small ring mauser with "hot" loads

[MISportsman]

I came across a very good deal on a sporterized m1895 Chilean 7x57 mauser. I've always wanted a modern 7x57 that I can hunt with and not worry about what ammo I run through it. I learned how to hunt with a spanish 1916 7x57 and loved the caliber ever since. I have read that the early Spanish made 1893 small ring mausers had weak receivers, but the m1895 Chilean was made in Germany. That being so, are they good to go with modern ammo and good handloads (I'm not talking 7mm rem mag specs or anything, just want to push a 160gr bullet at between 2600 & 2700 fps out of the muzzle)? Or should I keep looking for that Ruger m77 that I don't have to mortgage the house to buy lol

 

[troy fairweather]

Do not load hot, it's not that there not strong, because they have some strength compared to rifles of the same time. It's they don't mitigate gas very well.
the original loading will kill any land animal on the plant no need to temp fate in a old rifle. Hard to come by m77s in 7x57 anymore lucky when I found mine, more so that it shoots sub moa.

 

[Alaskan Ironworker]

Just wear glasses. The action is a lot stronger than people think, but what troy said is true. Pierce a primer or rupture a case and you’ll get a face full of hot gas. The action in the pics held up just fine even after firing two rounds with a barrel obstruction. Action remained intact.

 

[Alaskan Ironworker]

Heres another pic. I really like the 1895 ludwigs, id buy it in a heartbeat.

 

[Prairie Traveler]

Back in the "Dark Ages" ['70s] a friend gave me a '96 small ring, 7x57. The original barrel was pretty bad, and on test fireing a few low power Federal rounds, found that the bolt assy. was so loose as to be dangerous. After consulting with a Very Good gunsmith friend, a deal was made to change out the barrel to a douglas, in 6mm Rem., the bolt was "overhauled" cleaning and headspacing were done, a Fagen-Reinhart stock was ordered, Beauler mounts and rings added and a very nice sub MOA rifle emerged. As was mentioned, the "small rings" are not the strongest, but they can deliver amazing results with a little TLC.

 

[MISportsman]

If I remember correctly the 1916 Spanish mauser had a release hole on the side of the receiver to vent gasses "just in case", would this be a safer model for the intended purpose? I have seen as few of those as well for similar prices, just figured since the 1895 was made in Germany it would be the better gun.

 

[rbernie]

I used to flog a sporterized 1895 Chilean, but no more. Here was my path towards moving to more modern actions:

It's possible to assert that any 1895 Mauser still kicking around has managed to survive to this point by NOT being a Bad Example. It's also possible to assert that a given example has survived because it just wasn't used enough to reveal any latent flaws. It's absolutely safe to assert that we will never know the stresses imposed on the rifle over its lifetime nor (without xray/ultrasound inspection) will we know the cumulative effects of stress and strain on the receiver. The steelmaking and heat treatment processes used prior to the mid-1920's were sufficiently uncontrolled that it's almost impossible to really say for sure that one batch of receivers will perform similarly to others; this is one of the reasons cited for Paul Mauser to increase the ring diameter of the receiver/barrel shank when he designed what would become the contract-production large ring Mausers / K98. (Just look at the M1903 'low serial number' heat treat issue to understand the roots of that concern.)

All of this, for me, led me to conclude that I would not run any small ring Mauser any hotter than for which it was originally designed.

 

[MISportsman]

On the side of safty, my other option if I really want a 7x57 modern hunting rifle is to see what I'm working with come tax time and if I can't find an m77 for under $1500-2000 is to have savage's custom shop build me one.

 

[troy fairweather]

Hell if I got offered that much I'd sell mine lol.

 

[theotherwaldo]

If you're going on a public forum to get advice about getting a gun to fire hot ammo, don't be surprised if we advise you to get a gun that is designed to fire hot ammo... .

 

[rbernie]

if I can't find an m77 for under $1500-2000 is to have savage's custom shop build me on

Build one yourself; it requires nothing more complex than a bench vice, go/no-go gauges ($70), and an action wrench ($72). Start with a $300 donor Savage 308/243 receiver, add a $200 Shaw barrel, and have at it.

Heck, I'm sure that Shaw would be happy to make you one.

 

[Jim Watson]

The fastest Lyman load will get you a 162 at 2597 fps for 44000 CUP.
Why beat the old gun up for a hundred fps?

 

[MISportsman]

Hell if I got offered that much I'd sell mine lol.

I've been looking online and the few I have found have been in that range

 

[MISportsman]

Many good options... I will hold off for now on the m1895 and I have until tax time to figure out which rout to go