reloading 7.65x53/54

[awful1]

i just bought an 1891 argentine mauser and i lave a lee turret press. does anyone reload it? i saw an old post on it but wanted to talk to someone directly that has reloaded it, and what they do. as there seems to be some differences

 

[John from MD]

Well, I used to back in the day. 1891's are nice handling rifles. I used to make by brass out of 30-06 brass. You can do this several ways, the easiest is to buy a Redding case forming die (if they still make them). With those, you lube a case and run it into the die. Then you cut the extruded part off with a fine tooth hacksaw. After that, you chamfer the case and anneal it (if you want it to last a few firings.

Now for bullets. The 7.65x 53( or 7.65 Mauser bore takes bullets from .311 to .313. You will have to slug your barrel to find out what it likes to eat.

For loads, I loaded either 10 grains of Red Dot or 16 grains of 2400 which would give me @1500 FPS. The bullet I used was a Lyman 314299 which dropped at 200gns and was very accurate in the 1891.

Hope this helps.

 

[awful1]

Well, I used to back in the day. 1891's are nice handling rifles. I used to make by brass out of 30-06 brass. You can do this several ways, the easiest is to buy a Redding case forming die (if they still make them). With those, you lube a case and run it into the die. Then you cut the extruded part off with a fine tooth hacksaw. After that, you chamfer the case and anneal it (if you want it to last a few firings.

Now for bullets. The 7.65x 53( or 7.65 Mauser bore takes bullets from .311 to .313. You will have to slug your barrel to find out what it likes to eat.

For loads, I loaded either 10 grains of Red Dot or 16 grains of 2400 which would give me @1500 FPS. The bullet I used was a Lyman 314299 which dropped at 200gns and was very accurate in the 1891.

Hope this helps.

Well that definitely helps. I guess what I'm trying to decide is if it's worth putting the time and effort into it vs could I resell it and make enough to buy a newer hunting rifle that ammo is much more available for.

I mean, I like that it's an antique. I like older stuff. I think they are in many ways "built different" back then. But if it's too much trouble, I don't really have the time for another project. If I can buy brass and just reload it like anything else, it would be better.

 

[Melnic]

The economics of reloading or buying is sometimes availability vs cost vs accuracy.
I don't like PPU ammo and often that is all you can get for calibers like this.
I should say PPU brass is good but often with odd calibers, they under size the bullet severely.

I reloaded with a .312" 174gr BTHP Hornady 3130G bullet.
I used that for 303 brit as well
My load was IMR4895 40gr and my notes say shot good POA for my Argentine Carbine @ 2230fps
The Carbine I got CHEAP at a show for I think $275 and its worth more than that.
I shot it originally with some surpus ammo and my load shot pretty close POI as POA as did the surplus.
Carbine is not antique, missed it by a few years. but I have a Long rifle Arg that is antique but the bore is not very nice at all. Have yet to shoot it.

Vid of the carbine with that surplus ammo

 

[Biggfoot44]

The Questions for yourself :

Do you like Argentine Rifles on purpose ?

Do you like turn of 20th Century - ish milsurps on purpose ?

Are you looking for hunting as a major parameter ?

Are you a Cosmoline Sniffer ?


If a combination of #2 & #3 , there are better answers . To wit , rifles chambered in ctg with ( non ammo panic ) multiple commercial availablity of hunting ammo . A bunch were imported in 1940s - 70s . A buncha them were sporterized in '40s - '70s .

1st - Any of several 7 x 57 Mausers , of wide ranges of vintages .

2nd - Any of uncountable variations of. 8 x 57 Mausers .

3rd - Any of the usual suspects SMLE in .303 . Downrated to 3rd , only because of prices creeping up . Balllisticly is excellent .

 

[awful1]

The Questions for yourself :

Do you like Argentine Rifles on purpose ?

Do you like turn of 20th Century - ish milsurps on purpose ?

Are you looking for hunting as a major parameter ?

Are you a Cosmoline Sniffer ?


If a combination of #2 & #3 , there are better answers . To wit , rifles chambered in ctg with ( non ammo panic ) multiple commercial availablity of hunting ammo . A bunch were imported in 1940s - 70s . A buncha them were sporterized in '40s - '70s .

1st - Any of several 7 x 57 Mausers , of wide ranges of vintages .

2nd - Any of uncountable variations of. 8 x 57 Mausers .

3rd - Any of the usual suspects SMLE in .303 . Downrated to 3rd , only because of prices creeping up . Balllisticly is excellent .

I didn't understand most of that. I just need a decent affordable hunting rifle. I paid $150 for it and it seems to function fine as far as I can tell. Prvi ammo seems decent enough, but expensive (but what isn't these days?)
So as long as I can get ammo and/or reload without it being too much of a pita, I'll probably just keep it. Just need a sling. I'll post pics when I can

Also Note: I wouldn't even attempt to shoot a deer at anything further than about 50 yards

 

[Biggfoot44]

Ok then !

Plan B - 7.65 x 53 180 soft point hunting ammo is $ 27 box at SGAmmo .

 

[awful1]

Ok then !

Plan B - 7.65 x 53 180 soft point hunting ammo is $ 27 box at SGAmmo .

yeah, even though im in my late 30s im new to hunting, i dont trust myself over 50 yards. plus i just watched a video where a guy was shooting at 700 yards with prvi ammo. so if i miss... its not the ammos fault