1891 Argentine Mauser needs new barrel, caliber swap options

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bcrash15

New member
I have an old 1891 Argentine Mauser that was tastefully bubba'd at some point in it's life (probably in the '50-'60s). I picked it up for really cheap off the misc rack at the LGS, for reasons which have now become apparent.

It'd be a great, lightweight field gun for me now except after trying to finally sight it in I realized the bore appears to be completely trashed (now understanding the low price). The bullets are actually tumbling and often hitting sideways at only 25 yards. I believe the barrel is probably shot out so I have been thinking about getting a replacement small ring Mauser barrel and re-chambering the gun to a more common round. I think it would be straight forward to find a barrel for this gun unless I'm missing something? Most commonly I have seen 6.5x55, 7x57, and .250 Savage available and recommended for small ring Mausers. I think the 6.5x55 would be a pretty cool and interesting round, and has a pretty good reputation for accuracy. However, I have heard some reports that the 6.5x55 has potential minor feeding issues in this particular gun/magazine system for some reason and may need feed rail tweaks. Of course my current magazine was not feeding that great anyway with the original rounds, but I am not sure how much frustration I am setting myself up for. I have not found any information about the suitability of the other rounds. I don't have a strong preference for caliber, although I would probably prefer to skip the .250 Savage as it seems to not be as commonly available where I buy ammo.

My issue now is whether to go with this rebarrel or scrap the project and cut my losses. The barrels I'm finding are running $270-300, plus the install and finishing, I am going to be in several times the gun's original cost. I'd want to do the job myself, but the cost of the tooling, headspace gauges, etc. are probably not going to make it worthwhile to attempt. Do people know of any good online/mail-in shops that do this sort of work (Mauser specialists, etc.)? I have had a hard time finding any local smiths who actually want to do real smithing, and those that do either jack up the price for one reason or another or don't have the experience with Mausers to do it right and cost effectively. I'm hoping to also determine a ballpark price to expect for this sort of a job. It would require a barrel install and finish chambering, front sight install, and bluing.
 
Cut your losses, scrap the rifle and sell the parts on eBay, You will at least get some, if not all, of your money back, Next time look at the bore!
 
Not worth the cost of a re-barrel. Considering the age and strength of the design, I sort of doubt most smiths would even allow it in their shop.
 
Boring out the barrel and sleeving it for a caliber like the original 7.65x53 or any of the other calibers mentioned would cost more than a rebarrel.

You can't use those barrel liners made for old black powder rounds with cartridges in the 45-55k psi range; the pressure will bulge the liner.

Jim
 
I saw somewhere a kit to convert those to .45 ACP. It wouldn't be much for hunting but it would make a great plinker....

Tony
 
A friend put a .45 ACP barrel on a Mauser.
It was about the least rewarding thing to shoot that I have seen. He soon agreed, the Mauser is shelved and he shoots .22s.

Maybe if you are caught up in the silencer fad.
 
I wouldn't think that a new barrel would be that much. Have you checked ebay for some barrels. Sometimes a good deal can be found on there. I have been wanting to build a 1891 sporter for a while. I really like the action. One in the original 7.65 would be fine. But also a 6.5x55 would be great as well. I have seen a few decent looking sporters on gunbroker go for decent money. Bad thing is you will have more money in it than it is worth. Its really not that hard to rebarrel a mauser but you will need to buy some tools or make some(that's what I did). Also you can rent the reamers and headspace gauges to chamber a short chambered barrel.
 
I paid $100 in 2011 for the whole rifle with like new barrel.

I should buy some brass and shoot it.
 

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Thanks for the input (and to mods for moving to smithing forum, where I should have put it in retrospect).

To be honest, after thinking about it I kind of like the gun and I would prefer to salvage it somehow. At this point, with the only other option being scrap, I don't mind hacking it up or doing something radical. After seeing the .45acp conversion mentioned, I started looking up that and other options. I have seen the .45 and maybe a 7.62x39 option that would be fun, but probably a good bit of custom work to fit on the 1891 due to the differences from the regular small ring (particularly the magazine).

I'm definitely keeping my eyes out for used barrels, but it would have to be really cheap to be worth the investment risk and putting the 7.65 caliber back on the gun after all the work of a barrel change. From the research I've done, I believe the barrels advertised for 93-96 small ring receivers appear to fit this action; can anyone confirm this? I have also seen several barrels that are either out of stock/backordered from Midway that are only like $90, Green Mountain brand I think.

In my defense as well, the bore was a little dark, but had visible and fairly standard looking rifling with no obvious pitting, I didn't notice any warning signs. I have lots more to learn!
 
Is the barrel still original? Have you slugged to bore?

Bullets tumbling the bad, at the distance you indicated, sound to me more like an oversize bore than merely worn out.
 
Even though it was bubba'd, it does appear to be the original barrel as far as I can tell by the stampings and looks like it's a factory match to the receiver. I can still see the original steps in the barrel profile, so it's for sure from an 1891. I hadn't slugged it yet, that was something I was thinking about doing but now since I'll almost certainly replace the barrel anyway it hasn't been high on the list.
 
I was just cruising through the posts and this is the second time I saw reference to "An oversize bore". Where does this stuff come from? Over the years I have constantly shot undersize(.308) bullets in .311 barrels and they shot fine. I still have a 7.62x39 bolt gun that shoots better with .308 bullets. All the guns I ever had to deal with that had a tumbling bullet problem were doing so because of the wrong bullet style, weight, or a combination there of mixed with a bad load. Try a heavier bullet. Most of these old military guns were manufactured with really heavy bullets in mind. It takes a heck of a lot of bullets or auto fire to shoot out a cut rifled barrel.
 
You think the barrel is shot, another thinks its oversize.

Have you cleaned it? I have one of those mauser It took 2 days with an electrolyte type cleaner to get the hundred years of junk out of the barrel. It shoots lead and jacketed great now. My 1917 enfield was the same way.

My 1891 Mauser has a large chamber, and likes lead sized to .314.

David
 
"...local smiths who actually want to do real smithing..." Lot of smithies are untrained. Anybody who has a Sharpie can make a sign and call themselves a gun smith. Not all machinists are trained smithies either.
"...bullets are actually tumbling and..." If it's chambered in the original 7.65 x 53 Argentine, it uses a .311" bullet. If you're loading .308" bullets, they'll tumble as they're too small. Oh and a .311" bore isn't oversized. It's just a .311" barrel.
I'd slug the barrel before doing anything. Liberty Tree has some 1891 Argie parts. No barrels though.
"...the .250 Savage as it seems to not be as commonly available..." Isn't common anywhere.
 
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