1891 Argentine Mauser w/LER scope & first home cast handloads

[Dutchman]

1891 Argentine Mauser manufactured in 1892 100% matching and excellent condition.
This LER scope mount is the lower type I've just finished making and this was the road test. Scope is 2-7x32 NcStar.

First time shooting my own cast bullets. I've been waiting since last fall to get to the range and last tuesday was it.

http://images54.fotki.com/v1594/photos/2/28344/1676633/DSCF1410yy-vi.jpg

http://images112.fotki.com/v173/photos/2/28344/1676633/DSCF1411yy-vi.jpg

All shooting is at 50 yards off the bench. Cases were Argentine military Berdan primed, corrosive. Lee factory crimp die is used on everything. No fillers. BAC lube.

170 gr Lee flat nose .314" using 10.5 grains Swede Gallery Powder (like Unique). This rifle seems to prefer .314" over .311" or .312" cast bullets. I walked the bullets over from the left to zero the scope. Once it was in the x-ring I kept shooting. There's about 10 rds in the x ring.
http://images20.fotki.com/v527/photos/2/28344/1676633/008-vi.jpg

Lyman 314299 unsized .314". This rifle definitely prefers .314" bullets.
Load was 12 grains Unique. About 1,400 fps.
http://images54.fotki.com/v242/photos/2/28344/1676633/010-vi.jpg

The lower scope mount is superior and from now on the only scope I'll use are the 2-7x32 handgun scopes. The eye relief is perfect, sight picture perfect and its right there in front of you when you shoulder the rifle.

Dutch

[leadman]

Very nice set-up and good shooting.

Are you producing this mount for sale?

I have an 1891 that is original, but not near as nice as yours. Has chrome plated hardware and a number stenciled on the stock. Shoots cast o.k.

I use these scopes also and they work fine.

[Dutchman]

I'm near completion of a batch of mounts now. But I may not have enough for the guys waiting. But I'll do another batch later. I may know more by the end of next week. I had a supply problem that's been taken care of.


Dutch - who was a leadman for 10 yrs. long ago.

[leadman]

Thanks Dutchman

I'll send you a PM to put me on the list.

[C1PNR]

That Scout Mount looks NICE! Will it work on the Engineer Carbine? If so, I NEED one!

Nice shooting, too. My Carbine goes with me on the next Russian, Finn, Argentine expedition, which just may include a Chilean cousin.;)

[Dutchman]

This mount is only for the long rifle as it's matched to the rear sight base itself. The 1891 Argentine carbine has a rear sight that's too short, IMO, for a good solid mount.

Dutch

[Charlie in Co]

Could it be adapted for a peep sight?

[Buckshot]

.............I have an M91 with a lighter colored walnut stock like yours. Mine is matching also, even the cleaning rod. It's a great shooter.

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

[Bret4207]

My 91 loves the original "Fat 30" GB mould. Those clunky looking old rifles really carry well and grow on you.

[Larry Gibson]

Just thought I'd through in a picture of "evita", my M91 "scout". She had already gone through a "weight loss" program when I found her. I made the scope mount , forged the bolt and put the recoil pad on. She is a very sweet girl!

Larry Gibson

[swheeler]

Dutch nice looking 91, I've got one all matching with ground crest(yours looks like crest is ground also), beautiful rifles. Mine likes 314-299 sized @.313".

[dualsport]

Nice work Dutch, I like those '91s too. Mine is matching, shoots Hornady factory loads real good. I will work up some cast loads soon with my new mold, the 316299. Mine was DTd when I found it, has a standard scope base and bent bolt, but at least they left the rest alone. I thought my crest was ground off for the scope base, was that something that was done to a lot of guns?

[swheeler]

Just thought I'd through in a picture of "evita", my M91 "scout". She had already gone through a "weight loss" program when I found her. I made the scope mount , forged the bolt and put the recoil pad on. She is a very sweet girl!

Larry Gibson

Larry; that's a nice looking "sporty 91" I have taken deer with a couple sporterized 91, DWM and Hornady .312 150 gr and Lowe with 185 cast. I wish I would have kept the DWM but neighbor wanted it too much, so I caved in. They sure make sweet little rifles.

[Larry Gibson]

Scot

I been playing with M91 since '70. Most all were already cut down for "saleability" so further sporterizing didn't harm anything. Besides, it was the thing to do back then. I've still got a "minty" M91 rifle with scrubbed reciever ring that I leave original. It is a fine shooter. Besides Evita I also have "Juan" which is pretty much an identical twin sans the scope. Of course I also have the M91 I converted to .35 Remington. Along with the M91s I also have a very nice M1909 DWM. The only real problem with M91s is the triggers and safeties are completely different from M93/98 so coming up with a scope safety is a problem. However my use of them is with issue sights, apeture sights or the scout scope so the standard safety is fine. The 7.65 is a very fine cartridge in it own right and you can load it to .308W velocities (24" barrels) with less pressure. With proper bullet weights the 7.65 is a dandy deer, BB bear and elk rifle within reasonable range of 300 yards. With the myrid of cast bullets available for .31 cals it also is a very good cast bullet shooter. I am partial to Lee TL314-90-SWC over 3.2 gr Bullseye for plinking/small game, the GB Lee C314-150-WFN (don't know what it really is called) at 1600-1800 fps is very good for small non-edible game and varmints and either the Lee C312-185-2R or the Lyman 314299 cast soft of 50/50 WW/lead at 2000-2100 fps would do very nicely on deer out to 200 yards. A fine cartridge and the M91s are very well made with craftsmanship you pay thousands of dollars for today.

BTW; for those who don't know, 7.65 Argentine cases are very easily formed from '06 cases or 8x57 commercial cases of which I prefer.

Larry Gibson

[Dutchman]

LarryG's 91 reminded me of the Montgomery Wards advert. Looks to be the same type.

I also started shooting the 91 Argentine in 1970 with a Ludwig Loewe carbine purchased at Big 5 for $37. I handloaded for it using pulled British MkVII jacketed bullets and $1 a pound surplus 4831 powder.

The ground crest on the rifles, and I don't recall why it didn't apply to carbines, dates from the Chaco War 1932-35 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaco_War when some Argentine-crested rifles turned up being used against one of their neighboring countries resulting in some diplomatic problems. Subsequent sales of former Argentine rifles required the crest be ground. That's as much as I recall of the issue.

I'm currently using Norma & Graf brass but I do have a small number of USGI .30-06 converted.

http://images19.fotki.com/v286/photos/2/28344/157842/91_Argentine_Wards_01-vi.jpg

http://images54.fotki.com/v452/photos/2/28344/157842/91_Argentine_Wards_02-vi.jpg

Dutch

[dualsport]

Thanks Dutch, always a gold mine of information. Those really were the good ol' days. Now I know what happened to my crest. Any idea how much a nice one in original condition goes for these days? I might need to have one more. Larry, thanks for the great idea, I just got a new Lee TL 314 -90 for my 32H&R Ruger. Now I can shoot it in the '91, who knows what else?

[bart55]

I have a peruvian 91 mint,that is also a beaut to look at and to shoot , I also have a 91 carbine that has been "lightened" I think i am going to make up a scout mount for that one and use it for a knock around rifle . I always loved the look and feel of the 91,something of long gone craftsmanship

[leadman]

Here is my 91 that I traded into in about 1981 or 2, it was already sporterized when I got it.
Shot out the first barrel, got a nos from Sarco, did the stock myself at the same time. My first restock job.
With the Hornady 150gr and surplus IMR4895 it shoots less than 2" at 200 yards. With the Rem. 180gr RN and AA2520 it shoots 4" at 200 yards.

Taken alot of game with it. Also "killed" many gallon milk jugs with it. LOL

[dualsport]

Very nice.

[Multigunner]

I ran across an unusual 91 last year, I was planning on buying it but waited too late.

It looked much like the standard long rifle but had large cross bolts in the stock under the receiver ring and above the trigger.
An odd thing was that the stock had been inletted and what looked to be a slim section of the old stock bearing the serial number was glued in place there.

A friend bought a sportered 91 years ago, the bore looked shot out but he had got it planning to rebarrel it. When he put a few rounds through that old corroded bore the rifle gave consistent 2 moa groups dead center bullseye every shot.
He left it exactly as is, mud ugly but a very nice handy and accurate Deer rifle. He has rifles worth thousands but that old reliable pre disastered 91 was his first choice for deer for many years.

[357maximum]

Heres mine...I have had it for oh about 1.5 days now. So far she has the looks of a shooter with the unique "load" and my 311466Modified with saeco315 nose. I have some metal work to do and the wood needs to be "Jenny Craig'ed" a bit and refinished. She wears a 93 shroud and bolt internals so that a 93/94/96 Buehler safety could be used.

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l80/357maximum/M91-B4005.jpg

The only thing I have done so far is shoot her and "lollipop" both top/bottom of the bolt knob so that my digits had more room to manuever the bolt better.

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l80/357maximum/M91-B4010.jpg