Want information on the Spanish Mauser? Read ahead to discover if the Spanish Mausers are still safe to shoot…
People often wonder if the Spanish Mauser from the 19th century can be utilized for shooting or are they just ornamental guns. It is often noted, as well, that the Spanish Mauser is marked for the 7.62 NATO, but is advertised as being capable of firing 0.308 Winchester ammunition.
In order to decipher the utility of the Spanish Mauser it is best to understand the origin and history behind the gun. Once you have that figured out you will understand how to use a different cartridge and reload it.
A century ago Spain was on the cutting edge of technology and often looked for new rifles to use in battle. The main issue related to finding a reliable magazine fed gun that would function as a repeater and utilize smokeless powder. That meant that the only gun that would fit the specifications would be a small caliber weapon which would use jacketed bullets as ammunition.
Furthermore in order for it to be effective in the battle field this rifle would have to be convenient enough to field strip without using any tools. As with any other ammunition its reassembly was required to be very easy, essentially foolproof.
German Paul Mauser Commissioned for the Spanish Mauser
Most of the arms and ammunition manufacturers of that time shied away from this requirement but the German manufacturers of firearms Paul Mauser took on the task.
Since Mauser had already been improving their original single shot black powder rifle model from 1871 they had already started innovating and removing all weaknesses which had been identified in their original design.
Quick fixes were shunned and redoing the design to perfection was made the focus of their efforts. The design was changed subtly to incorporate the new system. The gun was upgraded to reflect the fact that it could be used with smokeless gunpowder in the new age.
Since the breech pressures were greatly enhanced with the use of smokeless powder, Paul Mauser actually upgraded the metallurgy as well as the heat treatment on his rifles to incorporate these changes. This is perhaps one of the most important points when it comes to understanding the construction of the Spanish Mauser.
Interestingly enough, when the Spanish conducted the trials for the rifle the 1893 model Paul Mauser was ready and it was selected from among all the other rifles, leaving no doubt that it was the best Spanish rifle of the 19th century.
The Spanish Mauser was adopted by the Crown in 1893. The reason it is the most well-known Mauser is because of the accuracy and technical advances made by the manufacturer on the model 93.
In fact Mauser was the first to introduce the staggered row as well as the integral box magazine which is flooded with the rifles stock. It became famous during the Spanish-American war of 1898, when it forced the US to replace its ammunition to match the famed accuracy of the Spanish Mauser.
Origins of the Spanish Mauser
Mauser is actually a German manufacturer of arms and ammunition. They are famous for their bolt action rifles as well as pistols from the 1870′s to present times. Originally their designs were constructed for the German armed forces.
However they have been commissioned by different countries to produce their bolt action rifles and different pistols. They have exported and licensed different manufacturers from the late 19th century onwards. Not only was the company known for its war ammunition, it was also popular as a civilian firearms manufacturer.
