Mexican Mauser Carbine

[richhodg66]

I have a Mexican 1924 Mauser Cavalry Carbine in very pitiful shape, but which is complete and would like to return it to as near original as possible.

First and foremost, the barrel is absolutely beyond hope; not only is there basically no rifling left, there are huge, deep craters inside of it, I doubt it could even be rebored to a bigger caliber. The safety also doesn't want to work, but that ought to be an easy fix.

This is a '98 action, but I am ignorant about the whole "Small ring" vs. "Large Ring" Mauser thing. Can someone enlighten me as to what I have or how to tell?

Sarco has new in the white German manufactured large ring Mauser barrels in 7x57 (my desired caliber) for about $60 which seems cheap to me. It would have to be docked to get the original length right, the only real question I'd have is whether the steps in the barrel are in the same place and if it would install on my rifle.

It's a good, Belgian FN Mauser action and the obvious thing to do would be to sporterize it, but I have sporting rifles and want to keep it in military configuration. Besides, I need something to take to the range on Cinco de Mayo to celebrate with.

[tmanbuckhunter]

A mexican 98 should be a large ring, you can actually tell the size difference between small ring and large ring. Most any 91-96 mauser will be small ring, and most 98's will be large ring with a few exceptions; now as to whether or not they have small ring or large ring thread's is a different story.

[richhodg66]

To my eye, I cannot tell a lick of difference in this one and the German and Yugo '98s I have looked over. I'm gonna assume it's a large ring and order one of these barrels. I hope these are the correct bore diameter, I had a Venezuelan sporterized one that wouldn't shoot worth a darn. I'm not looking to make this one a tack driver, but want it to be reasonably accurate.

[stocker]

rich: On a small ring the front receiver ring and the left side rail are a continuous line. On a large ring the receiver steps down at the left rail.

[bcp477]

ALL 98's are large-ring. If the gun is in fact a Belgian FN, it MAY not be actually a 98.....and thus not actually a large-ring. It probably is a LR, though (I think all of the Mexican "98's" were).

Easiest way to tell is to simply measure the outside diameter (one side to the other) of the front receiver ring. A large-ring action should be right in the neighborhood of 1.42". Then, there will no guesswork.

[Bob Krack]

My Mexican Mauser, arsenal rebarreled to .30-06 is a small ring. I do not doubt that they might have been available in large and small ringed.

The biggest or at least the most important difference outside of the physical size it the bolt configuration. I if I am not mistaken, the small ring had two locking lugs only (in the front of the receiver) whereas the large ring had two in the front of the receiver and one in the rear of the receiver.

It is also my understanding the '98 s were all large ring.

Bob

[MtGun44]

IIRC, NOT all 98s are large ring.

Bill

[frnkeore]

I believe that I have read that a large ring 98 (external action size) can still have a small ring barrel thread.

Frank

[Frank46]

turk mausers have a large ring receiver but have the small barrel threads. Frank

[bob208]

my mexican short rifle. is a small ring and it does have the third locking lug.

[adrians]

turk mausers have a large ring receiver but have the small barrel threads. Frank

yup, my K. Kale is a LR with SR thread specs.
funny things Mausers ain't they ?.

[7x57]

I have a FN 1924 Mexican carbine like yours. It is a large ring 98 action. It is also an intermediate length action, a little shorter than a standard 98.

[richhodg66]

I have a FN 1924 Mexican carbine like yours. It is a large ring 98 action. It is also an intermediate length action, a little shorter than a standard 98.

Thanks very much. I ordered a new barrel from Sarco, it's a 19" barrel so will have to be docked to get it the proper length, but I'm guessing it will be the same diameter and have the steps in the same place, at least I hope so.

[KYCaster]

According to Kuhnhausen's shop manual your '24 Mexican carbine should be a small ring M98.

"Front rings on these receivers typically measure approx. 1.290"-1.300" in diameter." (large rings are approx. 1.410"-1.420")

Barrel thread dia. should be .980"

Jerry

[7x57]

Thanks very much. I ordered a new barrel from Sarco, it's a 19" barrel so will have to be docked to get it the proper length, but I'm guessing it will be the same diameter and have the steps in the same place, at least I hope so.

I'd be interested how it turns out, the bore on mine is pretty rough and I've thought about doing the same for mine.

[richhodg66]

I'd be interested how it turns out, the bore on mine is pretty rough and I've thought about doing the same for mine.

That barrel from Sarco was only $59.95 or so and the shipping on orders over $50 was free, so if I can get somebody to install it cheaply, I'm doing OK. The barrels are advertised as new in the white and of German manufacture. I assume that means they are new old stock, not recently made.

If this turns out to be the wrong threads for this barrel, I'll figure something else out.