1895 Mauser 9.3x62 Conversion?

[Thicklet]

I found a Chilean Mauser for a decent price and have the itch to get into big calibers.
I’m a history buff and wouldn’t dare ruin a piece of history, but a previous owner sporterized the heck out of it. Sporter stock, barrel chopped to 20 inches, the whole 9.
So would it be difficult or prohibitively expensive to convert a 7x57 to 9.3x62?
Thanks in advance!

 

[bruce moulds]

not worth the money on a 95, or any number under 98.
for what is will cost a 98 won't be cheap, but it will be a good rifle if done properly.
bruce.

 

[USMA84DAB]

I have found that 7.62x63s do not feed well in intermediate action length M98s, like the VZ24. Get a full size one like a 1938 Turk Mauser. They are cheaper on the whole than k98, etc..

Bruce is right - it will be a labor of love/custom building - much cheaper alternatives exist.

9.3x62 is grand, but look at new .375 Ruger - .30-06 length action and a touch faster than .375 H&H.

 

[John P.]

No! You will be disappointed besides having an unsafe rifle.

M98 for sure. I have a 9.3x62 on a M98 in progress.

Squaring the sights prior to silver soldering:

 

[OxfordTheCat]

The idea that the rifle would be unsafe is perhaps a little specious, given that there are probably more 9.3x62s built on the small ring Mauser action than any other rifle action.

But that said I can't see why you'd bother with the project.

Dozens upon dozens of factory sporter and commercial 9.3x62 rifles available for less than the price of something like a Remington 700 at Cabelas.

 

[bruce moulds]

using a 95 action would seem safer if pressures were kept to original 7x57 levels.
not sure what cip pressure is for factory loaded 9.3 x 62 ammo which could end up in the gun.
or worse yet un pressure tested handloads.
bruce.

 

[fourfive8]

I just looked it up and the working pressure for the 9.3x62 is listed as 56,500

 

[bruce moulds]

458,
i think that might be higher than original 7x57?
bruce.

 

[fourfive8]

Oh ya, higher by a few thou psi. I've seen so called standard MAPs for the the 7x57 vary between about 46,000 and 49,000 psi. I looked at some data for one batch of 7x57 issued ammo for the M93 at over 51,000 psi. The folks shooting that probably just made some passing comment like, "wow, that stuff has some punch!". Probably could get away with those variations with little real danger of burst or catastrophic failure but I wouldn't push it up against the margins, as you pointed out with the real outlier unknowns, handloads! I imagine there are a lot of older Mauser (and probably other makes as well) bolt guns out there that have added a few thousandths of lug setback from continuous firing of those higher pressure rounds. I shoot a 7x57 M1895 quite a bit and happily keep it around 40,000 psi according to the data I use. I'm quite certain it would not fail from shooting higher pressure loads, but no need for it- specifically given the likely effect of cumulative lug setback over time.

Most of us who have some experience with a lot of older bolt rifles have noticed that a few will have a shallow "divot" feel when the lugs are turned into full battery. The last rifle I felt that "divot" in was by all accounts a pretty tough and hard customer, (metallurgically) - a Winchester Model 70 in 30-06 DOM about 1990. Someone had tried to "enhance" the ballistics, I'm sure

 

[Scrumbag]

Would not have thought worth going large on an 1895 Mauser.