My $100 Mauser

[David LaPell]

I picked this sporterized Mauser 93 made in 1922 a couple of weeks back for $100 out the door. It has a nice bore, and someone already bent the bolt and shortened the barrel. I found some online sources that showed two guns just like this, same barrel length, front sight and belt bolt handle. Apparently back in the 50's and 60's some companies like Sears and Wards sold these for about $15 each. I am not sure what to do with the stock since who ever trimmed it down took too much wood I think. About 1/2 of the metal behind the bolt and the safety is visible, so not sure how much firing I want to do. The ugly inlays I can live with. The bolt is super smooth, and it has the original military rear but I am going to put on a low profile Skinner Sight that is only one hole the same size as a scope mount and can be adjusted for elevation and since the front sight can be drifted for windage that will take care of the adjusting, plus I can keep the stripper clip guide. It is still in 7 x 57mm but I like to refer to it as .275 Rigby (Brit name for it) just because it sounds more exotic. I will do some tinkering to the finish but I want to see how it shoots once I get the sight on it. I already took off the military rear.

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss57/Smith29-2/Picture1942_zps089ef8d2.jpg

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss57/Smith29-2/picture3098_zps209d8d9d.jpg

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss57/Smith29-2/picture3100_zps0b980624.jpg

[wmitty]

David

My M 93 came from monkey wards in '68 and looks a whole lot like yours. Some one had taken a grinder to the stepped barrel and then painted it black. Mine has a .291 " groove diameter and seems to be a candidate for paper patching as moulds this size are scarce. Have you checked groove dia. on yours?

[David LaPell]

Not yet I think I am going to do that as soon as I can dig out some .310 round balls and do some trimming a bit to get them to fit. I would not be surprised at all to see if they are way oversized, most I have heard of are pretty bad. I am only hoping because it is a later gun that the barrel might be a bit more uniform. I had an early M93 from 1896 once (wish I still had that gun) that with factory Remington ammo at 100 yards offhand with military sights would drill a pie plate every single shot. I never did the bore on that gun as I was 19 and didn't know any better. If I had I would have kept that old gun.

[docone31]

What I did with a cut down,
I got a sand to fit pad, then some plexiglas. I then sanded the pad and sanded the plexigles to fit. I set blind nuts in the stock.
This gave me the ability to adjust the rear pad to fit my wife, small, and me, large. I used Allen bolts to do the hold down work.
Came out ok, the plexiglas sanded clean and made it interesting. The off color blended well once the stock was finished.
Worked for me.

[UBER7MM]

Mr. LaPell,

That's a great purchase. You should have many hours of fun with that old 7mm. I'd wouldn't load those old "cock on close" Mauser actions to maximum jacketed loads. It's a great candidate for reduced cast loads or reduced "J" loads and last you a lifetime.

Enjoy,

[zuke]

If the serial number's all match then go ahead and use it to it's full potential.
But watch out for Europian load's, their usually quite hot!

[leadman]

Boyd's has a laminated stock to fit your gun. I bought one for my 93 and it fit with just a little work.

[TNsailorman]

oh man! That rifle has a lot of potential for a truck/brush rifle. Take the military rear sight completely off, shroud and all. Cut the foreend back to about 1 to 2 inches in front of the rear sight. Slim down the foreend like the old british express rifles. Cut and recrown the barrel at 18 to 20 inches. Glass with brown colored acraglas the area behind the bolt where the stock is cut down too far. Shape to the contour of the stock and rear metal. drill and tap the front receiver ring for a weaver scope base. Cut a dovetail in the base to allow the use of a weaver or marbles sight blade. remount the old front sight onto the barrel or replace with a new sight base and blade. Work up and adjust the new sights with your favorite load. Suggest a dual set up for 50 yards and 100 yards. Stein/refinish the stock and metal if you so desire. A lot of work and probably more money than the rifle would sell for but then again you had the fun of working on your special rifle. story of my life, always tinkering to make something fit my needs/wants that wasn't there before. Whatever you decide, have fun with it. You have a very nice old rifle to start with or use as is. james

[TheGrimReaper]

I would have bought it for 100.00 too just for the action.