Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Mexican Mauser/strength?

A friend recently picked up a Mexican Mauser which was re-barreled to .257 Roberts. Is the action strong enough for full-power handloads?

I'd say so, it wouldn't concern me at all to shoot "+P" in one.

I have a 257 Ackley Improved, built on one. It is a real Mauser action, built in Europe, for Mexico. Very good action, made with good steel, between the World Wars, and handles modern loads.

Give more detail on the Mauser. First, make sure it's a Model 98. I've not heard of a soft or badly made Mexican M98, but I'd ensure it was not made in wartime production, esp. in 40s.

Pass all you know about it, markings, etc.

I just picked up a Mauser Model 1936 in 7x57mm, or as its
commonly called "Mexican Mauser", I think the Mexican Mausers
were made up until WWII, I also have never heard or seen
any strength issues with them. Almost every custom I encounter
is in 22-250, 250 Sav, or 257Rob. Some of these rifles left
the factories as .30-06s.

Germany wasn't shipping any Mausers to Mexico....a US ally....during the war, so I wouldn't worry about that.

They kind of needed all they could make for their own use.

If its a small ring Mauser 98 I wouldn't bat an eye about using any published load you can find. Even if its a 93/95 the factory +P loads are no hotter than a lot of military 7 x 57, so that wouldn't give me heartburn either.

Steve NO, you got me there...my instinctive reaction to Model 98 discussions is wartime GERMAN production.

I've seen many of these rifles, and those M98s I've seen have been good rifles, well worth converting and strong as well. Parts such as bolts to not interchange w/ other versions of the M98. The small ring Mexican rifles are jewels.

I would make sure this rifle is a 98 though. Quickest way to tell is a quick look at the bolt for the extra lug near the bolt handle; another is the cock on opening of the 93/95 series (though these can be converted to cock on closing).

Generally, any rifle originally chambered for .30/06 would be safe if converted to any modern non-magnum caliber since the .30/06's normal chamber pressure is 50,000 C.U.P. which is as great as most modern chamberings.

A few "standard" calibers like the .284 and .308 Winchester chamberings are normally loaded to yield a slightly greater chamber pressure, but probably not enough to be comcerned about.

Remember that 98 Mausers are sometimes re-chambered for MAGNUM calibers and don't experience any problems even though the magnum calibers tend to have considerably greater chamber pressures than the .30/06 Springfield.


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

I bought a 36 Mexican mauser a few months back. I was asking the same question so I had it tested for hardness. It was a little soft. I am planning on building a 257 Roberts or 7x57 on it so I had it sent to Pacific Metallurgy to have it heat treated. It cost me less than $100 to do several actions. In my mind it makes sense to have this done when you are making an investment of a custom rifle. I understand this changes if you aren't planning on doing any work to your 257 Roberts. Just know that shooting alot of +P loads MAY not be the best for your action.

ddj

They are generally good actions..but for a $50 bill you can have any Mauser brought down to soft and back up to specs and then you know exactly what you got. According to D'Arcy Echols this is a must, and thats pretty good advise from a really knowledgable smith...

GF1
Thinking you confused the COC and COO features of the 93 vs the 98. The 98 has the preferred cock on open arrangement.
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