1916 Spanish Short Rifle with Flash Hider-Attn: boom boom and Merle1

[Happy Trails]

Here are some pics of my ongoing tinker toy. Had this for about 35 years and went back to it recently doing some upgrades for fun and profit . Well, not the profit. There is none in these old battle arms. But there is lots of fun without the risk of ruining a $1500 rifle. At this point, as they say in the yachting word, the rigging has cost more than the hull. But fortunately none of the rigging is real expensive.

For those unfamiliar, this is a Model 1916 Spanish Short Rifle made in about 1935 with and 22" barrel and based on a Mauser 93 pattern receiver. Often this is mistaken for the "Spanish Mausers" that were the cut down older straight bolt handle Mauser 93's from decades earlier. The older ones can be suspect with modern ammo, especially if they have been rechambered to NATO 7.62/.308.

This gun is stamped with both caliber designations. And yes, I had it checked out and it's OK. And I don't shoot .308 Win in it. So gunsmiths, no need to hyperventilate here. Just enjoy the pics. For my more thorough discussion of this gun and the ammo issue see my post #16 here and you can save some fretting: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=807841

Today I added a flash hider. The old iron sights are useless with my 63 year old eyes. So I added a NStar scope on S&K rear sight adapter rail mount. The front sight was useless and ugly, so I took it off and added a flash hider.

To do the job I bought the HK flash hider, die, handle, alignment tool from CNC Warrior in Paw Creek, NC. Nice stuff and fast delivery.

I chose the HK flash hider because it was inexpensive, good looking, and came in 15 x 1 metric threads.

The barrel stub after removing the front sight measured just over 15mm diameter. It was too small for 5/8" and slightly too large for 15mm. So I rotated the muzzle against my small bench grinder to take about a half mm off the diameter. Dressed it out with a hand file and turned the die on it with no problem.

Also, before grinding and threading, I cut about 3/8" off the muzzle, since the turned down stub under the old front mount was slightly longer the the flash hider thread run. I used the old sight ring as the guide for the hack saw and it all worked out well.

Using the alignment tool is essential, since the threads should be straight as possible. Doing this home brew method works fine for a flash hider, but I would not try it for a muzzle brake, as the internal clearance is much more critical.

I won't be shooting until I get the muzzle re-crowned of course. That tool is on order from Pacific Tool. That will be next week's project.

Enjoy the pics. Sorry for the length of the post. But I hope its useful.

Oh, if you ask why a flash hider on this old gun? I just like the look of it over the old useless sight and the bare muzzle stub. Makes it look like the muzzle of an FR7.

 

[kwg020]

Very nice mod. Have fun with it.
kwg

 

[Happy Trails]

More Pics Here

Before and after pics of this gun.

I have 1950's M1 sling on it with ergonomic twists for shooting off hand in hasty sling. Works great!

The old rear barrel band is flipped to the right side just to get it out of the way.

If this tinkering hasn't ruined its shooting, I will next put it into a new walnut Monte Carlo style stock. I really don't like how I have to hold the straight euro battle stock with my right hand. It just doesn't fit well.

 

[entropy]

So basically you took a collectable (and increasingly hard to find) piece of history and destroyed any collectability. It would have been different if it had been "sporterized" in the 60's, and you did the work (which I will say is a nice job), but to take one still in issue configuration and do it, not cool.

And before you counter with , "There's millions of them!" no, there's not, and they used to say that about unmolseted Krags, Springfields, and Gew98s also.

Just curious; since you cut the barrel anyway, why didn't you just drill and tap the receiver? Or, put another way, since you'd used the non altering scout mount, why'd you cut the barrel down? Everything you did before that was non-altering and reversible. Well, the sling mount, but that's pretty minor.

It is your rifle, and your right to do what you will with it; I just wanted to point out that henceforth, it is a shooter only, with the attendant diminished value.

 

[Nature Boy]

Happy Trails,

Nicely done.

 

[WestKentucky]

I really REALLY like that scout scope setup. I have the junker version of Spanish mauser, and now that the tool box is growing, I intend to put some time into making it what I want it to be.

 

[Happy Trails]

So basically you took a collectable (and increasingly hard to find) piece of history and destroyed any collectability. It would have been different if it had been "sporterized" in the 60's, and you did the work (which I will say is a nice job), but to take one still in issue configuration and do it, not cool.

And before you counter with , "There's millions of them!" no, there's not, and they used to say that about unmolseted Krags, Springfields, and Gew98s also.

Just curious; since you cut the barrel anyway, why didn't you just drill and tap the receiver? Or, put another way, since you'd used the non altering scout mount, why'd you cut the barrel down? Everything you did before that was non-altering and reversible. Well, the sling mount, but that's pretty minor.

It is your rifle, and your right to do what you will with it; I just wanted to point out that henceforth, it is a shooter only, with the attendant diminished value.

Hi Ent

Good to hear from you. Glad you are concerned. Thanks for appreciating the work I did to it.

I am not sure when my $89 rifle became collectible, but many in greater condition have been on the auctions all through the year for, oh, maybe $250 or so. And they are far better candidates for preservation than this one.

These are some of the most maligned and UN-collectable firearms out there!

If you get one, especially don't go to Mauser forums and mention that you have one. Just warning you.

Oh, BTW, I am having great fun with it. Always have. I bought it for pig hunting through the brush years ago and had a blast. Great old days. Too old for that youthful frivolity now. Just want to keep up my shooting skills and could not bear to throw it away.

As to your question about drilling and tapping the receiver, I wasn't keen putting holes in the small ring Mauser action, and I like to load with stripper clips anyway.

Happy collecting. And happy shooting! Get out to the range more. That's what I say.

 

[Happy Trails]

I really REALLY like that scout scope setup. I have the junker version of Spanish mauser, and now that the tool box is growing, I intend to put some time into making it what I want it to be.

S & K Scope Mounts were great people to work with. They can also supply the necessary and recommended appropriate long eye relief scope for not too much money as a package. That's what I went with an am very happy. Their adapter is very will and accurately made. No brainer to install. Seems to secure well. Jury is still out how well it holds up under recoil of repeated shooting. But no one says anything bad about these.

The old front sight is held on by a cross pin through the protector, set screw in the sight base, and the base is soldered to the barrel. No big deal to unsolder with a torch if it not already knocked loose.

CNC Warrior delivered within 5 days all you need for the flash hider project. I think that package of flash hider and tools was less than $100 delivered. Flash hider itself was like $19. If you are serious about the project, I can loan you the tools for the cost of two way shipping. Just PM me when ready. It's not like I am going to be using them anytime soon.

Yeah, you spend a few bucks here and there that exceed the "value" of the gun, but its like buying fishing lures. Part of a larger piece of life. I think I have more money into my tackle box than in this gun. And I am still having fun tinkering and shooting it!

I have hundreds of Federal XM80 rounds through it. Still gauges well etc. And shoots pretty straight. Maybe next week after I re-crown the barrel I will get out to the range and post a range report here on the forum

 

[entropy]

Well, you are right about them being not highly thought of, but neither was the Mosin Nagant until people started buying them and finding out that "hey, this old warhorse ain't so bad..." .

Looks like it is a great hog gun; may you slay many tusked beasts with it!

 

[ontarget]

Looks like a great project. Very nice work. I have a couple of old war horses that are scheduled for similar overhauls. I'm sure the old rifles would rather be modified and used than preserved in the back of a safe. JMO. Great work.

 

[Happy Trails]

Looks like a great project. Very nice work. I have a couple of old war horses that are scheduled for similar overhauls. I'm sure the old rifles would rather be modified and used than preserved in the back of a safe. JMO. Great work.

Collectors can collect all they want. God bless 'em. They are appreciated. I like to look at their stuff! I always learn something. But I like to keep stuff shooting, especially if not too much money is involved to keep having fun. I simply don't have the space for all the interesting guns I have thought of getting: another 1917 Eddystone, a K31, etc etc

Thanks for looking at my project.

 

[ontarget]

Agreed. I have a M17 Winchester that will never be modified. Someday I will be inheriting a M17 Remington that will definitely be modified as Bubba already got his hands on it. I have several other milsurps that may or may not be modified. Depends on how they shoot when I get around to testing them.

 

[Kendal Black]

I don't see why collectors are disturbed when an old gun is altered. When it happens, their pristine examples appreciate. They should like that; if they fully thought things through they would encourage sporterizing.

If collector value were never lost through modifications, or damage, or rust or fires, or losing the rifle overboard, collector value would not exist, for all-originals would be plentiful. The value of any old military rifle would remain just where it started: pick through the barrel for one you like and give the man $89, or see if you can dicker him down a bit or get him to throw in some ammo.

 

[35 Whelen]

Very nice! You've done some great work on that rifle and it ought to make for a great hunting rifle.

Question: Why would you not shoot .308 ammunition? Is it because of the old assumption that .308 ammunition runs at higher pressure than 7.62x51 ammunition? Check this out:7.62 NATO Pressure vs. Commercial 308 Winchester

I did something similar to a 1916, but leaned more toward the traditional Scout Rifle platform. Lots of work to the original stock, fitted a sight from an M-1 Carbine, mounted a receiver sight, etc.

Details here: Built Another Scout Rifle





35W

 

[kBob]

Happy,

That looks great.....but stop talking like we are old! No doubt with all the low grade radiation and tritium leaks we Pershing Professionals are going to live into the next century......don't you read comics? Radiation equals SUPER POWERS!

You have obviously become SUPER BUBBA!

Did that 1935 made short rife come with the bent bolt handle?

Did that M1917 "American Enfield" bayonet fit without modifying it or the rifle?

-kBob

 

[kBob]

35 WHelen,

That is one pretty set of mods! I wouldn't mind being seen with that rifle a bit.

-kBob

 

[Nature Boy]

In my case "bubba" was my dad and he started sporterizing an 03A3 back in the late 50s.

I think he said he paid $15 for it.

I picked up the project for him last year. It was drilled, tapped, blued and bolt handle modified for scope clearance. Otherwise, it was a box of parts.



It's finished now. I hunted with it last year and made hand loads for it. It will be my son's eventually and worth more to us than collector value could ever bring BECAUSE we made it into a rife that get's used, not just oiled and put back in the safe. Mod the hell out of them I say........

 

[Merle1]

Now that's interesting. I had not known that these 1916's were made into the 30's.
That still doesn't change my mind about .308 in a small ring action.
As for modding it, it's yours to do with as you please.

 

[fireman 9731]

Did that M1917 "American Enfield" bayonet fit without modifying it or the rifle?

I wondered the same thing.

I have two 1916 rifles sitting in the corner for projects. One has been converted to 308 and the other is 7mm Mauser. I want to use the Rhineland Arms 45acp conversion kits.

 

[boom boom]

Glad to hear that your mauser checked out ok. Not trying to criticize what you are doing nor engage in backseat gunsmithing. Your dollar, your gun, and so on.

There are two reasons that I commented, first was the headspace issue and lug setback, the second it that this is a controversial topic on the boards akin to 9mm v. 45 ACP, clip vs. magazine, low number Springfield 1903's etc. Forums bring together people with various levels of knowledge and various experiences with particular firearms that lead them to make conclusions.

One such, Jerry Kuhnhausen, who wrote an excellent Shop Manual for Mausers specifically warns about using the 93 action with higher pressure cartridges for that reason. As he was an experienced gunsmith who lived and worked during the golden age of milsurp conversions, he saw a lot of them. Lug setback on these is hit and miss as heat treatment quality can be a bit spotty. As you noted, the date of your Mauser, 1935, and this was right around the Spanish Civil War 1936-39 when Spain was a desperately poor country. At the time of conversion in caliber in the 1950's, these were considered war reserve so were probably carried much and fired relatively few times because Spain had large ring Mausers and later the Cetme autoloaders by the end of the decade as their primary rifles. I have no idea about how the Guardia treated their rifles as they are more a paramilitary police.

A few resources,
http://www.masterton.us/GAM1916_Article.gif
http://masterton.us/Unmarked1916
http://masterton.us/Spanmauhome.html

CMP forums, Gunboards forum, Milsurps.com forum, also discuss the 1916 and FR7 conversions along the Chilean 1895 Mauser to 7.62 Nato conversions extensively with differing takes.

The problem seems to be that some (not all) small ring Mauser receivers are much softer than others and have lug setback relatively quickly, others seem to do better as long as the rounds are not hot from all reports. As you note, there are two differing 1916 models--the 1916 Guardia and the short rifles procured for the Spanish Army. As the previous markings have often been scrubbed from these receivers, it can sometimes be difficult to tell the origin of these receivers.

Opinions vary whether the original 93 receivers from Germany are better than the Spanish Oviedo made regarding heat treatment. The only sure way involves destructive testing which effectively destroys the receiver which would not tell you about the next one. Rockwell testing would tell you some of the story.

Fortunately, Mauser receivers are pretty forgiving and generally stretch or suffer lug setback rather than fail catastrophically. On most of the 1916 conversions that I have seen, they bored a gas escape port on the bolt and receiver wall to help with the 93's lack of these akin the the Hatcher hole in low number 1903's. A few have demonstrated brittleness such as the 1903 Springfield where the heat treatment was poorly done or the alloy used either had too much or too little carbon etc.

That being said, as others have said above, 7.62 Nato generates close to the same pressures as .308 Winchester and this varies by mfg. Samco Global which was the source of a lot of these in the U.S. had White Laboratories test these receivers for the cartridge and got their okay.

On the other hand, I know of at least one forum participant, Slamfire, who has done a lot of research in the manufacture and metallurgy of small ring Mausers and contends that they are unsafe for that cartridge or any other conversion to higher pressure cartridges.

Me, I'm agnostic but as I am restoring the old milsurps, I leave them in the military calibers as they were originally issued and use cast bullets in them. My grandfather lost a hand in a cotton gin accident clearing a jam. I don't really want to repeat his experience through blowing up a rifle.

As usual, YMMV, and wish you the best with your new-old rifle.

 

[Happy Trails]

Now that's interesting. I had not known that these 1916's were made into the 30's.
That still doesn't change my mind about .308 in a small ring action.
As for modding it, it's yours to do with as you please.

I bought it out of a barrel of them for $89 30 some years ago. I think I have more invested in my tackle box than in this gun so far. Doesn't bother me.

As to all the concerns about it being a small ring in 308, where are all the documented testimonials of disasters over the years? Samco peddled thousands of these. A bad pattern should have shown up years ago. In fact, the testimonials are just the opposite. Many report having used them heavily and exclusively with 308. I understand the caution. But where's data?

 

[Happy Trails]

Now that's interesting. I had not known that these 1916's were made into the 30's.
That still doesn't change my mind about .308 in a small ring action.
As for modding it, it's yours to do with as you please.

From what I researched, they were made until 1936 as best as can be known.

 

[Happy Trails]

Happy,

That looks great.....
You have obviously become SUPER BUBBA!

Did that 1935 made short rife come with the bent bolt handle?

Did that M1917 "American Enfield" bayonet fit without modifying it or the rifle?

-kBob

Super bubba? When you start with something as lowly at the 1916, I'm not sure the "bubba" label can apply. LOL.

Yes, the turned down bolt handle is one of the distinctive features of the 1916 as compared to a cut down 93. The two other distinctive common features from the factory were the thumb notch on the left for stripper clip loading and the oval gas escape port on the left side of the ring.

You picked up on the 1917 sword! Good eye. I was just having fun with stuff when I took that pic. The lug fits, but it is too far forward for the ring to fit on the barrel. So the picture just fakes it.

It was all just for fun. And it was the only "before pic" I could find.

 

[Happy Trails]

Glad to hear that your mauser checked out ok.

Me, I'm agnostic but as I am restoring the old milsurps, I leave them in the military calibers as they were originally issued and use cast bullets in them. .

Since the Spanish gov't already modified these, they are already one step removed from original. So its this weird bastard child that can't really be restored to its originality anyway.

Figuring it was a one way street and no going back, I thought I would tinker with it and make it more useful for myself. The old sights rendered it worthless given the state of my vision. So for a few bucks spent on it I can now take it shooting again.

BTW, I like nice old and properly restored milsurp stuff. And I appreciate those who do it and what they do. I always learn something from them.

 

[Happy Trails]

35 Whelen:

What's the date on that 1916? It has double recoil lugs. Some had one, like mine, and some had none. And some had two.
Most came from Oviedo Arsenal but some came from Barcelona. Any clue?