Mauser 71/84 accuracy

[SteveOKo922]

Would like to see what loads and results other shooters are getting with thier 71/84s. I'm having so-so results with 75g 1.5f, .440 bullet patched to .447. Not quite sure if a GG bullet or PP bullet is appropriate for the later model. I hear the old dominion stuff had a driving band of close to .450 somewhere?

[John in PA]

Vertical stringing or random spread?
Blow-tube between shots or wiping?
Swiss, Scheutzen, or OE?

If you want to try smokeless, 11-12 Gr Unique with a Dacron tuft to hold the powder down, and the .446-370gr RCBS (#44-370 FN) or Rapine bullet (similar) cast 1:20 or harder shoot well with mild recoil and low pressures. 20-22 gr SR4759 is safe as well, but burns a little dirtier and cases don't obturate quite as well.

[SteveOKo922]

1.5 swiss, wiping every 5th shot with a blow tube every other round when I'm sitting in a good shooting position. Im getting some stringing to the right from what I think from issues with the barrel heating and binding due to the odd barrel band setup. Nothing resembling a consistent group past the first 3 rounds and poor spreads past 150 yards. Like 12+ inches at 100.

[martinibelgian]

Well, your fouling management is off - you need to be consistent between shots, so do the same after every shot. Either wipe or blow tube, doesn't matter. But after every shot. What you are seeing are typically fouling issues. And if you're shooting PP without the grease cookie, this becomes even more important.

[MichaelR]

This is a military rifle and it should shoot dirty. Try changing to 2fg powder and add a 3/16” to 1/4”DGL lube wad sandwiched between two fiber milk carton wads over the powder. No wiping or blow tubing, you should get 2 1/2 MOA for at least 10 shots at 200 yards. The pulling to the right may be a bolt lock-up issue due to the single locking lug.

[SteveOKo922]

This is a military rifle and it should shoot dirty. Try changing to 2fg powder and add a 3/16” to 1/4”DGL lube wad sandwiched between two fiber milk carton wads over the powder. No wiping or blow tubing, you should get 2 1/2 MOA for at least 10 shots at 200 yards. The pulling to the right may be a bolt lock-up issue due to the single locking lug.
I figured the rifle should perform while dirty. All of my military BPCR shoot well with no wiping and just grease cookies the for the forst 8 to 10 shots. What's your experience with the mauser rifles? I switched to 1.5 f to reduce the shock on the bolt handle

st 8 to 10 rounds.

[martinibelgian]

Yup, but shooting dirty doesn't mean bliwtubing every 2 shots, and wiping every 5. Either you do it right (every shot), or you don't do it at all.

[wyowillys46]

The Germans experienced serious accuracy issues with the 71/84. Both the front band attachments and the uneven lockup of the bolt caused major deviations to the right. Rifles were tested against a 50 cm tall by 10 cm wide plate at 75 meters. Four shots with no misses, five shots with one miss, or six shots with two misses was considered a passing score. This is explained further in depth in German Military Rifles by Dieter Storz.

[SteveOKo922]

I've heard that several times and I belive that's what's giving my frustration. Always well groups flyers high and right. Could you share some more information about that issue detailed in the book? Spending 180 on a book just to read thatsextion would make my wife very... very angry

[MichaelR]

I have not shot a Mauser for quite some time. But my .44- 2 1/4 SBN shoots extremely well with 2fg powder and a lube wad of either DGL or 2 jojoba oil/1 bees wax with a PP bullet. But when shooting dirty, Swiss is the last powder that I’d use.

[wyowillys46]

According to Storz, the solution to the problem was to forbid criticism of the rifle in public and to adjust the front sight. The rifle only had a four year service life, so thankfully for those in command, nothing ever really came of it.

[sse]

you can also try 5744 powder in the smokeless line

[SteveOKo922]

That's hilarious. Just sweep it under the rug and count on nothing major happening untill we find a better rifle! Thanks for sharing that!