1891 Argentine Mauser Barrel

[leadman]

I bought a full military 1891 Argentine Mauser about 15 years ago just because it was cheap. Has a varnished stock, furniture with chrome that needs to be replated, and a barrel that still shoots but has been ravaged by corrosive ammo.
Yesterday I on Ebay I found a NOS barrel to fit this gun. I know it sounds almost impossible to have a NOS but I did buy one from Sarco for my other 1891 Sporter about 15 to 18 years ago.
The barrel has been shipped so hope to start work on changing this out soon. Been thinking about refinishing the stock and getting the furniture replated. I know this will spoil the value of the gun as a collector but I like to shoot all of my guns and do like a pretty gun also.

This gun looks very similar to the gun in the movie about the Spanish American War. Can't remember the exact title or the characters name that was carrying it.
I'll take before and after photos and hope the after are better!

[Randy C]

I look forward to seeing your project and progress.

[troyboy]

Sounds like it has already been sporterised. If this the case, do want you want. It's your rifle and value is a personal thing.

[Uncle Grinch]

They sure make sweet little sporters. I've been thru 4 or 5 of these over the years. They are too easy to sell, seems anyone who handles or shoots one wants to buy it!

[leadman]

This is not a sporter. I was told it was a school gun. Has a rack number on the side of the stock. I will never sell it so I am not concerned about the value. If I do leave the stock and chrome alone people may not be able to tell it has been rebarreled since it is a 1891 Argentine barrel.

I do have a sporter that was done in the 60s by the company selling them in the magazines. The previous owner had inlayed black on gold letters of his name in the forend . I eventually shot out the barrel and bought a NOS barrel from Sarco and had a 'smith in Flagstaff install it and reblue it. I restocked it with a Richard's stock out of California. This gun consistently shoots 1 1/2" groups with GASP! jacketed bullets.

[lefty o]

whats been chromed on the rifle?

[troyboy]

Pictures man, pictures.

[GUSTAVOAR]

Hello: The Mauser 1891 with plated furniture were used by de Navy as Parade guns.

SALUDOS
From Argentina.

[runfiverun]

yep these are known as the navy guns.
the magazine, trigger guard, and some other small parts were chrome plated.

[leadman]

Forgot to take pictures with it assembled. Have the barrel/ receiver soaking with Sea Foam penetrating oil. New barrel is not here yet.

Everything except the barrel, receiver, and sights was chromed.

I have been side tracked by another project but will get pictures up soon.

[leadman]

Got the new barrel but it had problems. Looks like the cutter for the rifling process broke in the barrel and dug up some metal from one of the lands. There is a chunk of metal on the land and beyond this metal the land is deformed. Good news is the seller has another barrel he is going to send me. Now another weeks wait to get the barrel.

[Dutchman]

Not just the 1891 models were chromed. This m/1909 came complete from Century Arms for $18 (free shipping). Even came with a cleaning rod! And there is rifling.

Though this rifle has excessive headspace I have fired it. I take some of the crappy Argentine military ammo I got in another deal, pull the bullet, dump the powder and load a .314" cast bullet with 10-12 grs Unique and toss the fired case. Its the principle of the thing, ya'know?

[EDG]

Apparently the Argies do not know much about the hydrogen embrittlement caused by plating heat treated steels.

[leadman]

I have seen chrome plated 1903 Springfields, lot of parts for these floating around right now.
Dutchman, my chrome is in about the same condition as yours. Going to get the barrel installed first then decide about any additional work.

[Buckshot]

...........I have 5 Argentines. An Engineer's carbine, two M1909 cavalry carbines, and two 1891 Infantry rifles. They are all fine shooting rifles. All numbers match except the cleaning rods, and one of the M91's is ALL matching including the cleaning rod. Four have their crests which denotes a later import and are import marked. The all matching M91 has had it's crest buffed off and is not import marked. They all have differing barrel dimensions however Bores run from .301" to .304" and the grooves run from .311" to .314". Size the slug for the barrel and they are all shooters. The 1891 Infantry rifle is my favorite foreign military rifle. Tidy, slim and a slick feeder, also helped by the inline magazine. Some do not like the rifle just for that extended magazine, but to me it adds a somewhat racey look to the piece. But some prefer blondes over redheads, and that's what makes the world go round!

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

[leadman]

Got the replacement barrel from the seller today and it looks great so far. Hope to get some progress on the project this weekend. Hope headspace comes out ok or short. Don't have a lathe large enough to trim down the barrel. File anyone? LOL

[leadman]

Trying to get the old barrel off the 1891 today, so far with no luck. I have the action wrench and a barrel vise along with hardwood blocks and rosin. The barrel had Sea foam penetrating on the action and barrel for a week or so. Finally decided to cut the barrel shoulder all the way around to see what that will do. I am tightening the nuts for the barrel vise with a 3/4" drive rachet and it still will not budge. I have never had one this tight.
Will try it again after I take a break.

[Smokepole50]

If the old barrel is trash, and it is now because you cut it around the receiver ring, just use a pipe wrench on the barrel and a piece of pipe on your receiver wrench. I would used Kroil as a penetrationg fluid.

I have a few of these chrome plated 1891 Argentines. They have all been in fairly rough shape but for $50 it was hard to turn them down. I took one that had a nice tiger striped stock and completely restored the plated metal and wood. I stripped the chrome plating with a reverse plating process, polished the metal and rust blued the metal. I then refited all the metal to the wood to get rid of all the proud metal caused by years of sanding by the Argentines prior to me purchasing it. It still sports the original barrel that has excessive headspace as most of these rifles have. I think these were parade rifles, once they showed bolt lug set back from thousands of rounds of ammo, they were chrome plated for display purposes only.

Even with a new barrel I would used caution firing full power 7.65 Argentine loads. If there was ever a rifle that should be only shot with low power loads I think these old parade rifles qualify.

[leadman]

I did take a hacksaw and cut just back from the receiver on the shoulder and it turned out pretty easy. After cleaning the receiver threads with a dremel and wire brush I still had to clean out crud with a pick. Wish I had the tap but I got it together by using lapping compound on the threads and working it in and out about 1/2 to 1/4 turn then cleaning and applying more lapping compound. Appears the threads on the new barrel were a touch too shallow. It is a good tight fit now.
Got lucky on the headspace also as my trim die formed cases are a snug fit and fireformed cases in my other 1891 are good to go with the slightest drag on the bolt when closing.
I checked the locking lugs when it was apart and they look the same as all the other Mausers I have rebarreled. Just the slightest depression in the metal from the bolt lugs.
The headspace on this gun with the old barrel was snug and it has a mismatched bolt.
This receiver even has the crest on it.
I still need to check out getting the chromed pieces rechromed. Am thinking of having it hot blued if I can find someone who will do it reasonable.
I do not anticipate more than a few full power loads just to make sure it stays together, then low powdered cast fom then on.

[leadman]

I found a plating shop that will rechrome the parts for me at a reasonable cost. Will take some before pictures and some after pictures when completed.
This has a mismatched bolt and I was thinking I might get it chromed also. Was the bolt chromed on the original guns with chrome?