German actions. The Swedish-made actions were proofed with loads developing up to 66,000 psi breech pressure. I don’t think Swedish actions are actually stronger than any of the other M93 or M95 Mauser actions, but they are safer because of the gas-venting holes.
Chilean M95 action. The original bolt has been altered to a forged low-contour bolt handle.
The firing pin can be lowered to the uncocked position on all of these actions by pushing the opened bolt forward and holding the trigger back while turning the bolt closed. Of course, this should only be done on an empty chamber.
Remodeling and Rebarreling
Any of these actions can be used to build a sporting rifle with a minimum of remodeling required. If a scope is to be mounted low over the receiver, the bolt handle must be altered to clear the scope. I recommend cutting off the original bolt handle and electrically welding a new forged one to the bolt body. Alter the bolt on the M95 Chilean so that the base of the bolt clears the safety lug on the receiver just as the original bolt did. Otherwise, the problem of altering the bolt handle, or welding on a new one, requires no more work than the M98 Mauser.
Commercially made low safeties are available for these rifles, eliminating alteration of the original. Attachments to eliminate the double-stage trigger pull are made, but it’s a much better idea to install a commercially-made, adjustable, single-stage trigger mechanism in these actions if you dislike the military pull.
All receiver sights made for the M98 Mauser action will also fit any of these actions. Most scope mounts made for the small ring M98 can be used. Of course, installing a receiver sight or scope mount requires that holes be drilled and tapped in the receiver. For actions which have the crest ground from the top of the receiver, I would suggest using a side mount instead of a top mount for the scope.
One of the main objections to pre-98 Mauser actions is their long striker fall and slow lock time. Most shooters also object to the cock-on-closing design of these actions. Actually, neither feature is so objectionable that they require alteration when building a sporting rifle. My suggestion to those insisting on a cock-on-opening action is to start with one already having this feature, rather than going to all the trouble and expense of converting these actions to cock on opening. Yes, this can be done with these actions, but it would not be practicable to attempt it.
When rebarreling any one these actions, I advise limiting the cartridge choice to those originally used, or to other cartridges within the following limits: Any cartridge developing less than 45,000 psi breech pressure, of 30-06 head size, with an overall length less than that of the magazine.
I consider all of these actions, with the possible exception of the M94 and M96 Swedish Mauser actions, as having marginal strength and safety for the 308 Win. (7.62mm NATO) cartridge. I would not recommend any of these actions for the 22-250, 220 Swift, 243, 244 or 6mm Rem., 284 Win. and 358 Win.
What about the 222, 222 Magnum and 223 Rem. cartridges? I believe these actions would be sufficiently strong and safe for any of them, but there is no practicable way to alter or adapt the magazine or the bolt face for these small cartridges and keep the rifle a repeater. However, the action could be fitted with a 22-caliber centerfire barrel and chambered for the 222 and used as a single shot. This requires lengthening the extractor hook for the smaller cartridge. At best, even as a single shot, these actions are just not too well adapted for cartridges having a head size smaller or larger than the standard 30-06 size.
M96 Swedish rifle, 29.1” barrel chambered for the 6.5x55mm Mauser cartridge, 49.5 ” overall, weight about 9 pounds.
The 7mm Cartridge
The first “war trophy” M93 Mausers were brought into the United States from Cuba after the Spanish American War, which ended in 1898. Besides proving very effective militarily, the 7mm was soon established as an excellent sporting cartridge for big game hunting. Almost as soon as the M98 Mauser rifle was introduced and sporting rifles were made on its action, the 7mm caliber was one of its most popular chamberings.
By the turn of the century, these sporting rifles were becoming known to American sportsmen. For many years afterward, the 7mm Mauser cartridge was one of the most “written up” of all foreign cartridges and received nearly as much wordage as the 30-06.
Mauser Models 93 & 95
General Specifications
Type . . . . . . . . .Turnbolt repeater.
Receiver . . . . . .One-piece machined steel forging, unslotted bridge. Clip-charger guideway in bridge.
Bolt . . . . . . . . . .One-piece, dual-opposed locking lugs forward.
Ignition . . . . . . .One-piece firing pin, coil mainspring and cocking piece. Cocks on closing the bolt.
Magazine . . . . .Staggered column, nondetachable box type. 5-shot capacity. Detachable floorplate. One Spanish-made M93 has hinged floorplate.
Trigger . . . . . . .Non-adjustable, double-stage military type.
Safety . . . . . . . .Rotary wing type built into bolt sleeve. 180° swing from left to right, locks striker when “up,” locks striker and bolt when at right.
Extractor . . . . . .One-piece, non-rotating, spring steel. Attached to the bolt by a collar.
Bolt-stop . . . . . .Separate, hinged at left rear of receiver. Stops rearward bolt travel by contacting left locking lug.
Ejector . . . . . . .Swinging type, positioned in bolt-stop housing.
Commonly known as the 7mm Mauser, it is correctly referred to as the 7x57mm Mauser. This designates a case 57mm long and caliber of 7mm (bullet diameter of .284”). It is a rimless bottlenecked cartridge, with much of its long bullet exposed. The typical military round had a 173-grain round-nosed jacketed bullet driven at a muzzle velocity of about 2300 fps. Most military rifles chambered for this cartridge have barrels with a rifling twist of one turn in 8.8 ”, and are deeply throated to accept the long bullet.
Commercial 7mm Mauser cartridges loaded in the United States have a 175-grain softpoint bullet with a muzzle velocity of around 2490 fps. It is loaded to approximately the same overall length, using a bullet that matches the military chamber and rifling perfectly. Ballistically this 7mm load is comparable to the 308 Winchester (180-grain Power Point).
I included the figures and comparison above for a good reason: First, for hunting game like deer, antelope, black bear, sheep, goats, caribou and elk, the U.S. commercially loaded 7mm cartridge is equal to many of our popular cartridges.
I believe the 7mm will be around for a long time
