be around 45k psi or less.
North American made commercial ammo won't exceed this limit to my knowledge.
European or South American ammo is a different story and you need to know what you're buying.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
I can not add anything about using a rust pitted action, but some features that might be of interest to you - look at the left side bolt lug race on side of the receiver - many early Mausers had a rib there - as an "anti-bind" feature, I had read. Some of those 1893 pattern ones had very subdued thumb cut out - was there, if the rear bridge has a slot to accept the stripper clip - but not very deep into the side wall at all. Some of the earliest had a square bottom to the bolt face - others were rounded bottoms - the receivers were cut out as needed for the shape of the bolt head. They can make into very svelte hunting guns - but remember they could be 100 or 130 years old - is not going to keep up with a "modern" one, so far as pressure goes - but no reason not to be still very accurate - or at least "accurate enough" - the one that I have here is stamped as made in 1896 in Berlin.
If you think that is the original barrel and chambering, what we call the 7x57 was used by the Boers in both their Wars with Great Britain, and was about "standard" for Spain and many Spanish speaking countries - I believe various arsenals in Spain and another places made those "mausers" under licence - there should be a scroll engraving along left side outside of receiver, that tells you where it was made and perhaps what year - although that may have been polished or filed off, by now. I think in the "old days" that cartridge was known as the "7 mm" or sometimes the "7mm Mauser" - most of us today would call it the 7x57, though. As is typical with military arms, this one does NOT identify what cartridge it is chambered for.
If you think that is the original barrel and chambering, what we call the 7x57 was used by the Boers in both their Wars with Great Britain, and was about "standard" for Spain and many Spanish speaking countries - I believe various arsenals in Spain and another places made those "mausers" under licence - there should be a scroll engraving along left side outside of receiver, that tells you where it was made and perhaps what year - although that may have been polished or filed off, by now. I think in the "old days" that cartridge was known as the "7 mm" or sometimes the "7mm Mauser" - most of us today would call it the 7x57, though. As is typical with military arms, this one does NOT identify what cartridge it is chambered for.
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