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First choice is 6.5x55
Second choice is 9.3x62 Third choice is .35 Whelen |
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Quoted: Where are you sourcing Mauser actions? I'm under the impression they are like hen's teeth. View Quote Attached File Not all Mausers. Couple of Sakos in this one. Attached File |
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There are only two viable choices as far as I’m concerned for a large ring Mauser.
6.5x55 8x57 Anything else is an abomination before God Since you have a 6.5x55, then 8x57. It has much to recommend it. Wide range of bullet weights like 30-06. It’s a bit underbore and operates at respectable, but not screaming high velocity, so it should be easy on barrels. Good for almost any North American game outside the large bears and it wouldn’t be the worst thing for that either in the right bullet weights. |
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When I asked myself that question 14 years ago, as I stared at a 93 receiver, I went with the 7.62x39, my favorite Ozark hills whitetail cartridge. Numrich still had the kits so that made the decision a little easier. Love the accuracy you can get out of the cartridge and the low recoil really makes range time pleasurable and small groups easy.
ETA: just noticed you said large ring. NVM |
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Quoted: Can't give away all my secrets. A P 17 action might be hard to do something with. If it's the same as a M1917, the barrel needs to be timed and headspaced, and then taken back out to have the extractor groove cut into the barrel. Not something I'm willing to fuck with. Mausers are far easier by comparison. View Quote I know, but at one time I was going thru a Safari rifle phase and I needed something for a .416 Rigby. Was going to farm out the metal work though. I still have the stock blank for it as well. . Most of my builds are on small rings. It's just a better fit for the calibers I prefer over a large ring action. Just a thought, have you considered a common cartridge such as .270 Winchester converted to Ackley Improved? |
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Quoted: Be much easier to grab one of the Howa Mini-1500s in either 762x39 or 6.5grendel (basspro/cabelas supposedly stocks them now) and use that. Small light action, already threaded, pretty accurate (Tula/Wolf/etc give me 2-2.5moa at 100yards with the cheap crappy scope I have on mine). Only real down side is the plastic stuff (DIP makes replacements) and the single stack mag. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: 762x39 I'd make it like my fr8. But able to take AK mags A railed top possible offset or suck to still use ski stripper clips. Rear peep... Pretty much a x39 FR8. But no rules...I'd hack it down to 16... And get the stock thinned down to make it light and easy I'm not very creative I guess.... Ya know, I like the way you think. But I'm not quite good enough with a dremel to make that work. Be much easier to grab one of the Howa Mini-1500s in either 762x39 or 6.5grendel (basspro/cabelas supposedly stocks them now) and use that. Small light action, already threaded, pretty accurate (Tula/Wolf/etc give me 2-2.5moa at 100yards with the cheap crappy scope I have on mine). Only real down side is the plastic stuff (DIP makes replacements) and the single stack mag. Not applicable to this thread but it's really a bummer that steel import ammo is done. I wanted one of those Howa Grendels; the proprietary mag threw me off but there's at least 2 companies making hinged floor plates. Have fun with steel and shoot nicer stuff for hunting. |
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I'm a huge fan of 6.5x55 and 257 Roberts...however today's metallurgy is more advanced than it was 100 years ago...
I would opt for something with greater muzzle velocity |
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6.5 Swede
6.5 MS 7x57 Or for really old school IE load your own rounds 6.8 Portuguese |
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While the original 8mm is a good cartridge, I think I'd go with .308 Winchester
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Quoted: I'm thinking of a new, commercial large ring Mauser action, probably a Boyds stock, and a decent quality lightweight barrel. A mid range, 5-600 dollar scope. 308 just seems boring. Maybe 30-06? 280? Some sort of .264? Restrictions are pretty lenient. Needs a 30-06 lineage rim diameter and max OAL length. Mausers are really cool for me, and I prefer them for hunting. ETA I already own mausers in the following: 9.3x62 308 6.5x55 450 BM View Quote One of the .33s. .338 Sabi sounds cool if you could get a barrel chambered for it and cases to load. Others in this class are .338-06 and .318 Westley Richards. IIRC, the .338 Sabi has a form more like the 9.3X62 than like the .30-06. |
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I got really interested in this 6.5-284 and did some research. It seems to barely gain 100 fps over the Swede. Maybe I should build a second Swede, in a large ring. A few years ago I read that the case head was much bigger and wouldn't work but the difference is under a hundredth of an inch. Plus the Swede is perfectly sized for the mauser action. I can long bullets long.
Oh, and I have 10,000 primed pieces of brass for the Swede. Then again, I really want to join the Creedmoor master race. Decisions, decisions. |
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Quoted: I got really interested in this 6.5-284 and did some research. It seems to barely gain 100 fps over the Swede. Maybe I should build a second Swede, in a large ring. A few years ago I read that the case head was much bigger and wouldn't work but the difference is under a hundredth of an inch. Plus the Swede is perfectly sized for the mauser action. I can long bullets long. Oh, and I have 10,000 primed pieces of brass for the Swede. Then again, I really want to join the Creedmoor master race. Decisions, decisions. View Quote US loaded Swede ammo uses the same case head as all the rest of the .30-06 family. Euro loads are .008” larger. It doesn’t make much difference, just make sure your dies match your chamber. The criterion garand barrels expect the smaller US style case so that the clips will still work. |
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Quoted: US loaded Swede ammo uses the same case head as all the rest of the .30-06 family. Euro loads are .008” larger. It doesn’t make much difference, just make sure your dies match your chamber. The criterion garand barrels expect the smaller US style case so that the clips will still work. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: I got really interested in this 6.5-284 and did some research. It seems to barely gain 100 fps over the Swede. Maybe I should build a second Swede, in a large ring. A few years ago I read that the case head was much bigger and wouldn't work but the difference is under a hundredth of an inch. Plus the Swede is perfectly sized for the mauser action. I can long bullets long. Oh, and I have 10,000 primed pieces of brass for the Swede. Then again, I really want to join the Creedmoor master race. Decisions, decisions. US loaded Swede ammo uses the same case head as all the rest of the .30-06 family. Euro loads are .008” larger. It doesn’t make much difference, just make sure your dies match your chamber. The criterion garand barrels expect the smaller US style case so that the clips will still work. Do those Garand conversions function with Euro made ammo? The primed brass I mentioned is 10,000 Swedish made blanks. I pull the wooden bullet, dump the powder, and reload with rifle powder and bullets. Noncorrosive Berdan primers. |
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Quoted: I got really interested in this 6.5-284 and did some research. It seems to barely gain 100 fps over the Swede. Maybe I should build a second Swede, in a large ring. A few years ago I read that the case head was much bigger and wouldn't work but the difference is under a hundredth of an inch. Plus the Swede is perfectly sized for the mauser action. I can long bullets long. Oh, and I have 10,000 primed pieces of brass for the Swede. Then again, I really want to join the Creedmoor master race. Decisions, decisions. View Quote Dude. Where'd you get that much brass? If the 6.5x284 looks fancy to you, consider the 6.5x57. Especially in the AI version. Case capacity is within 2-3 grains (velocity difference will depend on barrel length and even individual barrels, but will be negligible) and you won't have to worry about the shorter/fatter 284 case feeding weird in the Mauser. And with modern brass, you can use quickload data to load either caliber to the same pressures. To an action, pressure is pressure, and it doesn't care what case it's from. But, yeah, honestly, if I had 10,000 pieces of brass I guess the question would be answered. Whatever you do - don't be a doofus and put a slower twist barrel on it. There's NO downside whatsoever to going with a 7 twist 6.5 or 8 twist 7mm. It'll stabilize everything, and overstabilization is a myth. |
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Quoted: Dude. Where'd you get that much brass? If the 6.5x284 looks fancy to you, consider the 6.5x57. Especially in the AI version. Case capacity is within 2-3 grains (velocity difference will depend on barrel length and even individual barrels, but will be negligible) and you won't have to worry about the shorter/fatter 284 case feeding weird in the Mauser. And with modern brass, you can use quickload data to load either caliber to the same pressures. To an action, pressure is pressure, and it doesn't care what case it's from. But, yeah, honestly, if I had 10,000 pieces of brass I guess the question would be answered. Whatever you do - don't be a doofus and put a slower twist barrel on it. There's NO downside whatsoever to going with a 7 twist 6.5 or 8 twist 7mm. It'll stabilize everything, and overstabilization is a myth. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: I got really interested in this 6.5-284 and did some research. It seems to barely gain 100 fps over the Swede. Maybe I should build a second Swede, in a large ring. A few years ago I read that the case head was much bigger and wouldn't work but the difference is under a hundredth of an inch. Plus the Swede is perfectly sized for the mauser action. I can long bullets long. Oh, and I have 10,000 primed pieces of brass for the Swede. Then again, I really want to join the Creedmoor master race. Decisions, decisions. Dude. Where'd you get that much brass? If the 6.5x284 looks fancy to you, consider the 6.5x57. Especially in the AI version. Case capacity is within 2-3 grains (velocity difference will depend on barrel length and even individual barrels, but will be negligible) and you won't have to worry about the shorter/fatter 284 case feeding weird in the Mauser. And with modern brass, you can use quickload data to load either caliber to the same pressures. To an action, pressure is pressure, and it doesn't care what case it's from. But, yeah, honestly, if I had 10,000 pieces of brass I guess the question would be answered. Whatever you do - don't be a doofus and put a slower twist barrel on it. There's NO downside whatsoever to going with a 7 twist 6.5 or 8 twist 7mm. It'll stabilize everything, and overstabilization is a myth. Thank you, that's helpful. About 5 years ago J&G was selling Swedish blanks for about 2 cents each, plus 2-3 cents shipping depending where you were in the US. So with a little elbow grease, you have a primed piece of brass for 5 cents. Plus 17 pounds of fast burning powder. The forums will tell you it's basically like Unique, but it isn't. It wouldn't cycle a pistol slide. |
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Quoted: Do those Garand conversions function with Euro made ammo? The primed brass I mentioned is 10,000 Swedish made blanks. I pull the wooden bullet, dump the powder, and reload with rifle powder and bullets. Noncorrosive Berdan primers. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I got really interested in this 6.5-284 and did some research. It seems to barely gain 100 fps over the Swede. Maybe I should build a second Swede, in a large ring. A few years ago I read that the case head was much bigger and wouldn't work but the difference is under a hundredth of an inch. Plus the Swede is perfectly sized for the mauser action. I can long bullets long. Oh, and I have 10,000 primed pieces of brass for the Swede. Then again, I really want to join the Creedmoor master race. Decisions, decisions. US loaded Swede ammo uses the same case head as all the rest of the .30-06 family. Euro loads are .008” larger. It doesn’t make much difference, just make sure your dies match your chamber. The criterion garand barrels expect the smaller US style case so that the clips will still work. Do those Garand conversions function with Euro made ammo? The primed brass I mentioned is 10,000 Swedish made blanks. I pull the wooden bullet, dump the powder, and reload with rifle powder and bullets. Noncorrosive Berdan primers. They may chamber, but I’m pretty sure 8 euro case heads won’t fit in the en-bloc properly. One of our members here built one. |
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Quoted: Thank you, that's helpful. About 5 years ago J&G was selling Swedish blanks for about 2 cents each, plus 2-3 cents shipping depending where you were in the US. So with a little elbow grease, you have a primed piece of brass for 5 cents. Plus 17 pounds of fast burning powder. The forums will tell you it's basically like Unique, but it isn't. It wouldn't cycle a pistol slide. View Quote Wow. We were in the good old days and didn't know it. |
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Quoted: Based on your list of what you have, .30-06 would fill the bill. You know the pros, reduced light loads for beginner training, up to bruin killers. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: 30-06. For EVERYTHING. Based on your list of what you have, .30-06 would fill the bill. You know the pros, reduced light loads for beginner training, up to bruin killers. .30-06 would require notching the receiver and extending the mag box slightly, like the Norwegian k98F1. Perfectly doable, but a little more work than the others. |
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Since I live in Ohio, I have to put these awesome thoughts out of my mind. I don't even want to read this thread, because it just makes me sad.
So, whatever you choose, it will be better than we are allowed. |
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Quoted: Since I live in Ohio, I have to put these awesome thoughts out of my mind. I don't even want to read this thread, because it just makes me sad. So, whatever you choose, it will be better than we are allowed. View Quote The straight wall laws never made any sense to me. Not that any of the other hunting laws anywhere else make sense. |
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The more I think about it, the more I want a .338 built on a 7x57 case...does such a thing exist? I'm sitting on roughly 1500 .338 cal 185gr bonded bullets, and can't shoot them all out of a .338 Federal. I don't want a full length '06 case, and if I go that far I might as well just chamber it in a .338 Win Mag.
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Quoted: The more I think about it, the more I want a .338 built on a 7x57 case...does such a thing exist? I'm sitting on roughly 1500 .338 cal 185gr bonded bullets, and can't shoot them all out of a .338 Federal. I don't want a full length '06 case, and if I go that far I might as well just chamber it in a .338 Win Mag. View Quote Ah, I was about to suggest 9x57 until you mentioned the bullets. It uses .366 caliber. |
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Quoted: Ah, I was about to suggest 9x57 until you mentioned the bullets. It uses .366 caliber. View Quote 9x57 is a .355 to .358 bore. 9.3x57 would be a .366 bore. Having a 9x57 (I'd use a .358" bored blank) would be really neat - you could launch all sorts of both 9mm and .358" bullets out of it, for hunting or plinking or subsonic or whatever. |
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Quoted: 9x57 is a .355 to .358 bore. 9.3x57 would be a .366 bore. Having a 9x57 (I'd use a .358" bored blank) would be really neat - you could launch all sorts of both 9mm and .358" bullets out of it, for hunting or plinking or subsonic or whatever. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Ah, I was about to suggest 9x57 until you mentioned the bullets. It uses .366 caliber. 9x57 is a .355 to .358 bore. 9.3x57 would be a .366 bore. Having a 9x57 (I'd use a .358" bored blank) would be really neat - you could launch all sorts of both 9mm and .358" bullets out of it, for hunting or plinking or subsonic or whatever. Huh. I thought they used the same bullets. My bad. |
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Quoted: The more I think about it, the more I want a .338 built on a 7x57 case...does such a thing exist? I'm sitting on roughly 1500 .338 cal 185gr bonded bullets, and can't shoot them all out of a .338 Federal. I don't want a full length '06 case, and if I go that far I might as well just chamber it in a .338 Win Mag. View Quote It wouldn't surprise me if such a thing exists. .318 Westley Richards splits the difference between '06 length and 57mm (case length is 60mm), but it's .330 instead of .338, although I'm sure that could be necked up to .338. |
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Quoted: The straight wall laws never made any sense to me. Not that any of the other hunting laws anywhere else make sense. View Quote |
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I am going to assume you reload.
If it were me; 338-06, 280AI or 257 Roberts. Big hunting, long shooting and lighter recoil medium hunting. All fun calibers. As much as enjoy loading and shooting 8x57, .323 projectiles arent exactly plentiful all the time. |
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358 Winchester.
9.3x62 is close enough to 35 Whelen, I wouldn't want to duplicate. Close range thumper that can be easily down loaded with pistol bullets, loaded to 35 rem levels, or full house. 308 brass, 308 powders work |
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Quoted: If you've ever flown low over northern Ohio it would make more sense. It's a giant grid of farmhouses a few hundred yards apart, much denser than where you live. So it's just a safety measure to reduce stray bullet accidents. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: The straight wall laws never made any sense to me. Not that any of the other hunting laws anywhere else make sense. Similar to PA where rifles are legal in all but built up areas. |
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