The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Hide > The Art of the Rifle: General

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old July 19, 2009, 11:02 PM   #1
essohbe
Junior member
 
Join Date: March 22, 2009
Location: U.S.A.
Posts: 817
Spanish Mauser .308

What do you think of this?

http://gatgunsc.ipower.com/gallery/m...g2_itemId=3864

I was just browsing around and saw something cheap in .308 I might be interested in. I was looking at old Mauser rifles at Gander Mountain then I saw this and I had no idea a Spanish version even existed.

Maybe someone who knows can tell me if it would be worth the $200 or not.
essohbe is offline  
Old July 19, 2009, 11:40 PM   #2
LongRifle
Junior Member
 
Join Date: July 7, 2009
Posts: 12
I, have some experience with these Spanish mausers. Do not buy one the receiver is too soft it can not stand the pressure. I owned one and I came close to being six-feet under. Put your money into a K98, VZ 24, M48, M96.
LongRifle is offline  
Old July 20, 2009, 12:27 AM   #3
Jimro
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 18, 2006
Posts: 7,097
That is not a good Mauser. Some of the Spanish 308's were meant to fire the 308 Cetme round, which operates at pressures suitable for use in small ring Mausers. I would pass on this one and wait for an Israeli Mauser to show up on the used gun rack sometime.

Jimro
__________________
Machine guns are awesome until you have to carry one.
Jimro is offline  
Old July 20, 2009, 12:28 AM   #4
bamafan4life
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 4, 2009
Posts: 190
it's meant to shoot 7.62x51 not commercal .308 winchester! if you reload it's good, but if you can not find a good supply of surplus 7.62x51 id pass on it.
bamafan4life is offline  
Old July 20, 2009, 12:45 AM   #5
Jimro
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 18, 2006
Posts: 7,097
bamafan4life,

7.62x51 and commercial 308 operate within the same pressures (except for the "Light Magnum" line). How else could a 147 grain pill have a muzzle velocity of 2700 fps for 7.62x51 and 150 gr soft point have a muzzle velocity of 2700 fps? The laws of physics will not be denied. When you look at match ammo, M118lr and M852 they are the same as Federal GMM 175 gr and 168 gr.

The 308 Cetme round is dimensionally the same as the 7.62x51, but operates at much lower pressures. A 112 gr bullet at around 2500 fps. It is "obsolete" as Spain upgraded their current weapons to handle the Nato pressures.

Jimro
__________________
Machine guns are awesome until you have to carry one.
Jimro is offline  
Old July 20, 2009, 08:23 AM   #6
essohbe
Junior member
 
Join Date: March 22, 2009
Location: U.S.A.
Posts: 817
Good info! Thanks for the replies everyone. I'll wait 'till I find a better one.
essohbe is offline  
Old July 20, 2009, 08:28 AM   #7
EastKY_DO
Member
 
Join Date: December 7, 2004
Posts: 69
The reduced recoil loads in .308 would be okay to use in the Spanish Mauser, as they operate at lower pressures. Stay away from hot loads and regular commercial loadings of .308 Win.
EastKY_DO is offline  
Old July 20, 2009, 08:43 AM   #8
Que
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 20, 2008
Location: Georgia
Posts: 912
The debate as to what is safe to shoot in these rifles has raged for years. I own two of them in the orginal chambering of 7x57 which is a fine round. While I think that the safety issue with the NATO round is often overstated, I would opt for an original 7x57 chambered gun and pass on the .308.
Que is offline  
Old July 20, 2009, 09:24 AM   #9
Abndoc
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 28, 2006
Location: Kalifornia
Posts: 727
I have one in .308 and have shot it for years with handloads. I use loads that are actually less pressure than the original 7X57. I am in the process of setting it up for cast lead shoots, now. It's a great little rifle, if you respect its limits. For this rifle, handloads are the way to go.

LongRifle. Can you give some details on your mishap with this rifle?
__________________
With a little practice, writing can be an intimidating and impenetrable fog.
Abndoc is offline  
Old July 20, 2009, 09:25 AM   #10
Superhouse 15
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 13, 2007
Location: Sunny Florida
Posts: 844
A college friend inherited one back several years ago. We fired it with surplus ammo that we could afford and the occasional box of factory ammo when we had leftover money not being spent on beer. Other than the elevation being off at 100 yards it worked fine. Used it for hog hunting because it was cheap so we didn't care if it got full of dirt and sand in the woods.
Superhouse 15 is offline  
Old July 20, 2009, 10:27 AM   #11
Que
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 20, 2008
Location: Georgia
Posts: 912
Quote:
I use loads that are actually less pressure than the original 7X57.
That's probably the best course. Some years back they did pressure tests with the 1916 and no issues presented themselves, but downloading .308 is still the safest course. I'd also add that today's 7x57 commercial ammo is considerably less hot than the orginal 7x57 military. I only shoot modern commercial. The rifle is better than most people give credit.
Que is offline  
Old July 20, 2009, 06:33 PM   #12
Jimro
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 18, 2006
Posts: 7,097
The small ring Mauser is a "strong" action, but it lacks the gas handling properties of the M98 action. You could shoot full power 308 loads in a small ring Mauser like a 1916 and be fine UNTIL two things happened.

First, lug setback in the soft receiver steel causes excess headspace to develop.

Second, excess headspace coupled with brittle brass causes a case failure.

I've seen new factory 30-06 cartridges break in half because of excess headspace. They didn't split at the neck, they broke in half almost two thirds towards the base of the cartridge. Luckily it was an m98 and I didn't lose and eye. When there is a case failure in a small ring Mauser some of that hot gas will be directed back into the shooters eyes and face.

The small ring Mausers are plenty strong, the Swedes chambered their quality m96 actions in many potent rounds, the 8x57 among them. But even the m96 lacks the gas handling features of the m98.

Jimro
__________________
Machine guns are awesome until you have to carry one.
Jimro is offline  
Old July 20, 2009, 07:20 PM   #13
finfanatic
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 17, 2008
Posts: 136
I have one

I have one. I bought it in mid-1980s and have fired hundreds of rounds of surplus, cheap, and hunting ammo (whatever was cheapest) through it.

I used to hold the record for the longest distance iron sights shots at our (My hunting club) shooting range with this rifle. 578 yards. Okay, I was shooting at a 55 gallon drum, but...

I paid $69 for it.
finfanatic is offline  
Old July 20, 2009, 07:38 PM   #14
Jimro
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 18, 2006
Posts: 7,097
Here is a good article on Spanish Mausers. The only one that I would shoot modern 308 through is the FR8 http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting...tion/index.asp

Jimro
__________________
Machine guns are awesome until you have to carry one.
Jimro is offline  
Old July 20, 2009, 08:50 PM   #15
trigger treat
Member
 
Join Date: April 18, 2009
Location: Dublin, OH
Posts: 55
i have a nato converted chilean mauser thats in 7.62x51 aside from the magazine being a bit longer than the rounds i've never had a problem with it. it's solid as a rock and i've shot commercial grade and surplus ammo. the surplus is cheaper and i dont recommend using commercial grade. milsurp ammo from nato countrys are usually all loaded at slightly lower pressures to accomodate the differences in firearms which may end up using the ammo, the metals used in their construction, and quality of manufacture. for example if a frenchman had to salvage ammo from an american m60 machine gun to use in his 20yr old fn fal he wont have to worry about his gun exploding(it's just an example i know very little about m60's or fals)
trigger treat is offline  
Old July 21, 2009, 12:40 AM   #16
Jimro
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 18, 2006
Posts: 7,097
Trigger,

American M855 is not used by British troops who can only use SS109 simply because of that "pressure blow up" thing. The M4/M16 can fire SS109, but with increased rates of failure to cycle.

The 308 Cetme is the same story, designed as a low pressure round.

Jimro
__________________
Machine guns are awesome until you have to carry one.
Jimro is offline  
Old July 21, 2009, 12:50 AM   #17
Bart Noir
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 5, 2000
Location: Puget Sound, USA
Posts: 2,215
Quote:
American M855 is not used by British troops who can only use SS109 simply because of that "pressure blow up" thing. The M4/M16 can fire SS109, but with increased rates of failure to cycle.
I'm thinking this one will cause some remarks

And trigger, I think you meant some French-speaking Belgian trooper, since France never issued the FAL. I've never even seen it mentioned for whatever French specops groups that have existed. Certainly the Legion didn't / don't use it.

Bart Noir
Who agrees that the chief designer of the FAL had a very French name. But half of Belgium speaks French. Just ask H. Poirot!
__________________
Be of good cheer and mindful of your gun muzzle!
Bart Noir is offline  
Old July 21, 2009, 01:14 AM   #18
4thPointofContact
Junior member
 
Join Date: September 22, 2007
Posts: 197
I would say that IF you can, hold out for a FR8, they're converted from 'large ring' Mausers and will stand up to firing 7.62 NATO much better, as far as I've heard.

Find a straight handled FR8 and you'll have a nice shooter. Hard to argue with a bolt action carbine that has a flash suppressor and a bayonet mount



Don't mistake a FR8 for a FR7 with the turned down bolt.
4thPointofContact is offline  
Old July 25, 2009, 01:07 PM   #19
N.H. Yankee
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 17, 2004
Location: Rural N.H.
Posts: 1,586
I own an FR8 and I have to say it is one of the most accurate military 308's I have ever fired. The gun looks like new, has a synthetic stock and the bolt has been bent down. Open sights mine easily groups 5 shot 1 1/2 inch groups, and I love the rotating peep. I have read the FR7 is a weaker design and to be careful not to shoot high pressure loads. I bought mine about 3 years ago for $100.00 the gunshop manager didn't even know what it was. I thought it might be an FR7 at first due to the bent bolt, but verified it is an FR8
__________________
The real danger to America is not abroad but within..
Having an open mind is a good thing, but not so open that your brains fall out!
Save America, abort liberalism.
N.H. Yankee is offline  
Old July 25, 2009, 01:38 PM   #20
Moloch
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 27, 2005
Posts: 1,419
I can't recommend a mauser action rifle in .308. I had 2 FR-8's in the past and one israeli K98 converted to .308, all of them had issues with feeding because the mauser 98 was made for long cartridges - the 8x57mm. The .308's are too short too work everytime putting the legendary mauser 98 action reliability to shame.
Never heard about problems with the .30-06 mausers.- the 06 is even a tad longer than the 8x57 and works pretty good.

While the Fr-8 is a nice little and very accurate bolt action carbine I had several cases where the the .308 cartridge did not slip into the extractor claw, I couldnt lock the bolt and I thought '' What the hell?''. Of course you cant chamber a round with a 98 action if it didnt engage ''controlled feed''. So I had to punch the round out of the chamber with a cleaning rod. So far, so bad.

Then a round entered the chamber so steep that it got stuck at the barrel wall. (Yes, all three of them had the additional feeding ramp)
Nothing helped, pushing the rounds as back as possible in the magazine didnt help aswell as putting them a little bit foward.
That was enough, sold my 2 FR-8's and the israeli K98. I dont like jamming firearms.

I am perfectly happy with my original K98k's in 8x57, never ever had a jam in years of shooting them and the 8x57 whacks the target much harder than any .308.
Moloch is offline  
Reply

Tags
.308 , gat guns il , mauser , spanish mauser

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:56 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.10133 seconds with 7 queries