1908 Brazil 7mm

While upacking inventory in our new house, would you believe I actually forgot I had these rifles?!? :nono: (Is it possible to have too many?)

I was trying to determine how many (or if) I had 7mm Mauser rifles, as I found a bunch of 7mm projectiles (139gr 7mm Mauser FMJBT) ready to reload. Not only did I discover those projectiles, but also (re-)discovered my two 7mm rifles, an 1895 Chilean (Lowe) and 1908 Brazilian (DWM), and additionally, a bunch of ammo that I had reloaded several years ago from further stock of those same projectiles, along with about 1,500 rounds of WW2 FN 7mm Mauser ammo, Berdan primed.

Time to take these babies out to the range and make some more empty cases! :thup:

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...tside_re-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...rtside1a-1.jpg

For some reason, I've always preferred the earlier model. But they don't show up in almost new condition very often any more.

The photo illustrates very well the difference in profile between the older "slim-line" Chilean and the slightly plumper Brazilian - which I find a very comfortable rifle to shoot.

---------- Post added at 11:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:18 AM ----------

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Originally Posted by alamo308

Is it possible to have too many?

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The usual problems are too little: time, money and space:D

I just do not recall many nice Brazilian M98's. I have seen piles of beaters, but you found a keeper.

Despite it's age, it is the best shooting rifle I have ever enjoyed. Check to make sure it was not a restamped OVS rifle as some of the Boer rifles were diverted to Chile. This would command a significantly higher value.!

Thanks for all the positive comments. These really are some nice-looking examples. The pictures do not do them justice. Did I mention they are both all-matching s/n and mirror-bright, clean bores?

I have both rifles and several selections of ammo (the WW2 FN, some commercial "Frontier" brand, and my reloads) ready to head to the range tomorrow morning, Friday, if the weather holds. A nice way to start the weekend. Range opens at 10AM. I plan to start at 100 yards to see how close the front sights windages are (and adjust sight picture accordingly), and then - maybe - move to the 200- and 300-yard berms. Report to follow...

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Originally Posted by Calif-Steve

I just do not recall many nice Brazilian M98's. I have seen piles of beaters, but you found a keeper.

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No surprise, since the Brazilian model was the M1908, not the Gew. 98! I agree, most of the Gew. 98s one sees are pretty beaten up, thanks to WW1, but the M1908s are frequently in "arsenal mint" condition. A large number were imported to Germany in as-new condition, and were available with matching bayonets in their scabbards!

Those are nice, baby! I picked up an '08 Brazil a few years ago. It is a "B" gun, but really shoots well. What you have are collector grade.

jn

Range Report: https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=39244
:thup:

I saw a pile of Brazilian barreled receivers 1-2 years ago. All in .30-'06 and in poor condition. Perhaps 200(?) or more. Not a single 7mm in the pile. Really mint Brazilian Mausers likely never left the depot where they were stored in 1908. Nice find today.

Attachment 36672Attachment 36673I’m glad to see there are others out there that truly appreciate the pre-WW1 contract built Mausers. Alamo308 you have a couple nice examples there. I especially like the walnut grain in the 1895 Chilean. The Mauser factory had to work to get the contracts for their rifles. They built works of art. The finest military bolt rifles ever built are the 1908 Brazilian and the 1909 Peruvian. The 1909 Argentine are also quite nice and maybe a little easier to find in high condition these days. TJmoore and Patrick Chadwick point out the differences in the 1895 and the 1898 actions. The 95 is so gracefully slender and handles so well, yet the 98 in 7mm shoots smooth due to the added weight and the perfection of the design of the cartridge itself. The 1908 Brazilian is my favorite of all these. I can’t imagine what it would cost in todays dollars to build these again. I would like to share photos of my Brazilian, I bought sold and traded many to finally come across this one. Notice how the receiver, bolt and inner workings were left in the white, yet the bolt release lever and the sight slide were a magical deep violet blue.

I have a couple 1895's and 1908's I shoot but these photos are one I believe never saw the light of day from the time it got to the Brazilian arms room until imported to the USA. I cleaned the grease from the bolt face to discover what looks like the original appearance of the hardened metal and not a sign of the head of a cartridge ever striking it. I'll stop gushing now...but you can tell I am very partial to these pre-WW1 German Mausers.:oAttachment 36674Attachment 36675

Everyone thinks the Argentine-contract 98's are the best. But, as you can see, the mint Brazilian-contract Mausers were top notch in all regards. The French Army Museum in Paris has a mint Turk 98 Muaser, catptured at Gallipoli. All made to very high pre-WWI standards.

Who contracted the pre WW1 Turkish mausers? The only ones I have experience with are the ANKRA (I think) crest marked ones made in Turkey. Those I've seen are pretty well used up. I have seen some very nice Persian rifles I think they were CZ made.

Very few of the original DWM Turk Mausers survived in mint condition. They were made in 7.65 caliber and were are re-built in the mid-1930's into 8mm Mausers. Finding a mint Turk Mauser is not going to happen. I did see one in Paris, France. It is the only original Turk I have ever seen. Likely 1-2 still in Turkey, none here, that I know of.