What do ya think

I just got of the horn to pick up this sporterized 1891 Argentine Mauser on Monday. Yeah I know, its been bubba'd but for the price I thought it would be a good starter rifle to get me going in Mausers. Hes about a two hour drive from me, but for the price I couldn't pass this up, plus gas is cheap. $100. I have a real nice Lee Enfield no4 mk1 and wanted to add another surplus rifle to shoot on range days this upcoming spring and summer. On top of that my dad had one of these in original configuration in the late 70's, but it was stolen when our house was burglarized. I thought it would be nice to bring one back in the family.
http://ingunowners.com/forums/long-g...rized-nwi.html

Nacho Man, Looks like a bargain. I had one very similar. They have the smoothest action. The only thing that drove me crazy was that they ground off the crest on these! Salt Flat

Not bad, been shortened 6 or 8 inches but done well. Might make a good deer rifle !..............

Its looks pretty clean. Stock, magazine, bolt, receiver and barrel have matching numbers. Going by a online reference it appears that it was manufactured in 1894. Stock looks great/no cracks, rifling still looks sharp, and crown looks unharmed. Action is smooth and trigger is pretty darn nice. I'll probably add a reproduction sling from liberty tree down the road. Can't wait to let the old man try it out at the range.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...ut6j7g9g-1.jpg

Now I've seen a few ads on armslist for the rifle in this sporting configuration which made me wonder if these rifles were bought and sporterized in lots. Here's what I found...
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...size_id5-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...size_id5-1.jpg

Looks like it was the way they did them.

Can't go wrong at that price !! If you don't reload, Privi Partizan ammo can be found for just under $20 bucks a box in 150 grn SSP, 174 grn FMJ and 180 grn SSP (save the brass).
Reloading can show remarkable results, with bullets from Hornady, Remington, Sierra, & Speer (150-180grn) plus a host of high dollar bullets from Barnes , Woodleigh and others.
I have just received a few hundred cast bullets (200 grn) that I'm going to experiment with and see how they do. Lower pressures are always better for these old mausers. Good Luck ! and range reports Please !!:D:thup:
I am going to assume it's still a 7.65x53 Argentine Mauser chambering for that one !

Yep, its still a 7.65. Gunshow coming up on friday so I'll pick up a few boxes to get the range report going.

Your rifle is really not a bubba job. I consider a bubba job to be "work" done on an individual rifle that is a poor attempt into making a nice military rifle look like a commercial rifle, which it never does. Your rifle was done at the factory in lots for shipment to the United States to be sold to hunters as sporting rifles. They were left in the original 7.65 x 53 Argentine. Notice that the barrel has been professionally shortened, a step cut into the last inch or so of the barrel, and the front sight re-installed. The barrel has also been nicely crowned. I have one just like it and it is a nice light, smooth, fast handling and accurate rifle. Mine shoots the newer FN made surplus ammo, designed for the 1909 Argentine without a hiccup; no excessive pressure signs at all. The hand loads I shoot in it are kept on the mild side just because I don't want to hammer the old gun unnecessarily, not because it can't take it.
xvigauge

nice looking rifle will be fun to shot as is an if you reload all the better

Hey I had a quick question. I bought a reproduction sling for a 1909 Argentine and im going to use it, should the buckle go to the top or bottom. Most of the pics online show the sling mounted with buckle forward toward the front sling loop. Wanted to confirm the correct orientation.

Best of my knowledge, buckle always goes closest to the bottom with the type that has the single loop on one end, buckle on the other.

Aragorn is correct. Almost all the online pics only show you what some other person today thought it ought to be, and in such cases the majority tend to copy what they see online. But repeated errors do not thereby become correct - the illusion of so-called "swarm intelligence".

However, there is one official photo from the Argentine National Archives on P.169 of Colin Webster's "Argentine Mauser Rifles". This shows an Argentine infantryman in a full parade get-up for the camera - and the sling buckle is at the bottom. This is the only photo that I have managed to find that seems to be from the period and authoritative.

Makes sense to me. A buckle at the top would press on the back of your wrist if you were firing the rifle. And even for parade purposes, the buckle at the top would be awkward for a smart "present arms".

Further support of what Aragorn wrote - the general applicability of the "buckle at bottom" setting.


If you look at the dust jacket of "Crown Jewels" you will see two Swedish soldiers posing for what is obviously a private photo, and the buckles are at the top.


But if you look at the inside cover and flyleaf (double page photo) you will see a more official photo of an entire troop - and every rifle sling that is visible has the buckle at the bottom.


Please note also that the ends are folded to the inside. Not (just) to look neat, but also to prevent the ends of the leather snagging on clothing etc.