Persian Mauser...handloading range report

Last year I glommed a Persian Mauser that had been drilled and tapped for a scope. Included the mount, rings and a very nicely turned down bolt handle.

It is in pristine condition and I finally got around to handloading some 8x57 rounds for it. I used 44.5, 45.0, 45.5, 46.0 and 46.5 grains of IMR 4064 pushing a 200 grain Nosler CC bullet, 5 round groups @ 100 yards.

The 44.5 and 46.0 grain loads were pretty much wash outs. The 45.0 load was the best, followed by the 46.5 gr. The 45.5 grainer was also pretty good, but had a flyer of about 4", completely off the target. In fact all three of these groups looked good...maybe 1.25MOA, except for a flyer...every time.

Here's the rifle...


I know, I know...it's a travesty, but that is how it came to me. I did mount a 10x40 Bushnell scope on it.

Here are the groups.

45.0 grains


45.5 grains


46.5 grains
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Thinking of going with the 45 grain load at the Vintage Military match this weekend...they are going to a third relay, so I could shoot this rifle in the "open class" and a Swiss in the "as issued".

Anyone have a pet 8mm Mauser load?

Baba, here is a photo of the Persian with the Bushnell scope on it.



The old girl did well at the match yesterday. I tied for second place with a 37/40. The winner was shooting a scoped Finnish 28/76. I ended up third after the shoot off with two others that also scored 37/40. One was shooting a scoped K31 and the other a scout-scoped Swedish M38 Mauser. The shoot off involves shooting the turkeys at 420 yards in a sudden death format. The K31 shooter dropped out after 4 rounds and then the Swede shooter and I went 6 more rounds. The crowd was getting restless, so the match director decided to settle it by having us shoot at the chickens off hand. Trying to shoot the Persian off hand was a little much and after three rounds, the Swede shooter connected with a chicken and it was all over

The match involves shooting chicken, pig, turkey and ram silhouettes at ranges of 220 yards (chickens), 330 yards (pigs), 420 yds (turkeys) and rams (550) yards. Rifles are 50 year old "as issued" rifles, shot prone off a soft front rest (sand bag or backpack). There are also "open class" for scoped military rifles, "target sight class" for the diopter sighted military rifles and "vintage sporter" Here's a picture of the silhouette range at my club:



We also shoot these same rifles in a " long range" vintage military match. This is a match shot at paper bullseye targets at 300, 500, 600, and 800 yards.

This match is shot at the 1000 yard range at the top of this satellite picture

http://binged.it/LRzsfF

I have a Model 49 Persian Mauser that looks an awful lot like that one. It was made in Iran on BRNO supplied equipment. Mine is in excellent shape and is a good shooter.

Which mount that you use depends on what it has been drilled and tapped for. How many holes are drilled and what is their spacing?

Insofar as the spring...I suggest the 24 lb spring for the 1898 Mauser

http://www.gunsprings.com/Rifles & Shotguns/MAUSER/1898/cID2/mID40/dID175

That is a bit more powerful than the stock spring, which is 22 lb. The extra power can come in handy for some surplus ammo which is known to have "hard" primers.

(No idea how to keep pics from coming in upside-down, been trying to fix that.)

Click to expand...

There, that's better



Looks like the bolt has been turned down, probably when the scope was mounted. All in all, a nice looking rifle

One thing to keep in mind about a one-piece scope mount-it protects the bottom of the scope from damage from ejecting shells.

No real difference there.

Match results from last weekend


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