7mm-06

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bigbird34

New member
Hello Gentlemen, Happy New Year !
I have a 7mm-06 (not a misprint) it is a 1908 Brazilian Mauser Action with double set triggers,in a nice walnut stock,with a Harry McGowan Barrel ,that was a heavy barrel,but someone trimmed it down to an Octagon to lighten the barrel,but never re-blued it,so it is shiny silver color.
The gun is very interesting,and I like the way it feels in my hands,and the looks of the overall project....but should I finish it ????

I need some 7mm-06 dies.
I need to have the barrel polished and blued.
I would like the Mauser safety removed and a Remington style safety installed,but I'm not sure what I would need to purchase,for a safety for the double set triggers to make this work !
And I would want the action bedded,assuming I buy this rifle .

Any and all thought would be greatly appreciated !











Thank-you Jim
 
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Art Eatman

Staff in Memoriam
I guess I'd start by checking for the fit in an '06 die, if you have any 7mm-'06 brass. If it's okay, send a case to RCBS and have them make a sizing die. (Any 7mm-08 seating die will work, even good-used.)

As far as the safety, I'd have to talk to a gunsmith who regularly works on Mausers. :)

Oh: Wouldn't hurt to have a chamber cast made.
 
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math teacher

New member
You might consider a Gentry safety from gentrycustom.com or an Ed LaPour safety from edlapourgunsmithing.com. They are three position safeties. I would have the maker install them. I have a Gentry on my Rem. 700 installed by Dennis Gentry. LaPour does not make one for the 700.
 
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steveNChunter

New member
What's the difference between that and the .280 Rem?
Click to expand...

That's what I was wondering. I'd get it set back (if necessary) and rechambered to .280 AI. Also check the twist rate. It may or may not be suitable for whatever bullet you want to shoot
 
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math teacher

New member
Remington set the shoulder of the 280 out a hair further so it would not chamber in a 270. It might be easier in the long run to have a 280 reamer run into his chamber. Then it would not be a hand loading only option.
 
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William T. Watts

New member
1909 Argentine mauser 7.65

By the time you make all the modifications trigger, safety, barrel polished and blued your going to have a wad of money in the rifle. The rifle will still be 100 years old, you can never be too careful when your dealing with a rifle this old. I've already gone thru some of the same issues with two Argentine mauser's, my action was a series A which meant it was in the first shipment of rifles to be sent to Argentina. My action series (A) developed a head space problem before 50 rounds had been fired, son's action series (E) after several hundred rounds appears to be O.K. Unless you know a very good gunsmith and trust him it will be a crap shoot, It would be wiser and probably cheaper to go with a modern firearm. If you don't know what your doing don't, especially when it comes to modifying a safety, lots of things can go wrong and often do.. If you decide to purchase this rifle I wouldn't shoot anything heavier than suggested starting loads to be safe.. William
 
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Jim Watson

New member
You are not going to get a "Remington style safety" with German style double set triggers. The least expensive route would be a Buehler or DT scope safety that works the same as the Mauser "wing" safety but in a short arc on one side of the action. The fancy approach would be one of the "Model 70" fore and aft safety levers working in a modified Mauser bolt sleeve. That may be what math teacher is describing.

Note that the stock is notched out for a "Remington style safety". Either it was a stock on hand or the DSTs were put in to replace a Sako or Timney trigger.

I have read that, as William describes, some of the Argentine Mausers of the era are soft by modern standards. Is the Brazilian? I don't know. Do you have a gunsmith who can tell?

As said, a pass with a .280 reamer and a standard set of dies might be the easy way to ammo. There is plenty of data and the .280 is a bit milder than .270 to start with. But if you called the 7mm '06 by its other name, .285 OKH, it would sound more adventurous.
 
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oldscot3

New member
Were it mine, I'd be trying to figure out if I could set the barrel back enough to rechamber to 7x57. Seems like a natural for an '08 Brazilian.

Can't hurt to keep the pressure down just a bit, handload the 7mm06 or switch to 280 or 7x57. 280 AI gets gains from additional capacity and a little more pressure.
 
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Colt46

New member
What I wouldn't give for a Remington 7mm-06

Right around 1980 they rebranded the .280 Rem into the 7 MM Remington Express. They even had some rifles that left the factory with 7mm-06. The whole fiasco eventually ended with them going back to .280 Remington.
Sometimes big green is its own worst enemy.
I can only imagine the collector value of a factory marked 7mm-06.

Custom rifles, that need work done, tend to become expensive hobbies. Still, I love the double sets and that octagonal barrel.
 
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Jim Watson

New member
Yes, they should have left well enough alone. The originating legend was that they brought out the .280 for the 742 automatic as a round with the same chamber pressure as .30-06 so as to not overstress the auto with the hotter .270 Win. Which had the wrong brand name anyhow.

The .280 Rem is not a 7mm '06 and should not be confused with one.
And when they called it a 7mm Rem Express, they ran into customers and store clerks who did not know the difference between a 7mm Express and a 7mm Magnum.
 
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BumbleBug

New member
Depending on the price, that looks like a beautiful rifle & a great project!

I say stick with the 7mm-06 especially since dies are not a big problem. Remember, if you set the barrel back for a re-chamber the 'smith has to get the octagon aligned again too. You may find that you don't mind the safety, if not, you can find someone to replace it after you've shot & learned to love the rest of the rifle.

JIMHO...

...bug :)
 
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TATER

New member
Am I seeing a non-symmetrical contour change on that barrel, Just at the forearm? If so, That thing is going to do wild things as it heats-up. I'm Thinking,
 
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hooligan1

New member
James, double triggers...haven't seen Timney double triggers set, yet...
Buehler style safety or Gentry model 70 wing would be nice.
 
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oldscot3

New member
Natman, I doubt it was rechambered from 7x57 to 7mm06. The op said it had a heavy barrel cut to octagonal. The original barrel wouldn't lend itself to that.
 
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bigbird34

New member
Thank-you for your input gentlemen !

I don't own the gun "yet" ! I'm trying to see if my friends, friend will sell his dies.
If I do buy this gun and the barrel is removed to blue it,and the gunsmith thinks it should be re-chambered,I'd go with a 280 AI.
Since it is not my gun "yet" I will not disassemble the bolt to see if I can install a RH safety versus the LH safety that is on the gun presently ....a Remington style safety would have to have a different trigger installed,which would take the fun out of the build .I have always wanted a double set trigger rifle.

It is an interesting rifle,and god knows I don't need it,but it will keep me from being bored this winter !:D

Happy New Year !

Jim
 
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