excessive headspace

[ed h]

What is the easiest / cheapest way to correct excessive headspace on a 7mm Mauser? The 95 action looks pretty good. It still has the stepped military barrel. Would it be better to re-barrel, set back the existing barrel (the bore looks pretty good), or rechamber to another caliber?
Ed

[Mike Moss]

Make brass to fit from 8mm Mausers or the 30-06.

[Jack]

Mike Moss' method would be the cheapest, assuming you handload.
You could have the barrel set back to fix the headspace. Or, possibly, a different bolt would correct the problem.
You'll need to consult a gunsmith to find out.
One factor to think about is, how much money do you wanna sink into a Mauser 95? They're decent rifles, but you'll never make a first rate custom rifle from a 95 action, so, you're probably best off doing minimum modifications.
For that reason, I would not consider rechambering or rebarreling, if it were my rifle.

[ed h]

I do handload but haven't heard of using 8mm or '06 brass to load 7mm Mauser. Do you partially size the larger brass until it fits the 7mm chamber? Is this a safe alternative to spending the money to rebarrel or set a barrel back? I have 280 Remington dies. Can I use them to size the brass?
Ed

[Jack]

Using 8x57 brass would probably be easiest, since, being the same length as 7x57, you won't have to trim.
Use your 7x57 sizing die, but back it out of the press a few turns from where you usually have it. You should remove the decapping pin/expander ball from the die when you do the initial resizing.
A well lubed 8x57 case should size to 7x57 when sized in the 7x57 sizing die. New brass works best for reforming, BTW.
Now, since you had the sizing die backed out a few turns, the newly formed 7x57 case will have it's shoulder farther forward than normal - that;'s what you want. Wipe the lube off it and try to seat it in your rifle's chamber (gently). If the bolt won't close on the formed case, screw the die down half a turn and size the case again. Try the case in the chamber again.
Repeat this process until your formed case will chamber fully, preferably with just a bit of resistance.
When you've done that with one case, you know where to set the sizing die to make properly headspaced 7x57 brass from 8x57's.
You can then load the reformed cases like you normally would.
I would suggest, tho, that you stay with rather mild loads.
And I'd still have a gunsmith check the rifle out before you do anything.

[Gil Martin]

Resizing cases so they just chamber with a slight bit of resistance should work out just fine. Major Nonte wrote about this situation and the ability to correct for excessive headspace by partially resizing cases. Headspace has to be pretty bad to cause serious problems. However, it should be addressed and setting the barrel back and rechambering might be the best option. A competent gunsmith should be able to advise you. All the best...
Gil

[ed h]

Thank you for all the information. I think I'll try sizing the brass to the chamber first. Do you have any idea about how much it might cost to set the barrel back and re-chamber?

[Adam Helmer]

ed h,

Many of my military rifles are "long in the tooth" and, like Jack advises, I back off the sizing die and load shells for each specific rifle. Long headspace is easily accomodated by careful resizing of brass.

Adam

[Gil Martin]

I would contact a few local gunsmiths to get some prices. My local gunsmith would probably do it for around $50 or a bit more. We are good friends. All the best...
Gil

[Terry Blauwkamp]

Take new VIRGIN brass, put in 10 gr 700 X or Red Dot and a little bit of cotton ball to hold the powder back and fire form them. Now proceed to be sure you do not set the shoulder back when resizing.

[Catfish]

Tou can also load your present cases with the bullets set out to the point you are jamming them into the land. You need to set them long enough that you feel resistance when you close the bolt. Use suggested starting load or even alittle less. I use this method to fire form brass for some of my wildcats.