Author Topic: Best Surplus 7mm Mauser Rifle?  (Read 436 times)

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Offline Jim B.

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Best Surplus 7mm Mauser Rifle?
« on: October 02, 2004, 04:45:20 PM »
I am relatively new to collecting surplus rifles.  I have acquired several in good condition and really enjoy shooting them.  The next one I have my eye on is one of the 7mm Mausers.  What is the best of the surplus 7x57s?  By best I mean quality and value (I do prefer bent bolt).  Any comments appreciated!
Jim B.

Offline Stan in SC

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Surplus 7X57
« Reply #1 on: October 03, 2004, 04:03:55 AM »
This ammunition has pretty well dried up.From what I have heard it is better to shoot the S&B ,Hotshot or whatever is available in modern ammo.
Of course like all surplus milsurp ammo there may be a boatload of it show up tomorrow.Several years ago 8MM was not to be found and now there is a lot of it available cheaply.
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Offline 1911crazy

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Best Surplus 7mm Mauser Rifle?
« Reply #2 on: October 03, 2004, 05:02:38 AM »
For a bent bolt you don't have much of a choice the only bent bolt 7mm's i have are the ones from Samco Global Arms its the '95 Chilean 7mm barreled recievers but they are really the rare BOER '93's for $89 but the stock is hard to find the only stock i found is the '95 stock at numrich and the '93 does fit it but it has two little open spots on top of the reciever near the bolt you can fill with filler and its hardley noticed. But they do fit a swede stock perfectly if you just want a shooter the swede stock can be bought from numrich and all the hardware comes with it and it fits the 7mm perfectly too.  The only thing is you have the stock disc hole which a blank disc could fill it.  These recievers are matching numbers, with bent bolt, with a decent bore and its all marked with crossed hammers.  I believe these are from the chilean boer gold mines era.

I think one of the best 7mm's out there is a 1908 Brazilian 7mm mauser but it has a straight bolt but it has the stronger 98 action.  
Another one is a 1912 Chilean Steyr large ring 98 7mm mauser with a 29" barrel.
There is a Colombian FN model 24 7mm mauser made by FN in Belgium.

I believe Allens Armory has some of these i mentioned you may want to take a look.

Now for surplus 7mm ammo only two places have it, its sportsmansguide.com  and samco have surplus 7mm FMJ ammo.  Samco is cheaper its 400rds for $78.   Sportsmans guide is a little higher.  The ammo seems to be the same at both places the boxes I got from samco seem to match sportsmans guide its FN Belgium made ammo.  The stuff i have recieved from samco  I got three orders the first two had very few corroded cases my last order from them a few rounds need cleaning up before i shoot them which a wire wheel will do really easy this is the alst hurrah for surplus ammo the swedish 6.5 is all gone and with the supply of 8mm running low the 7mm is next to run dry.  Sellier & Bellot makes some very accurate ammo in both 6,5 swede and 7mm mauser and it can be found still affordable too like $8 a box and its reloadable.  I really like the performance of the 7mm round too its right in there with the 308win. and with the 98 action the higher loads can be used with no danger.  I wouldn't reload the '93 or '95 small ring actions to the higher loads its better to stay safe within the limits of these great little awesome small bore overlooked rifles.  You just won't believe the accuracy of them.
I believe the ammo can be found at outdoormarksman.com there the cheapest around for new S&B ammo.                      BigBill