Mauser Conversion Question

victorj19

I have a 1908 Brazilian Mauser in 7x57 I started converting , or as some refer to as Bubbaizing, over 20 years ago. Got as far as having the bolt bent cutting the barrel shorter, sporter floorplate, drilled and tapped, etc. The projected ended when my became pregnant and the accuracy wasn't very good. What calibers would work if I have it re-barrelled without altering the bolt face and would feed reliably? Don't want a 30-06 (if it work). Just re-barrel in 7x57, convert to .308, 300 Sav, something else? Any recommendations on a barrel/installation source.

1KYDSTR

As a quick note, a 7 x 57 in the right hands will take any game on the planet...period. Rebarrel to 7 x 57, don't worry about the mag and feed rails as a result and finish it to your cosmetic tastes. The 308, 300 Savage etc are all fine cartridges, but won't really do anything a 7mm Mauser cannot. The 7 x 57 will make this much less painful all around.

TRAP55

The 1908/34 was a 7x57 converted to 30/06. Any cartridge based on a case with a .473 rim {'06 and x57mm family) will work, shorter cartridges like the .308 and .300Sav may have feeding issues without rail work.
All that said, 7x57 is a good round, and can really be improved in that 98 action with hand loads. US factory loaded ammo is kind of anemic due to liability, and it's chambering in rifles since 1893.

FEENIX

As others have already noted, if you have LA with a bolt face .DIA of .470 +/-, here's a short list of what you can re-barrel to; 220 Swift, 6mm Rem, 240 Weatherby Mag, 257 Roberts, 25-06 Rem, 257 Weatherby, 6.5x55 Swedish, 270 Win, 7x57 Mauser, 7x64 Brenneke, 280 Rem, 30/06 Springfield,8mm Mauser, 338/06 A Square, and the 35 Whelen.

All are excellent calibers, I'd personally like the 6.5x55 Swede (I have a 1894M Carl Gustav carbine) with the 7x57 Mauser a very close second.

Good luck!

Ed

260

hello jim, tried to e-mail you. could you e-mail me?

victorj19

Email sent.

I was thinking about the 300 Sav because I remebered how accurate it was with some of my handloads. Still have the dies. I'll get my loading books out and check out the sugestions provided. I'll probably pass on the 220 Swift since I have a 223. While the 8mm Mauser is a good cartridge I'm just not partial to it.

Would the 35 Rem be a choice (just because I still have a set of dies). Dies are relatively cheap so it have little importance on what I finally chose.

sandwarrior

victorj19,

I have a bunch of Mausers that have been converted to 30-06, 7x57 from 8x57, .308, .243. Purpose built 9.3x5762 (30-06 length case). My point is this action can take a lot of conversions pretty easily as long as it is a cartridge with a .473" bolt face. You can also have the bolt face opened up and use any number of magnum cartridges used as well. The two most prominent in that category are the .300 Win mag and the 7mm Rem mag.
FWIW, the .300 Savage would be an excellent choice in that rifle.

I would advise against going with the .35 Rem in that rifle. Although, it can be done. You have to change the bolt face (.450") and it's a little narrow to get to feed very well in the Mauser feed rails. Again though, like the magnums, with some extra work it can be done.

So, along those lines I'll say the 7x57 is one excellent round. As long as you keep it to pressures it was intended to work in. With newer slower burning powders you can safely attain higher velocities while staying within the pressure boundaries of the Mauser cases. If you didn't know it already the taper is what hurts the Mauser cases. The .308 based cases with their reduced taper tend to grip the chamber walls a little better and can therefore handle more pressure. But, back the 7x57. I can push a 168 gr. Berger VLD out to 2660 from the one I have. Under current conditions (cold) that will get me well past 1000 yds. supersonic. It really is a great round.