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Shooting & Reloading - Mausers, Big Bores and others >> Big Bore Rifles
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buckstix
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Loc: Whitetail Country
I FOUND A 10.75X68 WITH AFRICAN HISTORY
      #242067 - 10/02/14 01:09 AM

Hello,

Thanks to those that answered my want ad for a 10.75x68 Mauser. I finally got one.

Here is what I found and how it was advertised. (no photos were available)









I have never purchased a rifle without seeing photos, but I thought to take a chance on this one as the seller offered a 3-day inspection / return. The seller is the first U.S. owner who had it brought back from Africa with 2 other Rhodesian Game Department rifles. Here is what I got.





The rifle dates to 1924 and is all original, and has all matching serial numbers on every single part. There is evidence of much hard use, but not abuse. Just what you might expect from a rifle that had been dragged through the jungle on a daily basis for about 90 years.

As you can see, the butt-plate has been missing for a very long time, and I doubt it made much difference to the user. The edges are worn "rounded." The stock repairs are limited to both sides of the forward part of the forend, having splintered or rotted away, and then repaired. You can see the right side repair in the 4th picture from the top. This was definitely a working gun.

All the metal is brown with salt & pepper surface with hardened oil turned to a scale varnish. The tangent sight looked like it hadn't moved in 50 years, and required soaking and heat to restore its function. The bore has strong rifling but is yet undetermined as its being soaked with bore cleaner and scrubbed daily. I expect with modern jacketed bullets it should shoot just fine.

Brass and bullets are on order, dies are in hand.

So, if any of you would have a suggested starting load, please let me know as there is virtually no loading data available for this one.

Awaiting your reply.

--------------------
"You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early."

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NitroXAdministrator
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Reged: 25/12/02
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Re: FOUND A 10.75X68 WITH AFRICAN HISTORY [Re: buckstix]
      #242068 - 10/02/14 01:22 AM

Well done.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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Igorrock
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Re: FOUND A 10.75X68 WITH AFRICAN HISTORY [Re: NitroX]
      #242073 - 10/02/14 01:34 AM

Very nice rifle. IMO it deserves good restoration.

--------------------
http://promaakari.wordpress.com/

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mckinney
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Re: FOUND A 10.75X68 WITH AFRICAN HISTORY [Re: Igorrock]
      #242075 - 10/02/14 02:16 AM

Nice rifle. I bought a 9.3 x 62 type B in just about the same shape a couple of years ago but with no game dept history. I scrubbed the barrel for several days. The first time I fired it, bullets key holed at 25 yards. I don't know if I ruined the barrel with aggressive cleaning or if it was already gone. You may want to fire yours before you finish the cleaning to see if it shoots round holes.

I ultimately sent the rifle to G&H for rebarreling and restoration. They did a very nice job. Will post photos if I can remember how. Good luck with yours whether you restore it or not.

Edited by mckinney (10/02/14 02:17 AM)

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mckinney
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Re: FOUND A 10.75X68 WITH AFRICAN HISTORY [Re: mckinney]
      #242076 - 10/02/14 02:39 AM

Here are some pics of the G&H redo.

http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss275/netcurrentassetvalue/image-3.jpg
http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss275/netcurrentassetvalue/image-2.jpg
http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss275/netcurrentassetvalue/image-1.jpg
http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss275/netcurrentassetvalue/image.jpg

Dark spots on the metal in some photos are just fingerprints/lighting.

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buckstix
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Re: FOUND A 10.75X68 WITH AFRICAN HISTORY [Re: mckinney]
      #242080 - 10/02/14 03:06 AM

Hello mckinney,

I plan to shoot it as soon as I get the bullets and brass in hand. But, I'm not anticipating keyhole issues as the rifling looks to be in good enough condition for shooting.

When you experienced the keyholes, what weight bullets were you using?

How much did your restoration cost from G&H? I doubt that I would do any restoration, I like the looks of a well used gun, and the "look" fits with the history.

--------------------
"You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early."

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mckinney
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Re: FOUND A 10.75X68 WITH AFRICAN HISTORY [Re: buckstix]
      #242083 - 10/02/14 03:22 AM

My rifle is in 9.3 x 62. I was using 286 gr Prvi Partizan ammo.

The G & H work was about $3k, not economically feasible I know. It would have been about half to two thirds that number without the rebarreling and a horn buttplate that I asked them to add.

I always struggle with whether to restore old rifles or not. I usually don't. In this case the shot out barrel was the deciding factor, plus I just wanted to see what they could do. If I can find some 'before' pics, will post them in a day or two.

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buckstix
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Re: FOUND A 10.75X68 WITH AFRICAN HISTORY [Re: mckinney]
      #242116 - 10/02/14 12:11 PM

Hello mckinney,

Do you (or anyone else) know how many Mauser type B sporters were built? Or any idea how many 10.75x68 caliber rifles? I have the Oberndorf book by Speed, but it really doesn't give any stats by model or caliber.

--------------------
"You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early."

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Igorrock
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Re: FOUND A 10.75X68 WITH AFRICAN HISTORY [Re: buckstix]
      #242118 - 10/02/14 03:30 PM

Just curious, what´s the year this rifle is proofed ? IMO it should be somewhere before 1920....

--------------------
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buckstix
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Re: FOUND A 10.75X68 WITH AFRICAN HISTORY [Re: Igorrock]
      #242121 - 10/02/14 04:08 PM

Hello Igorrock,

The rifle is early 1924 based on serial number association in Speed's book. The serial number 89,2xx. It has the early B U proofs, not the later B U G proofs.

--------------------
"You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early."

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mckinney
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Re: FOUND A 10.75X68 WITH AFRICAN HISTORY [Re: buckstix]
      #242162 - 11/02/14 03:04 AM

Buckstix

I don't know the numbers for Type B's but would guess no more than a few hundred, perhaps a thousand, were made in 10.75. I would also guess that most went to Colonial Africa and northern Europe.

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buckstix
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Re: FOUND A 10.75X68 WITH AFRICAN HISTORY [Re: mckinney]
      #242171 - 11/02/14 04:24 AM

Hello mckinney,

In looking through Speed's book, there are approx 750 random serial numbers listed across all of the approx 127,000 sporting rifles built from 1898 to 1946. Of those 750, 35 were in 10.75x68 caliber. That's about 4.6%. That really seems like a lot given all the different calibers offered over the nearly 45 years of Sporter production.

--------------------
"You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early."

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feinejagdwaffen
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Reged: 08/02/14
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Re: FOUND A 10.75X68 WITH AFRICAN HISTORY [Re: buckstix]
      #242172 - 11/02/14 04:33 AM

sorry to correct, but total number of commercial mauser/sporter in
the time period from 1898-1945 is around 126.500.
out of this number about 40-50% went outside of germany to ( rigby, h&h,
g&h.......
my personal guess is that about 400-600 had been built in 10,75x68, mainly
from german gunsmith. jon might have better figures although i think its really
difficult to have a precise guess.

--------------------
norbert
www.feine-jagdwaffen.de

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feinejagdwaffen
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Re: FOUND A 10.75X68 WITH AFRICAN HISTORY [Re: feinejagdwaffen]
      #242173 - 11/02/14 04:35 AM

the numbers of 750 which are listed in jon's book are the ser.nr. jon came across or
which had been reported to jon with description.

--------------------
norbert
www.feine-jagdwaffen.de

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feinejagdwaffen
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Re: FOUND A 10.75X68 WITH AFRICAN HISTORY [Re: feinejagdwaffen]
      #242174 - 11/02/14 04:49 AM

mean built by mauser and as mckinney mentioned most of the 10,75x68
went to africa

--------------------
norbert
www.feine-jagdwaffen.de

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buckstix
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Re: FOUND A 10.75X68 WITH AFRICAN HISTORY [Re: feinejagdwaffen]
      #242175 - 11/02/14 05:02 AM

Hello feinejagdwaffen,

The number 750 I mention is only those rifles recorded by Speed with "detailed descriptions" and caliber information, and they represent a random data base of numbers. With 35 of them being recorded as 10.75x68 caliber, the 4.6% figure is only meant to be an anecdotal percentage, not scientific. Highest production number recorded was serial number 126960 which was completed by the French in June of 1946.

With my rifle coming from Rhodesia, (with only Oberndorf and no other proof marks) it must be part of mckinney's "most."

--------------------
"You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early."

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feinejagdwaffen
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Re: FOUND A 10.75X68 WITH AFRICAN HISTORY [Re: buckstix]
      #242190 - 11/02/14 07:06 AM

fine buckstix
i higly appreciate guns with history. those guns make hours
in front of the open fire very short!!

--------------------
norbert
www.feine-jagdwaffen.de

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feinejagdwaffen
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Re: FOUND A 10.75X68 WITH AFRICAN HISTORY [Re: feinejagdwaffen]
      #242191 - 11/02/14 07:09 AM

i am sure your gun can tell 1000s of exciting stories, writing a book
of getting a bestseller. your gun has lived a 1000 lifes!!! give this gun
a special place in your gunshelf!!

--------------------
norbert
www.feine-jagdwaffen.de

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buckstix
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Reged: 07/11/12
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Re: FOUND A 10.75X68 WITH AFRICAN HISTORY [Re: feinejagdwaffen]
      #242196 - 11/02/14 09:30 AM

Hello feinejagdwaffen,

Stories are fine, but right now I'd like someone to jump in with some laoding data.

--------------------
"You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early."

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rigbymauser
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Re: FOUND A 10.75X68 WITH AFRICAN HISTORY [Re: buckstix]
      #242197 - 11/02/14 09:37 AM

A rifle with class. I would actually leave as it is. Just give oil and let it speak!.

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buckstix
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Reged: 07/11/12
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Re: FOUND A 10.75X68 WITH AFRICAN HISTORY [Re: rigbymauser]
      #242200 - 11/02/14 10:01 AM

Hello rigbymauser,

Yes, I intend to leave all exactly as is, including the the rounded butt stock from the long ago missing buttplate. These things make up the character of the "Well Used Rhodesis Game Department Rifle."

I do intend to clean off all the aged surface rust. I've been soaking all the metal parts with "old" Hoppe's no. 9, and then rubbing it off with a piece or coarse paper towel. Its surprising how much surface rust comes off without effecting the aged patina underneath.

I use "old" Hoppe's formula because the new stuff has all the good chemicals removed to protect us. Lucky for me I found 2 gallons of the old stuff, so I should be good for the rest of my life.

--------------------
"You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early."

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jgrabow
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Re: FOUND A 10.75X68 WITH AFRICAN HISTORY [Re: buckstix]
      #242281 - 13/02/14 02:31 AM

Hi Buckstix,

Nice find. I have a 1930 Mauser Model B in 10.75x68. I have new Horneber and Bertram cases and neither will chamber without running them through a 'C-H Tool & Die/4-D Custom Die Co' resizing die. If you don't resize new brass before loading, you should try chambering and closing the bolt on an empty case before loading them.

Here's some links to loading data to get you started.

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads...eat_littlel_big

http://www.reloadersnest.com/detail_request.asp?CaliberID=284&LoadID=203

This one will cost you money to see the data.
http://www.loaddata.com/members/search_d...;header=10.75mm Caliber Reloading Data

--------------------
Jim

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buckstix
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Re: FOUND A 10.75X68 WITH AFRICAN HISTORY [Re: jgrabow]
      #242306 - 13/02/14 08:45 AM

Hello jgrabow,

Thanks for the info. I will do as you suggest and try some of the cases before reloading. I suspect with all the use this rifle has had, the chamber will be on the big side. I have 40 pcs of Horneber brass on its way, and I also have a box of original ammo coming. The Hawk bullets and dies are in hand.

--------------------
"You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early."

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Igorrock
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Re: FOUND A 10.75X68 WITH AFRICAN HISTORY [Re: buckstix]
      #242310 - 13/02/14 11:39 AM

My friend has Sauer-made m98 Mauser rifle in caliber 10,75x68. He said that normal .404 bullets are a tad too small to his barrel so he should cast his own bullets with custom mold. In this foto with factory ammo:



--------------------
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buckstix
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Re: FOUND A 10.75X68 WITH AFRICAN HISTORY [Re: Igorrock]
      #242321 - 13/02/14 04:00 PM

Hello Igorrock,

The 350g bullets I got from Hawk measure .424" - .425" diameter. I'm not sure what the nominal bore and groove dimensions are for the 10.75x68. Do you know?

--------------------
"You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early."

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