Mauser Rifles

[truck driver]

I was recently gifted a Military style Mauser rifle and I thought it was a M-98 but after joining a new forum to research it's origin I found out with the help of the new forums members that it's a Spanish Corona M-43 that was manufactured for commercial sale. These rifles have very little markings on them the serial numbers range from 1000 to 6000 and mine is in the 2000 range. The first time I saw this rifle back in the 1960s it looked like it was in brand new condition unfortunately it was stored with out proper care and the barrel sleeve has unrepairable rust with deep pitting, but the good thing is the rest of the rifle is clean and after cleaning the bore it is bright and the lands are sharp.
This is my first experience with a Military Mauser pattern rifle and I had no idea it was way ahead of it's time in design and the modern rifles we have today are just copies with minor changes for cheaper manufacture.
The M-43's trigger guard assembly has built in pillars that we consider the most stable way to bed a rifle action today so what happened when the rifle companies copied the design?

 

[SJB358]

They made the P64 Winchester Rodger and the rest is history! :lol:

Honestly those old Mausers are excellent designs but when you go outside of the case size they were built for it takes a good smith to make sure timing and feeding remain flawless. Lots of good copies out there, 03 Springfields, 70's, Huskies, Brownings, etc.

Are you planning on loading for it?

 

[truck driver]

They made the P64 Winchester Rodger and the rest is history! :lol:

Honestly those old Mausers are excellent designs but when you go outside of the case size they were built for it takes a good smith to make sure timing and feeding remain flawless. Lots of good copies out there, 03 Springfields, 70's, Huskies, Brownings, etc.

Are you planning on loading for it?

Not sure just yet depends on what ammo I can find and if I can use the Military sights which may be tooo fine for my eyes. :roll:
I also have to figure out a way to get the barrel sleeve to slide back over the wood to remove the auxiliary bayonet stud. There's a pin hidden under the sleeve that needs to come out but won't clear the sleeve. I want to put a Timney sportsman trigger in it and maybe a speed lock if it shoots good.

 

[HAWKEYESATX]

The M98 Mauser was the final design that was considered perfected for battle field bolt action rifles.
Remington and Winchester based their sporting rifles off the M1917 Enfield Mauser copied battle rifle of WWI.
There are countries who had licensed Mauser to make his 98 in their countries. Czechoslovakia, and Fabrique Nationale being some of the best. Then Yugoslavia, a d Spain being just under them.
Stay away from Mausers made in China.
The Japanese copied the Mauser as well, and it became their T38 and T99 rifles, which are recorded as being the strongest of all Mauser actions.

HawkeyeSATX a.k.a. Bryce

 

[Elkman]

What caliber? Seemingly from your description it is not a collectors piece and modifying it will not reduce its value. From another perspective what is your intended use? I have had several of similar over the years and after putting a fair amount of money into them sold them. I was happy to see them go.

 

[DrMike]

The older firearms do have an alluring cachet, a certain "je ne sais quoi" to certified rifle cranks, Rodger. Much as I appreciate the newer rifles, I seem unable to stay too far away from the older models.

 

[HAWKEYESATX]

The older firearms do have an alluring cachet, a certain "je ne sais quoi" to certified rifle cranks, Rodger. Much as I appreciate the newer rifles, I seem unable to stay too far away from the older models.

Same with me DrMike!
I love the old military stuff. Got the bug from my dad.
There's a really nice M48 here that someone is selling, and I've been drooling over. I just might have to get it! It has a no gunsmith scope mount on it.
It's in 8mm Mauser.

HawkeyeSATX a.k.a. Bryce

 

[DrMike]

The eight is a fine cartridge, to be sure.

 

[HAWKEYESATX]

The eight is a fine cartridge, to be sure.

I agree with you DrMike!

HawkeyeSATX a.k.a. Bryce

 

[truck driver]

What caliber? Seemingly from your description it is not a collectors piece and modifying it will not reduce its value. From another perspective what is your intended use? I have had several of similar over the years and after putting a fair amount of money into them sold them. I was happy to see them go.

It's 8mm M-43 and it hasn't been modified. After some research I found that Corona made 6000 for commercial sales and it is one of those. I might sporterize it for my grandson if it shoots halfway decent or just sell it and find him a good used modern rifle.
They make speed locks for them and M-70 style safety shrouds .

 

[SJB358]

What caliber? Seemingly from your description it is not a collectors piece and modifying it will not reduce its value. From another perspective what is your intended use? I have had several of similar over the years and after putting a fair amount of money into them sold them. I was happy to see them go.

It's 8mm M-43 and it hasn't been modified. After some research I found that Corona made 6000 for commercial sales and it is one of those. I might sporterize it for my grandson if it shoots halfway decent or just sell it and find him a good used modern rifle.
They make speed locks for them and M-70 style safety shrouds .

It's a great platform to build off of. Perfect size for a 6mm Rem, 257 Roberts, 7x57 and so on.

 

[truck driver]

What caliber? Seemingly from your description it is not a collectors piece and modifying it will not reduce its value. From another perspective what is your intended use? I have had several of similar over the years and after putting a fair amount of money into them sold them. I was happy to see them go.

It's 8mm M-43 and it hasn't been modified. After some research I found that Corona made 6000 for commercial sales and it is one of those. I might sporterize it for my grandson if it shoots halfway decent or just sell it and find him a good used modern rifle.
They make speed locks for them and M-70 style safety shrouds .

It's a great platform to build off of. Perfect size for a 6mm Rem, 257 Roberts, 7x57 and so on.

Yep any thing based off the 57mm brass should work fine with no modifications.

 

[HAWKEYESATX]

You should keep it in 8mm.
If you're wanting to change it later, there are tons of barrels you can swap out to make it a different caliber.
Now with it being 7.92JSx57, the cartridge dimensions are a little different than the 7x57, and will require a little gunsmithing to have it properly tuned.
The 8mm Mauser is a heck of a cartridge on its own.
Later down the road, you could ream the bore and make an 8mm-06 out of it.
Another really good wildcat.

HawkeyeSATX a.k.a. Bryce