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I just Bought A Project……Opinions

Whether in gunsmithing or general machine work, the method chosen is often a matter of expedience. Often, something is more quickly and easily done by hand or with portable tools. Other times, one saves a lot of time going directly to the machine. Often, a task is accomplished with a combination of the two. Many times, the machine is employed just to avoid blisters!
I use a mill to rough out inletting, but finish by hand; just to avoid the blisters. I often choose to do things by hand because it takes longer to screw something up and I might get tired before I go too far!
As it is, that Browning stock looks like it will serve well and look good doing it.
I'm torn on the three position safety thing. I have one on my 35 Whelen because, when I built it, my other two hunting rifles were model 70's,and I figured that having similar safeties would prevent any confusion in a hunting situation. Turned out it made no difference and I could choke on what should have been an easy shot, regardless of the safety.
Anyway, I like the Buehler safety just fine (with the wing on the left side, mind you), and use them on the rest of my Mausers (except one; it has a Sako trigger and safety). WH
 
Nice job sir. I hope my son's comes out as nice. Cant wait to see how well it shoots. Have a good time at the tack driver.
 
I made it to the range today with my Mauser Project.

I bought a 20 round box of 150 grn REM Core Locs to break the barrel in and get the brass. The box looked like it had been sitting on the shelf at Baileys for 30 years.

I bought a set of Hornady reloading dies, and a box of 140 grn Nosler Ballistic Tips. I have 1000 WW LR primers.

I broke the chrome moly Bartlien barrel in with 10 shots, cleaning each time. I then set up my OHLER Chronograph. I shot some three shot groups with the 10 remaining 150 grn Remingtons. Velocity was averaging 2875. The groups were terrible, around 1 3/4 inches.

I started working up a load, N150 seemed like a good powder since the bullets will be seated in pretty far.(I have not lengthened the magazine yet.). It seemed to work fine.

I started out with enough to get 2800 fps, then started working up In .2 increments. Three shot groups started to look really good at 50 grns, I went to 50.2 and shot this 5 shot group, which is getting pretty close to 1/2 inch. The SD on those five shots was 7.
the primers looked really good, extraction was flawless.

That was it, as dark was setting in.

But this looks pretty darned good. Since there is no “upper load window” with these vintage Mauser actions, I figured what I got here is just about right.

I reloaded all 20 cases with this load. It’s ready for Geramo to take it to Mexico on a hunt. After that, it’s off to the bluing tank.image.jpgIMG_2472.jpegIMG_2471.jpegIMG_2469.jpeg

I think this project has come along really nice. I have a really nice old vintage action based field rifle that shoots pretty darned good. It feeds and ejects flawlessly.

Pretty satisfying.
 
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I got the metal back from getting it blued.

He was disappointed in that the action would not blue as deep as the barrel and floor plate. I had asked him not to polish any of the emblems or numbers away, so a lot of the “vintage character” remained on the action.

the barrel and bottom metal came out nice. Notice that is a hinged bottom metal off of a Chilean Mauser, acquired from a friend.

I took suggestions seriously, I think I put them all together and came up with a good approach, especially in the truing of the action.

I think this was a neat project. It’s one I can scratch off of my bucket list.

And, it shoots really well.
IMG_2508.jpegIMG_2509.jpeg
 
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Your project looks great! Well done!

He was disappointed in that the action would not blue as deep as the barrel and floor plate.

This doesn't surprise me as I've seen plenty of Mauser actions which probably were manufactured using somewhat different alloys.

When we made Mauser M98 actions, we used 8620 and sent them off to be hardened. Occasionally we would see an action which didn't give us that deep blue we always hoped for. Just a different batch of 8620, that's all.

Super job!

:)
 
Real nice, Jackie! You ready now for more Mauser projects? About the bluing, I have a Schultz and Larsen that when re blued came out purple .
 
Your project looks great! Well done!



This doesn't surprise me as I've seen plenty of Mauser actions which probably were manufactured using somewhat different alloys.

When we made Mauser M98 actions, we used 8620 and sent them off to be hardened. Occasionally we would see an action which didn't give us that deep blue we always hoped for. Just a different batch of 8620, that's all.

Super job!

:)
I am surprised that more manufacturers do not use 8620. While it does not possess the deep Hardenning characteristics of typical 4140 or the precipitation Hardenning stainless steels, it can be carburized to a much higher RC hardness to prevent lug galling and wear, while still maintaining good core ductility.

I have always suspected that McMillan used something similar to 8620. Some years back, I bought one of the Bruno actions, which were made by McMilan. I converted it to a screw in shroud, and the bolt had a very hard case hardenned surface. But once I broke through that, it machined quite easily.
 
A "slow rust blue" would eliminate those color differences. I've seen many a Springfield that didn't color properly in a "hot tank", but blued nicely using the slow rust method. It has to do with surface hardness.
 
I am surprised that more manufacturers do not use 8620. While it does not possess the deep Hardenning characteristics of typical 4140 or the precipitation Hardenning stainless steels, it can be carburized to a much higher RC hardness to prevent lug galling and wear, while still maintaining good core ductility.

I have always suspected that McMillan used something similar to 8620. Some years back, I bought one of the Bruno actions, which were made by McMilan. I converted it to a screw in shroud, and the bolt had a very hard case hardenned surface. But once I broke through that, it machined quite easily.
And, 8620 color case hardens very nicely!
 

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