1909 Argentine (Slugged Barrel)

[Jeffreytooker]

I am trying to restore a 1909 Argentine action to a near original condition rifle. I have located an old (long) barrel. It is 7.65 Mauser. It is in fair condition but no better. I have cleaned out the bore. It was pretty bad. I believe I am now down to the original metal. I have slugged the bore. The groove diameter is .311 and the land diameter is .306. This means that the lands are about .0025 and should have been originally about .004. The lands are quite rounded and wide. The groove diameter portions of the slug are very thin. I find it odd that the bore is still .311 and that the lands are worn and not the bore. Has anyone seen this kind of wear pattern before? The original barrel I took off of this action was .318 groove diameter and completely gone. I believe if the barrel will shoot at all it will only be with cast lead boolits.

Thank you.

Jeffrey Tooker

[Buckshot]

..............Yes those are odd dimensions. Normally the lands wear the most and wear the VERY most in the leade. I have 2 model 1909 Cavalry short rifles (not realy carbines). One has a normal .301x.314" bore/groove whicle the other is .304x.314". I didn't have, and was unwilling to go the custom mould route to get a slug large enough on the nose to ride. Instead I used the Lyman 323470 mould for the 8mm.

This is a 165gr Loverin and once lube-sized @ .323" it was easy to send up through a Lee .314" push through die. Made that hard to live with Argentine a shooter. This may work for you also, even though you say the groove is .311".

................Buckshot