Updated with pics of the whole thang

. Sorry some are shiney, must be the flash. i'll take some pics in daylight nextweek.
The grain really didn't come out well,it's NO WHERE near this dark and I am working with the camera, but there's the begining. I've included a pic of a turk short and a 36 action, for S&G

Did I mention it holds 4 down, without mods?

Left to Do
1: sights
2: checkering
3: mod 70 safety









MY BARREL SHIPPED YESTERDAY!!!

Okay, here's the parts
1936 mexican mauser
24.5" pacnor barrel, shilen #5 contour
supernice walnut stock (18e on http://www.gunstocks.com/Barg_12x.html )
kickeez pad
now has markX trigger Xbold triggerX
havent decided on sights... might use the dakota quarter rib
but here's my begining receipe for my 376 light rifle
jeffe

[ 10-31-2002, 23:07: Message edited by: jeffeosso ]

Jeffeso,

Sounds great could you also use a Ruger 30/06 length action for the .376 Steyr if you wanted ??

When will it be finished ??

Can you post some pics, this cartridge interests me.

Jeffeosso,

This rifle is sounding like it will be prettier than my Steyr ProHunter in .376 Steyr!

Keep us up to date on the project, please.

jim dodd

PC,
you can do that on a 30-06 easy. The mexican 1936 is a short action, so I have to keep my oal under 3.065 (max length of period 7x57).
I'll post some pics in a couple days, when I have the parts together. Don't have the barrel, yet.

Jim,
I looked at the pro-hunter, and I thought it would be a nice functional rifle. But, I've got this thing for mexican mausers and walnut.... Haven't had a 375 of my own, but shot several 375 hh, and 375 jdj. Interesting rounds.
Jeffe

Jeffeosso, Three questions, I'm not familiar with the "bold" trigger. Can you tell me about it? Second, where can I get another 1936 Mexican Mauser action? Third, are you building this 376 yourself? Thanks

Bob,
thanks for askin

1: BOLD is much like timney, and I like them both.
2: 36 actions? heh, i've got a couple, but NOT 36 bolts. You have to FIND em... a 1910 will work fine, too, but it doesn't have the 36 cocking piece.
3: I am doing the barrel smithing (i didn't want to buy a reamer for one, sorry) and I'll be assembling the other stuff.

future plans for it
3 pos safety
barrel band sling
barrel band front sight with peep sight or 2 leaf

Jeffe

cwilson,

I expect to keep my ProHunter, thanks. Here I am with it and a good eland in Zimbabwe last September: http://safari21.com. It shoots well, and has adequate power.

CDNN was selling a group of .376 Steyr ProHunters for $599 after Steyr Mannlicher changed US importer from GSI to Dynamit Nobel/RWS this year. I expect you will be able to find one of those or perhaps a used rifle.

jim dodd

Jeffeosso, Good news this morning. Received and email from my son saying I could have the 36 action I gave him a few years ago. So now have enough actions to do all three projects. Ain't life grand?

Bob,
I have two mature sons... and I woudl trade you two for one, if they would give back the 36's I've built for them!!!
good kid, and great project.. but are you going to do 376 or 257r?
Jeffe

Jeffeosso, I'm going to do a 7 X 57 first, then the 376 Steyr, and last a 257. I promised my wife I would only acquire one gun a month and I'm already up to April of 2003.

Hey Jeffeosso, One of the moderators on the CZ forum says the 1936 Mexican Mauser will not handle the pressure of the 376 Steyr. Comments? Bob

Bob,

Was he talking about chamber pressure, or the effects of increased bolt thrust from having a larger cross-sectional area of the case?

thanks...jim dodd

Hi Jim, He was talking about increased bolt thrust. He talked about locking lug failures with the two locking lug system and that some Mauser actions had a third locking lug which did not serve any purpose until the other two failed. Appreciate any comments.

The referance to the third locking lug versus two locking lugs sounds like a comparison between the 98 and 96 Mauser designs. All the Mexican Mausers I have, are equipped with the third lug (in front of the bolt handle). As for the bolt thrust issue, considering the ballistics of the 376 Steyr, I don't see it as a problem. The Mexican Mauser is basically just a 98 intermediate action, and I'm reasonably sure that a good 98 will contain any pressures put out by the Steyr round. FWIW - Dan

OK Dan, That's what I wanted to hear. Jeffeosso told me the same thing in an email. Besides Pak-Nor won't barrel an action unles it passes their min specs for the caliber. I'm going to go with it. I'll be in Texas in September and will get the first two projects started. Appreciate your help.

what dan said..
... since the 36 is an odd duck, most people forget it's a 98, and not a 96. It'll hold it, and I am not planning on being a BOLD reloader for it. It'll shoot factory, and it'll shoot 300s... i'll be very ha[[y
jeffe

Thanks Jeffeosso, I'll keep you posted on how it goes. I'll probably have more questions. Keep your powder dry.

Modelo 36 Mexican, the 1910 Mauser from Mexico is a large ring short action 98 Mauser and it will handle anything that will fit in it and it can be lenthened some like any other Mauser..

I may want to make a retraction of my post, based on a statement by Jeffe...If you have the Mexican that has a cocking piece like a Springfield then it is a less desirable action than the Mod. 98 version due to metalurgy and several other modifications I have been told...I have used lots of short Mexican actions and 1910 Styers of the Mod 98 varity, but not those rare ones with the Springfield cocking piece which I thought were referred to as model 54 Mausers? Admitedly I am vague on this as I have not used them for quite some time but I used to sell them by the groove.

The 54 Mexican mausers were basically a 36 action with a 30-06 barrel and stamped bottom metal. They came with two different sights. mexico used a few 98 Mausers, the first being the 1902 rifle, a 98 action that looks a lot like the 95, made by DWM, Berlin, and Steyr. The next one was the 1907, built by Steyr as well. The first Mexicam manufactuered 98 was the 1910, basically a Mexican made copy of the 1902 rifle. There was also a 1910 carbine. They couldn't make enough of these, so they bought 1912 rifles and short rifles from Steyr. In 1924 they bought short rifles and carbines from FN. In 33 they bought Czech VZ12/33 carbines (basically the same carbine as the G33/40). In 36 they built the 1936 short rifle in Mexico. This is the one with the Springfield cocking piece. The 54 followed, and, as mentioned, it is simply a 36 action with different bottom metal and a 30-06 barrel. In 55 they went with Garands, and that was it for bolt actions in Mexico. These were all 98 style actions, but I'm still looking to confirm which were intermediate length and which were large ring, because they vary. I'll post more info when I get it. - Dan

OK, a little more info. The 1910, 1924, 1936 and 1954 are all intermediate length actions. The 1910, VZ33, 1936 and 1954 are small ring 98's. The 1924 is an intermediate large ring 98. The VZ33 is a standard length small ring 98. I'm still looking for info on the 1902, the 1907 and the 1912 (all made by Steyr). Ray, I'm curious as to the information you have concerning the metal in some of these actions. Could you post your info, please? - Dan

Dan, Jeffe, and Ray, I've learned a lot about Mausers on this thread and from JBelk's Mauser files. This is the reason I love this site. Even with the rude postings that sometimes appear this is the best hunting/guns site going. Thanks guys and thank you Saeed.

Okay,
Here's the wicked deal
I took a mexican 36 action a NICE walnut stock, bold trigger, leupold 1x4 IIc (updated the reticle) and did it in 376. It feeds PERFECT

anyway, i did a SLOW inletting... look about 12 evenings, and then bedded it with acragel. It's going off to be blued in a week or so, but....

it shoots GREAT... with book loads, and book lengths (235gr speer, 66 gr varget, win mag primers, set to 2.060 est vel 2750, ME about 3900, and est pressure is "nominal, but can go MUCH higher") with a 4x scope, shots, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 all hit in a 1.2" group at 100.

Since I normally shoot a 416 rem, the recoil felt like a 308.

Like I said, it's going off to be blued and then I'll start doing real load dev.. like measuring distance to Lans, and playing with powders and bullets. My goals are 1: 235 speer at 2850, 2: 300 gr X or solids at 2400. I think it's more than possible, and subinch at that.

there ya go, my african light rifle.

Jeffe

Jeffeosso:

Congratulations on your .376 Mauser! My .376 Steyr Scout also shoots 1.2" groups at 100 yards. I've not heard of sub-MOA performance with this cartridge yet. I got 2300 fps with 300s in the 19" barrel with IMR4895, so with 5" more barrel it's certainly possible to reach your goal of 2400 fps, though I definitely was seeing diminishing velocity returns as I approached the max book load of 61.5 grains.

In my gun, 61.4 grains was the magic number accuracy-wise, with larger groups above and below it.

Woodleigh 300 SPPPs at 2300 killed very efficiently, but I think 2350-2400 would be perfect, so please keep us informed of your progress. (You've got me thinking about what I might do with a small ring 98 action I've got lying around...)

[ 09-14-2002, 17:57: Message edited by: Slingster ]

Sounds great jeffeosso (chief/boss bear?). I may have to use one of my mexican Mausers for the same type of project. - Dan

Please do keep us up to date with the project... I have started another thread asking some questions about the 376 since I was thinking of building the same type of rifle (based on a Ruger action or maby a 700... ) for Rocky Mtn Elk.. Id love to see some images and how the caliber "feels" in a 'real' rifle... sorry that prohunter might function well.. but it just dont do jack for me..

Keep us posted and get some pictures, damn it! That's it, it's back to the gunroom for me. So many guns to build, so little time. - Dan

dupe post

[ 09-21-2002, 20:18: Message edited by: jeffeosso ]

SHOT IT TODAY!@!!
These loads, of course, are not for anyone to every use.

This is unreal, but these are the results I got at the range with my 376 steyr, 24” barrel, about 80degrees

Reloader 15, 300 grain hornady, incrementing loads 0.5 grains, starting 3.095”

forgot to include the casehead expansion
59.5 2460 av
60.0 2471 av
60.5 2491 av
61 2529 av *** chosen load to develop *** casehead .00275" new brass
61.5 2538 av WARM casehead .003" new brass
62 2559 av HOT IN NEW BRASS, very warm in once fired. casehead .00325.. STOPPED too much for me
BTW,
The 235gr speer with 66 gr of varget,
2803 av

Holy COW, I am matching the 375HH, with my short action 376, and it's PLEASANT to shoot. It's 2/3 my 416, felt. I shot 20, and my buddy shot 16. It was GREAT.

The 235s are as flat as a 3006 with 165!!

Lots of looks and stares, but no takers to shoot.

Shooting Chrony Beta Master, 80 degrees, 10 or 11 feet. Index load of right at 2800 with a 284 used to verify.

I am PUMPED and I'll keep you guys posted.
jeffe

[ 10-14-2002, 21:15: Message edited by: jeffeosso ]

Thanks Jeffe. That's one pretty little Mexican Mauser. - Dan

Jeffe - Pretty rifle and good results...but after lookin at your photos I have to ask why is your house tilted at such an angle?

Jeffe, You are making it difficult for me to hold off on mine until I see if we get the contract. I may have to say the hell with it and send my action to PakNor. If my Mexican lady didn't have a pistol I would. Good results. My book only shows 2700 fps with the 270 gr. Keep us posted.

Jeffeosso,

Good job on your rifle. It is looking good as well.

jim dodd

Thanks Guys,
I hope to post some more pics this or early next week
Jeff

new pics, see top
btt

Jeffe- Nice job! You should be proud of your work. It looks like a serious rifle for African hunting. I particularly like the cheek-piece. Nicely done.-Rob

I think it's great that you've proved my hypothesis that the .376 Steyr matches .375 H&H velocities in same length barrels. The best part of it is that it does it with significantly less recoil. Well done, and have a lot of success with your new rifle!