Antique mausers

[kowalski]

Are there any antique mausers that are able to fire modern surplus ammo?

Antique as in dros is not required.

[Emdawg]

Not sure about 7x57mm or 7.56 Argentine, but 8x57mm is something you ought to be careful with.

I wouldn't put surplus 8mm through a Gewehr 1888.

[TRAP55]

Romanian is safe in an 88, and works well.
Small ring 1893 Mausers and 1891 Argentine Mausers with Loewe stamped on the left rail are all "Antiques".

[C&Rtrader]

Look for a Chilean 1895 in 7.62 NATO.

[kowalski]

Look for a Chilean 1895 in 7.62 NATO.

I was actually thinking about a Chilean 1895 7x57

[Emdawg]

I was actually thinking about a Chilean 1895 7x57

Most commercial 7x57mm will fire just fine in a small-ring 1895.


As for surplus. Most South American should fire in it. Even after the 98 actions were contracted out to South America from Mauser, there were still many 1890's Loewe and DWM contract Mausers in reserve for the next border war down there. Standard issue cartridges had to be able to be safe and useble in both both variations.


My two cents.

[kowalski]

Good to know, just found this:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=395186312

How much do they usually go for?

[TRAP55]

Price is fair. His bore description makes me leery. Ask for a pic of the bore and crown. A dark bore is okay, worn and pitted and I'd pass.

[nick]

7.63x52 Argentine, 7x57, and, of course, 6.5x55 Swede.

I see that Trap55 recommends Romanian surplus 8x57 in Gew. 88. He generally knows what he's talking about, but personally I wouldn't do that. That is, it's Ok to fire in the Turkish conversions and such, but I wouldn't do that in the original Gew. 88. Which are the antique ones. Are the Turkish conversions still considered to be antique?

[Emdawg]

Yes. All Gewehr 1888 Commission rifles were made before 1898 and are antique, regardless of their refurbishment date by the Turks.

Then again, I have heard of some 1899 Danzig models, but those are pretty rare. I think.

[TRAP55]

The 88's are Antique, Turked or not.
My bad, I should have clarified, Gew 88's "with the S stamp bore conversions" are safe for Romanian. It's the lowest pressure milsurp made, right down there with US sporting ammo.
US loaded 8mm sporting ammo is lawyer mandated anemic, compared to the ammo loaded in Europe. Mainly because someone, somewhere, will have one of the odd few .318 J bore rifles, and swage a .323 S bullet down the bore. And probably do it more than once before he realizes, it shouldn't kick like a Missouri Mule.
Rem, Win, Fed, etc would be okay too. Norma, Lapua, RWS, etc., will make Turk surplus, feel like practice loads.

[nick]

The 88's are Antique, Turked or not.
My bad, I should have clarified, Gew 88's "with the S stamp bore conversions" are safe for Romanian. It's the lowest pressure milsurp made, right down there with US sporting ammo.
US loaded 8mm sporting ammo is lawyer mandated anemic, compared to the ammo loaded in Europe. Mainly because someone, somewhere, will have one of the odd few .318 J bore rifles, and swage a .323 S bullet down the bore. And probably do it more than once before he realizes, it shouldn't kick like a Missouri Mule.
Rem, Win, Fed, etc would be okay too. Norma, Lapua, RWS, etc., will make Turk surplus, feel like practice loads.

Since I have one of those .318 bore rifles, I had to mention it. I'd not shoot any 8x57 ammo in it, unless loaded for it (with the proper bullet and powder load). Not an issue right now, since the rifle is broken in half, courtesy of UPS. Gotta repair the stock first.

[Father Ted]

Someone brought one to our local blm cleanup day. He had some type of chamber insert or some such which allowed it to fire 7.62 NATO? Sorry not absolutely sure what round or what exactly the mechanism was but it might be worth the search. Maybe someone else here knows what it is. If I were a Mauser guy I would've paid closer attention
Cheers

[THBailey]

All of the original 88's had the .318 bore. Some were converted to handle the later .323 bullets, but I believe it was by making a longer "forcing cone" just past the chamber, the bore remained the same otherwise. I guess the question might be: Why bother with this issue and surplus ammo? If I were going to play around with that .318 bore I would do it with cast bullets and light loads. Just my 2cents worth.

[TRAP55]