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1891 Argentina Mauser (Sport or Not?)

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TPS_Phil View Drop Down
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    Posted: October/20/2008 at 16:30
I just received a 1891 Argentina Mauser in great condition and was thinking of turning into a hunting rifle?
 
Should I or not?
 
Any tips would help on sporterized....
 
Phil
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote silver Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/20/2008 at 18:11
WHY??????
It is not a strong action to do a conversion.  Anything beyound a crown job would ruin any collectors value and be a waste of money.  You can hunt with it the way it is.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TPS_Phil Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/20/2008 at 19:17
I'm not too worried as a collectors value, as I'm more doing it for fun...
 
Shorten the barrel some and lighten it up...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BeltFed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/20/2008 at 19:18
+1 what silver said
Life's concerns should be about the 120lb pack your trying to get to the top of the mountain, and not the rock in your boot.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TPS_Phil Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/20/2008 at 19:21

My thinking is to lighten it up and covert for my son...

I could always just buy him another rifle, but what is the fun in that....  Doesn't look like the collectors value is much either...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BeltFed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/20/2008 at 19:31
That 's the same thing that has been said about many surplus military rifles. Priced a M1 carbine, 03 Springfield, Swedish Mauser, or a 98K lately? Just a few examples.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TPS_Phil Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/20/2008 at 19:35
Thanks Beltfed and Silver for your responses,
 
I'm still leaning on sport, but you have me thinking....
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BeltFed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/20/2008 at 19:45
If the stock was beat up, the bore looked like crap, and it was missing parts then sporterizing would be a good option. If it's in really good shape it would be a shame to sporterize it.
Life's concerns should be about the 120lb pack your trying to get to the top of the mountain, and not the rock in your boot.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Longhunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/21/2008 at 01:00
The 1891 is a neat rifle, and handles nicely as is.  However, you are talking about century-old metal.  
 
As an example, the bolt knob literally came off in my hand while I was working the action on an  1891 Argentine Mauser that I inherited from my grandfather.   Everything I've seen and read on this rifle indicates that it is a weaker action than the later Mausers.
 
I think Silver is right.  Leave it as it is, instead of putting money into it.  Authentic experience is part of the fun of using an old rifle.  I would certainly have a gunsmith check it before shooting it or hunting with it.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TPS_Phil Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/21/2008 at 01:13
The funny thing is my Dad gave it to me to sport it out for my son...  It was my dad's first hunting rifle and sat in the safe forever, so he thought it could be put to use....  Kind of hated the idea of it sitting in my safe forever, but that is why I asked the question. (sport or not)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bigdaddy0381 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/21/2008 at 07:23
Originally posted by TPS_Phil TPS_Phil wrote:

Thanks Beltfed and Silver for your responses,
 
I'm still leaning on sport, but you have me thinking....
 
Sport it. they are not worth much anyways.Not saying yours in not a nice one but ingeneral they will not bring anything over $400. so sport it and let the kid have a blast with it ( get it have a blast).  I would cut the front site off and re crown it. drill adn tape from a scope.( very hard metals) rake the blot back. Pick up a sporter stock.
 
Then post pic's.
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cyborg Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/21/2008 at 07:59
I agree, Sporterize it. The less weight for the kid the better. I would as suggested have it checked out for defects by a gunsmith first though. It'd be a shame to spend money on it and find out after the fact.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote silver Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/21/2008 at 08:30
How big is the kid? If he is not big enough to run around with 9 pounds of Mauser, then get him another gun until he is.  I think that having a rifle JUST like grandpa had is more important than a few pounds.  I think the experince of hunting just like grandpa is more important than a few pounds to both he and grandpa.  At some point that is what he will want, and you can't put humpty dumpty back together again.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bigdaddy0381 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/21/2008 at 08:42
Ether way the child will have a good rifle with memories.I would let a smith take a good look at it for stress cracks and all the other little things that can happen to older rifles.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ed Connelly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/29/2008 at 09:15

I would just leave the rifle alone--all nine pounds of it--and just enjoy it from a deer stand.  If you particularly wanted one for trekking around with--try to find a carbine.

I always liked those slick old actions.  I would just oil it up and make it nice and clean and use it.
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 8shots Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/29/2008 at 09:22
We have thousands of old military surplus 303's with full length stocks etc floating around in South Africa. The only guys who use them and have fun with them are those that sporterized them. The rest are collecting dust somewhere.
Unless you are a collector, sporterize it. Otherwise it will gather more dust as soon as the novelty wears off. Or sell it to the collectors and buy a cheapo for your son to use.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mauserdoc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/29/2008 at 11:14
A lot of opinions--however, you may do better to see what the perspective is in one of the collectors forums like gunboards. I have 250 old mausers--mostly swedish, and a lot of these old guns are really works of art. Clearly, I am a collector. However, I take rifles that have been sporterized or otherwise messed up and continue the process into something useful. It is hard for me to believe an 1891 weighs  9 pounds. There are about a million options for sporterized rifles and many of them much more useful for most hunting than the argentine round. Contrary to what some of the posters say, some of these old guns are bringiing upwards of 800-1000 depending on if they have a crest etc.
 
If you sporterized it, you will immediately drop its value to no more than 200$ at the most--believe me, I know.
 
I would suggest leaving the gun like it is. Then your son can carry it out in the woods and know that when he looks down the barrell, he is looking at exactly what granddad did and experiencing what granddad did. If you want it more shootable, put a pistol scope on it using an aftermarket sight base.
 
Then get your son a nice rifle that has already been sporterized--these are great values--I have 20-30 such rifles and have paid less than 150$ for almost all of them. A sporterized swedish mauser is a much lighter and more shootable and more useful gun than an argentine.
 
I have an old winchester 22 pump circa about 1905... the stock is held together with string and nails. The bluing and buttplate are gone. Grandads initials are carved in the stock. The rifle was too dirty to function, but now shoots great. Grandad died 30 years ago and the gun is no different than when he used it as a kid in south dakota. My boys can see pictures that are 90 years of  granddad shooting it when he was thier age.
 
Please leave it alone because you will be happiest in the long run that way. I have ruined so many guns by sporterizing--easy to destroy 100 years of history in 10 minutes. Have regretted about every one.
 
Good luck and keep us posted. Mauserdoc
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TPS_Phil Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/29/2008 at 12:24
So far it is still sitting in my office!  Not sure on what to do and it is in awesome condition.  The serial numbers match for the stock and receiver, but doesn't have the rod.  Asked dad about it, but he doesn't remember it having one when he purchased it....
 
It is in collectors condition, so it will sit in my office for awhile....
 
Thanks everyone for your responses...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tip69 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/30/2008 at 11:49
What kind of ammo could you use in that thing - I don't think I want to use anything current without a smith checking it out - especially for a kid!
take em!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mauserdoc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/30/2008 at 17:53
good point. There aren't gas ports on the bolt and it has the potential to have a lot of issues. Certainly nice rifles historically, but aren't nearly as safe as later models--you need to get ammo that doesn't have high pressure. Most commercial ammo is ok for the gun as commercial makers make it safe for the common guns it may be put through--like an 1891--if you want to make your own hot ammo, do it in a 1909. Mauserdoc
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