1893 turk help???

[ryanthelurkster]

I just bought a 1893 turk mauser from the sportsman guide and I was wondering, is it safe to shoot??? Is it headspaced???
thanks

[lefty o]

if you are in doubt, take it to a reputable gunsmith.

[ryanthelurkster]

good idea

is there anything else I should now or do before using it though?

[Mooseman684]

Welcome to G & G !
Since that is an antique rifle I suggest taking it to a Competent gunsmith that has the proper headspace guages and have it checked and INSPECTED !
No telling how many rounds have been put thru it, or what kind of loads in the past 100+ years and what condition the chamber and bore are in !
A few phone calls asking about the proper caliber Go-Nogo gauges to local gunsmiths will save a lot of running around and Have the bore and Chamber Clean when you take it to them and it can be guaged in a few minutes !
Rich

[ryanthelurkster]

i'm trying to buy a headspace gauge for my mauser, what do I get ?

the nogo or no???

what is the difference?

[joeshooter]

I just bought that same rifle from the same catalog and it shoots great, but I cleaned the barrel first.There was wax or something in it. The first turk I got was older than this one. The serial number on the new one was in the 4600's and my first one is in the 3100's. I got two bayonets from the same page, one for each.

[lefty o]

go see a gunsmith. unless you intend on building/rebarreling these guns a set of headspace guages is a waste of money.

[SPOCAHP ANAR]

Due to the age of the rifle do not use surplus ammo as it tends to be loaded hot; so I have been warned.

[ryanthelurkster]

can I use wolf ammo?

remington ammo?

what do you mean by surplus?

[SPOCAHP ANAR]

Military surplus. Commercial ammo is fine so I have been told.

[joeshooter]

As long as the ammo is military it should be alright for that rifle, some private reloads might not be good. I shoot surplus yugo,turk, and african ammo out of mine with good results. Just clean your barrel really good after shooting it. In the magazine it said the rifles were inspected and are fully shootable. Most commercial ammo shoots high out of my rifle. I'm not saying the other people on here are wrong, but I have the exact same rifle.

[SPOCAHP ANAR]

Joe I have been warned by several people that you should stick with non military commercial grade ammo for those rifles due to the possibility that the rifle may not be able to handle higher pressures commonly associated with surplus ammo. This is because Surplus ammo is usually loaded HOT and the metallurgy process used in those days is not as reliable as was used say 30 - 40 years later. That being said I have a commision rifle thatwas reworked in the 30's and all I have ever shot out of it was surplus and never had a problem.

A gunsmith will only be able to tell you if your headspace is correct or if your bbl is eat up or blocked. He will not be able to detect micro fractures or weaknessess in the metal that may or may not give when using surplus, or any ammo for that matter.

Shooter beware is all I am saying.

[ryanthelurkster]

ok thanks

my rifle was rechambered in 1936

[SPOCAHP ANAR]

Originally Posted by ryanthelurkster

ok thanks
my rifle was rechambered in 1936

but the reciever is still the same

[joeshooter]

Most surplus ammo I've came across has been from the 50's. That's what I shoot out of mine, but both of my rifles were rechambered in 1933 so there could be a difference. I was always told that the new powder that is used by commercial companies has higher pressure than the older loads.That's what the gunsmith I took mine to said. I'm not arguing with you, but I would like to be positive my barrel could handle newer loads.

[lefty o]

U.S. made 8x57 ammo is very mild/low pressure.

[ryanthelurkster]

what about blank rounds?

[lefty o]

what about 'em?

[ryanthelurkster]

can I use them?

[lefty o]

sure, i dont know why youd want to, but they will do no harm to the rifle.