Good find

[lazydrifter]

Well my brother found a box up in the attic of the garage over at moms house.  In it was one of my dads old mausers that he was starting to rework.  It is 1909 Argentine mauser with the hinged floor plate laid into an aftermarket walnut stock. 7.65 cal. The action is in incredible shape.  Unfortunately the inletting job that he was doing on the stock left something to be desired.  He had already glass-bedded the action and the floorplate so everything fits tight.  I just need to do a little cosmetic fill around a few of the edges.  Any ideas here.  Should I use a clear epoxy and mix it with sanding dust off the stock to make this less noticeable.  I figure that if I just can't make it look right I can always seal the stock and put a fancy paint job on it.  Then I got to get the bolt altered, safety changed, new timney trigger, and get it rebarreled. He had already had the action machined on top and drilled and tapped for a scope.  Only really tough decision here is what caliber.  We already have 243, 6mm, 6.5x55, 270, 7mm mags, 270 wsm, 30-30.  Don't have anything big.  Thought maybe a 35 whelen or comparable.  But something keeps making me thing about a 7x57.  Well here's a picture of it.

[actionshooter]

Cool find!     got me thinking I have never looked in my attic 

[oneezreiter]

Very nice.  Should be a lot of fun to finish.

[robb92]

Very nice find!!!

[addicted]

Is your dad still around?

might be a good keepsake just the way it is. Might take pride in finishing your father's work. swings both ways.

that does look like an excellent piece of wood.

[lazydrifter]

no, he passed away 4 years ago.  He had given me his guns before he passed away cause he knew that I would keep them and use them so I figured only fitting that this one gets finished as he would have liked it.  The only thing he wouldn't have done is rebarrel it.  He liked those old military calibers.  This is that old 7.65 cal. 

[addicted]

  This is that old 7.65 cal. 

It's not the 7.65x22 pistol round is it? I'm not seeing the history on that cartridge. Is it the 303 british or the 7.62x39 maybe?

[lazydrifter]

The 7.65 Arg bullet itself is very much like the 30.06 in ballistics. Nearly 3000 fps and about 2750 ft/lbs of energy.

I took this off of gunbroker on one of the auctions for a 1909  chambered in 7.65.
I think I read once that they were actually a 7.65x54.  Shells are just hard to get and they are expensive.

[docsven]

The 7x57 isn't a bad round.  I have one and like shooting it, easy to make loads for with a good range of choices.  I think a 6mm is better, but you already have one.

[lazydrifter]

I really think that I am leaning towards the 7X57 right now but I probably won't make up my mind for another month or so.  Probably not much recoil out of that.
Anybody out there shoot a 35 whelen.  How is the recoil?  I've never had recoil bother me but I've been fighting these shoulder problems and you know I'll be turning 50 this summer.  I really want something that is comfortable to shoot. 
Anybody know anything about trueing actions and lapping lugs?  Are these things that I should do when I rebarrel?  Any input on barrel manufacturers? 

[docsven]

Are you going to hunt with it or is it going to be a bench gun- or a little of both?  The reason I ask is because of twist and length.  Ask a rifle smith for manufacture advice on barrel for what you plan to use it for.

[CP]

Anybody out there shoot a 35 whelen.  How is the recoil? 

Full power .35 Whelen rounds (Cape buffalo power) have a stout recoil.  It’s not a something that you will want to shoot all day at the range.  But if you hand load the whelen can be loaded down to shoot .38 special or .357 mag pistol bullets with zero recoil or anything in-between.  Very versatile.

[PWN Kurt]

My girlfriend shoots a 35 whelen, Remington 700.  She doesn't have any problems with the recoil.  Her current loading is a 200 gn HDY interlock.

I just bought a ruger Hawkeye in 35 whelen the other day, but I haven't had it to the range yet.  I want to load up some 225 or 250's in it.

Kurt

[lazydrifter]

What is the maximum  range of the 35 whelen?  200 yards or can you squeeze em out to 300?  Do you use them on deer or just elk?  My gunsmith showed me his 1909 mauser that he built a custom out of in 35 whelen and OMG it was incredible.  I'm thinking that if I can't make up my mind maybe I'll just have to pick up another action and build em both.

[phishisgroovin]

http://www.grafs.com/ammo/240
DONT REBARREL IT
Shipping here is only $4.50 no matter what size a package is!
that is an excellent caliber for hunting also!

If you do rebarrel it, can i have the old one? lol
heres my baby in the same caliber. Spanish with argentine barrel. you will be sorry if you rebarrel it, really.

[lazydrifter]

Yeah it's going to get rebarreled.  My dad or whoever had it prior to him cut the barrel down to about 21 inches.  I thought at first about keeping that barrel on but have decided to go all out on this build  (may take me a year or so) so it's gotta go.  When my gunsmith pulls it I will tell him to try to save it.  If he can it's all yours.  I set those 8mm bullets aside also for you.

[CP]

What is the maximum  range of the 35 whelen?  200 yards or can you squeeze em out to 300?  Do you use them on deer or just elk?  My gunsmith showed me his 1909 mauser that he built a custom out of in 35 whelen and OMG it was incredible.  I'm thinking that if I can't make up my mind maybe I'll just have to pick up another action and build em both.

300 yards is very doable.  I’m sure there are folks out there that can accurately shoot it much further and bullet energy is not an issue at that range.  A 225g bullet should give you a point blank (+- 3”) range of about 250 yards, 3” high at 100, dead on at 200, 3” low at 250, about 10” low at 300.