The rest of the story - 1916 Mausers & headspace

[trooperdan]

Well, 3 of of the 4 closed on a NO GO gauge but using masking tape on the gauge nobody closed on 2 thickness of tape after I did some bolt switching. I'm thinking they should all be OK for some mild cast boolit loads, agree?

[M-Tecs]

You really don't have an issue until they close on a field gauge.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=12555/GunTechdetail/Headspace-Gauges-And-How-To-Use-Them-Part-I

http://thecmp.org/training-tech/armorers-corner/headspace/

On first loading jam your bullets or neck up to create a shoulder. After the first firing set your dies to set back .002". Monitor it occasionally to make sure the headspace is not changing.

Brass life will always be an issue if you don't size to the chamber.

[Hickory]

If you are shooting your own reloads, you can adjust the headspace with your reloading dies, just don't set the shoulder back as much.

[trooperdan]

Thanks for the replies guys! I was under the belief that I could at least somewhat control headspace in the reloading process. Best option would probable be a set of Lee collet sizing dies. I've always had a fondness for the 7x57 caliber but these are the first I've had the responsibly for the care and feeding of.

[Gtek]

Just me, but if the bolts are serialized and correct I think I would put them in their respective home. Every one being an individual could MAYBE lose a couple thousandths just from bolt lugs settling in on a new home. As stated above, neck up, size down front of neck for just bolt closure for one good power load, brass will have correct head space for that rifle from that point on if correctly reloaded. My belted stuff which is treated the same way first loading gets marked with indent with file notches, rings lathed in bases, etc. for individual rifle identification. Once sized with necks warmed up every now and being run with cast should last you a very long time.

[trooperdan]

Believe me, nothing on these puppies is matching! Not the floorplates, not even the stocks, much less the bolts. These are real mixmasters that have been rebuilt for the past 90-110 years!

[TCLouis]

Maybe not the correct thing to do, but one can always make ammo proper for their chamber.

Hopefully they are close enough to the same that you can just make ammo that is fitted to all of the chambers and rock on.

If not then you will have to load separate ammo for each, still not a biggie once you learn the difference in die setting between them.

[LAGS]

Swapping the bolts from rifle to rifle , MAY get them to Seem like they are Headspaced closer or even show that they are headspaced.
The big BUT ? is , What about the lug contact ?
You may only have One of the Bolt lugs in contact with the receiver.
I have found this condition on Many a Rifle that had a Mis Matched or swapped out bolt.
The rifle looks like it is within Headspace limits, but after firing especially with the softer receivers on the Small Ring Mausers, the one lug that is hitting, then Wears in or Seats back into the receiver.
Then the headspace is over the limits.
I had a 1916 in .308 that had that same condition.
So I pulled the barrel, Lapped the lugs and them installed a 8mm Small ring barrel off of a Turkish Mauser Small Ring 98 on it.
I gave it to another member " Armoredman " and he is still shooting it with cast boolit loads.
Headspace has never walked again.

[armoredman]

I haven't photographed it in some time, so these are old, but accurate, pun intended.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b13/armoredman/527/1916%20Mauser/1916%20Spanish%20Mauser_zps9zns1aru.jpg (http://s16.photobucket.com/user/armoredman/media/527/1916%20Mauser/1916%20Spanish%20Mauser_zps9zns1aru.jpg.html)

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b13/armoredman/527/1916%20Mauser/175grLee32grH-33550yd_zps8666390e.jpg (http://s16.photobucket.com/user/armoredman/media/527/1916%20Mauser/175grLee32grH-33550yd_zps8666390e.jpg.html)

[Buckshot]

..............I had an 01 FFL from 1982 until 2001 when we moved to town. At one point in the late 90's Century had put out a flyer to the FFL holders they had on file noting that amongst other flotsam & jetsam they had used stripped 1893 - 1895 receivers available. I forget the exact price lo these many years past now. However a friend and I bought a quantity of them and the price turned out to be $4.95 each. When I called to order I mentioned to the salesman that since they were of pre '98 vintage they didn't legally require an FFL. He said he knew but they were just being careful :-) The actions were a mix of FN and Ludwig Loewe manufacture.

http://www.fototime.com/89E2F2C1A9E4DC7/standard.jpg http://www.fototime.com/AEC40C4BAA66E93/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/DA9985F72A3A411/standard.jpg

So a friend and I each had one barreled to 35 Remington. Someone had Ramline plastic stocks on sale at $39 each so that's what they got for handles. One of the regular shooters at the range had a cigar box with a bunch of Remington front and rear sights that he'd given to me, so we used those for our front sights.

http://www.fototime.com/2BEA6AA4C4D4B2F/standard.jpg

Some targets shot with the 35 Rem @ 50 yards. Bullet is the Saeco #356. A 200gr GC R-FN.

http://www.fototime.com/3A75B714932F21E/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/8DDF21B9754E8F1/standard.jpg

It had come to my attention that GPC was offering barrels chambered to 7.62x39 threaded for the M93 and M98 actions, so I ordered one and the above is the result. Both this and the one in 35 Rem are both shooting essobe's.

http://www.fototime.com/83F2A6E353CFD83/standard.jpg

Target shot @ 50 yards the 30 Rooskie Shortski. Lee C312-155 (sized .309") with 28.0 grs surp 4895, 2018 fps.

Since the actions were stripped we went to (not physically) Springfield Sporters to complete the actions. At that time Springfield Sporters was a WHOLE LOT different then they are now. Buying the bolt body's, firing pins etc , ejector boxes, trigger guards, and triggers ran the cost of each receiver up to $70 each. One nifty deal was that all the trigger guards had a hinged floorplate with a push button release in the front of the trigger guard bow. Some of the actions were machined for the 'Chinned' bolts (all the FN's I think) and the Loewe's weren't.

BTW, the barrel for the 7.62x39 that came from GPC was stamped 7.62x39 on the breech face in 1/16" tall numerals. When I screwed it into the action to check headspace, I couldn't close the bolt. Come to find out the face of the left locking lug was rubbing against the stamped designation on the breech face. Pulled the barrel and stoned the stamping a bit and that took care of that. Fired cases look just like freshly sized ones, except for the expanded necks.

I still have 3 or 4 of the actions left, but I doubt I'll ever end up doing anything with'em at this late date :-)

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

[trooperdan]

Got some brass for the Mausers, 3 of the 4 are .002 -.004 over the NO GO so I expanded the brass in a .30-06 die then sized it in a 7x57 until the bolt closed with difficulty without the striker mechanism. Plan to load the RCBS 145 gr at .284 over about 9 grs of Unique to fireform the brass to each chamber. Should be a plan to start down the exploration road of these new additions to the herd.

[trooperdan]

Quite a story Buckshot! Some mighty fine targets from both of those calibers. I'd like to have one of those actions in either of those calibers!