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Offline Kenneth L. Walters

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Mauser M1891
« on: August 22, 2003, 07:04:51 PM »
I have a beautiful Mauser M1891. Extremely accurate. One problem,
however. I can only get three loading out of the brass. New brass.
Formed brass. Doesn't matter. Only three loadings before the rounds
will not chamber. Seem to hit about halfway up on the neck.

I've tried trimming the cases. I've always full length resized.
I've switched bullets. I've switched powder. I've varied the powder
charge. Nothing helps.

The first time a case is loaded it chambers easily. The second time
it is a bit still. The third time it is darn hard. You'd have to
use a hammer to close the bolt on the fourth time.

I'm starting to wonder if there is something wrong with my full
length resizing die so I'll change that out next.

Any suggestions?
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Offline .45 COLT

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Mauser M1891
« Reply #1 on: August 23, 2003, 02:44:55 AM »
I guess my next step would be to do a chamber cast with cerrosafe - see what I had there.
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Offline crow_feather

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Mauser M1891
« Reply #2 on: August 24, 2003, 04:08:19 PM »
Could your cases be stretching and getting forced into the barrel?
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Offline crow_feather

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Mauser M1891
« Reply #3 on: August 24, 2003, 04:11:35 PM »
OOPS!  didn't see the "trimming" part - sorry
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Offline crow_feather

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Mauser M1891
« Reply #4 on: August 24, 2003, 04:22:38 PM »
Kenneth,
Have you tried checking the thickness of the neck aft6er resizing?  I understand that brass can flow and maybe the necks are getting thicker.
Just a thought
C F
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IF THE WORLD DISARMED, WE WOULD BE SPEAKING THE LANGUAGE USED BY THE AGGRESSIVE ALIENS THAT LIVE ON THE THIRD MOON OF JUPITOR.

Offline John Traveler

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M1891 problem
« Reply #5 on: August 25, 2003, 03:55:53 AM »
What is the caliber of your M1891 Mauser?  The original 7.65 Argentine/Turkish Mauser?  Or has it been re-chambered or re-barrelled

I've encountered a (thankfully) very few rifles with the problem you described.  All were caused by a bad combination of minimum chamber and maximum sizing die dimensions.

Please describe your cartridge and load COMPLETELY:

caliber, bullet size, weight, diameter, powder weight and type, overall length,
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John Traveler

Offline Mikey

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# of loadings
« Reply #6 on: August 25, 2003, 04:59:45 AM »
Kenneth:  sometimes you encounter this problem with mil-surps, especially if they are in the original chamberings.  If you make a casting of your chamber you may find the problem that is causing your brass to stretch and limiting you to 3 loadings per casing.  However, you may not find anything wrong with the chamber and if you do not then I would surmise it simply might be the brass.  Some mil-surp calibers, even with new or commercial brass, do not last much beyond 2 or 3 reloads.  All my dog-gone 303 Brits are like that and it isn't a headspace problem with either.  Headspace is fine on all 3 - the problem is the brass just isn't worth schmidt.  The best brass I ever found for reloading in that caliber is Greek brass from military loadings but even then they only last another loading (up to 4) with full power loads.  

If it turns out that your headpsace is proper and nothing else is amiss, I would just stock up on brass and toss it after 3 loadings or keep it for squib loads.   Hope this helps.  Mikey.
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Offline Larry Gibson

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Re: Mauser M1891
« Reply #7 on: August 25, 2003, 12:49:16 PM »
Kenneth L. Walters  

Doubt there's anything wrong with your rifle.  You did not say what dies you have.  I'll stick my neck out say they are probably for the 7.65 Belgian cartridge, Lee's perhaps?  Many say the Belgian cartridge is the same as the Argentine but I beg to differ.  In your case it is the longer headspace of the Belgian case that is your undoing.  

With the new cases and subsequent loadings all you are doing is neck sizing.  Also your die is pushing in on the sides of the expanded cases which pushes the shoulder forward.  It is not yet hitting the shoulder of the longer headspaced Belgian die and being set back.  Thus it is difficult to chamber in the shorter headspaced Argentine chamber.  Solution is to get a 7.65 Argentine die, the Lyman works well, or have about .15" removed from the bottom of the 7.65 Belgian FL die you have.  

If you have your die shortened, not that difficult to do, then screw it in untill it bumps the shell holder (when the ram is in the up position) and back it out 1 turn.  Size a 3 times fired case and try it (make sure to trim if necessary) in the rifle.   The bolt should not close.  Screw the die in 1/4 turn at a time trying to chamber the sized case until the case chambers.  I like to adjust my die so FL sized cases are a snug fit as it reduces case stretching.  I mostly NS and only FL size every 5-6 firings.  

Larry Gibson
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Offline Kenneth L. Walters

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Mauser M1891
« Reply #8 on: September 03, 2003, 07:03:14 PM »
Switch from a Lyman full length resizing die to a RCBS and the problem completely disappeared.  In 30+ years of reloading I've never seen that before!
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Offline thecowboyace

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Re: Mauser M1891
« Reply #9 on: January 24, 2004, 07:04:37 AM »
Quote from: Kenneth L. Walters
I have a beautiful Mauser M1891. Extremely accurate. One problem,
however. I can only get three loading out of the brass. New brass.
Formed brass. Doesn't matter. Only three loadings before the rounds
will not chamber. Seem to hit about halfway up on the neck.

I've tried trimming the cases. I've always full length resized.
I've switched bullets. I've switched powder. I've varied the powder
charge. Nothing helps.

The first time a case is loaded it chambers easily. The second time
it is a bit still. The third time it is darn hard. You'd have to
use a hammer to close the bolt on the fourth time.

I'm starting to wonder if there is something wrong with my full
length resizing die so I'll change that out next.

Any suggestions?
Get in touch with Huntington on the west Coast.  This is a man who will help you out.
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