Home Forums Reloading Bullet Casting Shooting Cast Bullets in a 7.65 X 53 Mauser

My Father in law gave me a rifle that belonged to his Father in law. Turns out to be a 1891 Argentine Mauser in 7.65 X 53(in very good shape) It is supposed to have a .311 bore.(I haven't slugged it yet) I'd like to try shooting some low velocity cast bullets loads in it.

What size cast bullets can I shoot in it? I don't cast bullets, so I'm looking at some commercial casters. I see where Rim Rock sells some .313 dia hard cast bullets. Will they work?

Thanks in advance for any advice.
Mark

7.65 is a .312 bore. Generally speaking cast bullets are 1 to 2 thou over bore diameter. I would slug it first.

I would not use hard cast bullets in it for low velocity loads as they might not upset and you could get blowby and hence leading.

Bullets cast with Lyman #2 metal are appropriate. I'd be inclined to use a gas check bullet as an old military rifle probably does not have perfectly smooth lands and grooves.

Suggest you join this site, as they have the really heavy duty experts on all things relating to cast bullets.

http://castboolits.com

You'll be shooting much cheaper and your old soft steel barrel will last forever. It will also put down those pigs you guys are overrun with down in TX.

You should be able to push a 180 gr cast bullet at 1800 fps, which will kill anything in TX at 100 yards or less.

Warning: you get hooked on cast boolits, you'll soon have a pot, molds and a lubesizer !
Lee mold #C312-185-1R is a good gas check bullet that could be shot as cast, dip lubed and work well. You will need a neck expander die
to bell the neck a bit to avoid lead shaving. (as you do with lead bullets in handgun ammo)

It is addicting !

Thanks, that's some of the information I was looking for.

Lyman #314299 / 200 grain is a good choice. Also, a non-cast bullet tip: There is a fair selection of jacketed for the 7.65 Mauser/303 British, but J. Barsness mentioned in a article a couple years back, that on an African hunt one of the guys had a 303 British that he shot .30 caliber Nosler Partitions in. The construction of the bullet, with lead exposed at the back end, allowed the bullet to "bump up" and shoot in the slighty larger caliber w/out a hitch. I plan to try that in my two 7.65 mausers.

I second CapeCod31's recommendation, as have learned a lot from that sight. I also have a Father and had an Uncle who both taught me to cast and how to mix metals to get great cast bollits. I have killed a number of game with cast bullets. I have a 1891 Calvary Carbine in the cartridge too. Never shoot it but would be a wonderful round for cast.

Where did you come up with the notion that Mauser barrels were made of soft steel ?