[spider65]

What is the largest caliber the 98 mauser action can handle without doing anything to the reciever and boltface I have a 98 action laying around and I want to do something with it, no not for sale, I have built a small ring in 300 savage for my wife now this one is for me right now Im leaning towards 35 whelen or ? tell me what you think Thanks Lyle

 

[[email protected]#$%^]

I saw a M98 action that has been chambered for the .35 Whelen that was done for the actor William Holden before his death. I think I saw it in a recent American Rifleman magazine>

 

[irishsteve]

What are you going to use it for?35 Whelen would be great on moose,but a bit more than a whitetail calls for.In Minnesota a .410 might be handy ,mosquito seasons just around the corner.

 

[spider65]

Its allready warm enough for mosquitos here but sold my 410 to my dad wouldnt shoot a slug, but the 35 cal is sounding better deer load it down,bear load it up,moose not enough of them around, but we are starting a wolf season you should see the size of some of these animals HUGE if i knew how to download from my phone you would be impressed.

 

[Clyde]

I'd say maybe a .400-.284 Win might be about as big as would work. Advantage would be no alterations of the bolt-face required. A 98 will accept any standard length round (say up to 30-06 length without problems, and case diameter up to that of a .284 Win will not be a problem.

The .400-284 Win is essentially a ballistic twin to the .400 Whelen (the only Whelen cartridge Twnsend Whelen actually orked on), but because of the fatter case it head-spaces OK, has enough shoulder. .400 Whelen (.40-06) tends to have problems that way, not enough shoulder.

 

[jjk308 In Memoriam RIP]

.35 Whelan or the now obsolete 358 Winchester are as big as you can go without some mods. Even a .30-06 needs some magazine relief inside to fit, but that's pretty simple.
Any of the belted magnums or bigger cartridges will need some work, but the 98 action can stand very high pressures.
BTW the original 8x57 is an excellent cartridge, properly loaded like the Norma hunting loads.

 

[spider65]

I have plenty of rifles chambered for 8mm an I agree great cartride my first thought was the 358 win but Im thinking I could do more with the 35 whelen, I will have to research the .400-284 win dont know anything about that one. thanks for info now I have more searchin to do

 

[spider65]

The 284 win would be better for a shorter action than the longer 98 action am I right? and the 358 win would be good for a m48 mauser I would like to use up the space in the 98 action seems to me that function would be better

 

[WLD Bill]

Have you thought about a 8mm/06 ?

 

[Clyde]

The 284 win would be better for a shorter action than the longer 98 action am I right? and the 358 win would be good for a m48 mauser I would like to use up the space in the 98 action seems to me that function would be better

284 was designed to give 30-06 (essentially) powder capacity in short (308) length actions. But it works very well in an M98 because you can seat the bullets out if you want/need to.

the .400-284 isn't one you will see a lot, but I think RCBS and CH4D both make dies. Could get pretty stiff ballistics - around 2250 fps with a 300 grain bullet, 2100 with a 350.

Another (exotic) would be to take a .425 Westley Richards and shorten it to Mauser length...

 

[spider65]

Have you thought about a 8mm/06 ?

Yes I did and allready have the reloading book and dies for this but they are for a rifle that has a problem that pops the primer out a little when fired thinking slight headspace problem an rechambering will fix. Im going to do a little more research on the 284 win, never seen a .425 westly richard but it is in my british sporting rifle cartridges book but im thinking that finding brass and dies could be a concern. thanks for the info. but i need to do the home work thing more

 

[Clyde]

Yes I did and allready have the reloading book and dies for this but they are for a rifle that has a problem that pops the primer out a little when fired thinking slight headspace problem an rechambering will fix. Im going to do a little more research on the 284 win, never seen a .425 westly richard but it is in my british sporting rifle cartridges book but im thinking that finding brass and dies could be a concern. thanks for the info. but i need to do the home work thing more

The .425 W-R will NOT fit a standard Mauser, case is a bit too long at 2.64" for the empty case and 3.30 for a loaded round (vs 2.24 and 3.17 for thr 7.92x57)- have go wildcat all the way. Or do a bit of action modification with I think you want to avoid. Bertram makes brass. Price looks VERY high, though. But it COULD be done....

 

[iskra]

spider65, When I read a nonresponsive reply to a thread, I sometimes wonder what the writer is thinking. Well, I shall do it here. Despite your qualification concerning NO action modification, I offer the following thoughts.
You might wish to consider the 9.3 x 62 Mauser cartridge. For over a hundred years it has enjoyed a positive reputation and popularity across much of the world. It not only lives on today, but has gained a considerable stateside repotation and competes well as a compact 375 class contender. At overall 3.29 length, the round is usually a trifle too long for the unmodified M98 action. Possibly worth considering it in the context of a modern aftermarket magazine trigger guard assembly featuring the quick release hinged floorplate feature. At least within the last few years, these were available new and in all steel construction for the standard 98 action in 30-06 case length. The price was just under $100 from eBay sellers. Such would nicely accommodate the 9.3 x 62 and likely require a bit of receiver modification though nothing extensive. Your bolt face should be .470 and accommodate the 9.3x62 round without modification. Giver a decent quality action, properly accomplished, the result would likely offer a superior investment return.
Pardon the violation of your parameters but just a thought and...
My take

 

[feuerwerker]

10,75x68

 

[AZshooter]

Its allready warm enough for mosquitos here but sold my 410 to my dad wouldnt shoot a slug, but the 35 cal is sounding better deer load it down,bear load it up,moose not enough of them around, but we are starting a wolf season you should see the size of some of these animals HUGE if i knew how to download from my phone you would be impressed.

Aztecs, Incas or whatever the Mexican precursors were, cultivated Chihuahuas for food, but eating a wolf sounds somehow strange & unnatural.

 

[spider65]

spider65, When I read a nonresponsive reply to a thread, I sometimes wonder what the writer is thinking. Well, I shall do it here. Despite your qualification concerning NO action modification, I offer the following thoughts.
You might wish to consider the 9.3 x 62 Mauser cartridge. For over a hundred years it has enjoyed a positive reputation and popularity across much of the world. It not only lives on today, but has gained a considerable stateside repotation and competes well as a compact 375 class contender. At overall 3.29 length, the round is usually a trifle too long for the unmodified M98 action. Possibly worth considering it in the context of a modern aftermarket magazine trigger guard assembly featuring the quick release hinged floorplate feature. At least within the last few years, these were available new and in all steel construction for the standard 98 action in 30-06 case length. The price was just under $100 from eBay sellers. Such would nicely accommodate the 9.3 x 62 and likely require a bit of receiver modification though nothing extensive. Your bolt face should be .470 and accommodate the 9.3x62 round without modification. Giver a decent quality action, properly accomplished, the result would likely offer a superior investment return.
Pardon the violation of your parameters but just a thought and...
My take

I will have to do my homework on this one and thanks for the response have seen rifle in this caliber but do not have firsthand knowledge of it,was trying to shy away from altering the reciever in any way, 10.75 x 68 ?, wolf havnt ate one yet but if you have a reciepe i would try it

 

[jjk308 In Memoriam RIP]

If you go for a long cartridge in one of the intermediate or short 98 mauser actions you may be biting off a major magazine mod. or need an expensive longer magazine. The .30-06 is about the longest cartridge the standard Mauser, made for the 8x57, can be easily adapted for, so check OALs or be prepared to restrict it to short loads.

 

[spider65]

Its your standard K98 action yugo capture scrubbed reciever and I just ordered the barrel in 35 whelen.

 

[Clark]

The 30-06 length cartridges are 3.34" long and require the magazine box to be milled out or a longer magazine box to be purchased.

I have converted a number of 98 Mausers to the 1925 300 H&H case head size cartridges, like 7mmRemMag.
This is some extra work making the bolt face, extractor, and feed lips bigger.

Much effort for the 98 Mausers I have made smaller for 223.