I have a small ring Mauser that has been semi sporterized. Its in 7x57, shoots great, except for the stock trigger and the "cocks on closing " bolt. Don't know if its Spanish or what year, 93-96? Anyway, what is the best bang for the buck aftermarket trigger (need a side safety, I guess), and how hard is it to convert the bolt to cock on opening?

Any help would be greatly appreciated, is my first military attempt and I'm building it for my 14 year old Grandson.

Thanks, JohnP

Timney makes a good trigger for your particular rifle (you can go with or without side safety if its a Spanish 95).

Can't help you with the cock on opening conversion as I didn't do it to either of the '95 sporters I've owned.

Lots of knowledgeable folk on this site. I bet if you post some pics of your action and its markings, you'd have an answer to what particular Mauser you have in no time!

Timney makes a good trigger, and bold is good as well. Both can be had with, or without a side safety. I've had no problems with the four small rings I've converted to cock on open using the Dayton Traister kits, but they need to be done by a professional. That being said I do not like the Dayton Traister triggers.

Think about the cock on closing advantages before changing it out. With a cock on closing action, operating the bolt from the shoulder is easier because there is so much less twisting effect on the rifle ( especially if you have a heavier FP spring to speed ignition)as the bolt lift is only caming the bolt bact to start cartridge extraction. The forward thrust of the hand to cock on closing the bolt is easier to acomplish.

Von Gruff.

I have several customs on M96 actions, and actually prefer the cock on closing. I wish all Mausers had this feature. No idea why this was thought to be an improvement. As stated above, the bolt work is constant throughout the cycle, and I believe it is quicker. It definitely is much smoother.

Take a look at www.hubertconcepts.com.

I've installed a huber trigger on my 8x57 mauser; works great.

When I rework small ring pre-1898 style Mausers, I do the following:

1. Install Bold or Timney trigger with a side safety.
2. Install a Dayton-Traister cock-on-opening kit.
3. Install a commercial style bolt shroud with a larger, post-1898 style Mauser, gas shield.

All of these parts can be purchased from Brownells.

Remember that military Mausers were built in a variety of places, with a variety of materials, under a variety of conditions. Spanish built Mausers are generally considered on the lower end of the small ring pre-1898 style Mauser QC spectrum, while the German and Swedish built rifles at the upper end.

Jeff

Does this pic help identify it?

With no guide rib on the bolt, it looks like a M93 action. Does it have a square bottom lip on the bolt face? If so it's a M93.

Yes, it has a square bottom edge on the bolt face. So, what can you tell me about an M93? Are they ok, is there aftermarket triggers & stuff available? Are they worth the effort? It is a pretty good shooter.

Thanks,

I built a .300 Savage on a 93 action last year and caught some flak for doing it. Most will say it isn't worth your time and effort to put any money in to a 93 action. They are probably right for the most part, but I couldn't see destroying a firearm that had been bubbaed. I just wouldn't put a whole lot of money into it.

I put the Bold trigger in, little cheaper than the Timney trigger. I ordered direct from Boyds Gunstocks they were the cheapest I found. I orderd a speed lock kit from Brownell's as well, they offer the Traister kit without the trigger. I had a local smith install the speedlock kit, he did it for $30.

Your 93 is a rifle that you should never push if you handload. However if you enjoy shooting it then there is no reason why you shouldn't do what you want to it. There is enough aftermarket parts to keep your old sporter up and running. I'd say at least add a trigger and enjoy shooting the rifle.

I have one 96 swede 6.5x55 and two 1917's all are cock on close. Have researched the change to cock on open but found pros and cons from all over and the one gunsmith I talked to about the 1917's said no. Trigger, I have two Timmney's that were installed by gunsmiths and one Hubertconcept that I installed...easy and it works great. I wouldn't worry to much about how it cocks...but how does it shoot??? If its good the look at improvements.

One other thing it does have, on the front end of the receiver is stamped "Fabrique Nationale Hastele" Does that mean its made in Belgium? Duh, never noticed it before.

Yep.

Could be a 94. FN made them for, I think, Brazil.

I'll second the suggestion to get a shroud from Brownells and an aftermarket trigger w/safety.

Nothing wrong with building a 93 as long as you go with a chambering it is suited for. F.N. should be a good one..

I have one that was supposed to be a 7.62 NATO and someone marked it 308 Win. I just use 300 Savage data and cast bullets, but prolly should rechamber to something else for saftey reasons.

I have no intention of changing the cock on closing feature, it doesnt bother me. It is actually nicer to open if youve got a sticky case.. Those can be a bear with a cock on open action.

One nice thing about a small ring Mauser is they have great potential for a lightweight mountian rifle.. Just load for its lighter potential and enjoy, they are still superior to some modern actions in some ways.

I prefer cock on opening and have done numerous M93/M95.M96s. If done correctly the effort is very similar to a M70. If you've ever watched a NM shooter with a M70 ATC rifle shoot rapid fire you'll notice there isn't much difficulty involved. I also have several cock on closing also and simply prefer the cock on opening. No consternation with those who like the cock on closing.

My current M93, M95 and M96 that have been converted also have replacement single stage triggers but an original double stage trigger can also be tuned to a very nice crisp pull if done correctly. These SR actions make very good sporters and are worth the effort to build if that is what you want.

Having measured the pressures (Oehler M43) of a lot of original 6.5 Swede, 7x57, 7.65 Argentine and Belgian, 8x57 , 7.62 NATO and .308W I don't get excited over the supposidly design of these actions for 45,000 psi. That figures was actually based on CUP measurement. Might surprise many who shoot or have shot lots of such misurp ammo in the SR Mausers that the actual psi (M43) was in the 53,000 to the 60,000 psi range, especially in the older 196 - 200 gr loading of 7x57. Not wanting any sort of pissing contest here, just reporting what I found to be factual instead of apples to oranges interpretation of reported psi "specifications" for these actions.

Larry Gibson

quote:

especially in the older 196 - 200 gr loading of 7x57.

Well I guess that shows what I know, never knew there ever was such heavy bullets loaded in the 7x57, now 8x57 yes, have shot plenty.

Larry noticed you haven't replied, but think you will find those older 7x57 military loads were actually 173 grain full metal cased bullets. Joe got you smokin' the wacky tobacky?

swheeler

How right you are....my bad. I'm on the road and was going on memory and no coffee.......I obviously was thinking 8x57 with those bullet weights instead of the 173 - 175 gr 7x57 RNFMJ bullets of old. However, the psi is right up there for both, much more than what many think the old milsurp ammo did. Thanks for the "catch".

Larry Gibson

Larry,

I was wondering about those heavy weights myself.

You're right about the psi being right up there for the 7x57 and it's deliberately loaded lower in respect for the old rifle chambered for it out there. They are finding out there is more of a difference in the cup and psi then expected.

I figured you had just made a typo. I knew the good natured rassing would get a reply, I'm sure Joe smokes dope about as much as I drink, har. I saw the catastrophic failure threads on CB as well, was going to post Win M70, Marlin 1895, Sako and other failures just as bad or worse, but thought why bother. It gives people something to hypothisise about!

By the way, I have a DWM Sporting rifle in 7x57 made on the M93 action, in the late years of the XIX Century. It has been used by 4 members of my family since then. I am sure I am who used it more than the other three!! I use in it the same loads as in my 7x57 M98, maximum by the velocities shown in the Nosler Nº4 and Accurate Arms Nº 3 (but with more powder than both manuals to reach that velocities). After some readings in the 80`s I, once in a while, check the headspace, and it remains the same since my first check. And the chamber dimentions are tighter than in my other 7x57.
in my M93 Mauser. The only thing I did on the rifle, other than to modify the bolt handle and put a scope, was to change the cocking piece for another. It was the cocking piece that come in a Dayton-Trayster kit (Cocking piece + firing pin spring + trigger). That CP is for instal in a bolt modified to cock on opening. Instead I modified the cocking piece: I made a cut in the extended part that is designed to engage in the opening made in the modified bolt, finishing the new CP as the original one. What I obtained was a short firing pin travel but with the original cock on close bolt operation. I changed, also, the original spring for the new one. The stricking force seems to be entirely adecuate because I never had a misfire! And my "practical accuracy" improved a lot! And, also, I found my cartridge cases were good for at least 50% more reloadings without that stretching that happened before...Trying to figure what was the explanation, I found an article by Gil Sengel in an old Rifle Magazine (from my friend so I photocopied it) who wrote that a long firing pin travel + strong firing pin spring in rifles of military origins (like mine)could produce short case life because the stricking force being so strong it could compress the case creating a kind of excesive headspeace in that moment!!! I like the idea and may be the reason of that short case life!! Those old magazines are a great source of valuable information!

PH

I am rebuilding a 93 7X57 too. I just like it!

Hello,

This is the rifle and the cocking piece modification.
Can be seen the part cutted (the draw line is the part I cut). In the cocked bolt is shown the reduction of the firing pin travel.

Nice looking sporterization. Should make for a very serviceable hunting rifle. I like it.

Larry Gibson