Reloading data in manuals, and American factory offerings, are actually quite low pressure, and that reflects the uncertainty of structural integrity of the massive numbers of antique Mausers sloshing around the United States. I am going to say that any Mauser produced prior to the 1930's has highly suspect metallurgy. The earlier the Mauser, the worse. In spite of all the fine machining and finishes, materials and process controls were not up to snuff. Additional, military Mausers were made out of plain carbon steels that are now considered low grade, and used in applications like rebar or railroad ties, where cost is more important than material properties.
As for what loads the Mauser actions were designed to withstand, I have not found an explicit statement to the design loads that Paul Mauser used. SAAMI and CIP standards were established well after his death. However there is information about the proof pressures used in M98 actions.
Rifle Magazine Issue 159 May 1995 Dear Editor pg 10
http://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/PDF/ri159partial.pdf
Ludwig Olsen :
Mauser 98 actions produced by Mauser and DWM were proofed with two loads that produced approximately 1000 atmosphere greater pressure than normal factory rounds. That procedure was in accordance with the 1891 German proof law. Proof pressure for the Mauser 98 in 7 X57 was 4,050 atmospheres (57, 591 psi). Pressure of the normal 7 X 57 factory load with 11.2 gram bullet was given in Mauser’s 1908 patent boot as 3,050 atmosphere, or 43, 371 pounds.
While many Mausers in the 1908 Brazilian category will likely endure pressures considerably in excess of the 4,050 atmospheres proof loads, there might be some setback of the receiver locking shoulder with such high pressures
Kunhausen shows similar numbers in his book : “The Mauser Bolt Actions, A Shop Manual”
Rifle & Carbine 98: M98 Firearms of the German Army from 1898 to 1918 Dieter
Page 103. M98 Mauser service rifles underwent a 2 round proof at 4,000 atm gas pressure, 1 atm = 14.6 psi, 4000 atm = 58, 784 psia.
According to Dieter, the lugs broke on one out of every 1000 rifles used by the Bavarian Army Corp!
Gun Digest 1975 has an excellent article,
“A History of Proof Marks, Gun Proof in German” by Lee Kennett.
“The problem of smokeless proof was posed in a dramatic way by the Model 1888 and it commercial derivates. In this particular case a solution was sought in the decree of 23 July 1893. This provided that such rifles be proved with a government smokeless powder known as the “4,000 atmosphere powder”, proof pressure was 4,000 metric atmospheres or 58,000 psia.
The 4000 atmosphere proof was standardized for the 1893 and continued after 1911.
The article indicates it was applied to the 1898. The 1939 German proof law called for proof at 130% of service load pressure. A poster stated that the maximum working pressure of the German 7.9 sS cartridge was 47kpsi, so presumably the proof pressure for a late Model 1898 would exceed that by the normal 30%, or 61k psi. Unless someone can produce credible data as to the proof standards of later 98 actions, and the design limits used by Paul Mauser, I am going to state that it is reasonable that the action was designed to support cartridges of 43, 371 psia with a case head diameter of 0.470. I believe that a pressure standard for old Mauser military rifles of 43, 371 lbs/ in ² is reasonable based on the SAAMI spec pressure of 35, 000 lbs/ in ². Obviously SAAMI researched this issue, probably determined original pressure standards, then used wise judgment about the age, uncertain previous history, unknown storage, usage, the known limited strength of period plain carbon steel actions, and as an industry, they were are not willing to accept the liability involved with selling new ammunition of a higher pressure.
We don't know the make, age, or your Mauser, and therefore, it is not worth wasting time adding any additional information.
