Mauser 7.62 x 39 project.....Your Thoughts

[beechbum444]

I'm thinking for putting together a 7.62 x 39 Mauser. Rhineland has savage style barrels for the actions in small and large shank. I'm going back and forth on the pre 98 and post 98 actions. This brings to light the CIP vs PSI concern. Has anyone put one of these together? I'm also concerned with extraction issues bc of the base diameter. Any thoughts, concerns or stories on the idea are greatly appreciated.....

[fivefang]

Beechbum 444, I used a Turkish '98 lr./sr. action with a '43 Springfield 2 groove barrel, throated so I can shoot lyman 311 284, never installed the extended extractor as I rarely load the magazine, I think I have a BR. follower in it, Fivefang

[Mauser 98K]

if you had access to the shorter actions like the M48 that would be better choice.. i converted a 98 action a while back to .308 and even those cartridges had problems feeding and ejecting due to being shorter. the next 2 i did was on the m48 action and it worked a lot better. doesn't have to be a m48 but a short action would work a lot better for the short little 7.62x39..

but i have modified bolts for the smaller rims a few times. it takes a little prep and machining but it is how i did it. i welded the bolt face of the bolt up and re-machined it to where the smaller cases fit tighter in it. this was done on one of the m48 i had that was so worn and loose that it kept dropping the cases back into the mag well.. after the bolt was re-machined and treated then a little longer extractor was put on and the thing fed and extracted like it should... i would only do the above as a last resort though as the mauser i did this to was extraordinarily worn on the bolt face..

but on the PSI problems. the 7.62x39mm is not a high pressure round per say like the 8mm is. (around 40,000 for the X39 Vs 50,000 for the 8mm mauser)..

[kens]

I did one, and it never would feed out of the magazine box.
the bolt & extractor was OK, but it wouldnt feed, I tried every mag follower known, and finally gave up.

[ulav8r]

Block the rear of the magazine to keep the cartridges at the front to have a better chance of feeding. Read the article n the October issue of The American Rifleman today. If you use a 98 Mauser action, that would be a good case to "improve" and get closer to being a 30/30 full equivalent. A moderate improvement (30 degree shoulder versus 40) would probably feed better and you would not have to worry about hot loads being used in a weak gun.

[vzerone]

Buy a CZ 527 or a Howa in 7.62x39. Howa sells barreled actions too.

[kens]

Block the rear of the magazine to keep the cartridges at the front to have a better chance of feeding. Read the article n the October issue of The American Rifleman today. If you use a 98 Mauser action, that would be a good case to "improve" and get closer to being a 30/30 full equivalent. A moderate improvement (30 degree shoulder versus 40) would probably feed better and you would not have to worry about hot loads being used in a weak gun.

do you have a link to that article?

[ulav8r]

No link, read hard copy that was set aside when it came in.

[bigdog454]

Did it on a turk mauser, shoots great, feeds poorly, great gun for the Grand kids because of light recoil.
BD

[kens]

Did it on a turk mauser, shoots great, feeds poorly, great gun for the Grand kids because of light recoil.
BD

OH Yeah, it shoots great, but my M98 doesnt feed worth a darn.
The 7.62x39 cartridge is a capable round, IF, you put it in a capable barrel & action.
The new Ruger has my attention right now.
Also there is CZ and Howa with this round.

[charles1990]

Outside of cheap steel case ammo, why would anyone want a 7.62x39 bolt gun ?

It can do nothing a 308 cannot do and a 308 can do a lot it cannot.

[vzerone]

Outside of cheap steel case ammo, why would anyone want a 7.62x39 bolt gun ?

It can do nothing a 308 cannot do and a 308 can do a lot it cannot.

I can think of a few reasons. One it's a novelty. The other is less recoil, less noise, cheaper to reload, and cheaper factory ammo, inaddition to being just enough of the right cartridge for certain applications and not too much cartridge.

[kens]

Outside of cheap steel case ammo, why would anyone want a 7.62x39 bolt gun ?

It can do nothing a 308 cannot do and a 308 can do a lot it cannot.

Less noise, less recoil, cheap ammo, some of the cheap stuff is actually quite accurate, a terrific first centerfire for a youth, plenty strong for coyotes, feral hogs, or your atypical southern deer,
in a bolt gun and handloaded to 7.62x39+P, it can duplicate factory 150gr .30-30. Been there, done that, chronographed it.
I've had the pleasure to shoot the Zastava (mini-mauser) 7.62x39. it is a very light gun, maybe less than 4lbs. a light handy carbine.

[ulav8r]

The mini mausers and the CZ's are the best reason to have a 7.62x39 bolt gun. 30/30, 308, '06, etc. can be handloaded to equivalent energy, but they will require a longer bolt throw to operate.

[Texas by God]

The mini mausers and the CZ's are the best reason to have a 7.62x39 bolt gun. 30/30, 308, '06, etc. can be handloaded to equivalent energy, but they will require a longer bolt throw to operate.

Ulav8r for the "nailed it".

[Artful]

Yeah, I made one up and converted to take WASR AK single stack mags. I shoots good. But with all the mod's and such I too council just buying a facotry 7.62x39 - Ruger Stainless if you can find one.

[WILCO]

http://www.guns.com/2017/08/31/ruger-american-rifle-ranch-7-62x39/


Ruger American Rifle Ranch model now chambered in 7.62×39

8/31/17| by Jacki Billings



The Ruger American Rifle Ranch now boasts chamberings in 7.62x39mm. (Photo: Ruger)
The Ruger American Rifle Ranch now boasts chamberings in 7.62x39mm. (Photo: Ruger)

Ruger enthusiastically dropped a new variation on its American Rifle Ranch series, introducing Ruger fans to the 7.62×39 chambered model.

An extension of the American Rifle Ranch series the new model is fed by Mini Thirty metal box magazines. Coming at the behest of consumers who wanted the bolt-action experience paired with the popular 7.62 round, Ruger says the Ranch model is compact, accurate and adaptable.

“Rifles chambered in the popular 7.62×39 cartridge have been a frequent request from our customers and we are proud to bring this exciting new bolt-action configuration to market,” Ruger President and CEO Chris Killoy said in a press release. “Pairing this cartridge with the Ruger American Rifle Ranch model and employing the Mini Thirty magazine expands the utility and capability of this compact rifle.”

The 16.10-inch medium-contour, cold hammer-forged barrel boasts a 5/8 x 24-inch threaded muzzle, allowing the rifle to work alongside any .30 caliber muzzle device. The Ranch, like all Ruger American Rifles, offers the Ruger Marksman Adjustable Trigger as well as Ruger’s patented Power Bedding system that allows for consistent and accurate performance on the range or in the field.

The ergonomic, lightweight synthetic stock is design to allow for easy handling that “blends a classic look with modern fore-end contouring and grip serrations,” according to the company. In all, the Ranch tips scales at just 5.9-pounds.

The rifle ships with a compact, five-round mag perfect for hunting; however, higher capacity 10- and 20-round mags are available through Ruger’s online storefront. The Ruger American Rifle Ranch in 7.62×39 is available now with a suggested retail price just south of $600.


Filed Under: Hunting, New Guns, Product & Industry News

[beechbum444]

Why build instead of buy.....Part project..part cost....part of all of what we do. I have it in my mind that I can take a beat up non shooter that's past its prime and breathe new life into it. The feeding is not an issue. As long as it will shoot one round at a time, I'm happy. Just a little concerned with the pre 98 actions. The bore diameter is .308 which I'm guessing will raise chamber pressure about 5000 psi. I'm learning a lot about Mausers in the process.

[nekshot]

I really like the x39 with cast. Take Larry Gibsons work on x39 with LVR and heavy boolits and your hooked. Problem one, I did not have 600 bucks for a factory x39 which I would have preferred(wouldn't we all)! But i was at an estate sale and ended up with a carcano rifle and a brandnew AK x39 barrel for 100 bucks which I did have. I put the 2 into 1 and I have a x39 rifle with a little work involved(thats worth a 100 bucks for the fun) and now I have a x39 that I can shoot 190 grain boolits stuffed with LVR into little bugeyed groubs at 100 yards off a rest. Still would love to have a brand new factory x39 bolt but playing with is more fun than watching in my book!

[Clark]

212027

The guy with the barrel was quickly dying of cancer in 2013 and I bought it for $50.
I slammed it together, but have never shot it.

[Texas by God]

I love that stock, Clark.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[barkerwc4362]

I have a Brazilian 1894 in 7.62x39. The bolt face was bushed for the smaller cartridge rim. The extractor was lengthened. It feeds fine from the stock magazine as long as I place the cartridges at the back of the magazine. The barrel is a Douglas 1x14 twist premium medium weight 24" barrel. I normally hunt with a Williams peep rear. It has a Leopold one piece base for mounting a Leopold 6x when necessary. I hunt with Remington 170 gr RN 30-30 bullets over a stiff charge of RL-7. My match load when I shot in the NRA Sporting Rifle Matches was an RCBS 168gr bullet over IMR 3031 in Remington small rifle brass and Winchester primers.

Bill

[405grain]

212297 I modified an 1894 Mauser to use WASR single stack magazines. I used a .308 bore barrel because I only shoot handloads, and I like that there's more bullet selections in this caliber. I chambered it with a Lapua spec. reamer. I've only shot J word bullets through it, but it prints 1" groups at 100yds. Because it is a bolt action I can load ammo with slower powders that I'd use in my SKS. This gives me better velocity with less pressure. So far the rifle likes BL-C2 best.

[Buckshot]

..............I used a couple FN made small ring Mausers originally used for the M94 Brazilian carbines.

http://www.fototime.com/BC28E3F06C4BF49/standard.jpg

The barrel came from GPC with the feed kit (magazine blocker and shorter follower). Stock was inletted for the action and with a .5" bbl channel. I don't recall at this point if it was from GPC also or not. The follower was plastic and probably came out of AK magazines. I ended up shortening a steel follower.

http://www.fototime.com/C9CCB12DB6D1C33/standard.jpg

This photo shows the ejector extension needed to kick the cases out earlier in the extraction process. Without it, the cases are pulled back far enough so that when ejected they can hit the right edge of the bridge and fall on the rounds in the magazine. It also shows the brass piece added to the follower to bias the last round over toward the right siderail. Otherwise, the narrower 7.62x39 case can pop out. I made no modifications to the extractor. The nylon block supplied to shorten the length of the magazine box would move forward under recoil and interfere with the follower. The simple expedient was to drill through the rear of the mag box, countersink and then run a wood screw through into the nylon block. No more drifting around :-)

http://www.fototime.com/8DDF21B9754E8F1/standard.jpg

A better picture of the action. I drilled and taped for the receiver sight, jeweled the bolt and welded on a new bolt handle. The barrel is .300" x .308" so I do not fire surplus or factory ammo which may contain bullets of .310" to .312" depending upon where it came from and when it came in.

http://www.fototime.com/83F2A6E353CFD83/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/2C93F446E56FBE3/standard.jpg

(LEFT) 7.62x39 28.0 surp 4895, Lee C312-155-2R, 2018 fps. (RIGHT)7.62x39 & WC846 using Lee C309-160R for 25.0 = 1948 & 26.0 = 1999

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

The other SR modification was put up in 35 Remington. The action was from the same source as the above rifle. The stock was from Ramline or similar source. I don't recall WHO but it was on sale for $39 and I DO remember that!

http://www.fototime.com/8A4CCD7559D0176/standard.jpg http://www.fototime.com/AEC40C4BAA66E93/standard.jpg

No modifications were made to the follower, extractor or the ejector. It operates superbly. Both the rifle are very accurate and a pleasure to shoot.

These are from the 35 Rem:
http://www.fototime.com/B92BBCD713B11D0/standard.jpg

4 loads with 35 Rem using Rem 200 gr C-L jacketed and WC846. 39.0 = 2140, 40.0 = 2271, 40.5 = 2272, 41.0 = 2334

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

[Uncle Grinch]

Buckshot, I know you have posted your story of these M94 actions before and I believe you posted one about a Steyr M95 you did in 30-30. I especially like the 35 Rem Mauser. I’m having one made up and can’t wait to get it back. All this to say, I never get tired of how you “repurpose” these milsurps.