Chilean 1895 Mauser

[Gene Perryman]

A local store has a Chilean 1895 Mauser. The outside of the gun appears to be in good condition. It's impossible to say with the bore--lots of grease. $300.00 is the asking price ???
My question, how safe are these guns to shoot with commercial 7x57 ammo and with CB's
Thanks,
Gene

[atr]

I have a 1895 Mauser in 7x57 and its a very good strong action. I shoot both J-bullets and boolits with great success. My rifle (not carbine) is in pristine condition, with all matching serial numbers and manufactured by DWM in Germany. The rifle is very accurate.

[405]

Agree with atr- they are plenty strong if in good shape. In a past life I had the opportunity to test the strength of several action types. The Chilean 95 was one of them. They'll handle normal J and cast loads easily. Unless the store is flush with money, hiding something, or not in a selling mood you could ask them to clean it or ask to run a couple of patches/solvent thru the bore. If it's a "sporterized" thing? the 300 seems more than what it is worth. If it is original.... with crest, decent finish, bore fine or better, original wood, etc. then 300 is getting more interesting :)

[doubs43]

US-made factory 7x57 cartridges are all loaded to be safe in the older rifles such as the 1895 Mauser you are considering. The cartridge makers are fully aware that their ammunition will be used in the older rifles so they load them down to be safe in the weakest actions.

The 1895 Mauser is a very good action. One feature is the safety lug behind the bolt handle root that provides some protection from the front lugs shearing but also indicates lug setback. Be sure there is a space between the lug and the bolt handle. If the handle touches the lug, setback has occurred. In the lower left of this picture, you can see the safety lug just behind the bolt handle root where it's squared in back.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i99/doubs43/1895%20Chilean%20Mauser/1895Bolt.jpg

If the bore is in good condition, the rifle should be very accurate with a load it likes.

[405]

Yep that rear "safety" lug may indicate set back. I'd doubt tho that the previous owner(s) would have shot loads hot enough to set back enough to gauge that visually. Given the varying non-SAAMI chamber specs of all the older guns the chamber will be suspect until you can check it. I you get the gun and if everything else looks ok.... using current factory new brass, load a low pressure cast bullet load to about 15000 psi or less and fire it. Inspect the case. If there is excess headspace, the primer will be popped back out from "some" to "a bunch". If that's what happens you're best bet would be to first fireform the cases to that chamber by loading and shooting long hard cast bullets seated well out and shoved hard into the lands when chambered. That's the best chance for fireforming forward NOT stretching rearward and thinning the case body.

[NickSS]

In the past I have several Chilean 95 mausers. A couple were brand new and I sporterized one of them. That was the only military rifle I ever sporterized. It was accurate and I used it a couple of years until Ruger came out with their M 77 in 7X57 and then I sold it. I had $25 into the rifle and $150 into gunsmithing and a new sporter stock for it and all I got for the rifle was $50 when I sold it. For the same money I bought a Sako 30-06 about the same time as I had that rifle sporterized. But I wanted a 7X57 sporting rifle at the time and none were available. Anyway the 95 Mauser is a first class action and well built. All of them that I had were good shooters too. I love the 7X57 round as I believe it is one of the best ever designed.

[doubs43]

In the past I have several Chilean 95 mausers. A couple were brand new and I sporterized one of them. That was the only military rifle I ever sporterized. It was accurate and I used it a couple of years until Ruger came out with their M 77 in 7X57 and then I sold it. I had $25 into the rifle and $150 into gunsmithing and a new sporter stock for it and all I got for the rifle was $50 when I sold it. For the same money I bought a Sako 30-06 about the same time as I had that rifle sporterized. But I wanted a 7X57 sporting rifle at the time and none were available. Anyway the 95 Mauser is a first class action and well built. All of them that I had were good shooters too. I love the 7X57 round as I believe it is one of the best ever designed.

Nick, I have a similar story. In 1968 I bought a Chilean 1895 Mauser from a hardware store in Tacoma, Washington. They had at least 50 to select from. I took it to a gunsmith who reworked the bolt handle for a scope, D&T'd it and put Weaver bases on it. I "sporterized" the stock, bought rings and a 4X Busnell Banner scope. My total investment was $56.25!! I kept it about 12 years and made some fantastic shots with it. Foolishly, I sold it.

Like you, I also bought a new Ruger 77 in 7x57..... and few, if any, rifles have been a bigger disappointment. I tried every trick in the book and it simply wouldn't shoot. I ended up sending it to McGowan and had it rebarreled in 270. I finally had a rifle that shot as well as I could hold and I kept it for 15 years or longer before selling it.

Other than my 1895 DWM Chilean Mauser and a 1922 carbine, my only other 7x57 is a Winchester 70 that began like my Ruger 77.... spraying bullets like a hose. I did some work on it and now it's a sub-MOA rifle for the first three shots.

I also think the 7x57 is one of the best ever rounds and so did Jack O'Connor!

[405]

Oh my, I thought I was the lone stranger with having bad expereinces with the noble Ruger 77 of that era :):) Bad mouth a Ruger and duck, cover, look out. I won't even comment about another Ruger 77 in 270 Win I had the misfortune to meet about the same time.

I had for a very short time a late 70s Ruger 77 in 7X57. I do love the 7 Mauser round... really a fine, well balanced, easy to load cartridge. But, that Ruger had by far the worst barrel, chamber I've ever encountered in a modern, domestic factory rifle. The neck diameter dimension was at least .050" plus larger than max SAAMI. No hope. After the 7X57 and the 270 Win. I never owned another Ruger rifle.

I'd take a beat up Chilean 95, most any 98 or Swede with decent bores over that type modern junk any day. By studying closely the workmanship of those older type rifles there's little doubt about the pride involved in making them. Will those oldsters ever be able to shoot as well as many/most modern rifles.... nope..... but it doesn't matter either :) Sorry about the rant and hijack of the Chilean 95 thread.