Chileno 1895 Mauser 7x57

[roverandbrew]

Does anyone have any thoughts on the Chileno 1895 Mauser? I read some threads elsewhere on the safety of the action in regards to pressure.
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/865818187

 

[Major Khan]

I have had countless of my American clients bring these 7x57 mm Mauser calibre rifles to India for shikar , Rover & Brew. A few were left with the original military full stock. However , the bulk of these rifles featured sporterized stocks . A nice , friendly American client told me that back in those days ( 1961 to 1970 , which was the period of my career as a professional shikaree ) ... you could mail order these military surplus Chileno Mauser 1895 7×57 mm calibre bolt rifles for $ 49.50 American Dollars . If you paid $57.50 American Dollars ... then you could get 150 military surplus 175 grain round nosed solid metal covered cartridges , along with your rifle . These rifles did use actions that are not as robust as Mauser 98 actions . Use only low pressure cartridges in it ... such as these vintage Winchester Super X soft point 175 grain cartridges .

It should be more than adequate for barking deer or cheetal deer or roe deer or the smaller white tail deer found in the Southern states of North America .

All the best .

 

[Wyatt Smith]

I must have have gotten lucky, my Chilean Mauser was built in Germany using a 98 action. It’s a model 1935.

 

[mdwest]

the 1985 chilean is a modified 1893 "spanish" mauser.. the only real difference in the two rifles as I understand it is they changed the bolt face..

Its a cock on close like the spanish is.. fits the same after market stock as the spanish mauser (understand these are SMALL RING MAUSERs.. they are not the same rifle as their M98 large ring big brothers)..

There's been an ongoing debate on the quality of steel in spanish, chilean, and pretty much ever SR mauser ever built online for decades.. For every person that claims to be an expert and claims the steel sucks.. there is another person that claims to be an expert and claims the steel is just fine..

Here's my personal experience.. The spanish 1893 probably has the worst rap of them all.. I've got an 1893 that was converted by the spanish to 762 way back in the day... It was a true beater when I got it.. you could tell it was used HARD and used A LOT.. im guessing much of that hard use happened when it was shooting high pressure 762 NATO stuff.. and it survived just fine..

I converted the rifle to a sporting/hunting rifle and put a 7mm mauser barrel back on it.. It actually looks A LOT like the pics of the rifle you are looking at on gun broker, except I went with a black and grey laminate stock, and a dark grey cerakote for the finish on the metal..

It shoots like a dream.. and is one of my favorite rifles..

Most people will tell you if you want to make a project out of your gun, change calibers, etc.. then just be aware of the concerns related to the steel.. and stick to low pressure cartridges (like 7mm mauser).. and you wont have a problem..

If you're looking for something more "modern" that creates higher pressure (like 762x51) then there might be better platforms to start with..

 

[fourfive8]

I'm not sure about how handy that one shown on GB would be. It actually looks pretty good except for the very high scope mounts for safety clearance. Uhg- probably no cheek contact.

Anyway, I too am not going to say they are the strongest action out there but my wife killed a veritable traincar load of elk and deer with a 7x57 loaded to well below the max published standard conservative velocities and pressures. Really no need to hot rod any rifle anyway- no matter if an M93, M95, M98 or Winchester M 70. If you need more gun get a 7mm Mag, one of the 300 Mags or a 375 HH. For some reason, maybe because of Hatcher's reports or knowledge of testing of Mausers or ??? but I have more trust in an M1895 Mauser than a low serial number "brittle" 03 Springfield or a US Krag with that common pesky cracked lug. I have a Chilean 95 Mauser rifle in pristine, unmolested condition. I shoot both cast and jacketed out of it with ZERO worries. I keep it below published max for the 7x57. I enjoy shooting a rifle with that level of workmanship. It's as good as or better than any other rifle I have- new or old.

Additionally, I know a fellow who came across a pile of real beater, surplus small ring South American Mauser 93 & 95 barreled actions for near nothing. He tested maybe 5-6 different actions, IIRC as it's been quite a few years ago. He set out to find out how strong or weak they REALLY are. He grossly overloaded and fired each with a fast pistol powder under a heavy bore obstruction. He used a known Mauser 98 action as something to compare against. He found very little difference in overall action strength among all of them including the 98. As expected the 98 deflected gas better than the others. Based on known comparables, those test pressures were likely in the 100-125 kpsi range. Everyone was expecting more dramatic results like: sheared lugs with bolts shooting out rearward, cracked receiver rings or complete breeches or splits in chamber walls, etc.. None of that happened. All shots "vaporized" or fragmented the case heads and blew the brass pieces and gas out through the opening between bolt head and the receiver. All the the bolts were set back significantly but none beyond about 1/4- 3/8". My take away was that they are plenty strong for published 7x57 data. Plus all published max data already has some built in safety margin and that applies to all cartridges. Stay within the limits and have nary a problem.

 

[Rob404]

I have a Chilean Mauser sporter I pulled the old barrel and put a 22 inch SS Green Mountain on it and a Boyds stock the cock on close is weird but you get used to it and it is dead nuts accurate

 

[CJW]

I have a Chilean Mauser sporter I pulled the old barrel and put a 22 inch SS Green Mountain on it and a Boyds stock the cock on close is weird but you get used to it and it is dead nuts accurate

You have to remember to push through that inch or so of pressure. If I haven't messed with mine for a while it takes a couple of times of cycling the bolt to get that muscle memory back. It is a very smooth action though.

I've been told that the action metal on top is a little thin so it isn't the best to drill and tap. Anybody have any thoughts on that?

 

[Bonk]

SAAMI pressure limits for 7x57 are based on using the ammo in these old military rifles. As long as you stick with factory ammo (vintage or not) you'll be just fine. Fortunately even at conservative SAAMI limits the 7x57 is a fantastic caliber for hunting.

 

[mdwest]

I have a Chilean Mauser sporter I pulled the old barrel and put a 22 inch SS Green Mountain on it and a Boyds stock the cock on close is weird but you get used to it and it is dead nuts accurate

Thats the same barrel and stock I put on mine..

Midwayusa was running a sale and I picked up the barrel for something like $75... then got one of the boyds laminates that they had in their rapid fire clearance section for a little more than $100.. Dropped a timney trigger in it that has an integral side mounted safety.. got rid of the flag safety.. and did a few more tweaks and tunes (drilled and tapped for scope mounts, etc..etc..).. and I was good to go..

I bought the rifle in original (horrible shape) military configuration for less than $200 (I think I only paid $150 for it.. but cant specifically remember).. and ended up having less than $500 in it total by the time I was done I believe.. and ended up with a great little deer and hog gun..

 

[mdwest]

You have to remember to push through that inch or so of pressure. If I haven't messed with mine for a while it takes a couple of times of cycling the bolt to get that muscle memory back. It is a very smooth action though.

I've been told that the action metal on top is a little thin so it isn't the best to drill and tap. Anybody have any thoughts on that?

I've thought about converting mine to cock on open.. the parts are reasonably cheap.. but I've gotten used to the cock on close and never bothered..

Something I did with mine is buy one of the Hornady Bolt Balls ($5) and slipped it onto the bolt knob.. That gives you a little something bigger to wrap your mitts around, that is soft, and makes pushing through the close a little smoother and easier (distributes the pressure over a wider surface area on your hand, so you barely feel the extra pressure needed at the end at all)..

RE the action metal being thin.. I dont think its a problem.. my spanish mauser is drilled and I've had no issues... I've handed a few other SR mausers that have been converted into hunting rifles that have been drilled and tapped.. and havent seen or heard any issues with them either..

 

[Rob404]

I had a little trouble coming up with mount for mine but a M95 Mauser and a little grinding to clear the bolt and I was in business I also found a Bold trigger with external safety did a little filing on the stock and I was good to go

 

[RayAtkinson]

Its been a complicated problem for years in some corners...The simple fact is the Chilean 98 Mauser is one of the best if not the best of the Mausers..The Chilean mod. 95 is not a particularly good action or rifle, but its fine fort he weak loaded factory 7x57 ammo produced yesteryear and for Winchester and Remington of today...stay away from the hot stuff...I personally would not own a 95 or 93 Mauser, and that's my constitutional right!