A recent acquisition has me looking forward to my next range trip.
An H. Dumoulin full-stocked Mauser in 7X64 Brenneke arrived with dies, 2 full boxes of Norma factory loads and 20 new unprimed cases.
I know the 7X64 is very similar to my 280s so I'll start my loading on the mild side and work up.
Would anyone know how to determine the age of this rifle, I'm guessing late 1960s, early '70s but it would be nice to know for sure.
Also would be interesting to find some actual loading info for the 7X64 aside from Ken Water's work...

Here is some loads we tried out in my German friend's Professional model Mannlicher Steyr 7x64 with a 24" barrel.

I don't remember how many of each we loaded and what the groups were like. The MV recorded was an average for each load.

As always these loads were safe in the rifle we used on the day and should only be used as indicative data not absolute.


Ammunition Date MV fps

160 gr Speer Soft Point 17.12.88 2866
IMR 4831 powder
54.0 grs load
CCI 200 primer
Norma case


140 gr Nosler Partition SP 17.12.88 2900
IMR 4350 powder
53.0 grs load
CCI 200 primer
Norma case


154 gr Sako Round Nose SP 17.12.88 2802
Vhitavouri N160 powder
55.0 grs load
CCI 200 primer
RWS case


140 gr Nosler Partition SP 17.12.88 2868
IMR 4831 powder
55.0 grs load
CCI 200 primer
RWS case


145 gr Speer Soft Point 17.12.88 2804
IMR 4831 powder
55.0 grs load
CCI 200 primer
RWS case

My .280 Rem loads are duplicates of/with my 7x64 Bren loads. (Remington 700 BDL DM and CZ 550 Lux.)

Thanks for the info fellas, I do appreciate !

congrats,u got high quallity rifle,in super classy caliber as 7x64,

Don't know if this will help, but back in the mid 60's Art Skinner of Skinners Gun Shop in Juneau Ak. imported some of these into the US. Calibers that I remember were 243Win, 7x57, 7rem mag, 300win and 338win mag. To my knowledge there were no other metric calibers that Art imported other than the 7x57. Serial numbers in 1964 were 4 digit beginning at about 44xx. If the numbers for all production were consecutive this might help give an approximate date of manufacture.

I'm envious. Enjoy your new project.

Just off to the dentist...but if you Google Belgian Proof Marks you can roughly date it from the Inspector Letter mark that will be stamped on the barrel. Or as below...

http://damascus-barrels.com/Be..._All_Proofmarks.html

Kevan, I remember in Denver @1975 a man had an "overstock" sale on a wide variety of guns. Among them were a large number of Domoulins someone had recently imported and then went out of business. If memory serves, I was looking for a 7x57 and they were selling only 7x64's plus many other calibers.
Currently for ammo, the market is flooded with 7x64 factory boxes at very low prices. I have found Remington 175 grainers and Norma 170 grainers to be accurate in my Ruger MkII 7x64. For reloading, I have been using .280 remington data. My take is that, due to the LOOOOOOng freeboring of the 7x64 .280 data can be boosted a bit. Also, I have not been able to match factory accuracy in my handloads but I didn't get a chance to do much work before winter set in. Boy, it has really set in here! Good luck.

I used to own a Mauser 98 in 7X64 probably finished in the 60's.

It shot 1 hole groups with AR 2209 - (H4350). I played with it a while & sold it as I already had a Sako in 280 Ackley Imp.

Its common knowledge that you can use .280 Rem load data for the 7x64..Even the books say so, but like any load listed anywhere including these blogs, start 10% low and work up..