Mauser Project - Advice Needed

I know of one so far, let's see if more show up.

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Mauser Project - Advice Needed

Postby pitted bore » Thu Dec 11, 2014 7:17 pm

Southerncross on bolt rifle picture thread wrote:New guy here;

I'm working on an Argentine Mauser project (originally 8mm of course) that we're rebuilding into a 450 hunting rifle with some character. Currently the barrel is off, the new blank is in hand, and we're trying to decide what stock or chassis to go with this build as well as barrel length.

I have a couple questions for you guys that have done these; what is the go to barrel length? I was plannin on 16"-18" and threaded. Mine will probably have a suppressor mounted shortly after I finish. Also, what profile are most people running? My original plan was for a fluted bull.

Thoughts?

Southerncross-
First, welcome to the 450B forum! It's particularly nice to see another member interested in what a bolt rifle chambered in the cartridge can do.

(I hope you aren't upset at relocating your questions here. Instead of being buried at the end of the picture thread, they're out in plain view with a unique title.)

More helpful, specific, and detailed answers are likely to be posted if you could explain the specific hunting mission(s) you have planned for this rifle.

For example, I'm really happy with the standard light sporter contour 20" barrel on the 1903 Springfield that is pictured at the start of the picture thread. It's intended to be a carrying hunting rifle for moderately close-range shots. I'm also happy with the 26" truck-axle barrel on my Model 70 bench rifle, which I've used for trying out various loads: A Second Bolt Rifle

Some of the other bolt rifles discussed on the forum are very different from these two, and will be used for different purposes. After you tell us your plans for the rifle, the pros on the forum likely can and will offer pretty good advice.

A question: What Argentine Mauser action are you using? M1891? M1909?

Forum member wvcruffler built his bolt rifle on a M1891 Argentine action, and it came out looking pretty spiffy: Photos of 1891 Mauser build. For many good reasons, the M1909 Argentine action is a favored for lots of custom rifles, and if you are starting with one of those, then I'm envious.

I'm also curious about your stating the rifle was "8mm of course". I had thought that most Argentine Mausers were chambered in 7.65x53mm. Is this a special production model? What are the markings on it?

Thanks, and I hope we can help.
--Bob
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Re: Mauser Project - Advice Needed

Postby Kiwi Greg » Thu Dec 11, 2014 7:40 pm

I have only used a 12" barrels so far on my bolt actions, so not much help sorry.
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Re: Mauser Project - Advice Needed

Postby Southerncross » Sun Feb 08, 2015 11:13 am

No problem, thanks for moving the post to a new thread. It looks like a 98 action, and I could swear its 8mm. Maybe its 7.65. Had a buddy give it to me and promise to do something cool with it, so I figured a big bore brush gun would fit the bill. My gunsmith has it currently, so I can't take a picture or look at it closely to tell you guys exactly what it is.

The current plan is to rebarrel it and fit a decent synthetic stock (it was sporterized years ago, mil stock is trashed) and sling. Going to be a hog/whitetail rifle inside of 200yds. My gunsmith and I have been looking for ideas on what else to do with it. He thinks it might be a fun project to build a chassis for so we can use AR furniture, but who knows if we'll ever get around to that. I mostly want a hard hitting somewhat lightweight brush gun.

I think we're going to go with a 16-18" barrel at first to see how I like it. We just bought the chamber reamer last week.

I'm open to any opinions.

Thanks guys
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Re: Mauser Project - Advice Needed

Postby Kiwi Greg » Sun Feb 08, 2015 11:39 am

I would go 18" to get the noise further away from me :D

I find the factory Hornady ammo very accurate in my bolt guns.

If you reload Hodgdon Lil-gun powder will perk it up, your shoulder might not thank you :)
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Re: Mauser Project - Advice Needed

Postby Southerncross » Sun Feb 08, 2015 8:59 pm

Thanks for the insight. Will probably wind up at 18". It'll be threaded with a brake and hopefully we can get a suppressor built that will handle the pressure of the round. I'm a little scared to try the Octane 45 I have coming.

I was planning on using the Hornady factory loads to get some brass built up and set a baseline. We plan to reload for it at some point.

Quick question: what is the largest round you guys are loading? I figure I'd probably be between the 250-300gr range for what I want to do with thjs rifle.
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Re: Mauser Project - Advice Needed

Postby pitted bore » Tue Feb 10, 2015 9:11 am

Southerncross-

You have some nice plans for your rifle, and I am pleasantly anticipating what you might finally come up with. Some comments:

If your action looks like a 98, then it's probably a 1909 Argentine action. Lucky you. It's likely to have been a 7.65 originally. Your smith will have an interesting bit of work in making the action feed the short, straight 450B cartridges reliably. It would be nice if you could report some specifics about what he did to make cartridges chamber easily and consistently from the magazine, particularly cartridges loaded with flat-nosed bullets.

I'll second Kiwi Greg's comment about barrel length, and even suggest going with 20 or 21 inches. If you plan to use a scope and not install a front sight on the barrel, then start long and cut some off if it is not right. (It's a lot easier to make a too-long barrel shorter than a too-short barrel longer.)

Largest round? (I assume you mean heaviest bullet.) Reports of work with 300-grain jacketed bullets are common on this forum. The 325-grain Barnes Buster has been discussed frequently. Swift also makes an interesting 325-grain bonded bullet -Swift # 453257. Obtaining jacketed bullets above 325 will probably require swaging .458 bullets. Techniques for this have also been discussed on the forum.

Here are links to a couple of pertinent threads to get you started: Heavy Bullets ?? and Help with subsonic load

Cast bullets are also a possibility for going the heavy-bullet route. There have been problems with using them, apparently caused by gas port events in the ARs. However, there have not been many reports of their use in 450B bolt rifles. If you can manage some decent accuracy with such bullets, you will have done some nice pioneering work. Please report it here. Here is a link to a thread showing a list of previous cast-bullet threads: CAST BULLETS discussions.

--Bob
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Re: Mauser Project - Advice Needed

Postby Al in Mi » Tue Feb 10, 2015 11:46 am

once I get rolling on my bolt gun, I wanted to try the Barnes TEZ ML bullets seated out about .050 off the lands. Not sure how the 450B is throated, but hoping to get some extra powder capacity by seating out farther.

Been working on another project that looks to have a feeding issue with flatter nosed bullets, thinking of making a spacer for the front of the mag box with a rounded notch in the center to help guide feeding.......................sound like it might work anyways!! Next option would be to alter the mag box for center feeding, Wyatts has a box like that for the Remingtons.
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Re: Mauser Project - Advice Needed

Postby pitted bore » Tue Feb 10, 2015 11:59 pm

Al in Mi wrote:once I get rolling on my bolt gun, I wanted to try the Barnes TEZ ML bullets seated out about .050 off the lands. Not sure how the 450B is throated, but hoping to get some extra powder capacity by seating out farther. ...

Al-
A standard 450B chamber should have SAAMI dimensions, including the throat. You can find the chamber drawings posted as a pdf file at the SAAMI web site:
http://saami.org/specifications_and_information/index.cfm

You'll have to drill down a couple of layers to get to the 450B page. The pdf may not cooperate with browsers other than MS Internet Explorer. I'll be interested in how your long-seating works out.
--Bob
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