Rebarreling a Mauser 1871 action.

Caddy Shack

You can go to "Ask the Experts topic "Mannlicher Barrel"" and see pictures. My question is, I'm wanting to rebarrel this action and I'm looking at maybe a 38-55 barrel. What I'm wanting to know is, is the c.u.p. press going to be much for this action, or would the 38-40 be better. Some say rebarrel it in 45-70, but I just don't like all the bang that goes with a 45-70, bad heart. Looking at using it as a deer rifle and target shooting.

Hawk Carse

The .38-55 runs about the same chamber pressure as .45-70 or any other black powder rifle cartridge, and the smaller head diameter reduces the backthrust and load on the bolt. No problem in that respect.

The trick will be getting an extractor made for the .586" rim diameter of the .43 Mauser to pull the .506" rim of the .38-55.
Not an insurmountable gunsmithing project but something to be ready for.

Edit to add:

PA has a point. I am loading my .38-55 with fast twist as a BPCR silhouette and midrange rifle. A 335 gr bullet at 1200 fps is not bad at all, so you might do ok back at .43 Mauser. Badger makes .446 barrels.

Re-Edit for:

Or, you ever seen a .38-56? It is a .45-70 necked down, so less work on the extractor. It looks impressive, but is not a whale of a lot more powerful than the .38-55.

PA Shootist

I have a Mauser 71/84 that has been cut down and sporterized (not by me!), chambered in its original 11.15x60R cartridge. I shoot it regularly, and have not found black-powder loads, or smokeless blackpowder-equivalent loads) to have a heavy recoil. Cases are available from Buffalo Arms for one, as well as cast bullets and reloading dies. A 346 grain lead bullet at about 1200 fps seems relatively a mild load. If you reload, that might be a relatively easy solution, IF you can find a barrel in that .446" barrel diameter, chamber reamers, etc. I used this rifle to kill a small Pennsylvania whitetail last fall, a one-shot kill at about 60 yards.

If not, then the .45-70 with a larger rim diameter might be relatively easy if the extractor can be modified to the larger rim diameter (shape is different too). I have a couple .45-70's, one an original Trapdoor, the other a sporterized Martini. With cast bullets and black powder loadings, recoil doesn't seem bad with either of them, more of a push than anything else. Just some thoughts...