Identifying this Mauser and the cartridge it takes

[Huvius]

This makes me wonder how the smith plugged the chamber for the casting. The “rim” might just be what settled against the plug that wasn’t fully seated.

You only plug the bore for a cast so I don’t think that is it.

 

[SkullKeeper]

8X67R? ......FWB

Casting shows a 9x57 rimmed

 

[SkullKeeper]

This makes me wonder how the smith plugged the chamber for the casting. The “rim” might just be what settled against the plug that wasn’t fully seated.

He is an Austrian (born and trained) gunmaker and I feel like he would be aware of this detail, but I can ask him about that.

 

[Lone Star Bluegrass]

He is an Austrian (born and trained) gunmaker and I feel like he would be aware of this detail, guy I can ask him about that.

Would you post another picture of the entire casting, please? Something with a clean background, with something to scale (a ruler, coin, and not holding it, etc.).

 

[SkullKeeper]

Would you post another picture of the entire casting, please? Something with a clean background, with something to scale (a ruler, coin, and not holding it, etc.).

Certainly (note- he didn’t have the bolt). Hang on …

 

[SkullKeeper]

 

[Lone Star Bluegrass]

Initial feedback:

Wow that’s a shallow throat
The “rim” is several times larger than a normal rimmed cartridge
Measure the bolt face and compare it to the casting
Cartridges of the World (an authoritative, albeit imperfect source) gives the shoulder diameter of the rimless as 0.428” compared to the rimmed at 0.424”.

 

[SkullKeeper]

Initial feedback:

Wow that’s a shallow throat
The “rim” is several times larger than a normal rimmed cartridge
Measure the bolt face and compare it to the casting
Cartridges of the World (an authoritative, albeit imperfect source) gives the shoulder diameter of the rimless as 0.428” compared to the rimmed at 0.424”.

Remember he didn’t have the bolt so the rim thickness of the cartridge couldn’t be determined. Good point about the shoulder differences -I will mic the casting and let you know.

 

[Huvius]

Measure from the face of that “rim” to get an OAL of the chamber.
The more I look, the more I lean to the good ‘ol 9X57 rimless.
I have an original Oberndorf 9X57 I can cast to see if I get the same result.

 

[SkullKeeper]

Sounds good , when I get back I will measure the bolt face and that shoulder.

 

[Huvius]

Here’s my 9X57 chamber
The thick rim part is where the bolt rests against the barrel shank.
Looking at your smith’s cast, it looks like he may have cleaned it up in a lathe - maybe ask him about that.
I’m leaning toward the regular 9X57 but your barrel doesn’t have nearly as much freebore as mine does. My rifle has 11mm of freebore before getting to the slightest start of the rifling which makes sense as the original loading used a 245gr bullet.

 

[SkullKeeper]

Here’s my 9X57 chamber
The thick rim part is where the bolt rests against the barrel shank.
Looking at your smith’s cast, it looks like he may have cleaned it up in a lathe - maybe ask him about that.
I’m leaning toward the regular 9X57 but your barrel doesn’t have nearly as much freebore as mine does. My rifle has 11mm of freebore before getting to the slightest start of the rifling which makes sense as the original loading used a 245gr bullet.
View attachment 660791View attachment 660792

My smith might have cleaned it up with a file. I may be able to get a photo of this area of the chamber.

 

[John Telford]

Wow 9x57R! If this is the case (no pun intended) I would keep it as is due to its uniqueness.
I have only seen one rimmed cartridge built on a non slant action ie standard M98 which was also built in Suhl most likely by Sauer. Slant actions are rare I myself only have one in my collection (.303 by Rigby).

 

[SkullKeeper]

Wow 9x57R! If this is the case (no pun intended) I would keep it as is due to its uniqueness.
I have only seen one rimmed cartridge built on a non slant action ie standard M98 which was also built in Suhl most likely by Sauer. Slant actions are rare I myself only have one in my collection (.303 by Rigby).

John, I’m sorry to say the bolt face on this measures 0.484 as best I can get - so it’s the rimless 9x57. My gunsmith who cast the bore didn’t have the bolt so it seemed like a rimmed cartridge to him. To me it’s strange but there was a distinct recessed ring area at the start of the chamber in comparison to a 30-06 which was flat across ( and both bolt faces measured the same).

 

[SkullKeeper]

Here’s my 9X57 chamber
The thick rim part is where the bolt rests against the barrel shank.
Looking at your smith’s cast, it looks like he may have cleaned it up in a lathe - maybe ask him about that.
I’m leaning toward the regular 9X57 but your barrel doesn’t have nearly as much freebore as mine does. My rifle has 11mm of freebore before getting to the slightest start of the rifling which makes sense as the original loading used a 245gr bullet.
View attachment 660791View attachment 660792

The bolt face measured 0.484” best I could tell (and my 30-06 bolt face measured that as well)- so it’s not a rimmed cartridge. The shoulder mics at 0.437/0.438” .
Thanks for your knowledge and insight on this !

 

[SkullKeeper]

Initial feedback:

Wow that’s a shallow throat
The “rim” is several times larger than a normal rimmed cartridge
Measure the bolt face and compare it to the casting
Cartridges of the World (an authoritative, albeit imperfect source) gives the shoulder diameter of the rimless as 0.428” compared to the rimmed at 0.424”.

You were correct - it’s a plain Jane 9x57 rimless. The bolt face measured 0.484” and the shoulder mic was 0.428”
Thank you for your input on this !

 

[Huvius]

Hmmm…
My Oberndorf 9X57 is flat across the face of the barrel face. Just as your second photo.

 

[SkullKeeper]

Hmmm…
My Oberndorf 9X57 is flat across the face of the barrel face. Just as your second photo.
View attachment 661209

Mine looks like that also - the photo I took was at a little different angle. It was an exhausting day and I didn’t take a true “apples to apples” photo.

 

[Huvius]

Sorry for the confusion but which chamber is the photo above with the recess circled in red?
If it’s indeed recessed, that would be for a belted cartridge.

 

[SkullKeeper]

Sorry for the confusion but which chamber is the photo above with the recess circled in red?
If it’s indeed recessed, that would be for a belted cartridge.

It’s the “unknown 9x57”