Argentine mauser

[Junk Yard Dog]

They would have been 7.65x53mm Mauser. The .30-06 was done by who knows who once it was in this country. If it's wearing the original barrel then there could be a problem. The original bore diameter is .312 for the 7.65 round DWM chambered it for, .30-06 is .308. Some people just rechambered it to .30-06, others installed a commercial barrel, or surplus US M1903 barrel might have been used. All of this you need to determine, first by slugging the bore to determine it's bore diameter, next headspace check, this is critically important with a rimless round like .30-06. Check the receiver ring for cracking, some of these Bubbas think a barrel swap is a vice and pipe wrench job. The receiver wouldn't be an issue as the Argentine M1909 by DWM is a German GEW98 by another name, and one of the finest ever made until some Bubba screws it up. I do have one of the original Argentine 1909's in 7.65, fully matching numbers with crest, appears to have been lightly used, or never used while in service, and I have fired it.

[tomaustin]

build out a few rounds of ammo without the primer and powder. use them in your gun evaluation...don't put a live round anywhere near that thing until you are stone cold sure of what you have.............

[OHGUNNER]

Traded it years ago but I bought one in 1972. They were sold by Montgomery Ward for $69.99. Advertised as a "Mauser M/98/09 30.06 rifle". They had been "sporterized" and were advertised as having Argentine and German crests, hinged floor plate and turned down bolt. I took it to a local gunsmith and had it drilled, tapped and a scope mounted. The safety also had to be changed to clear the scope. It had the original stepped military barrel and sights but was simply stamped 30.06 as you describe. I shot it for years with both milsurp and commercial ammo and never had any trouble. I thought it shot well. When I was earning more money, I sold it to a friend and bought a nice commercial sporter. I do not know how to post a link but I can tell you where to look. Google the 1972 Montgomery Ward Spring and Summer Catalog and check Page 747. It is in the center of the page along with some other sporterized weapons. I always guessed that the 7.65 bore was "close enough" and it had been simply re-chambered. Good memory.

[Junk Yard Dog]

$496.09 in 2022 dollars, doesn't sound so cheap now in case anyone was thinking that's a great price for a sporterized Mauser. These Mausers were some of the nicest ones the company ever made, Ludwig Loewe, and later as DWM, not the sporter. Funny part is that the sporter, if still well preserved would go for around 350-400, so it didn't hold its value very well. Last few I saw or had offered to me went in that price range anyway. On the other hand, the original military rifles are in demand and sell at high prices compared to the nothing they sold for when they first came in.

[steelbuttplate]

Stick a .30-06 bullet in the muzzle, if it's the original barrel the bullet might slide in, if it's been changed it should leave small rifling marks and not go very far in the muzzle.