doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion German & Austrian Sporting Guns @ doublegunshop.com I need to say something

I have always admired German firearms and I own three. I suppose a portion of the reason is that I am moslty German, near 80%. However, I really had no appreciation for them until I joined this site and began learning more about the trade in Germany, the builders, the innovation and the incredible craftsmanship displayed. I knew it was there all the time but it had been overshadowed by the British firearm industry, and sadly ignored by me.

All of that was to say this, I want to thank all you guys who have taken the time to learn so much about the German firearms industry and your willingness to share that hard won knowledge. I am most appreciative. I also want to lay a little blame on you....hehe. The spark for firearms has been rekindled and specifically German firearms. I have ordered a German combination gun in 43 Mauser and 16 bore. It should arrive next week and after I examine it and make a decision whether to keep it or not I'll post pices.

Sharps,
Are you sure that it is 43 Mauser? You know there were like 120 variation based off that cartridge & may possibly having you learning about case forming to fit your chamber, but that half the fun in bringing these old materpieces back to life! Chamber casts are a must in these old guns, then you just have to figure what you can rework to fit. The old H Scherping D/R I am working right now has a .548 groove dia. & the case length is only 1.4", had to make cartridges from Brass 24 ga shot shells. It's half the FUN!

m-4

m-4, I am "told" it is a 43 Mauser. There is a 10 day grace/examination period. I've been shooting a 43 Mauser in a double for about 20 years now so I have brass and molds with which to compare and am "fairly familiar" with a few of the variations in bore diameter and case dimensions. Fortunately for me the double is pretty much the standarized military 43 Mauser cartridge. The cases and molds I bought worked fine. There's a quantity of Cerrosafe just waiting to be used to make another chamber cast. I agree with you, absolutely and completely, that a goodly portion of the pleasure of owning vintage firearms is in the bringing them back to life. I do hope the rifle barrel of this cape gun works with my current batch of loaded cartridges, then it will just be a matter of finding a load that will work. If not, then you and I share boat space....lol.

I know exactly what you meen! I also have a H Scherping D/R in .43 Mauser & its nice to have something that is sort of off the shelf. That being said I also have several of his other guns that are variation of that cartridge.

M-4

Well...I just received a little more info on the Cape gun. It is indeed a 43 Mauser case. There's an "issue" already. The bullet for my double mics .447-8 and according to them the groove to groove on this rifle is .438. Ahh...the challange begins....lol!.

I have one that the groove dia. is .410 & the shoulder is pushed back, & this is exactly what I was getting at.

m-4

ouch....don't reckon I'll be complaining about .438 then.

I don't remember who wrote it but a couple or three issues back there was an article in DGJ on the 43 Mauser. The author found bore diameters all over the place. I don't remember what, if anything, he said about the chambers. It will be interesting to see what a chamber cast turns up on this one.

M-4.410?
Sounds like a wonderful opportunity to use one of the many cast bullets for the 40-65! Way better selection than the .43 as well.

Check out http://www.westernbullet.com/castbullets.html, they cary a slug that goes .439 for the .43 spanish

Eventually you also end up with enough molds, dies, etc that you can make almost anything work.

Cheers,

Tom