Assuming you would like to own a shooter grade original Type A Mauser that you could hunt with and occasionally shoot recreationally, which of the following caliber poll options would you choose? Feel free to comment by listing your most to least desireable calibers and which unlisted calibers you might prefer. You could also include your preferred barrel length choice between 600mm (23.6"), 650mm (25.6"), and 700mm (27.5") barrels, as these were the most common barrel length options.

BTW, let's assume inside the bow release for all.

Question:
Which caliber Type A Oberndorf Mauser would you prefer to own based on the above mentioned parameters?:

Choices:
10.75x68
9.3x62
318 WR
8x57
30-06
7x57
6.5x57

 

http://www.egun.de/market/item.php?id=6502783

10.75x68, not sure it is original.

I voted 10,75x68. Honestly if you were going to hunt with it more, then it probably needs to be something more normal. I think they made a 9x57 potato gun. You would have a hard time wearing out a barrel in that caliber. The rest of them would be shot out in 3500-5000 rounds.

They are not even really that common over here.

http://www.egun.de/market/item.php?id=6500036

9x57, not sure anything about it. Looks pre-war.

If you are into Mannlicher-Schonauer rifles they have those here too.

The next couple of years are going to be interesting. A law starts in August where you can no longer keep the firearms of a relative that dies. The newer generation is not interested in firearms, or hunting (sound familiar).

A buddy of mine bought a Kreighoff Neptune (yes the sidelock $15,000 one) for $800. The gunshop owner gave $300 for it.

Personally, I think the 9,3x62 with either a 600 or 650mm bbl would make the most sense for most shooters. It would for me. It of course depends on where you shoot and what you shoot. Given That I don't envision hunting anything other than NA Big Game, the 9,3 with a 650mm bbl would suit my needs perfectly. Not too expensive just to plink (practice) with.

Now, for sheer kool factor, the 10.75x68 would be nice.

The rest would be too heavy for me with the type A barrel contour.

I have a Type B, 1937 marked original, did have EAWs installed and in 9.3x62. It has a minty bore, solid wood and 90++ original blue....shoots like a champ, but, I never use it as I have four other bolt 9.3s, two original ZG-47s, one custom on a ZG action, sts Benchmark tube and a customized CZ-550.

Simply a superb round for BC hunting and working in Grizzly country and easier to shoot than my .338WM and .375H&H rifles while being as effective, IMHO.

What I would REALLY like in a pre-war Mauser would be an original Jeffery in .404, with the drop mag.........drool....

The mix of Oberndorf contour barrels I sell, tells me that 9.3x62 is 80 percent and 7x57 is the other 18 percent. One offs of others make up two percent.

quote:

Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:
I voted 10,75x68. Honestly if you were going to hunt with it more, then it probably needs to be something more normal. I think they made a 9x57 potato gun. You would have a hard time wearing out a barrel in that caliber. The rest of them would be shot out in 3500-5000 rounds.

They are not even really that common over here.

They are not particularly common anywhere, as they didn't make a boatload of them.

Having 2nd thoughts on the 10.75??

quote:

Originally posted by MileHighShooter:
Having 2nd thoughts on the 10.75??

Nope!

I don't own any Type A's, but I do have a commercial Mauser in each of the calibers mentioned except for .318 WR. I would have to say that for my present circumstances the 7X57 makes the most sense, with the 6.5X57 a close second. The white tails around here don't take a lot of killing, and we have no bears or pigs running around our woods.

If I were 20 years younger and thinking about Africa, then the 9.3X62, by all means, followed by the 10.75X68, with suitable hand loads and bullets.

I only replied 9.6 x 62 because that's what I built on my Oberndorf receiver....and I am delighted with it.

You left out the most important reason for the Type A Mauser ( otherwise known as the Type E for English) and that is the 404 Jeffery !
This Rifle model was conceived almost entirely for the British market and thus it would be befitting to have it in 404 Jeffery and not in a "German" caliber such as the 9,3x62

A Model A in 9.3x62 would likely be more valuable as they are relatively rare

The 318 WR has been lit up in lights behind my eyeballs for a long time now so that is my choice if the funds and the availabiity ever coincide

I didn't list the 404 Jeff in the poll because Type A's in 404 are way out of most folks price range. The 318 and 6.5x57 are pretty rare as well, not that any Type A is common and affordable.

I voted 9.3x62.

But if the 404J was in the mix, it'd be a tough choice...

quote:

Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:
http://www.egun.de/market/item.php?id=6502783

10.75x68, not sure it is original.

That's a full on custom, but really cool! Thanks for posting it!

quote:

Originally posted by xausa:
I don't own any Type A's, but I do have a commercial Mauser in each of the calibers mentioned except for .318 WR. I would have to say that for my present circumstances the 7X57 makes the most sense, with the 6.5X57 a close second. The white tails around here don't take a lot of killing, and we have no bears or pigs running around our woods.

If I were 20 years younger and thinking about Africa, then the 9.3X62, by all means, followed by the 10.75X68, with suitable hand loads and bullets.

amen brother. roger

I voted 10.75X68 as my dad had one in the 50s & 60.

I already own a Simson M98 in 9.3X62 with Octagon to round full rib barrel & Oberndorf slab side stock.

If 404 Jeffery was an option I would have picked that.

I voted for the 7x57 because I simply have more use for it these days..That said Ive owned a 404 Jefferys, and two 10.75X68s...Ive always been a 9.3x62 fan. Your post is a cornucopia of wonderful calibers, many of which Ive played with over the years..

I shot a couple of buffalo with the 10.75x68 using the 400 gr. Woodleighs at almost 2100 FPS both soft and solid, and it killed them just like one would expect from a .404 factory round...The 404, 416 and 450-400s were my all time go to African caliber for years along with a smattering of other calibers I used just to see how they worked.

At this point, most who are inclined to vote have voted. As I expected, the 9.3x62 is in the lead. However, I am quite surprised to see the 10.75x68 holding down second place, and being so close to the 9.3x62. Whodathunkit!

I voted for the 30'06 simply because I have one, albeit a bit rough, and it is the perfect open sight bolt gun IMO.
To find one in perfect condition would really be something.
I also have one in 10.75x68 which is great, if brass was more commonly available.
You can make nice bullets out of 40S&W cases though.

quote:

Originally posted by Huvius:

I also have one in 10.75x68 which is great, if brass was more commonly available.

You can make nice bullets out of 40S&W cases though.

I'd be interested in finding out more about that!

Me too! Cheap bullets in .423 are not exactly common.

The best two of ALL the Mauser standard case base calibres are 8x60S or 8x64.

It even surpasses the .30-06 in terms of its practicality and performance.

Maybe it's time to put them in your Poll. I'd take 8x60S over 8x64 for preference.

The 8x60 is a good performing round, and I'd prefer one over an 8x57, but I wouldn't say it's more practical than a 30-06. Loaded to equal pressures, it doesn't beat the 8x57 by a wide margin. Finding ammo and/or brass is not easy, although it can easily be made from the internationally ubiquitous 30-06 brass. It seems a little late to be adding new rounds to the poll, but we can just chalk up one vote for the 8x60S.

The gun shop in Boulder had a nice full octogon 8x60 B a few years ago. I could have bought it for $1800. I was told that fellow that bought it had it for sale at the Colorado collectors show this year for $3500, but it did not sell. I'm still kicking myself. It is a sweet rifle!

Endfieldspares: I went to add the 8x60S to the poll, but was notified that editing the poll would erase all the votes.

I had an 8x60S that had been made as that calibre when 8x57 was illegal in France and Belgium. It's odd that what was an accidental design from Versailles Treaty regulations was such a good cartridge.

I prefer it to the 8mm-06 as although the 8mm-06 is an 8x63S the 8x60S actually has the greater powder capacity than the 8mm-06 from my recollection. No I'd not spoil the poll for that one vote!

Can that action be converted for use with something really good, like a 300 RUM?
Zeke

The "True Believers" would want to string you up by your scrodum, but the magnum action is suitable and the standard action can be converted with careful attention.

I have a Type A which started life as a 10.75x68 but through necessity in the '70s was converted to 10.75x73 (404 Jeffery). Today as the original 10.75x68 it would be a little better because of modern bullets but realistically the 10.75 calibre is for big dangerous game and with cases and cartridges still uncommon a rifle in 10.75x68 to use, sell on or hand down is not the best proposition. My Type A in 404 is much more usable, reloadable and very effective if wanting to load up to modern ballistics near enough equal to any of the other big .40 cals.

quote:

Originally posted by z1r:
I'd be interested in finding out more about that!

Me too! Cheap bullets in .423 are not exactly common.

A set of swaging dies would be a snap.
I measure most fired 40S&W brass at about .424" so a simple point form die and a pass through a .423" sizing die would do it.
I bet annealed brass with a core pressed in could be done in one step in the point die probably without the final sizing needed.

OK. I decided to see what could be done with regular reloading dies just as I have for making .458" bullets from 45ACP brass.
Here is what I came up with using a 303 British FLS die and a 256 Mannlicher FLS die and a Lee sizing post from a .408" push through sizing die.
Pretty easy really! They are semi bore riding just like my .458s which shoot great.

Now that is cool!

quote:

Originally posted by ColoradoMatt:
The "True Believers" would want to string you up by your scrodum, but the magnum action is suitable and the standard action can be converted with careful attention.

I know Matt.
It was a little tongue in cheek (very little).
I understand nostalgia. I drive a '55 F100 but not when I want to hunt!
I'm glad you could see the humor.
Zeke

The main reason I like the 10.77x68 is they make such a light DG rifle, easy to pack, and fun to shoot, recoil is somewhat milder and it normally will hold an extra round or two..I built a number of them and sold them..All loved them..Its a great caliber, a very good killer of all DG with proper bullets..It suffered from the get go with bad bullets, and the experts blamed the caliber, nothing could have been further from the truth...Just shoot the 400 gr. Woodleigh at 2100 to 2200 FPS or, the 325 or 350 gr. Barnes X at 2400 or the 350 at 2350 FPS. The 350 Barnes X at 2350 to 2400 FPS depending on barrel length etc. its is an awesome combination on anything..As a matter of fact it will duplicate the great 450-400 with ease, and you've never heard a bad word abou that ole gal, my favorite double rifle caliber.

Were it not for the shortage of brass,the 10.75x68 it would be the ideal DG bolt gun, light to carry, great for the recoil sensitive hunter or old dudes like myself, holds 4 to 5 rounds in the std. box or a truck load in a drop box, all the power you need and it is a stopper as well as a killer, for anything, just a sweetheart..but its always been a bridemaid due to ignorant reporting, back when.

I am astonished that the 10.75x68 is doing so well in this poll. I have found that brass and ammo are almost non-existent! I wonder if it's partly due to your championing of it over the years here on AR. I've been gathering components to build a Type A in 10.75x68 for several months now, but still since I just bought an original Type A in 9.3x62, the 10.75 project won't get started back up for quite a while, as I need to save some money. When throated for 400 grain 404 Jeffery bullets, the 10.75x68 can duplicate original 404 Jeffery loads at mild pressure.

I don't care about the metric-wrench cartridges, and although some non-metric cartridges are on the poll, I didn't vote because The one I like is the .338WM. I would vote for a .30-06 because I like this cartridge, but in reality as a one-gun big-game hunter in Alaska, the .338WM is all I have and need.

quote:

Originally posted by Ray Alaska:
I don't care about the metric-wrench cartridges, and although some non-metric cartridges are on the poll, I didn't vote because The one I like is the .338WM. I would vote for a .30-06 because I like this cartridge, but in reality as a one-gun big-game hunter in Alaska, the .338WM is all I have and need.

If the 338WM, had been chambered in the Mauser Type A, I would have included it. However, the 338 was introduced about 15 years after Commercial Oberndorf Mauser production ceased.

quote:

Originally posted by ColoradoMatt:

quote:

Originally posted by Ray Alaska:
I don't care about the metric-wrench cartridges, and although some non-metric cartridges are on the poll, I didn't vote because The one I like is the .338WM. I would vote for a .30-06 because I like this cartridge, but in reality as a one-gun big-game hunter in Alaska, the .338WM is all I have and need.

If the 338WM, had been chambered in the Mauser Type A, I would have included it. However, the 338 was introduced about 15 years after Commercial Oberndorf Mauser production ceased.

Good point.