Mexican Mauser Carbine Project

[tadeus]

Guys: I need your wisdom here. I have a small ring 98 action (3 lugs in the bolt) Mexican Mauser Carbine (Made by DWM). The original barrel is 7 x57 but its really worn out. So I have the option of putting a 308 barrel on it.

The idea is to keep it original as possible (Same carbine Stock, by the way is in very good shape) but transform it in to a Scout carbine/rifle.

The 308 barrel is the only option I have now, because is the only one I can get NEW here in Mexico. I like the 7 x 57 or the 6.5 x 55, but I cant get a new barrel in those calibers only in 308.

What do you think?????? Any opinions are welcome

By the way the 308 is legal in Mexico as are must rifle calibers.

 

[NCsmitty]

Welcome to THR, tadeus.

If your original barrel is bad, and your only option is 308 Win, then change it. If the action lugs show no sign of setback, it should be a good candidate for the switch, being a M98 style action.
I would prefer to leave it in 7x57, but if that is not an option, then your choice of the 308 should be fine.
The problem with Mexican Mausers being converted to 308 occurs when small ring pre-98 actions are chosen, and their strength and metallurgy are marginalized by the conversions to a much higher pressure round like the 308.


NCsmitty

 

[Bwana John]

By the way the 308 is legal in Mexico as are must rifle calibers.

I thought all military cartridges were not allowed for civilians in Mexico?

Or is 308 legal and 7.62 NATO is not?

My impression was also that if you know the local Military Commandant you can have anything you want, you just cant travel with it, it has to say at the rancho.

PS- Id MUCH rather have 7x57 over 308.

 

[Onmilo]

I'm not a big fan of .308 in a Mauser action, the case body is too fat and the rounds overall length too short to be optimum for the action length.
However, if .308 is all you can get, then a .308 is what it should be.

 

[tadeus]

Thats not the case, let me explain how it works here in Mexico.

First, all guns in the hands of civilians have to be registered (we are talking about law abiding citizens). To get a transportation permit (allows you 10 of the 32 states in Mexico) you have to be a member of a shooting club. If you are not a member of a shooting club you can only register one HANDGUN (Not rifle or shotgun) up to 380 acp or 38 special (We can not legally have handguns in "heavy" calibers).

I'm a member of a shooting club so I have a permit for transporting (and use) my long arms up to 10 states. Since the beginning of this stupid war on the drug cartels begun in 2006, hunter´s cannot travel safely as we used to. In fact, I haven't gone on a hunting trip since 2009. I still go once a week to the range, mainly to practice whit my S&W Heavy Duty, and Outdoorsman Models, and some times I use my Commander Model in 380 ACP (You didn´t saw that coming, did you?). A few of us have 380 conversions made to the venerable 1911, they really work, with Aguila 380 ammunition or with our reloads (reloading in legal also, the problem is that you cant get your reloading components legally..................do you understand that? If so please explain it to me because I don`t.

Returning to the mauser project, yes I love the 7 x 57, but as I told you before getting a new barrel for it it´s next to impossible. I post some pictures of the project as it evolves.

By the way, any ideas about a lens mount for it?? remember that the project is to make it a scout rifle.

 

[NCsmitty]

You may need to have a custom block machined for the unique rear sight base, and mount a Picatinny rail and scope mounts to fit, to have a scout mounted scope.
Of course the other option is to drill and tap the action for mounts in a standard configuration.



NCsmitty

 

[tadeus]

NC Smitty:

Thanks. I was hoping there was a commercial mount for it.

 

[Moose458]

Doesn't show the mount real well, but this is made on a K98 Mauser using a standard mount. It was drilled and tapped into the barrel, and has worked great.

 

[Gunnerboy]

Get a 8mm barrel reamer and turn it into 8x57

 

[tadeus]

Gunner Boy:

I´ll ask my gunsmith if he has the reamer. Thanks.

 

[tadeus]

Moose 458:

Looks great. ¿Do you think a mount for a swiss 96 model can be made to work on mine?