Stumbled onto an old beat up Mauser chambered in 7x57 at my LGS around 5-6 months ago. Had a nice sporter stock and what I thought was a decent bore. Turned out I had some interesting history with the late owner so it went home with me.

It patterns, not groups. Done everything I could possibly do beside rebarrel( new scope, rings, bed, and trigger along with clean the bore till it shined). Gunsmith who is a friend, just got a nice Zastava Mauser in the owner wanted rebarreled to something other than 8x57 and told him to keep the barrel. He offered it to me for free. So I could:

1. Have him put it on the gun. I need to buy a reamer and go no go gauges( he doesn’t have for this chambering) and he would do the rest. I would then have a 8x57

2. Have him put the barrel on it, give it to me and I’ll send it to JES and have it rebored to 9.3x62. When it gets back to me I’ll have a big thumper.

3. Same as 2 but rebore to something other than 9.3x62 that I’m not already thinking of.

Just looking for opinions from the other gun nuts on the fire.
I really don’t have any notches that need filled but I’m kind of leaning away from the 8x57 because I have 3 30-06 rifles that offer near identical ballistics.

MM

Hard to beat a 9.3 x 62 for a thumper and a nostalgic cartridge on a Mauser action... give it a safari look with the proper barrel contour and sights and it would be a winner...

I bought an old mauser last year just because.
Never owned one, always thought they looked cool with the thumb cut, and why not.

It has a 270 barrel on it and I'm in the same boat. Not really interested in a 270, but what?

I think I'm going 416 Ruger. I have no reason to, but I have no real reason for the rifle anyway. Lol. I shoot mostly 22lr. Hunt with a 280, 243, and just got a 6.5 to play with this year. I Have a plethora of other 30 cal and under guns, so fugg it. Go big or go home.

I about bought a 9.3 barrel a few months back but I balked figuring if I'm going to go bigger than an 06, may as well make it count.

Just trying to see now if getting it to feed will be reasonable. If not, maybe back to a 9.3.

Why swap your current barrel? You could have it rebored to 9X57, .35 Whelen, 9.3X57, or 9.3X62. It also soinds like it fits your xurrent stoc.

I don't see the point of putting a different barrel on just to rebore. I'd just send it off for a new barrel on at that point. BTW you can rent the reamer and gages, no need to buy.

If you want to see if you can still use the 7 x 57 barrel, try a load of 40 grains of 3031 and then a bullet weight from 139 to 175 grain.. doesn't matter...

if it won't shoot that, the barrel is toast unless you rebore it at suggested...

338/06, 35 Whelen, 9.3 x 62, or just the old 8 x 57....

Mausers are fun things to have around, I like Vintage stuff...

a young man from our Scout troop, who is now 19, used one of my old Mausers in 8mm, on a deer this fall..

the load was 30 grains of 4198, Speer 170 grain SMP bullet, open sights, non bent bolt Mauser.. Turkish, 1920s...

50 to 60 yd shot.. but it dropped the deer who made it maybe 20 yds after being hit...he just buttonhooked and dropped dead..

it was Chads first deer... he now thinks the Mauser is the coolest gun on the planet...

What model action is it? 93, 95, 98?

I'd stick with 8x57. Very cool old cartridge and ammo is cheap and easy even during the panic. If you went 9.3x62, I wonder if a cross bolt would be worthwhile just as a preventative to protect the stock? I had one installed on a HVA 640 in 9.3 just to help avoid any unnecessary cracks.

I've only had JES do one rebore and the gun shot well to begin with. But I've heard multiple people say if it didn't shoot well beforehand, it probably wouldn't after the rebore either. Guess it depends on if its a metal issue?

M98, had a new bolt handle put on it too.

I shot a few different hand loads, none of which did any better than 6-7 moa. I think it’s toast. Saw the zastava barrel and it’s a no brainer to put it on, very nice condition and excellent bore.

Cool story about the Mauser and first deer. I love reading stuff like that.

If the itch must be scratched, I would go with 9x57 Mauser for the coolness factor, plus it is no slouch in the world of "thumpers". Just a thought.

Or 8x60 or 8x64. Merely a rechamber away.

Have you looked in it with a borescope for copper buildup?

Maybe use Wipeout a half dozen times or so.


Mike

I guess my point was you're going to put an unknown used barrel on and pay to recut a chamber and headspace or rebore. Why not just go with a new tube? Most barrel makers will stand behind a bad barrel installed by a competent gunsmith, but a used barrel that doesn't shoot you're just SOL.

I had forgotten you can rent those

Sound advice in my opinion. I’ve had Jesse reborn several of my Mausers and a couple of Marlins, he does excellent work with very decent turn around time. It doesn’t make sense to install a used barrel just to have it rebored. Go ahead and get a barrel in the caliber you want and go from there.

Lothar Walther makes a great shooting barrel short chambered for whatever cartridge you have in mind at a very reasonable price and has a lot in stock. I’d go that route rather than have a new barrel put on and then rebored.

Just my $.02

Yep. I have not shot the one I had put on my mauser last month

I’d get the 7x57 good enough . I love that damn round. A deers vitals are fairly big.

Did I mention the barrel is free?

Its a "no brainer", but you are asking these guys what they would do? You also didn't answer the gentleman about why your are changing barrels if you are going to send it to JES for a re-bore anyway. The no brainer would be to keep the 7x57 barrel and have Jess re-bore it, if that is what you are going to do anyway. Cuts out the middle man/smith who has no reamers.. Is there a reason you seem to be bound and determined to have the Zastava barrel installed?

The military step barrel is rough , the zastava barrel is clean and has nice bluing. It is also not stepped. If my smith friend puts it on and I decide to keep it 8x57 I’ll guess I can rent the reamer and gauges to finish the job. Or I might just have him put it on and then send it off to JES so no need to bother with reamers and guages on my end.
Appreciate the replies so far.

MM

I asked a question and find it interesting and insightful to get other’s opinions. If this is somehow annoying to you, move along, no need to respond as you are.

MM

The 8mm bullet is quite the thumper in it's own right. No it's not a 9.3 but a respectable thumper.

kwg

I'd have Jess rebore the zastava barrel to 9x57 with a .358 bore and 12 twist aka .358 Roberts

I got that, but what's the cost of free? How much more is it actually to get a new barrel installed on your action vs. free barrel installation and rebore.

JES rebores for $250, but does that include removing your old barrel, cutting a 9.3X62 chamber and headspacing the free barrel to your action? Or are you going to have to pay a GS or JES to fit the barrel to your action before/after the rebore? It might not be hard to get $400+ into this rebore project of a free barrel.

For $500 Douglas will install one of their CM barrels on your action, you'll also have the additional cost of bluing or coating as they don't offer it. PacNor will install a stainless barrel for $605-630 to your action, no need to coat unless you want to. Just weigh the actual costs is all I'm saying, it might be worth the extra money to buy a new barrel

That is a good point that I didn’t make clear, my gunsmith really is my friend, like we hang out together with our wives, we hunt together, hell I’ve packed out his elk on my back. So there will be negligible cost in having him put the barrel on( but I wouldn’t have him do it for free, he’s a good guy and wouldn’t take advantage of him).
Ive had JES rebore 2 guns for me, both to 358 and both shot very well after. He rebored, rechambers and head spaces it. At least that is my understanding. But I do have a call into him as I’m going to discuss what I want to do with him. I’m also interested in his opinion.
Thanks again for the replies. Projects are fun, new guns are. Can’t hunt right now or fish where I’m at so talking about it with people on the fire is a good way to pass the time.

MM

If the barrels being installed for next to nothing, I'd go 8x57 and take a chance. Installing a used barrel just to rebore, I'd buy a new barrel.

I agree with a new barrel over reboring the free one.

Shaw barrels are about 200 and it sounds like you have a hook up to install it. Or let Shaw do it for another $135.

If you make a decision to get rid of the 8 x 57 Zastava barrel, PM me, I need one. I also have a Brownells short chambered 7x57 barrel laying around here, and a reamer doing nothing. Paul.

I'd put the 8x57 barrel on it, it's a very versatile caliber, it will do anything that a 308 or 30-06 will.

The fact that the existing barrel is a "Stepped" barrel would to me make it not up for consideration. To me, the big question is what do YOU want. No sense in making it a chambering that you don't want. The 8x57 is a great choice, but if you don't like it, then why even consider it.

I hear all the emotion about making it a 9x57, but I don't believe that's a viable choice, either. Dies are uncommon and expensive. (Altho' I think I have an extra set I could let go. Brass is Non-existent. Thus, you must make brass. One can either use 8x57 brass or cut down .30-06 or .35 Whelen. But it's a lot of work. But I wouldn't... unless you just happen to like doing it. (I do) I do have a fair quantity of factory Kynoch 9x57 ammo, and I'll donate a box of it just for good luck. I've more than I will ever use... and I've already taken a deer with it. (245 gr. RN) It is, I believe; corrosive and I know it's Berdan primed. But don't let that sway your decision. I've owned three 9x57s but I don't see it as any more powerful than a .358 Win. In reality; the difference between a .358 Win. and an 8x57 is practically negligible. If you want any significant gain over the 8x57, one must go to the 9.3x62. But don't expect to find any loaded ammo in your local sporting goods store... The other down-side to the 9x57 is that loading data is practically non-existent. Altho' I can help you out on that, as well. But none is available with the popular powders of today. Old Lyman manuals have it, and perhaps a couple of articles in Handloader magizine.

I'm just offering you up a few things to think about... Good Luck!

I really like my 9.3x62, but another option might be 338-06. I seem to grab my 338-06 more than any other rifle for most of my hunting. I would have it rebarreled rather than bored out.

I’ve found my #1 most costly mistake in Mauser building has been trying to save money.

At best I end up with a job I can tolerate, at worst I end up spending the money I should have up front to get the job done right.

It took me a while to accept this, and I spent twice far more times than I ought to have had to before learning the lesson.

And that’d be true even if I had a friend who’d do the work for free.

As a matter of fact I’d take the free (or close to it) work as a reason to get it done right; you’re already saving so why not put that money into a quality tube?

Just my $.02

Lots of really good advice on here, 338-06 was one consideration I hadn’t really thought of.

Flintlocke also provided an option I had as of yet not considered.

MM

I have done this too many times. The problems I ran into were being cheap and then not being happy...and the balance/weight.

Just talk with Lothar Walther for a barrel...278 bucks shipped got me a long chambered 6.5x55 barrel which now lives on my Husqvarna action.

mitchellmountain, I have had two .338/06 and two .338/06 Ack Imp. I eventually abandoned the calibers because of also owning a .338 Win Mag. Compare the .30/06 loaded with 200 gr. Nosler Prt to the .338/06 and there isn't much of a difference. With 250 gr. bullets, the .338/06 can't hold a candle to the .338 Win Mag. Thus, if you have an '06, (and who doesn't?) there's not much reason for a .338/06 (Logically, that is...) And if you also own a .338 Win Mag, then there is even less reason for a .338/06. I queried writer Ken Waters on the merits of the .338/06 vs the .35 Whelen and he seemed to prefer the Whelen. Someday, I'll find that letter and frame it. But if you just WANT a .338/06, then all bets are off...