Cartridge for long commercial Mauser action?

[std7mag]

In my younger years, i would have jumped on the 35 Whelen in a heartbeat!
Might still build one someday.

Today, however is not that day.

For the vast majority of my hunting the 257 Roberts can and does handle most of my hunting needs. Coyotes, deer and even black bear.
When or if i feel the need for more power, my 280 Rem is a good companion.

I'm looking to fill in spaces that i don't currently have, within the 2 calibers that i like best without going into wildcat territory.
Still on the build sheet are 257 Kimber, 250 Savage AI, 25 Souper, and a 25-350 Rem Mag.

For all that, i've been slow to get another 7mm-08, as i'd probably leave all my other rifles at home when the time for hunting comes about.

 

[stagpanther]

When the 25 PRC matures a year or two you may want to take a look at it. With bullets up to the 120 gr weight it gets them out blazingly fast and flat--and far. Most of all, a soft recoiler, though once I get up over 130 grs in bullet weights the felt recoil goes up noticeable, though still very manageable, IMO less than that of a standard .308.

 

[taylorce1]

How heavy is your .257 Roberts? My buddy has killed a lot of mule deer bucks and a cow elk or two with that cartridge. Knowing you have that rifle, the .280 AI would get my vote sticking with your two choices.

 

[Jim Watson]

If I were rebarreling a rifle just to do something with it, and didn't mind fooling around with an obsolete caliber, almost a wildcat, I'd kind of like a .256 Newton.

 

[BornFighting88]

I gotta back Stag on this one. I was re-reading that 25 CM article, the author called it 2 Fiddy Hillbilly.

Mild recoil, far reach, flat and fast.

 

[std7mag]

Taylorce1,

My 257 Roberts & 280 Rem are both Ruger 77 MKIIs. I haven't weighed them, but i'd guess 8-8.5 lbs. Both wear the factory wood stock & 22" barrel.

My 250 Savage is a Stevens 200 with 24" barrel & stregthened factory tupper ware stock.
My 7mm Rem Mag is a bone stock Savage 111.
The 257 Roberts AI is also on a Savage 111, but with a hinged floor plate.
The 284 Win is built on a Whitworth Mark X action. 1.5 contour, 24" with B&C composite stock. Sucker weighs 10 lbs!

The weight is what i'm really worried about with this action. I really don't want another 10 lb rifle!

 

[stagpanther]

Your 77 is a lightweight! Mine weighs 9 lbs.

 

[taylorce1]

I'm guessing your Alpine Mauser is similar to this one? If it is then I have a very similar rifle but it's a Parker Hale 1200 in .270 Win, both will be built on Santa Barbara actions. My rifle weighs 8 lbs 11 oz with scope. I'm guessing the old Bushnell scope probably weighs a pound so that would put the rifle at 7 lbs 11 oz, yours is probably an ounce or two lighter because of a larger bore.

So if you have a target weight of say 7lbs, how can we loose 11 oz? You're going to need to loose weight either in the barrel or the stock. I would start working on the stock right now, reshape and hollow out as much as you can from the butt and still install a pad. You might loose 4-6 ounces that way, but it will more importantly tell you what contour and length of barrel you'll need to reach your weight goal.

It's really difficult to build a light weight Mauser on a tight budget.

 

[BornFighting88]

It's really difficult to build a light weight Mauser on a tight budget.

https://www.sarcoinc.com/mauser-98-model-1908-large-ring-long-action-action-receiver/

Plus barrel, stock, and glass…. Plus if you have any of these parts on hand….. Maybe you COULD build a lightweight Mauser on a budget..

 

[taylorce1]

https://www.sarcoinc.com/mauser-98-m...tion-receiver/

Plus barrel, stock, and glass…. Plus if you have any of these parts on hand….. Maybe you COULD build a lightweight Mauser on a budget

I'm sorry to inform you of this, you just picked the most expensive way to build a Mauser. The glory days of building cheap milsurp Mausers is long gone. Along with many a competent gunsmith that were willing to spend time refining those old actions.

Paying more for a commercial action like this Dumoulin will save you a lot more on the back end. The reason it's hard to build a light rifle on a Mauser action is the actions are heavy. If you want to build a 7lb mauser the complete action usually runs about 3.5 lbs. Add in a 22-24 ounce stock for a light weight composite, that leaves you 2 lbs more or less for a barrel.

 

[std7mag]

Taylorce1,

That sure looks to be the rifle i have.
The stock on mine appears unfinished.

Bornfighting88,

Those are essentially used actions, from rifles that have been taken apart. They could be any number of manufacturers, from any given time period. With either bent, or straight bolt handles. $199 is cheap for an action, but it's a crap shoot as to what you'll end up with.

For $100 more, i'd rather buy a Dumoulin action from Sarco. Doing some amateur forensic internet tracking, i found out that Dumoulin is owned by Herstal.

 

[taylorce1]

If weight is your main concern, I'd sell that Alpine. I know it isn't as fun as the dream of hunting with rifle for mule deer and elk you designed and had a hand in making. However, if you sold that Alpine for $300 and bought a Kimber Hunter .280 AI, you'd be into a light rifle for less than the cost of buying a barrel and having it installed. Like I said, not nearly as fun but you'd have more latitude in optics choices and still have a chance at a sub 7lb rifle.

 

[std7mag]

Ha ha ha ha!!!
Having a barrel installed!!!
OMG, that's funny there!!

No, for the last 5 years at least, i've been doing my own barrel installs.
Cost for me is just the cost of the barrel, and in this case, the rental cost from 4D Reamer Rentals for the go/no go guages.

 

[taylorce1]

No, for the last 5 years at least, i've been doing my own barrel installs.
Cost for me is just the cost of the barrel, and in this case, the rental cost from 4D Reamer Rentals for the go/no go guages.

Okay a barrel still costs around $350 if you go stainless and air gauged from Douglas. So you'd save realistically $200 rebarreling that Alpine Mauser vs. selling it and buying the rifle I linked. That gets you a 5.5lb rifle which you can't even come close to making out of your Mauser action for that little of money.

 

[std7mag]

So very true!!

Wish i could afford another Forbes, or NULA.
Took all of 5 seconds, deciding to buy the one i had. The price was THAT good!

Would have taken less time had it been chambered in 284 Win. Lol

 

[BornFighting88]

Taylorforce 1,

All valid points. I have bought both from them. I have a Dumoulin that is being barreled for me, and I paid the ~$300 for it, and am over the moon happy with it. I guess you are certainly correct about the action weighing in around 3lbs. I just checked it on my postal scale after I read your comments. Could it be said that “heavy” is in the opinion of the chap carrying the rifle about the field?? You could sure trim some of the metal away from the non-critical spots, if you so choose to.

I have also bought one of those used commercial actions. While it had a little pitting under the stock line, a few minutes in a bead blaster and parts washer and it was unnoticeable. Especially when treated and blued and slapped back into another stock. Full disclosure, that used commercial action was made into a pistol caliber carbine with one of those Rhineland Arms kits (which I highly recommend as a fun weekend project). But heavy was NOT one of the descriptions that came to my mind.

I still do agree with you, to an extent. Very difficult to crank out a 5-7lb rifle with a CRF action. Although my Win70 in 300WSM is no boat anchor, with wood stock, glass, and accoutrements.

 

[paknheat]

I vote you rebarrel it in 8mm-06AI.

I just wanted to be different.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[stagpanther]

I vote you rebarrel it in 8mm-06AI.

I like that idea--didn't even know it existed.

 

[BornFighting88]

Isn’t 8mm-06 REALLY similar to 8mm Mauser?? Hahah. Or am I delusional?

 

[std7mag]

No, the 8mm-06AI is nothing close to the 8X57 Mauser.

The 06' case a good bit longer. Then blow out the case, taking away the taper in the body. Push the shoulder forward and give it a 40° shoulder angle.
The 8X57 Mauser would use in the high 40 to low 50 grains of powder.
The 8mm-06AI would be closer to 60 grains of powder, possibly a little more.

It's hard enough to get 25 caliber bullets, much less 8mm bullets!

IF i were to increase the bore diameter, i'd do a 35 Whelen!
And that ain't hapening!

3lb action.... eek!!!
NULA is only 24 ounces.
Add in a 1.5 contour 24" barrel.
Whole rifle with rings weighs 5.5 lbs.