What guns do you own?

[maximusslade]

I did have a smithy check the headspacing for 30.06. He told me it spaced fine. Or are you talking a whole different process?

[Shamus]

Max,

If I might make a suggestion here I would have a gunsmith make a Cerro-safe casting of the chamber of your rifle.This will let you check the actual dimensions of the chamber and make sure that it's headspaced properly.Better safe than sorry.....been on the sorry side a couple of times....it's painful....

[gunnut]

This is my thought at the moment, and if I am an idiot please someone let me know.

I have had some experience reloading in the past. I reloaded 30/06 rounds for my old man and i to hunt and target shoot. So I have the equipment for that. I looked around at 303 rounds produced by guys like Hornandy and Speer (if/when I find 7.65mm reload bullets I would definatly use those). Bullet weights are similar if not the same. Now for chamber pressure. My thought (and plan if I go this route) is to use a factorylike 30/06 powder load. Same bullet weight with an appropriately sized bullet should produce similar (and within safety) pressures as a factory 30/06 load shouldnt it?

If this isn't the case, how does one determine chamber pressure exactly?

I just checked this website:

Cartridge Loads - Hodgdon Reloading Data Center - data.hodgdon.com

Lots of good load data. Unfortunately no chamber pressure is listed for 7.65mm Mauser, which I assume is the original chambering for your rifle.

[gunnut]

You shoulda bought a lottery ticket that day. Your luck was running good since it didn't blow up on you!

Luck had nothing to do with it. The rifle was robust and over-built to be a real battlefield implement. A few rounds like that won't break it...or so I've heard.

The information I found on the net was that a gunsmith would install a valve to control the gas flowing back to kick the bolt open, delaying it long enough for the chamber pressure to drop to a safe level. What I think the error in that approach is the max chamber pressure of a 7.62mm NATO is still 50% higher than a 7.5mm French. Every round fired through that gun is like a proof round. Eventually the rifle will break. I do not want to be near it when that happens.

I wish I could have researched it 10 years ago when I bought it and saved myself a few hundred dollars.

[Blue]

Also be very careful with the chamber pressure.

I have a MAS 49/56 that was converted from 7.5mm French to 7.62mm NATO. It had some cycling issues. I did some research and found that the pressure of the 7.62mm NATO is almost 50% higher than 7.5mm French. That caused the bolt to open prematurely and the high pressure.......

You shoulda bought a lottery ticket that day. Your luck was running good since it didn't blow up on you!

[maximusslade]

This is my thought at the moment, and if I am an idiot please someone let me know.

I have had some experience reloading in the past. I reloaded 30/06 rounds for my old man and i to hunt and target shoot. So I have the equipment for that. I looked around at 303 rounds produced by guys like Hornandy and Speer (if/when I find 7.65mm reload bullets I would definatly use those). Bullet weights are similar if not the same. Now for chamber pressure. My thought (and plan if I go this route) is to use a factorylike 30/06 powder load. Same bullet weight with an appropriately sized bullet should produce similar (and within safety) pressures as a factory 30/06 load shouldnt it?

If this isn't the case, how does one determine chamber pressure exactly?

[gunnut]

Also be very careful with the chamber pressure.

I have a MAS 49/56 that was converted from 7.5mm French to 7.62mm NATO. It had some cycling issues. I did some research and found that the pressure of the 7.62mm NATO is almost 50% higher than 7.5mm French. That caused the bolt to open prematurely and the high pressure still in the chamber held the case inside.

I wanted to reload some low pressure 7.62mm NATO rounds just for this rifle. Then I found out the time required is just not worth the effort. Ultimately I gave up on this project.

[maximusslade]

After staying up into the wee hours of the morning, what I have found that my best possible solution is to use the bullet used to reload the 303 British round, which (depending on bullet manufacture) is .3105" or .312". If anyone has a better bullet they think would work, please let me know.

[Blue]

Unforunately I've been doing some research (a little after the fact, I know) and it seems that the M1909 was originally chambered in 7.65mm. It also seems that US importers where rechambering these rifles in 30/06 Springfield (7.62mm) whilst keeping the original barrels in place.

Yep.

That being said, looking at some gun forums, everyone says that the conversion is "innacurate,"

Yep.

but does that extra 0.03mm really make that much of a difference?

Sure does. You should also experience lower advertised velocities for the cartridge.

I wish I could tell you myself, but I am still looking for a public firing range in the great state of Connecticut that doesnt require a week long safety course or other such hippy crap to just sight in my rifle.

That sounds ridiculous.

I have also heard of folks opening up the neck of the '06 case and reloading with a .31 cal bullet to fire in these converted rifles.

And there's your fix. It is even simpler than that. You may not even need a bigger resizer. Just keep an eye your pressures when your reloading them. I would try to find someone that has already done it and has some data for it. I have some websites in my computer at home that have some really good databases for reloading. I'll try remember to send them to you later. PM me if you don't hear from me this weekend.

[maximusslade]

I am assuming so, the barrel and receiver numbers (and bolt) match. And since 30.06 is smaller than the 7.92mm Mauser, I should therefore conclude that it is the original chambering.

*EDIT*

Unforunately I've been doing some research (a little after the fact, I know) and it seems that the M1909 was originally chambered in 7.65mm. It also seems that US importers where rechambering these rifles in 30/06 Springfield (7.62mm) whilst keeping the original barrels in place.

That being said, looking at some gun forums, everyone says that the conversion is "innacurate," but does that extra 0.03mm really make that much of a difference? I wish I could tell you myself, but I am still looking for a public firing range in the great state of Connecticut that doesnt require a week long safety course or other such hippy crap to just sight in my rifle.

I have also heard of folks opening up the neck of the '06 case and reloading with a .31 cal bullet to fire in these converted rifles.

[gunnut]

Very nice! A DWM Mauser. Was it originally chambered in 30.06?

[maximusslade]

Hey guys. Just wanna show off my new rifle. I been waiting for it to come back from the smitty for a while.

M1909 Argentine Mauser stamped DEUTCHE WAFFEN-UND MUNITONSTABRIKEN. BERLIN. Numbers matching weapon factory chambered for 30.06. Mounted upon a Houge overmold stock. Scope friendly safety. Adjustable competition trigger. I CANT WAIT TO GET TO THE RANGE.

[Kernow]

I have a long gun lol

You have some very strange responses. Have you introduced yourself to the WAB yet, and given your credentials?

[DefenseNetworks]

I have a long gun lol

[Gallowglass]

In my small arsenal

HK 93A
Howa 1500 in 338 Winchester mag
Springfield Armory XD40
An old double barrel 12 gauge Mossburg (might of been owned by Helen Keller;) )

But my favorite - my 62 cal Fusil de Chasse flintlock muzzle loader