Mystery Mauser

[Marine Sgt 2111]

I had a neighbor ask me if I wanted a 7.7 jap rifle. Sure I said, something new to toy with. First of all the rifle he gave me is no 7.7 Jap. No round safety on the back of the bolt, no egg shaped knob on the cocking handle and this rifle cocks upon closing not opening. It is clearly a mauser, looks to be a 7mm mauser in fact. There is no third lug on the bolt and again it cocks on closing. Can someone tell me what model of mauser this is? There is no crest on the from action ring and the barrel is a stepped military type. How strong is it compared to the M-98?

[shawnsmc]

Model 1895/96 mauser? Since its a 7x57 it is probably the 1895 mauser.
Hope this helps,
Shawn

[autofix4u]

That was once a Spanish M1916, a revision of the 1893. May have been a 1893 and updated at some point. Could be in 7x57, But rumor has it some were rebarreled to 7.62x51.
The bent bolt handle and the gas hole in the left side of the ring are the clues.

[3006guns]

Wish I had neighbors like that!

I agree....95/96 Mauser. It's not weaker than the 98, just not as strong. If you think about that statement it actually makes sense. The 98 was the best of Mauser's designs but it doesn't mean the prior rifles were junk by any stretch of the imagination.

It's possible that any crest on the reciever might have been polished off, sometimes difficult to tell if it was done correctly.

If the bore looks and shoots good, buff that baby and slap some bluing on it (the receiver should probably be polished without blue). Should make an excellent companion in the outdoors!

[Uncle Grinch]

Check out the bolt. Is it flat on the bottom near the lugs or round. If I remember correctly, the 93 models were flat. I also remember something about the left rail not being notched for the stipper clip.

I'm no expert and have forgotten too much to make absolute statements anymore. Maybe Dutch will speak up soon... he knows his stuff.

[Marine Sgt 2111]

Looking at the bolt again, there is a flat spot on the bottom of the bolt near the lugs and a notch cleared away back by the rear edge of the extractor but on the bottom of the bolt. There is also what appears to be a gas port on the bottom of the bolt just at the back of the locking lugs. The left rail does have a notch in it for stripper slips and the serial number is 15624.

[Gtek]

+1 on the Spanish, I would diss bolt and clean inside bolt body and diss firing pin assy and use whatever your majic lube is. I am amazed at what I see in there sometimes. Great score. I have a 1916 in 7.62 and building 45 acp on another 1916 rec. Gtek

[Hardcast416taylor]

You might try seeing what cal. the barrel is by driving a soft lead slug thru it and then getting a better idea of what cal. you have. Another simple test is to try and chamber a .308 round.Robert

[Bret4207]

Yup a '93. Great rifle. If it's still in 7x57 you have the makings of an excellent deer/bear rifle, target/plinking rifle/cast rifle. I have an equally ancient '95 with a ratty old Bishop stock and a Wiliams revcr sight that is the single most dependable rifle I own. One of those guns it's hard to miss with.

[flounderman]

as I remember the 93 has the flat bottom bolt face and the gas escape port at the lugs in the bolt. the one made in spain had a hinged floor plate. the rifle is prbably a 7 mm

[Marine Sgt 2111]

It doesn't have a hinged floorplate just the standard for a mauser and it is a 7mm as 2/3s of an RCBS 145gr cast boolit (nose first) just fits down the muzzle. The neighbor had already given me an old reloading press and 3 or 4 boxs of 7mm mauser months ago. The ammo was from his brothers estate as was the rifle. I am thinking this will be a fine cast boolit rifle and a starter for the new girlfriend to learn on. Besides, a free rifle that shoots is a free rifle. Thank you gentlemen for all of your input on this matter. God I love this board...

[Buckshot]

"and a notch cleared away back by the rear edge of the extractor but on the bottom of the bolt."

...........You'll notice a round hole toward the rear of the action, just under the bridge. As a safety to keep the rifle from possibly firing out of battery, the sear will have a "finger" on it. When the bolt is closed and locked, the notch on it's underside you mentioned will line up with the mentioned hole in the floor of the action. The notch allows the finger on the sear to move up through the hole. Doing so allows the trigger to fully draw the sear down so as to allow the cocking piece and firing pin to move forward.

If the bolt is in place but in any other position OTHER then having that notch over the hole, should the trigger be pulled the sear would be incapable of withdrawing enough to allow the firing pin to fall as the bolt would be blocking the hole. If you don't know the history of the rifle, and since you got it for free it'd be a good idea to let a gunsmith slip a headspace guage into it and check it out. The cost would be modest and th piece of mind would be worth it for sure. After all, the thing is over 100 years old

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

[leadman]

Sound advice from Buckshot.

[badgeredd]

I'm 99% sure it's a Spanish Oveida made 7x57 model 93. Given the gas vent in the left side of the receiver ring, the bolt release, the turned down bolt that appears to be factory, the floor plate and trigger guard as well as the flat bottom on the front of the bolt.

Once you've had the head-space checked and have really inspected the rifle, and have slugged the bore, you'll have a fun shooter. 7x57 loads for these old guns should be loaded as published. It isn't advisable to try to hot rod the ammo. Jack O'Connor loved the 7x57 almost as much as the 270.

Edd

[Char-Gar]

Looks like it is covered with hardened grease/and or oil. A little acetone or other solvent on 0000 steel wool, with remove that quickly. If there is that much on the outside, I would bet there is plenty on the inside as well.

That is a good rifle and will give you lots of fun. Look like the rear sight has been replaced with a Williamsn.

[Marine Sgt 2111]

Chargar... that's not grease in the barrel it's some sort of chemical reaction with the case it was in. My neighbors basement flooded thanks to a couple of communist woodchucks. He pumped the water out of the basement (a mixture of water and salt water from the water softener) but several of his rifles, in cases got wet. He didn't realize they got wet until a week later. What you see is the result. The bore is spotless and I'm thinking of just sand blasting it and getting it black oxided.

Badgeredd, I might put a peep sight on the rear of the reciever to make sighting easier but just another fun rifle to play with in a new caliber.

[Bret4207]

You'll like a peep on it. Even with the issue inverted "V" front the peep woks great. I have a simple an inexpensive Williams 5D on mine.

[Char-Gar]

Sand blasting will leave a rough texture to the steel. A very fine steel wheel on a buffer/grinder will take it off and not damage the metal. It can then be finished anyway you want or left white.

[leadman]

What you want to use to blast it with is glass bead, about 1,500 grit. Then if you want you can use a cold blue on it and it comes out with a nice matte finish.

[JIMinPHX]

as I remember the 93 has the flat bottom bolt face and the gas escape port at the lugs in the bolt.

I think that only later or retrofitted 93's had the port, but I'm not certain about that.