Portuguese M1904 Mauser (Re barrel)

[bigduke6]

Although in the UK i knew getting an original barrel was out the question.
I had just recieved an order from Lothar Walther and 2 of the barrels were K98 reproductions these are excellent Finished barrels ready to be Blued and screwed on the action they are threaded and chambered and for the price, are excellent value for money.
One of these would be used for the project,first was getting the old barrel off, all normal methods were used but had to revert to filing two flats on either side of barrel and using the vise and extension on the action wrench after some sweat and four letter words it went,


As you see the original was a tapered barrel, before we go any further this mauser was originaly a 6.5x57 it was converted to 7.92 in the thirties, i am led to believe that the original barrel was drilled, rifled and re chambered ?
Other problem i had was the threads were a smaller diameter plus there was a recess on original for the bolt head.


The taper wasnt an issue i would relieve the stock so the stepped barrel would fit, frst job was to remove existing threads on K98 barrel and re thread

As shown the barrel now threaded to correct diameter it had to taken back and recessed


That was the work complete now all remainded was to increase the chamber length and fit to action and headspace, pics shows nogo gauge inserted and bolt not closing, After final checks i indexed the barrel and action as i was goin to remove it for bluing.


Barrel removed and compared with New K98,converted K98 and original,


Next step was the blue, Normaly i would rust blue but as with the action in original blued condition i decided to try and match it using a cold blue paste, plus i would be shooting it and it would be on display and i wanted a good match. I went for the cold blue (birchwood casey perma blue paste) as i had used it before with good results (it has to be spotless and handle with gloves, i do this kind of bluing between centres on the lathe to avoid any contact)

Once complete the barrel and action were built up final head space check and, all was well.


There wasnt much wood to take out the stock and after a final sand the stock and handgaurd mated ,



The final thing was the rear and forward sight the old rear sight base was a smaller diameter to use on the K98 barrel, so a k98 or variation was ordered as the plan is to scope it with a long eye relief scope.
am awaiting rear sight base , will update progress and pics of finished article.
(for any UK forum members i am a RFD) so the nature of this work is Legal.

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