1891 Argentine made in Germany won't fire

[AlaskanUser]

Dad gave this gun to me just before he passed. I believe it should be firing the 6.5 Argentine Mauser ammunition but I can't even get a primer strike. I've taken the bold apart three times, everything appears solid and intact, no chip on the firing pin, firing pin spring is incredibly strong and I've reassembled it and screwed both parts back together correctly I believe according to the two videos I used.
Saw a post or video I didn't save and can't find again which detailed just how far you screw the two parts back into the retainer piece, if that word is correct. Is this gun specific as to exactly how many turns each piece goes in?
Were these guns rechambered into a more popular cartridge that I could try with a primed only brass case?
Thanks,
George in already cold and dark Alaska...

Information

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[usabaker]

I believe it should be firing the 6.5 Argentine Mauser ammunition but I can't even get a primer strike. I've taken the bold apart three times

How did you measure how far the firing pin extends out from the face of the bolt?

If you are not sure about the caliber, you should refrain from attempting to fire the rifle until you know. Normally a gunsmith would stamp the barrel (sometimes the receiver) with the new caliber if the rifle was rechambered or re-barreled. The only way to know for sure is to profile the barrel chamber by using cerrosafe chamber casting alloy. You can get the cerrosafe on Brownells.

[AlaskanUser]

No marks anywhere indicating it was rechambered and I'mI haven't measured the firing pin protrusion at all.. I have an end micrometer and can do that. I did notice that at first the pin was out about 1/8th of an inch and the second time there was no protrusion... the third time I reassembled it trying to follow the directions from the YouTube video the firing pin protrusion was just barely poking out... maybe 1/32".
I'm still looking for a good six or eight picture outline I saw a couple of days ago on assembling the two screw in parts but haven't found it. Of all the damn stuff I copy and print and i didn't do that one... heavy sigh. pretty sure it wasn't re-barreled because the year, the Modelo, and the Berlin, Germany all look old and authentic. I haven't researched any of the proof marks yet.
Would it hurt anything if I put an empty primed .308 case in just to test fire it that way?
George

How did you measure how far the firing pin extends out from the face of the bolt?

If you are not sure about the caliber, you should refrain from attempting to fire the rifle until you know. Normally a gunsmith would stamp the barrel (sometimes the receiver) with the new caliber if the rifle was rechambered or re-barreled. The only way to know for sure is to profile the barrel chamber by using cerrosafe chamber casting alloy. You can get the cerrosafe on Brownells.

[usabaker]

I have an end micrometer and can do that. I did notice that at first the pin was out about 1/8th of an inch and the second time there was no protrusion... the third time I reassembled it trying to follow the directions from the YouTube video the firing pin protrusion was just barely poking out...

The firing pin should be between .055" to .065" off the bolt face. You can use a Caliper depth blade to check this. .060" is about the same thickness as 15 sheets of printer paper stacked on top of each other. If this is an 1891 Mauser then the correct cartridge is the 7.65×53mm Mauser, putting a .308 case is not going to help you, the headspace will be different, .308 is much smaller. Pictures of the marking would help, but you should take the rifle to a Gunsmith.

[usabaker]

Here is a 1891 Argentine assembly/disassembly PDF

https://usabaker.files.wordpress.com...891-mauser.pdf

Page 2 Block 2 reads "In reassembly, take care to screw on cocking piece so that its rear surface is flush with the outer rear edge of the firing pin. "

[Aragorn243]

Stating the obvious here unless I missed something. The 1891 Mauser uses 7.65x53 Argentine round. Never heard of a 6.5 Argentine round.

[Daan Kemp]

6,5x57 was an excellent Mauser cartridge, almost identical to the later 257 Roberts. If the calibre is marked on the barrel it might still be in its original state as an 1891 Mauser in that calibre, not necessarily Argentine.

If the 6,5x57 cartridges fit the chamber without undue force, it might be the correct cartridge. You did check the cartridges you are using are 6.5x57? If so, measure the bore at the muzzle, it will immediately tell you if it is 6,5 or 7,35.
Check the chamber to see if there is a slight step where the cartridge case stops, measure length. Those two should give you an indication which cartridge.

When you have determined the correct cartridge, check to see if you have assembled the bolt correctly, by screwing the body and cocking piece fully together. It might be you haven't screwed the two together enough. I had the same problem with my Israeli K98, the gunsmith fixed it by one quick turn of the bolt and had a good laugh.

[AlaskanUser]

I'll adjust the bolt protrusion and try it today. Thanks
The factory PPU 7.65x53mm Argentine Mauser cartridges go into the chamber very easily. I understand that many military rifles have generous chamber dimensions to account for dirty battle conditions but it did make me wonder if the gun had been rechambered. I have no idea what a popular rechambering in this rifle would be or why someone would ruin the intrinsic value of one marked in Germany, which may increase it's value.

[AlaskanUser]

disregard.....

[usabaker]

Barrel and receiver serial numbers match but barrel mics out to .3 inch = 7.62
disregard.....

Just curios, how are to taking that measurement? Did you slug the barrel?