1916 Mauser in .308

[mocephus57]

Yet another shooter has acquired a Spanish Mauser in .308, I'm looking to this rifle as an everyday hunting rifle, would like to hear some success stories on scope mounts and butt stock pads (I'm no spring chicken) while trying to maintain a fairly stock rifle.
Any thoughts out there ? (I know about the reduced loads)

 

[LAGS]

Having Two of them, I wiuld advise not wasting money on scoping them or even shooting .308 hunting ammo in them.
They are not that strong of an action. not that they will blow up in your face, but the receivers are fairly soft, and the headspace can increase with full power loads over time.
The first one of mine, kept setting back the receiver lugs with Moderate loads, so I rebarreled it into 8mm mauser and sporterized it.
The second one I restored it, and shoot only mild loads out of it and it works really good.
But for the expense to scope the rifle, and only shoot mild loads if your headspace is good , is just not worth it.
The Scout Scope Set Ups are not worth a crap on this model of gun either.

 

[HankC]

It is a good platform to build into 7.62x39! I won't shoot 308 in it.

 

[ClickClickD'oh]

The Scout Scope Set Ups are not worth a crap on this model of gun either.

Do you mean the spanish Mausers in .308 or Mausers in general?

 

[LAGS]

I was speaking of the scout scope mounts mostly for the Spanish and Chilian Mausers.
I guess they fit so many models that have varing tollerances on the rear sights, they dont work well with anything but a Red dot.
But I have one for the K98 that works just fine, but never put one on a Yugo, or Czech and they have a different rear sight than the German 98.

 

[Slamfire]

Having Two of them, I wiuld advise not wasting money on scoping them or even shooting .308 hunting ammo in them.
They are not that strong of an action. not that they will blow up in your face, but the receivers are fairly soft, and the headspace can increase with full power loads over time.
The first one of mine, kept setting back the receiver lugs with Moderate loads, so I rebarreled it into 8mm mauser and sporterized it.
The second one I restored it, and shoot only mild loads out of it and it works really good.

Considering that average 308 pressures are just at, or above, the proof loads for these M1916's, your advice is excellent.

These M1916 Spanish Mausers have a poor reputation for metallurgical quality, there are a number of reports of soft receivers in these small ring Mausers, and the reputation goes well before the internet.

 

[ClickClickD'oh]

But I have one for the K98 that works just fine, but never put one on a Yugo, or Czech and they have a different rear sight than the German 98

Huh, and here I've been using a S&K scout mount on my Czech VZ-24 for years and have been loving it.

 

[HankC]

Soft receiver? I have drilled and tapped at least 3 Spanish and one Chilean small ring receivers, they are case hardened and much tougher to drill than the 3 large ring receivers I have done. I had to use a grinding stone to break the case hardening skin to drill.

 

[LAGS]

@ HankC
The soft receivers was not in the area of the scope mounting holes, it was the receiver recoil lug area.
They set back easily on the 1916's but I have not had that problem with the others that were still in their original calibers.
I did have a Swede in .308 and never had set back issues, but I still kept my loads modest.

@ ClickclickD'oh
I have not used the S&K mounts on my 98's so maybe that is the issue.
But three different mounts for the small rings never would hold zero.

 

[ThomasT]

I was looking at these last night at the Samco site. I heard that they are not safe for full loads in 308 for many years before the internet. But you have to wonder how many 308s were fired in them after the conversion. Will you get one that already has lug setback?

If I bought one I would load 30-30 bullets in it with 170s loaded to 2300fps max and 150s at 2400fps max. I would just treat it like a super 30-30. What a cool truck gun and beater rifle. No scope for me.

 

[LAGS]

@ Ratshooter.
Of the two I have right now,
When I got them I checked the headspace, and one was good on the No-Go and the other was good on the Field Gage.
But after firing less the 100 rounds of Surplus ammo in each of them, the one that was good on the Field, would close on the Field gage.
That is when I pulled both barrels off and you could see evidence of set back in the receivers.
But the one receiver that was showing Good on the No-Go was deceptive.
The gage was stoping the bolt rotation, indicating the Headspace was good.
But when you Measured the distance from the front of the receiver ring to where the bolt stoped, and the distance where the bolt would be on Full close, it showed the set back in Full Close lock up was beyond the headpace limits, due to the set back step.
I set back both barrels, and set the headspace Snug On the GO Gage.
But the one Mauser in not too long of time had the headspace increase so it was again loose on the Go Gage but still Good on the No-Go gage.
I pulled the .308 barrel and put on an 8mm barrel that I had taken off a Turkish Mauser.
I only shoot Reduced Load cast bullets in that rifle now, but will not sell it to anyone in that condition even though the barrel has been engraved with a Warning Label about the reduced Loads.
But the other .308 still works good, and I am carefull to only shoot mild to Moderate loads in that gun, and it seems fine .

If you know your guns, and know what to look for in the Lock up, the .308 in this style of rifle will work, but it is in NO Way a rifle that can Handle the .308 full house loads.
And IMO, if a gun can not Chamber and Fire Safely, the Full Range of ammo in that Caliber, then it is not truely safe to fire.

 

[mocephus57]

thanks for all the good advice, will be taking it to the local gunsmith anyway to see how good/bad shape it is in. I like the idea about reworking to 30-30, would make a nice brush gun. Likely will white out the front post triangle, make it easier to see, don't know how to make the rear sight better, other than grinding out the notch wider.

 

[mocephus57]

spanish 1916 mauser, cock on closing type

 

[LAGS]

@ mocephus 57
The Bolt face in the Spanish Mauser is Not compatable with the .30/30
The 30/30 uses a case with a rim width of .506 and the bolt face on the Small Ring is .473
Also the 30/30 is a rimmed case.
But the three HOT tickets for the Spanish Mauser are the .250 Savage, .300 Savage and the 7.62x39 and you can usually find Pre Threaded, Pre Chambered barrels from Adams-Bennet and Shillen to fit your action
They are also excellent Deer Cartridges.

With a pre fit barrel, you just have the barrel Swapped out and the headspace set.
Too bad you cant just Set your barrel back and have the chamber reamed out to 300 Savage since it is a .308 bore already.

For sights, I had a Williams FP Receiver sight on one of mine .

Now if you get a 1916, and the headspace is good, and you can download the ammo about 15% then it still will make a good deer rifle.
Just don't fire Full On .308's in it, and check the headspace every so often.
I still shoot mine with Moderate loads.

 

[ThomasT]

I like the idea about reworking to 30-30

Well not really reworking to 30-30 but leaving it a 308 and loading to a little better that the standard 30-30 loadings using 30-30 bullets designed to operate at lower velocity than spitzer bullets.

I do this with my 30-06 for lighter recoil and know I will get good expansion from the 30-30 bullets. Finn Aagaard suggested these loads for new shooters or kids. (or girls).

 

[LAGS]

@ Ratshooter.
Just do what I do.
Load and shoot Cast Lead Bullets.
They are lower pressure, and you can shoot the dog lick out of the rifle.
Besides, what did they use for deer before Jacketed bullets.
But even downloading jacketed .308 pointed bullets will not be in the range of being unstable.
You are just trying to knock the edge off the chamber pressure, but the bullets are still goung faster than a 300 Savage with the same bullet.

But it is up to the OP if he still wants to drill and tap the receiver for Weaver Bases, or try a LER scout scope set up, it is up to him.
But to use the Weaver Bases, you also have to modify your bolt handle and install a low scope safety lever.
See why I said it can get cost prohibitive.
But at most, if you are wanting to leave the rifle stock, then just use a Slip On Recoil Pad.