9.3

Handling this little 1895 has been part of my self-medication regime of late.
I had a consultation/checkup with my knee surgeon today, I'm not out of the woods yet with recovery. I'm going freakin out of my head here. I've taken to leaving the bark collars off my Plott hound and his pitt/mutt bitch girlfriend for nothing more than the entertainment factor (keeps the urban 'fleas' far from my perimeter too...) during the daytime.

This small ring mauser is really exceptional. Much nicer in every way than the swede that it usually sits next to in the safe, actually I've never handled a mauser as solid and slick as this one. It's a real honey.
And, yes coastal bear are constantly on my mind.
I've been biting the bit so hard this fall that I'm well into the enamel. If I get out in the timber for a hunt I will take the Purdey 20b SxS though. I won't likely take another rifle, as the .500 smith will be along for the ride too in case I need to go into the really tight or messy stuff.

As yet I haven't even ever gotten dies for the 7x57
You got a spare set and some brass knocking around up there?
I'd very much like to get a load going for it and get it out to kill something. The old grandfather spoke very highly of it noting it's unusual accuracy and game-killing effect.
The only ammunition that was with it was old two-piece-box Remington-UMC FMJ cupro-nickel 175gr loads 'for mauser rifles and machine guns"

Think I'll run a couple of those over the chronograph some time, then work modern 175gr SNRN bullets up to similar velocity, looking for an accurate load...

That's if I get out to the ranch any time soon.
For anyone reading this, I have some advice for you.
Don't EVER injure your knees. EVER!

Thanks for asking!

--Tinker