My new Mexican Mauser-photos

25 July 2008, 03:27

I asked TC1 to post a couple photos of My double square bridge Mexican. It was built by David Christman. The wood came from Roger Vardy of Australia. James Anderson did the half octagon barrel. David fashioned an island rear iron sight, and a NECG banded front sight. He made a checkered bolt release, Ed Lapour safety, and Blackburn bottom metal. I wish that I could do a better job with the closeup of the checkering. It is 26LPI. He said that he sure didn't charge enough for it. Most of the custom items are self explanatory. It is in 275 Rigby, OK? Hopefully my good friend will be back from vacation in a couple weeks and can take some photos that will do David's work more credit. This was a 2 year project that could have come together sooner had David's wife not gotten gravely ill and the heat treat lost the receiver and it took 90 days to find it.
Butch

25 July 2008, 03:50

TC1

HA!, and I got to see it before anyone else. This is what this forum should be about. A rifle that is not only unique but extremely beautiful. David out did himself on this one.

Butch, that is an amazing rifle. Thank you for sharing with us.

Terry

25 July 2008, 04:29

gunmaker

Looks great Butch! David did a great job.
Hope you hunt with it often.

25 July 2008, 04:33

30 Caliber Mag Fan

Butch-

Thank you for sharing your lovely rifle with us; she is, indeed, a beauty.

Terry-

Thanks for doing the honors, we needed some rifle "pin-ups" on the forum; it's been too long.

Butch, is that a Gerome Glimm bolt handle on your rifle? That is an incredible piece of wood.

25 July 2008, 04:45

butchlambert

Mr Stark,
I really don't know. David showed me some options and I chose that one. David is a real pleasure to work with. He communicates well, but does not do photos or email.
Butch

25 July 2008, 04:50

jimatcat

very nice wood... i like the skeleton grip cap....

25 July 2008, 04:59

fla3006

Beautiful, worth the wait, effort, expense, etc.

25 July 2008, 05:04

swheeler

Very nice! I think 275 Rigby fits it to a tee, much classier than 7x57.

25 July 2008, 05:08

TC1

quote:
Originally posted by swheeler:
Very nice! I think 275 Rigby fits it to a tee, much classier than 7x57.

Bite your lip!

terry

25 July 2008, 05:42

jeffeosso

amazing!!!!

25 July 2008, 05:45

vapodog

Thanks for the photos.....it's another gorgeous rifle.....I appreciate it!

25 July 2008, 06:23

WVFred

Beautiful

25 July 2008, 06:24

D Humbarger

Very nice rifle.

25 July 2008, 06:26

homebrewer

Instant family heirloom...

25 July 2008, 06:51

Hugh W

Absolutely stunning wood and metal work.

Hugh

25 July 2008, 07:37

Craftsman

Butch

What a nice rifle. David's work is a piece of art as usual.

David told me at the Shilen Swap Meet that welding the square bridges was easy........yeah right!

Are you going to show it some deer and antelope this year?

25 July 2008, 07:50

butchlambert

I have a 2 1/2X8 VariX111 Leupold matt finish scope for it. I plan on getting a few handling marks on it on opening day. David said that it liked 42grns. of H4895 and 140grn Ballistic Tips, and 3.052 overall length I believe he said.
Butch

25 July 2008, 08:01

Longshot

Butch:

Looks Great. Thought you were getting this rifle made for your grandson? Will you adopt me?

Nat

25 July 2008, 08:29

Prewar70

A rifle that nice deserves a leather-covered pad.

25 July 2008, 20:15

srtrax

Thanks for posting this "WOW" any better pictures would have made a grown man cry!

Good for you and ENJOY...

25 July 2008, 20:47

mstarling

Butch,

Oh My!!! ... sigh ...

I have a soft spot for small ring Mausers.

What a wonderful piece of work! As Homebrewer said: An "Instant family heirloom."

... sigh ...

25 July 2008, 21:41

J Bennett

Butch

Great looking rifle. I am glad things turned out for the best.
Enjoy.

James

25 July 2008, 22:04

Montana Maddness

Dang BEAUTIFUL rifle!!
The wood is awsome, and I love the sights too.

MM

26 July 2008, 01:43

SDH

Nicely done! Both the owner and the maker can be proud.

26 July 2008, 02:05

Austin Hunter

Great looking rifle and caliber!

Now go shoot a thousand elephants with it like Karamojo Bell did!

"Evil is powerless if the good are unafraid" -- Ronald Reagan

"Ignorance of The People gives strength to totalitarians."

Want to make just about anything work better? Keep the government as far away from it as possible, then step back and behold the wonderment and goodness.

26 July 2008, 04:25

Duane Wiebe

Nicely done. I'm curious about the welding on the ring...how was it done./..any concerns?

26 July 2008, 05:01

MHC_TX

Very nice and that is a pretty stick of lumber. I bet you can't wait to get it out on the range.

26 July 2008, 06:43

TMG

That's INCREBIDLE! as my two year old would say.

Very nice, congrats and enjoy it.

TG

26 July 2008, 07:17

dustoffer

My hunting buddy's nephew would say it is "congusting"--a word he uses to describe things that aren't his but he thinks should be!!

26 July 2008, 07:28

ireload2

Couldn't you afford a piece of wood without all the watermelon stripes?

26 July 2008, 07:29

butchlambert

Duane, I am not familiar with the welding method. I understand that the receivers are annealed, heat sink material is put in the ring and around it. You spot it with the tig in one small place, go chamber a barrel, tig another small place and then inlet a stock. After a great deal of time it has been welded and then machined. It is then sent to be recased by a reputable heat treat firm. I wondered about the reputable part when they lost mine. Fortunetly they eventually found it. David and his partner, Jim Dubell, from the old days have done several without problems. I am not an engineer and I am not qualified to tell you that it wouldn't give a problem. I personally am not concerned.
Butch

26 July 2008, 08:50

Trax

Butch,
nice,very nice.
Now that it has been heatreated, what pressures can you safely load to?

26 July 2008, 15:32

TC1

quote:
Originally posted by Trax:
Butch,
nice,very nice.
Now that it has been heatreated, what pressures can you safely load to?

I'm not Butch but, I'm having one built just like it in .260 Remington. About 57K PSIA. would be my stopping point.

Terry

26 July 2008, 18:57

butchlambert

Trax,
I haven't looked at a load book, but David said it liked 42grn of H4895 and a 140grn Ballistic Tip. I would have to look at the loading book. No reason to hot rod it.
Butch

27 July 2008, 20:04

Duane Wiebe

Thanks, Butch...seems like a prudent method. Pressure is an interesting topic. Years ago, the there was interest in pursuing test rounds to be sponsored by the ACGG. I was surprised that a large bloc of members did not wish their guns subjected to any test???

Anyway, the project fell flat due to lack of majority interest. I can't help but be surprised that we are about the only major arms producing country that does not have a proof house.

Cartridges of the World show average pressure of the 7.62 NATO at 50,000 max. Proof testing develops pressures of 67,500.

The problem is how do you make up a load to develop "proper" test pressure? I'm told that if proof rounds are unavailable, the heaviest loads available are fired in an oiled chamber, but I would find it hard to believe that the oil would raise pressures?? Certainly bolt "thrust" would increase...anyone had time to really investigate this?

27 July 2008, 20:57

rem721

quote:
Originally posted by Duane Wiebe:
Thanks, Butch...seems like a prudent method. Pressure is an interesting topic. Years ago, the there was interest in pursuing test rounds to be sponsored by the ACGG. I was surprised that a large bloc of members did not wish their guns subjected to any test???

Anyway, the project fell flat due to lack of majority interest. I can't help but be surprised that we are about the only major arms producing country that does not have a proof house.

Cartridges of the World show average pressure of the 7.62 NATO at 50,000 max. Proof testing develops pressures of 67,500.

The problem is how do you make up a load to develop "proper" test pressure? I'm told that if proof rounds are unavailable, the heaviest loads available are fired in an oiled chamber, but I would find it hard to believe that the oil would raise pressures?? Certainly bolt "thrust" would increase...anyone had time to really investigate this?

I can see why they wouldn't want to submit their creations to proofing. So many ACGG members still stubornly cling to the notion that a Mauser doesn't require heat treating. One round of near 70KPI would quickly dispell that notion.

27 July 2008, 21:03

Westpac

quote:
Originally posted by Duane Wiebe:
The problem is how do you make up a load to develop "proper" test pressure?

That's simple. Here we can turn to certain customers for guidance. Let's see, add a skosh more powder 'til the bolt won't open without a hammer and back off 3 grains. Go hunting!

Actually, oil, being incompressible, would prevent the brass case from expanding therefore raising pressures. By how much I can't say, but the folks at H.P. White's Laboratory would probably have a good idea. I believe it's a similar process as that used to form bulges in barrels.

http://www.hpwhite.com/

Sorry for the interruption Butch, that's a fine looking rifle!