1910 Chilean Mauser rifle strength

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Gunclbprez

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I acquired a 1910 Chilean Mauser chambered in 7X61 S&H in the white with a Belgium bolt fitted (or so I am told). My question is is this action of sufficient strength to use this chambering. The action is large ring, 7 7/8 attachment bolt spacing. I am not able to tell what size the shank is. The rifle appears not to have been fired and I cannot ask the previous owner as he just passed this week. Even if he was still with us he didn't have complete control of his memory. I did not see any tooling at his place that suggested he put this action together himself, he did have a lathe however, I did not see a vice strong enough to use for barrel work. I have some pictures to show and will try to attach if allowable. Not sure when this action was manufactured, but have seen instances of 95, 96's action destructed tested which took way more than the 50,000+ psi of say a 257 Roberts +P loading. I had queried on another forum but did not get the answers I was hoping for. I need more information and the experience of others with more knowledge on this subject. I will heed all responses. I have more photos and can take others if needed.
 

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I have several custom mausers. Your Obendorf should be fine. I have them from 220 "Beggs" Russian to a 458 Lott. I would let a mauser smith check it out.
 
Your small ring Chilean will probably hold the S&H. That said, I prefer large ring Mausers for magnum conversions. The difference between the two in terms of safety would be found under extreme proof testing.

-Lee
www.singleactions.com
 
You learn something every day. I thought Chilean Mausers were all small ring.

But what you have is definetally a large ring.


That action will handle any reasonable modern clambering.

Just curious. Do you make the cases from 7mm Remington Mag cases, or is there still a lot of 7x61 out there.?
 
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1910 Mauser Rifle

I know that the 7mm Mag spelled doom for the 7&61 S&H..... which can be made from the 7MM Mag brass. I just happen to have the dies and casing to do just that. So to answer your question, yes I am going to use 7mm Mag brass. 7&61 brass is still available....... I did not see any 7&61 brass in the previous owners stock...and believe me he had a bunch of different brass. But when I go back to his house (after a reasonable time after his passing) I will look to see if he managed to make casings. Brass....you name it , he had it! More than 50% loaded ammo. Yeah I know, don't EVER trust others reloads. And I don't!. Stupid is as stupid does...........I ain't stupid! When I fire the first shot from this gun....it will be with the heaviest load using the heaviest bullet....rifle stuck in a rubber tire and using a LONG string! Thanks for your reply s,

Gunclbprez
 
7x61 SH

Gunclbprez said:
I know that the 7mm Mag spelled doom for the 7&61 S&H..... which can be made from the 7MM Mag brass. I just happen to have the dies and casing to do just that. So to answer your question, yes I am going to use 7mm Mag brass. 7&61 brass is still available....... I did not see any 7&61 brass in the previous owners stock...and believe me he had a bunch of different brass. But when I go back to his house (after a reasonable time after his passing) I will look to see if he managed to make casings. Brass....you name it , he had it! More than 50% loaded ammo. Yeah I know, don't EVER trust others reloads. And I don't!. Stupid is as stupid does...........I ain't stupid! When I fire the first shot from this gun....it will be with the heaviest load using the heaviest bullet....rifle stuck in a rubber tire and using a LONG string! Thanks for your reply s,

Gunclbprez
Click to expand...

I got a "suggestion" from another forum whom I contacted first before this one. It was suggested this Model was Manufactured between 1911 and 1914 and some question as to metallurgy and resulting possible set back of the locking lug area. Other cautions were about the feasibility of reheat treating a "pitted" receiver and suggested it not be done...as cost wise not a good choice due to the pitting....which are NOT present on this action. Crest had been ground off but not completely, since these receivers were "surface" hardened it was mentioned that this is not a good thing due to grinding thru the case hardening. I am not a metallurgist, A concerned owner YES. (I have a 22-250 that is a 98 action and it has a bunch of pitting just below the wood "near" the ring, not an issue as far as I can see) ( Upon obtaining this rifle it had the worst fouled barrel I have ever encountered...3 weeks of daily cleaning till it finally ran out of green)
 
My Chilean receiver started as a large ring and ended up as a small ring. After all the metal work was completed, it was sent to Pac Met to be recased. They have been doing mausers for years.

345l81v.jpg

14w3v6g.jpg


This is a 250-3000. If you look real close you will see the bases are out of damascus.
 
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7-61 sharpe and hart

Just make sure your rifle has the considerable freebore that was done on the Schultz and Larsen rifles, the first commercial rifles after Norma released the specs and ammo. Without it start at beginning loads and be careful. Personally I bought Norma brass for mine. The newer Norma brass, the super 7x61, has more internal capacity than the original s and h head stamped brass. If you are using that brass reduce any max loads you find in old reloading books. It is a great cartridge and prolly spurred Remington on to offer the mag about ten years after normas was introduced.

Get ahold of Ken waters book of compiled articles, there is a comprehensive one on the 7-61 s and h.
 
Large ring small ring

Butch,

You made it a small ring because?

Nice wood.
 
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glp said:
Just make sure your rifle has the considerable freebore that was done on the Schultz and Larsen rifles, the first commercial rifles after Norma released the specs and ammo. Without it start at beginning loads and be careful. Personally I bought Norma brass for mine. The newer Norma brass, the super 7x61, has more internal capacity than the original s and h head stamped brass. If you are using that brass reduce any max loads you find in old reloading books. It is a great cartridge and prolly spurred Remington on to offer the mag about ten years after normas was introduced.

Get ahold of Ken waters book of compiled articles, there is a comprehensive one on the 7-61 s and h.
Click to expand...

Ok I took a cerro-safe casting of the chamber (note to self...make sure the stop wad is not too far down the bore( don't ask) No free bore on this chambering. Rifling starts about .400 after the end of the chamber. I have a generous dimension just at the neck area, base of the neck is .323, end of neck (muzzle end) is .320. just in front of that it is .285/.286 for about 1/4 of an inch then it is .284 out to the end of the casting. Resized 7mm case formed to 7x61SH OD is .319 at case neck and .308 at muzzle end of casing. This case was run thru the full length die and the brass from the shoulder was formed into the neck, making the inside dimensions quite small, the next cases I just formed with the trim die and am awaiting for a 284 reamer to handle that situation before full length sizing, and subsequent fire forming, after which I will ream again. All this after preforming a remote triggering of a reasonable load.
 
7X61 SH Chamber cast

ok What is shown is the chamber casting of the 7X61 SH and the resized case on the left (full length) and the one on the right is formed in the trim die, note that the 120 Grain Hornady bullet is seated point down to where it will not go into the case any more. The bullet enters the case on the right till it hits the thicker brass from the shoulder area of the 7mm parent case. As I mentioned I am waiting on a reamer to work on those cases before final full length sizing. Note the rounded shoulders on this cartridge, much like a Wheatherby and unlike the dimension drawing I found on the net for the 7X61 S&H which shows sharp shoulders.
Thanks for any and all information submitted thus far. I am eternally grateful.

Gunclbprez
 

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I'm reading your post, and it reads like you are including pictures. For some reason, they are not on my screen.

You States that the chamber has no freebore, but then state that there is .400 between where the chamber ends and the rifling begins. Since Weatherby Rifles sort of pioneered the freebore concept and were known to have a generous freebore, (around 3/8 inch in 7mm), it reads like you do indeed have a generous freebore in that barrel.

Also, how much chamber neck clearance do you have over a case with a seated bullet?
 
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You States that the chamber has no freebore, but then state that there is .400 between where the chamber ends and the rifling begins. Since Weatherby Rifles sort of pioneered the freebore concept and were known to have a generous freebore, (around 3/8 inch in 7mm), it reads like you do indeed have a generous freebore in that barrel.

Also, how much chamber neck clearance do you have over a case with a seated bullet?[/QUOTE]

I was assuming freebore was longer than I could seat a bullet out to touch the rifling, that was my interpretation of freebore. The rifling is easily touched while the bullet is still in the case. I do not hove those dimensions as yet, (bullet seated in the case, neck od) due to I need a reamer to take out the excess brass that formed from the shoulder of the parent case. (7MM Mag) I have a 6.5TCU that I cannot touch the rifling with light bullets...(100 grain)...that is freebore to me.

Pictures now attached ( I thought I did it right the first time....NOT) There seems to be generous clearance in this area...full length sized case is .319 and casting is .323, that's 4 thou difference without bullet seated....trim die sized casing chambers nicely and the bullet is a slip fit in those cases, but it stops on the extra brass in the neck
 
All Rifles have freebore, (well, almost all), some just have longer free bores.

Looking at your picture, I would venture a guess that your chamber is a "standard" 7 x61 chamber.
 
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