Well, I bought the Mauser Action Sporter...

[SVT-40]

Cool post WWII sporter. This is what your rifle looked like before it was sporterized!

The "star" in front of the serial number indicates post WWII manufacture under French supervision at Mauser Orbendorf.

[THBailey]

Thanks for the kind words and information Gentlemen.

Per my Google research there appears to be a split of opinion on the "SVW MB" usage. Some say it was the last Oberndorf markings used by the Germans at the end of the war that carried over into the French supervised manufacturing, others say it was only used after the French were in charge. Either way this is only a point of curiosity as pertains to my sporter, but I can not tell if it has a star or not from the photo of the serial number area that was included on the auction page. The photo is not the greatest and it seems the receiver may have been polished up a bit before bluing. We will give it a closer look when the gun gets here.

I agree the double set trigger would be a nice cosmetic touch, but I have never found them too practical when hunting up on the mountain. Single stage set to a little over 3lb pull is more to my liking. Timney or Dayton Traister, take your pick.

I have never popped a cap with the 6.5 x 55, but I am told it is a truly sweet cartridge that can just about do it all in North America. But no, in my ideal world the gun would be chambered for 7 x 57. Not that there is anything wrong with 8 x 57, just much better bullet choices in 7mm vs 8mm. And as a matter of fact I borrowed a Ruger #1 in 7 x 57 for a successful whitetail hunt in Wisconsin several years ago. That was one sweet rifle. Life is short echo1, get the gun! At least, that is what I was saying to myself as I kept bidding on this one.

[THBailey]

Well, the gun arrived at my LGS yesterday. I will say in passing that the Joe R. Pyle Auction folks did an excellent job of packing the gun for shipment from West Virginia. Got a few more photos as I did my Cali paperwork. The receiver was polished a bit, but I don't see a star. Looks like a waffenamt? Completely non-matching numbers from what I could see without disassembly, appears to have been built with military parts save the trigger, safety, scope mounts and custom touches. Can not complain about the workmanship, somebody with talent spent some time putting this together.

[Mustang]

Wow...what a sweet looking rifle.

Range report when you can.

[McNally M.]

If only every "bubba" job turned out looking as good as OP's rifle. Then I doubt we'd nay say as much. Incredible buy.

[hambam105]

It is going to cost a lot to make that rifle 'Tactical'.

[THBailey]

Got it home, and, damn...

The 8x57 "go" went in fine. Things look good! Then the bolt closes on the "no go". Not so good. Then the bolt closes on the "field". What the??? The gun surely looks put together too well for lousy headspace. No chamber identifier stamp on the gun. Little more research:

Lets see, early post war sporting gun on a very late war Oberndorf receiver, Oberndorf factory in the French sector and being run by the French just after the war, 8x57 at that time an illegal military chambering for civilians in France and Germany...

Have you ever heard of 8x60s? Seems this is a rule beater chambering used by German gunsmiths after ww1 and ww2. Run a reamer into your verboten hunting heirloom and like magic, legal again! Same as 8x57 except 2mm longer at the case shoulders and an additional 1mm longer case neck for a total 3mm longer overall, all other case dimensions identical. Pretty common in Europe but pretty obscure over here.

Like I said, damn...

[DaveInOroValley]

[TRAP55]

8mm/06? That's what a lot of 8x60's got turned into when they got to the states.

[pacrat]

Got it home, and, damn...

The 8x57 "go" went in fine. Things look good! Then the bolt closes on the "no go". Not so good. Then the bolt closes on the "field". What the??? The gun surely looks put together too well for lousy headspace. No chamber identifier stamp on the gun. Little more research:

Lets see, early post war sporting gun on a very late war Oberndorf receiver, Oberndorf factory in the French sector and being run by the French just after the war, 8x57 at that time an illegal military chambering for civilians in France and Germany...

Have you ever heard of 8x60s? Seems this is a rule beater chambering used by German gunsmiths after ww1 and ww2. Run a reamer into your verboten hunting heirloom and like magic, legal again! Same as 8x57 except 2mm longer at the case shoulders and an additional 1mm longer case neck for a total 3mm longer overall, all other case dimensions identical. Pretty common in Europe but pretty obscure over here.

Like I said, damn...

While researching I suggest a chamber cast. And without knowing where the post war work was done on this rifle. Consider that post war 8x57 ammo was "hens teeth" here in the US. And many War bring backs were "quick fixed" with a readily available 30-06 reamer. Turning them into the 8mm-06.

Just a thought. And a viable possibility.

ETA........................TRAP posted while I was slowly thumb typing and eating a burrito.

ETA..............Again, to add link to a comprehensive read on 8mm-06 developement.

https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/8mm-06.html

[FLIGHT762]

Try a resized 30/06 case and see if it chambers.

[THBailey]

We did a chamber cast and it looks to be the 8x60s. Just for curiosity we are going to add 2mm feeler gauge to the back of the 8x57 gauges and confirm the gun headspaces to 8x60. Assuming yes, I think my choices are three:

Leave it as-is. Brass and dies for 8x60 are available. And, of course, stamp the barrel with the correct chamber identifier. As I have some 8x57 stuff already I think I would like to avoid this because of the confusion factor.

Second, set the barrel back one thread and rechamber 8x57. Because the proper equipment, reamers and talent are readily available this is the most inexpensive option and as a practical matter probably the way I will go. This will leave the neck area of the chamber a hair longer than spec, less than a 1mm, probably not a big factor but it certainly won't enhance accuracy.

Finally, what I would like to do and, of course, the most expensive option by a long shot, send the barrel to a quality barrel maker and have them make me one with identical contour, etc., and a short chamber in 7x57. But then we will need to additionally do a reblue and more.

Regardless, I think it is going to be a while before I can post that range report. Thank you gentlemen for your observations and suggestions.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

I am sorry to hear about the headspacing issues. That is a beautiful Mauser.

[pacrat]

Second, set the barrel back one thread and rechamber 8x57. Because the proper equipment, reamers and talent are readily available this is the most inexpensive option and as a practical matter probably the way I will go. This will leave the neck area of the chamber a hair longer than spec, less than a 1mm, probably not a big factor but it certainly won't enhance accuracy.

Actually another option w Could be possibly considerably less expensive. And would entail the cost of renting an 8mm-06 reamer and GO Gage. And buying a quart of "cutting oil". Which BTW can, and in shops is, filtered and reused.

https://4drentals.com/products/reamer-rentals/

The barrel can possibly be reamed "in-situ' with no disassembly. Or machinist involved. Unless it is to extended the magazine after the reaming, if needed. Which is a probability.

A person would have to be very easily confused to mix up 8x57 and 8mm-06 cases. 06 cases are not quite "a dime a dozen" but much more available than 8x57.


ETA a few possible conflicts in bold, due to 8x60 shoulder dia. and location compared to 06 body taper. I'm not gonna do the dimensional comparison. But OP should if he considers this option .

[Sutcliffe]

Exactly my thoughts

Wyatt beat me too it.
I was going to suggest, the only thing missing on this rifle is a set of double set triggers. Love the butterknife bolt handle and the full Mannlicher stock. Beautiful rifle, a great caliber, and a great score.

Best regards,
870classic.

There is something about this rifle that screams African Safari from a century ago.