Project gun- What should I chamber it for?

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Scorch

New member
Here's the deal: I was just given a DWM 1893 Mauser. The barrel is not pretty, to say the least. The stock has been chopped and the action is pieced together from several different guns (serial numbers on receiver, bolt, magazine, bolt shroud, etc, do not match). So it is a project gun, automatically.

My quandary is this: I have been looking for quite a while for a project gun to build a German-style stalking rifle in 444 Marlin, and this one would do nicely. I have also wanted a bolt action rifle in 45 Win Mag, and this one would do nicely. I would also like a bolt gun in 7.62X39, and this one . . .well, you get the idea, I am wanting many things and at this point in time cannot decide which one to do. So, what say you? 444? 45 WinMag? 7.62X39? 458 SOCOM? 6.5X57? Something other than one of these?
 
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jimbob86

Moderator
I have one of these potential money pits as well ...... and was wondering how much work would be needed to make anything other than a "whatever x57" based cartridge feed properly.

The action is not strong enough (46000 CUP limit) to run full power 7 or 8x57 loads in ..... there is always the traditional answer of .257 Roberts...... but I think the original 7x57 Mauser is superior to that.

7.62x39? Would that feed though the original internal magazine?
 
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taylorce1

New member
There is a ton of low pressure cartridges you can run in one as I'm sure you know. I'd have to say the 6.5x57 or .444 Marlin just because of the size of the action. My first thought is to do the 6.5 because there would be no modification to the action other than a rebarrel. My next thought is how much performance gain am I going to get over a 6.5X55?

That leads me to the .444 Malin which is the next longest (and great case IMO for wildcats). I think it would make an excellent short range thumper of deer and other game. I've never shot the .444 in its original form, I've ran some wildcat cartridges like the .358 and .375 JDJ which were awesome to shoot.

I went through the whole gambit of what to build on an old bubbaed 93 as well a few years ago. I wound up letting money decide, as I found a new $40 barrel short chambered in .30-06 but for a small ring mauser. I had the threads cut off, rethreaded for a small ring and chambered in .300 Savage. Neat little cartridge and rifle now that I do enjoy shooting I just wish I got to work with it more.
 
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Scorch

New member
I have one of these potential money pits as well ...... and was wondering how much work would be needed to make anything other than a "whatever x57" based cartridge feed properly.
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You're right, these project guns can become money pits, and making them feed anything other than whatever X57 is often challenging. I built one in 444 Marlin many years ago, and the amount of work required is one thing that is keeping me from wholeheartedly embracing that one. And I have a Ruger 77 in 7X57, so I definitely don't want the loads mixed up, it would lead to problems. And 8X57 is out for the same reasons.
There is a ton of low pressure cartridges you can run in one as I'm sure you know. I'd have to say the 6.5x57 or .444 Marlin just because of the size of the action. My first thought is to do the 6.5 because there would be no modification to the action other than a rebarrel. My next thought is how much performance gain am I going to get over a 6.5X55?
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I considered 6X57 (too similar to 6mm Remington for comfort), 6.5X57 (a winner, I had one years ago, you gain 200 fps over a 6.5X55), 9X57 (also had one of these, but I would use a .358" barrel), 9.5X57 (also known as 375 Nitro Express 2-1/4"), 10.15X57 (think 405 Winchester on a X57 case), and finally the 10.75X57 (an oddball, almost identical to the 444 Marlin except rimless, which is why I considered a 444). I have also thought of 44 Auto Mag, which led me to 45 Win Mag, which started me on 458 SOCOM, and so on. So now I have too many options. Decisions, decisions.
I went through the whole gambit of what to build on an old bubbaed 93 as well a few years ago. I wound up letting money decide, as I found a new $40 barrel short chambered in .30-06 but for a small ring mauser. I had the threads cut off, rethreaded for a small ring and chambered in .300 Savage. Neat little cartridge and rifle now that I do enjoy shooting I just wish I got to work with it more.
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You were the first one I thought of when I started this, and I thought my search was over. I am still thinking of this one, or even a 7mm IHMSA (300 Savage necked to 7mm).

Thanks for your input. I will post pics as we move forward.
 
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taylorce1

New member
Ooooh! 9.3X57!!!!

With the 9.3x62 surging in popularity there are a lot of new bullets out there in .366. That would make for one fun rifle.
 
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tahunua001

New member
I think that the 444 would be a neat thing to see. it's well beyond the realm of returning to stock anyway so you may as well go big or go home. I would personally do 45-70(which may be in the future for an enfield in my collection with the same situation as yours) but a 444 would be an awesome brush gun as long as the action can take it.
 
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hooligan1

New member
That 7mm IHMSA sounds hella interesting, .300 Savage did you say...necked to 7mm..... I bet that's a stud on thin skinned game dude.:)
 
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Stargazer

New member
I vote 45-70. Several reasons, such as many, many bullet choices, greater capacity than the 458 SOCOM so higher velocity, brass is plentiful and cheap compared to some, etc. That caliber almost wiped the buffalo off the planet. Just more thoughts for you to ponder as to what to turn that rifle into. :D
 
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Scorch

New member
OK, quick update on this project.

I have installed a 26" Green Mountain .311" groove diameter barrel and chambered it for 7.62X39mm, drilled and tapped for Leupold scope mounts, installed a Dayton-Traister cock-on-open kit and trigger, a DT safety, and replaced the bolt handle. There are a few issues to be resolved still: the barreled action needs to be blued (no biggie), the bolt handle needs to be inletted into the stock (it's going to live in the sporterized military stock for now), the extractor claw needs to be moved in to grip the smaller head of the x39 case, and because the 7.62X39 is such a short cartridge the last round wants to jump out of the mag when the bolt is opened (I will probably resort to a magazine block). I will have these issues resolved and submit a range report before too much longer. I have an old Bushnell scope I use for sighting rifles in, and it will do just fine for this project.
 
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Magnum Wheel Man

New member
you'd get along great with my retired buddy that likes to build... I obviously didn't see this soon enough to make suggestions, so... enjoy the 7.62 X 39

BTW... my buddy was bored with his 7.62, so he put a 9mm barrel on his 93, & chambered it for 9 X 39, built the reamer & dies... I've shot it a few times... to me, it's closest to a 35 Remington... shoots nice though
 
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Scorch

New member
I keep resurrecting this thread so I can keep it all together. I finally got to the range yesterday for a quick sighting-in and accuracy test. Cheap $6/box Wolf 123 gr SP steel-cased ammo, 100 yds, cold and clear. Looks like it's a keeper. I even rang the 200 yds gong with it a few times, just for grins. I have a few issues to work out with the rifle, but all in all, I think it's very promising.
93testtarget762X39_zps24e0f85b.jpg
 
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taylorce1

New member
How about some pictures of the rifle? Pretty good groups for cheap ammunition, can't wait to see what it will.do.with quality handloads.
 
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Scorch

New member
OK, you asked for it. Still haven't blued it, and it still resides in the chopped military stock, but here it is in all its glory.
93testrifle_zpsc5fd7a19.jpg

Now that I know it shoots, I will order a Oberndorf style stock and turn the`rifle into a proper Mauser B sporter look-alike.
 
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Magnum Wheel Man

New member
My '93 is at my buddys getting a cock on open conversion & a new barrel ( er... well one of those new Remington take off barrels they always advertise in Shotgun News )

mine was kinda the oposite of yours... mine looked awesome, turned & jeweled bolt, timminy trigger, custom sporter stock... but still had the original erroded throat, pitted 7 X 57 barrel...

we'll have to chop off the 7 mag chamber & rethread for the smaller 93's threads, but I'm going to keep the 7 X 57 original chambering

some pics of my '93... here though now mine wears a Simmon AETEK 4-12 scope

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=281541
 
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