[CDFingers]

I have an orphaned Turk Mauser bare receiver. I want to build a sporter. I would like some suggestions on a good calibre between .22 and .30. I'd like to know what you all have done and what results you've gotten.

Thanks in advance.

CDFingers

 

[zachary78]

7X57 Mauser

 

[cosmoline 1]

6.5x55, get a swede barrel

 

[mtnboomer]

.257 Roberts

 

[jjk308 In Memoriam RIP]

Remington, Winchester, Savage or Ruger in anything from .243 to .30-06. It'll be cheaper and better than a Mauser sporter, unless you have more fun buiding rifles than shooting or hunting with them.

I've been there, done that, shouldn't have.

 

[CDFingers]

These are the kinds of replies I've been looking for.

jjk308: it may very well be that I like building more than hunting. But building comes before shooting. I think I have just a tad more money than common sense. I bought 5 Turk receivers from the Trader, and I'm looking to the next maybe seven years to build all 5.

I'm now going to research about the pressures of the rounds that have been listed, and any others that might crop up on this thread.

I'm looking in this build for a flat shooter. My last build was a .45-70.

CDFingers

 

[jjk308 In Memoriam RIP]

Lots of Turk info here:

http://www272.pair.com/stevewag/turk/turkmain.html
http://www.mausercentral.com/rings.htm

If they are threaded for a small ring barrel the only cheap barrels - mimimal machining - will be 6.5 Swede. All you need to do then is open up the bolt head a bit for the bigger diameter case, and may lose one round mag capacity or have to widen the mag lips. I really like this round.

If they are 1954 ATF rifles, they are GEW 98 rebuilds with a couple threads cut off to make a handguard ring and should not be used for higher pressure rounds.

And Bolt Action Rifles by Frank de Hass has a good section on gunsmithing and cartridge connversion. In essence if you want a longer round or one with a bigger diameter case you need to do more work. Long magnum rounds may need an complete new lengthened magazine/trigger guard as cutting forward into the feed ramp weakens the lower locking lug recess.

Otherwise magnum rounds dont seem to be a problem. My Mark X in .375 H&H is really just a commercial version of the Yugo M48 with a long magazine. The 98 mauser is very, very strong.

 

[MilSurpFan]

I'll put in my vote for 7x57 or 6.5x55. Plenty of power and accuracy potential. Both 6.5 an 7mm have plenty high ballistic coefficient bullets available. Also, they should feed well without too much work.

Between the two, the 6.5. Those 140gr BTHPs are amazing.

 

[The Expert]

+1 for the 7mm Mauser...this is a very versatile and underrated cartridge. It allows for a wide diversity of loadings, given the large variety of 7mm bullets available.

Regards.

 

[CDFingers]

Thank you, gents. Now the research begins. I'm leaning to the .270 Win, but I won't start until maybe January.

CDFingers

 

[HerrMesser]

If it has small ring threads you can rethread remington barrels.

Rad

 

[Uncle Jaque]

My Vote: 7X57!

The 7mm Mauser is my favorite HP rifle round, only slightly ahead of the 6.5 Swede (X55mm).

One advantage of the 7mm is that you won't have to modify the bolt face or magazine, as the 7 shares the same length (57mm) as the original 8mm.

If you reload, as you should if you want to realize the full potential of the old 7 (commercial loadings tend to be loaded on the light side to allow for old Spanish 93s and rolling blocks still floating around) you can resize brass from plentiful .30-06 or 8mm casings. Might have to turn the necks a little; might not.

The 7 will do anything that a .308 will do, without kicking you bowlegged doing it.

If you have the M38 small ring action, the Swede 6.5 barrel might be easier to come by, but surplus 7mm M95 barrels might be available too - keep an eye on the auction sites.

I have a 38 K KALE that I have considered rebarreling to .308, and if I find a good deal on a small ring barrel I might do it.

Have already made a .308 carbine out of a battle weary 24/47.

I think that we both like to tinker about as much as we like to shoot!

 

[CDFingers]

Do I tinker to shoot, or do I shoot to tinker? I agree it's a head scratcher.

I'm looking between the .270 Win and the 7mm Mauser. I reload, so when I compare data at about a 150 gr bullet, I find the sectional density of the .270 to be a tad better than the 7mm. I can go faster with the .270 but heavier with the 7mm.

But, see, the question arises about what I'm going to do with the rifle. I reject the question.

It's unlikely I'll hunt with it, but stones, sticks, bits of paper and such things at varying ranges and elevations is just about right. That makes me want the flattest and most consistent trajectory.

I have a few other larger and smaller rifles, so I'm leaning to the .270 to sort of fill in the gap. Any opinions?

CDFingers

 

[guns-guns-guns]

see my post in another thread in the Workbench column to get a real idea of the costs to do this

 

[LarrysGrip]

I'll put in my vote for 7x57 or 6.5x55....Between the two, the 6.5

The .270 Win. is an outstanding caliber and the 150gr and 130gr bullets tend to have the same POI at a sight setting. It's a good choice. That's something you don't often find!

MilSurpFan has the numbers right and they are exceptional choices. I would lean toward the other two, although old classics, how could you improve on them? One, they allow a bit heavier bullet for large game. The sectional density of the 6.5x55, for example, is so incredible it nearly insures deep penetration on some of the larger game. Second, tiny offerings will reach on out there for small varmits so it does it all. Third, the cartridge is over 100 years old and they still chamber rifles for it and it is used in the Olympics. Do you suppose someone experts got it figured out? I think so.

 

[jwh2]

Turk build

I vote for the 7x57 but the 6.x55 is a close second.

Hey Expert, don't be trolling for more flatlanders!! We have enough people here already!

Joe

 

[jwh2]

Mauser sporters

Here are some sporters built of Mauser actions. I didn't tear anything up to make them. I used receivers someone else had torn up. The one on the left is a Lion Crest VZ-24 that someone had built. The stock and bolt handle were terrible bubbaed but the barrel was new and in 458x2" (458 American). I had the bolt handle redone and stocked it with a Richards Micro fit stock.


The second one is a .308 Winchester built on a Mexican 1924 action. I bought the action from Hunters Lodge about 25 years ago. It was typical Hunters Lodge material but I managed to clean it up and put a Israeli .7.62 barrel on it.

I have another that is 7x57 on a Dot44 K98k action. Someone had drilled and tapped it and bubbaed the bolt handle before I got it. I put a New 1922 Brazilian carbine barrel on it. A friend gave me a Fajen maple/walnut laminated heavy target stock and I cut it way down into a light weight carbine.

I have two more actions waiting in the wings. A Turk 1903 and a Kar98a. The Turk will be a 7x57 and the Kar98a small ring will be a neat little .358 Winchester.

It is just fun and I have never considered the cost but if you start with inexpensive parts you have picked up and do some of the work your self it is not bad. And no one else has one. Besides when I am not working on another primative self bow I need something to do.

Later.

Joe