Rebarrel a small ring mauser

[cheepertokeeper]

I would like to know if it is practical/doable to rebarrel a 1918 Erfurt Mauser. Local Smith says it is a "small ring". Currently in 8MM. Pitted barrel, accuracy not acceptable. Otherwise nice silky smooth action, good shape. Head space good, decently sporterized. Hate to give up on it. Any suggestions? Ideally would like to use as a "Scout" platform. .308/7.62 possible? Thanks, CTK

[FALPhil]

Get a new smith. There were no small ring Model 1918s that ever came out of Erfurt.

I got a deal on a 1938 Erfurt action a while back and turned it into a pseudo-Scout with an FN 308 Win military barrel. Had to play with the magazine to get it to feed reliably, but now it works great.

[PetahW]

FWIW, plenty of small ring 98 Mausers came out of Erfurt, mostly as Kar98's (carbines).

Here's a 1917 Erfurt small ring chopper F/S;

http://www.gunsamerica.com/907141340...d_receiver.htm

CTK - Those small ring Model 98's were always deemed VERY desireable as the basis for a lightweight stalking/sporting rifle, due to having all the strength/safety of the gold-standard large ring Mauser 98 with a nice weight savings in both action and barrel.

A Mauser can easily be verified as being either a large ring (1.4" front ring) or a small ring (1.3" front ring) by looking at the left receiver wall -
if the left wall is flush with the front ring it's a small ring;
if the small ring additionally cocks-on-opening, it's a Model 98 small ring (and not an earlier/weaker Model 93/94/95 cock-on-closing small ring).

While I wouldn't recommend rebarreling a small ring M98 to a belted magnum, or to a cartridge needing substantive action work to accommodate it's length or width - it could be made into pretty much any standard modern chambering you'd like.

The .308 Win is well within it's parameters, as would be making a scout rifle out of it if you wished.

BTW - I've owned a few commercial Husvarna's, including one marked S&W, that were based on the small ring M98 Mauser - so if you google for those rifle's chamberings, you can see what the big boys have done.

.

[F. Guffey]

Yes, it is do-able, but, if there was a transitional Mauser your rifle is it, it is small ring receiver WITH! a large shank barrel, there are claims the small ring receiver with the large shank barrel is at it's limit with the 8mm57, I chambered one to 8mm06, went to the range and test fired it, nothing moved.

The OD of the front ring is the same diameter as the 03, the barrel shank is larger in diameter than than the 03 barrel shank, this makes the receiver thinner than the Springfield receiver, what does this mean, there are a lot of choices when it comes to chambers, the 257 Roberts and the Improved version would be my first consideration, the 7mm57 and the Improved version would not be far behind, I would not consider a Magnum type chamber.

I have one that was half way between a bring back and a sport type rifle, they could not get the barrel bands off because of the front sight, they could not get the bolt back together so they started on the wood, these little details made the rifle affordable.

F. Guffey

[F. Guffey]

and your small ring/large shank cocks on open,,,and finishes cocking on close like a 98.

F. Guffey

[FALPhil]

Get a new smith. There were no small ring Model 1918s that ever came out of Erfurt.

Sorry, I was wrong. There were no model 96 patterns that came out of Erfurt after 1918. After WWI, all the Erfurt Mausers were model 98s, and they came in both small and large ring.

My problem is people say "small ring" and I hear "Model 96". I'm a doofus that way.