Took my Argintene Mauser out to 100 yards today.

[CoalCrackerAl]

Loaded with speer 150 grain with 40 grains of varget. Holes with marker by them are at 50 yards. The others at 100. Some i placed in the same holes. It took some major bore cleaning to get it where it is. Not bad for a 100 plus year old rifle. Now to choose a better scope for it. I have my old Bushnell banner on it for now.

 

[Steve S.]

Very nice rifle performance and also shooter skill.

 

[Riomouse911]

Your old Argentine veteran pretty much puts ‘em where you aims ‘em!

My Grandfather had an unaltered long-barreled 7.65 Argentine along with about 12 or 13 unfired rounds of Norma ammo in the wood-grain looking box. As I was a kid when he had it, about I can recall is it was big, heavy and how odd the front sight looked when sighting down the barrel (I think it’s a barleycorn sight?) compared to the notch and blade sights I was used to.

Nice shots!

Stay safe.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Mine didn't come with the rear sight. I think the former owner took it off. To mount a scope. The barrel is about a foot shorter then my Mosin 91/30. The front sight is there. I got the gun with dies and 60 rounds of ammo for 200.00 OTD. The front sight is like the one in this pic.


Here is mine.

 

[3Crows]

I have one of those. Inherited from my father. They were sold at Montgomery Wards for not much at all. He was the store manager and got it for deer hunting. It was partly sporterized. I do not shoot it anymore. There is not a (safe) gas escape path for them if a primer or case fails as I understand and the rear of the case is partly unsupported. Maybe I do not remember the issue specifically. 3C

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I don't think my Mosin has a gas escape either. I had to adjust the firing pin on it. I was getting occasional puffs or air in my face. It was just barely piercing some primers.

 

[Archie]

Both Argentine Mausers (1891 and 1909) were military rifles. By very nature, they were designed to impact the torso of an armed belligerent at ranges typically exceeding 100 yards by quite a bit, with ammunition as issued. So this example is not particular gifted, but it does what it's supposed to do.

Not talking the rifle down, but it shoots well like that sort of rifle should.

The two rifles were linked in history as they were both Mausers and they were of the progression of the Mauser rifle. It was essentially the same as the Belgian Mauser rifle. The rifle was one of the first of Mauser's actual designs and is easily identified by the magazine. Up close, one notes the early Mauser "weak" action. The 1909 was of later design, had a '98 action (the 'strong' one) and the magazine was double stack and flush with the bottom of the rifle.

The cartridge is very similar to the .303 British. Similar, not identical. The two cartridges fire the same diameter bullet of the same weight at about the same velocity. Serious business.

And a delightful example of rifle manufacturing.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Mine is the 1891. I would love to see a 1909. I was looking at mine closely one day. And i was impressed about how it's built. The 1909 sounds like it would be real impressive to see up close.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

I had a 91 (I think). The action was in the white and it was a beautiful gun. I finally found a box of Norma 7.65 and boy howdy it was expensive. I think I paid $75.for the gun.

 

[troy fairweather]

They are good shooters, both 91 or 09.
This one was cut cut down sporter much like yours, I filled in the holes from the scope bases, got a hold of a old j.p.sauer and sohn 1/2 octagon to round with a full rib. Added the barrel wedge and a lever to unlock the mag. Made some stain to darken the wood to look aged, added some maple burl from a free that we had at my old house in the hollow in the bolt knob. shoots pretty good but have to get a bigger supply of .318 bullets since its a 8x57 now. Still have work to do, some day it will be fully finished.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Awesome Troy. Thanks for sharing.

 

[troy fairweather]

Here's a 09 Argentine I picked up last year for a build, this one is a normal cut down sporter and rechambered to 3006. The bore is pitted and I did not buy it as a shooter since it will get a new barrel someday. But it seem to shoot just fine, shot some standing at about 50 yards and they were in a 2inch group 2-3 inches high. Still lots of work to be done on this rifle, it will be a mach for my custom 09 in 7x57Ackley improved, this on will be a 9.3x62






Here's the custom 09, still a few things to do as well but about finished.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Both Argentine Mausers (1891 and 1909) were military rifles. By very nature, they were designed to impact the torso of an armed belligerent at ranges typically exceeding 100 yards by quite a bit, with ammunition as issued. So this example is not particular gifted, but it does what it's supposed to do.

Not talking the rifle down, but it shoots well like that sort of rifle should.

The two rifles were linked in history as they were both Mausers and they were of the progression of the Mauser rifle. It was essentially the same as the Belgian Mauser rifle. The rifle was one of the first of Mauser's actual designs and is easily identified by the magazine. Up close, one notes the early Mauser "weak" action. The 1909 was of later design, had a '98 action (the 'strong' one) and the magazine was double stack and flush with the bottom of the rifle.

The cartridge is very similar to the .303 British. Similar, not identical. The two cartridges fire the same diameter bullet of the same weight at about the same velocity. Serious business.

And a delightful example of rifle manufacturing.

Methinks, but could be wrong, but the 1891 is/was the first smokeless powder rimless cartridge Mauser rifle. I believe the Turkish and Belgian versions were first but the same rifle as the '91, the Belgian differed by having a barrel jacket, and I think the Turkish version was the same rifle as the '91. Basically different "versions" of the same rifle.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

I love the '91, I have two Monkey-Mausers. I shoot a 180 grain round-nose bullet. With standard/not hot-rodded loads, and new modern brass, I don't worry too much about a case failure blowing my face off. Hey...might improve my looks! but seriously, I'm more likely to get in a car wreck and put my face through the windshield. Also ride motorcycles, which is way higher risk than shooting a 1891 Mauser. Dang, even falling big trees is higher risk...and I survive all those things.!!!

 

[Archie]

Methinks, but could be wrong, but the 1891 is/was the first smokeless powder rimless cartridge Mauser rifle. I believe the Turkish and Belgian versions were first but the same rifle as the '91, the Belgian differed by having a barrel jacket, and I think the Turkish version was the same rifle as the '91. Basically different "versions" of the same rifle.

I think you're right about the first smokeless rifle cartridge of Mauser design.
Yes, the 1891 Mauser was the first "Mauser" rifle contracted out and entirely designed by Mauser. With some cosmetic differences - desired by the buyer, by the way - it was marketed to Belgium, known as the Belgian 1889. It seems it was sold to Belgium first. Turkey was next with the 1890. Lastly Argentina bought some in 1891. The differences in all rifles were minor cosmetic choices of the buying nation. All of them were the same design and cartridge as far as I can tell.

Then, Mauser changed the magazine and contracted with Spain for the 1892 (7x57mm was Spain's choice).

Then, in 1898, Mauser added a third safety lug...

 

[Ugly Sauce]

One of my Monkey-Mausers (1891) has a 3-didget serial number. AXXX. Matching numbers on all parts, and even the stock. Really sad that the Monkeys converted it to a sporter. They did leave the upper handguard on it.

My other one, in the very high serial range, looks like one of the previous owners had it re-blued. Looks like it came out of the old S&W factory. You cannot see any irregularities in the area where the crest was. They also refinished the stock, but not so well, so I did that. I got every dent and ding out of it, except for one tiny one near the trigger guard. It now looks like some custom gun out of a custom shop, or something brand new.

 

[codytrucker]

7.65 argentine must have been fairly popular in it's day . Winchester chambered the model 70 in it at one time .

 

[Ugly Sauce]

I think it was, or was getting there, until the companies really started cranking out the factory rifles (set up for scope mounting) in .30-06's, .270's and all the magnum cartridges. Then she faded away. I think the .300 Savage helped push it aside, which of course is ironic as they are ballistic twins...but the .300 used a more common sized bullet. And the 99 in 300 was drilled and tapped for a scope.

 

[ACES&8S]

I have one of those old critters, and I have never shot it. Got 5 bullets for it.
It has a strong looking mauser action on it.
Had it about 20 years now. 7.65 Arg. seems to have some following for rebuilds.
I have so many other calibers to reload I have never even considered it. Probably
afraid it will suck, but the rifling looks good for something that looks like it shoots
a phillips screwdriver.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

I like that old Critter, wish I had one in original form. Is that a Lowe, or a DWM? High or low serial number range? I've not seen such a rear sight on a '91, but I haven't seen them all of course. Well the cartridge does not suck, and both mine shoot just fine. Never tried to shoot a screwdriver.

 

[swg1]

Think that is actually a Mauser for Peru or Paraguay, not Argentine, judging from the lange sight.

 

[tark]

Methinks, but could be wrong, but the 1891 is/was the first smokeless powder rimless cartridge Mauser rifle. I believe the Turkish and Belgian versions were first but the same rifle as the '91, the Belgian differed by having a barrel jacket, and I think the Turkish version was the same rifle as the '91. Basically different "versions" of the same rifle.

The 7.65X53 was the first smokeless cartridge designed by Mauser. The first smokeless powder bolt action rifle was the 1886 Lebel. The first Smokeless powder German rifle was the 1888 Commission rifle. I believe that same commission gave birth to the 7.92X57J cartridge. I could be wrong on that. Because it was the product of a committee, nobody was particularly happy with it! The Germans converted a large number of these guns to fire the Later .323 diameter bullets, buy cutting a long leade in the chamber's throat so the .323 diameter bullet slowly squeeze itself down to the .318 bore. These guns apparently gave no troubles. I have never heard of one grenading. They can be identified by a large letter "S" stamped over either the chamber or the top of the receiver. I had one back in the seventies. I shot surplus 7.92X57 ammo in it and never had a problem.

I'm older and wiser now and that thought scares me a bit. If I still had it today I think I would be shooting soft loaded American factory ammo .

 

[tark]

Think that is actually a Mauser for Peru or Paraguay, not Argentine, judging from the lange sight.

Quite correct. That is not an Argentine Mauser.

 

[BJung]

That's a nice round. I remember those on gun show racks when I was young. There are no gun shows like that in CA anymore.

 

[tark]

That's a nice round. I remember those on gun show racks when I was young. There are no gun shows like that in CA anymore.

I lived in California in the 80s. I remember the Cow Palace show, with hundreds of tables and thousands of guns. Those days are gone, at least in the once Golden State.