Gents:

What is your opinion of a Chilean 95 as the basis for a custom rifle?

Thanks,

Jordan

quote:

What is your opinion

There are darn few CHEAP custom rifles. I wouldn't consider starting with a pre-'98 Mauser.

That said, we have a thread of a fine Mosin and I've seen other antiquish rifles embellished very nicely, including Krags and SMLE enfields.

It's your money and your gun.....but you asked for opinions.....and mine is...

As Vapo suggests,there's "custom", then there's "CUSTOM".

If I was going to pay some of the acknowledged experts for their expensive (but worth it) skills, I'd also vote no to anything short of a Model '98 Mauser or a "pre-War" Model 70, something of that ilk.

If however, I was thinking of a "custom" meaning a good useful bolt gun, re-barreled in a caliber I want but don't have, a semi-inletted stock finished up probably by me, with an inexpensive hot-blue and using moderately loaded ammo made by and for me, well then...sure, I'd use it.

Why not? Doesn't have the safety lug of the '98, but who amongst us goes around blowing off the main lugs anyway?

Could be a fun home project, producing a rifle with real memory-value,and handy as heck for normal hunting. Wouldn't send me to the poor-house immediately, either...though der frau might still want me to sleep with the pooch for a few nights.

I have a line on a "Mexican 95". Never heard of such a thing. It has the third lug and is a small ring. It is not a 1910 or 1936. I was thinking maybe it was Chilean, but as I said, it has a third lug.

Not sure what it is.


Jordan

It is my understanding that the '93 and '95 Mausers were not manufactured with the quality of steel that the '98's were blessed with. I've got in my hands now a Mauser Chileno Modelo 1895 Manufactura Loewe Berlin that I only fire lighter loads or Remington equivalent over the counter factory loads because of concerns due to pressure capabilities of the action. These make nice deer rifles, but I would not push the pressures on these. In my opinion I wouldn't even use surplus ammo in these because it was probably made for the stronger '98's. Just an opinion. R.

quote:

Originally posted by Jordan:
I have a line on a "Mexican 95". Never heard of such a thing. It has the third lug and is a small ring. It is not a 1910 or 1936. I was thinking maybe it was Chilean, but as I said, it has a third lug.

Not sure what it is.


Jordan

I think you may have a 1902 Mexican Mauser.

The Mex 95 is pratically identical the Spanish 93. The 1902 Mex was similar to the 95, principal difference being that a 98 type bolt was used on the 1902 as opposed to the 93 type bolt that was used on the 95.

quote:

Originally posted by Rodney H.{500Jeffery}:
It is my understanding that the '93 and '95 Mausers were not manufactured with the quality of steel that the '98's were blessed with. I've got in my hands now a Mauser Chileno Modelo 1895 Manufactura Loewe Berlin that I only fire lighter loads or Remington equivalent over the counter factory loads because of concerns due to pressure capabilities of the action. These make nice deer rifles, but I would not push the pressures on these. In my opinion I wouldn't even use surplus ammo in these because it was probably made for the stronger '98's. Just an opinion. R.

That's not truely correct. There is practically no difference in the makeup of the steel amonst the various models. The real difference would lie in the heat treating or pack hardening they did. The hardening was done with the cartridge that was speced for the action in mind. These tended to run at no more than 50K PSI. The actions were fine for the cartridges they were designed for.

quote:

Originally posted by rem721:
The actions were fine for the cartridges they were designed for.

There are some people who are satisfied with simple understandings of gun strength, and then there are those that try to improve their understanding with stress analysis and experimentation. "what is was designed for" is ok if you are satisfied to stay at that level.


http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=81239716




I have overloaded a 7x57mm Chilean 1895 Mauser made in Berlin until the brass gave up the ghost. These are great rifles, but too valuable to sporterize.

Until last year, Samco had some 1895 Mausers with rotten bores and no stocks, and they wanted allot of $ for them.

#1). What is "date of manufacture" or "proof" (first proof?).
#2). De Haas in his book on bolt actions states clearly that he prefers to NOT rework pre 1930 Mausers for the higher pressure cartridges. Say .243 WCF. Much higher chance of "bolt set back" and excessive head space and more work/expense than anyone deserves...
b). You will not add anything to the steel with craftsmanship that was not in it when it poured whatever the year. Careful hardening might improve things, but a craft almost lost. If you are going to spend much, go with the last of the 98s. 1940s, late 1930s. No, not the worst of the NAZI production. If you mean to remove the top handguard, shorten the military stock and use it in factory caliber... GREAT.

I think the "small ring" of the pre 98 and "small ring 98s" saves you 2-3 ounces in rifle weight... Slightly nicer lines, but I am with Whelan, "only accurate rifles are interesting..."

The "blow up gas handling" in a sporting rifle is a little misleading/over rated??? What a dumb soldier under fire might do in the muck of combat... if you are chasing a deer and fall down and get mud in your barrel... the deer won't be back with friends to attack, probably, and you might find a branch (or cleaning rod) to get it out... luck.

quote:

Originally posted by tnekkcc:

quote:

Originally posted by rem721:
The actions were fine for the cartridges they were designed for.

"what is was designed for" is ok if you are satisfied to stay at that level.

If not, be prepared to pay the price.

quote:

Originally posted by tnekkcc:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=81239716




I have overloaded a 7x57mm Chilean 1895 Mauser made in Berlin until the brass gave up the ghost. These are great rifles, but too valuable to sporterize.

Until last year, Samco had some 1895 Mausers with rotten bores and no stocks, and they wanted allot of $ for them.

That son is a Chilean 1912 a 98 and a nice one too, not a 95.

quote:

Originally posted by iiranger:
What a dumb soldier under fire might do in the muck of combat...

Some of the smartest people I know are "dumb" soldiers.

I have a 95 mexican action have had it almost 40 years I've always kept it 7x57 I keep it because it was the first mauser that I ever bought, sentmenality. It was cheep and I wanted to learn how to work on them. I believe De Haas writes about the differences between the 93 and 95 models if you want to know. Too many nice and available 98's out there now that you can make a nice gun out of and they're relatively inexpensive. I believe that's where I'd want to start way more quality parts available too.

If it is a nice action and reworked by a person who is quality minded and if it were reheatreated, I would build a .270 around a Lowe action and touch the trigger with no fear.

Even without re-heattreating, i would not expect any sort of catastophic failure. May set the lugs back though.

I have reworked pre-98's for guys back when I did that kind of thing and they are still killing deer. I would not build a personal rifle on an action like that. Not that something is wrong with them, just that I prefer the 98 and have a lot of Mexicans and G 33/40's if I am looking for a light, trim, package. But if I did not have them, then the Lowe would be my first choice, followed closely by the Swedish actions.

God only knows how many tens of thousands of high pressure rounds are touched off in pre-98's each year in this country alone. WHen you think on a global scale, it is mindboggling.

To a very large extent, the fear of the pre-98's belongs in the "BS Myths of Gunsmithing" book Mr. Wiebe referred to the other day.