Swede Mauser 6.5x55 to 257 Robt's - need gunsmith

[UMD]

I've a nice little mannlicher-stocked 96 Swede, 20" barrel getting a bit worn, and would like to rebarrel, and convert to 257 Robt's.  It's a cock-on-close action, would like to change this to cock-on-open action.  I live in MN - Ahlman's, a decent shop in southern MN, wants close to $500 for this work - rebarrel, reblue, action work.  Want to believe I can get this done by a good 'smith for less money - I need some info on 'smiths that would do what I'm looking for.  Any online resources?  Just trying to utilize GB members and wealth of experience.

Thanks - now is a good time for the work.

[flyboy]

That sounds like an elegant  little rifle. Isn't it accurate any more?   I love my  257 Roberts, but JMO, the 6.5 Swede is more versatile.  You just take a 120 gr bullet, load it up to ~  2800 fps  and voila! a Super Roberts , or 257 Improved, whatever you might want to call it.  Good for  deer, hogs, antelope, and some larger game. A few will  use it on elk, but it isn't my first choice.
THEN, switch to a good 139-140gr. bullet, and black bear, elk, moose, are comfortably  covered. 

A plain rebarrel will run $3-400. Try E.R.Shaw, who advertises in Shotgun News. I used to see cock on opening kits for Mausers  regularly, but that was  years ago.

There are probably some still around, and if anyone will have them, it would be Midway or Brownell's

CZ  chambers for 6.5 Swedish, and also Howa, as I recall. Ruger builds an international or lightweight, as well as a standard 257 rifle, at about what you are looking to pay for the work on your Swede.   Of course, that's your call.   An addition to the gun collection is always nice.

[Siskiyou]

I realize this smith is a long ways from you, but he does have a telephone.  He has done a number of barrel switches, re-chambering, and other work for my brother,  involving the 6.5 Swede, 257 Roberts, and the .257 Roberts Improved.

http://www.wyattsoutdoor.com/about.html

[Mikey]

UMD:  check our sponsor's list.  We have at least one barrel maker who sponsors Graybeards - MGM (stands for Match Grade..., I believe).  Check out their website and e-mail them to see how much it would cost to have your 96 rebarrelled.  I'll bet the price range is pretty decent.  I contacted Hart last week about a barrel I have on an older Model 70 - they quoted me $600 and a 18-20 week turn-around.  I would like to think one of our sponsors can beat that.

As for the cock on opening device - I believe it is called Tritstar or something similar.  I know a couple of gunsmiths who won't go there but others from these forums have said they have used them and they work.  My gunsmith didn't want to bugger anything up and then ahve to go for a new bolt for my M38.

I know you are looking for a 257 but I have to agree with Flyboy regarding the 6.5.  HTH.  Mikey.

[billy_56081]

The hunters den in New Ulm MN may be able to do this for you. Where in MN are you located? There is also Little crow shooting sports in Hutchinson MN.  Or as others here have suggested try some of the sponsors here. They are supporting this great websight so if they were doing bad work we would hear about it here, and from what I've noticed GB is pretty good about running off sponsors that don't fulfill there obligations. There is also a good gunsmith in I beleave Sanborn MN.

[JimP.]

i did just what you want to do, i had a 257 roberts made out of a 6.5 swede mod 38, had er shaw do the work, nice rifle, worked beautifully, shot very well, their web site is www.ershawbarrels.com , now i didnt change the cock on closing aspect of the rifle cause after a few years of owning the rifle, it became second nature to cock it on closing that i didnt want to change, made the bolt operation a little faster...now i am having a German M98 rebarreled to the roberts and i am having er shaw do it again, this time i am getting a 24 inch stainless steel barrel with the straight flutting and everything is less than  360 dollars....i like er shaw, i have had 4 rifles done by them and they all have been excellent shooters...my favorite is the 35 Whelen done on a Mod 98 action, but that is another story....go with er shaw, and dont worry bout that cock on closing feature...use it, it works just fine for me and i dont fix things that arent broke...JimP.

[Freezer]

    I have a 1909 Arg Mauser I'm preparing to sporterize.  I like the 257 but have you considered the 260Rem?  It shoots flater, and faster than the other two, has great bullet selection and light recoil.

[billy_56081]

I'd worry a little about putting a high pressure round in a small ring Mauser. In fact many gunsmiths refuse to do it. Stick with the 6.5 swede or standard pressure .257 bob.

[AtlLaw]

The one "built for me" rifle I've had made was built on a M96 action.  New barrel but I elected to stay with the 6.5 Swede.  I've got 2 .260's anyway.  $500 ain't bad... mine cost a lot more then that, but then again it's sitting in a fancy English Walnut full length stock.  I've got another M96 action I picked up that also has a 6.5 Swede chambered Lilja barrel that I'm considering re-barreling into 7x57.  I handload, so I'm not worried about the action strength when I develop a load for a Swede.  I stick to manual loads and watch for the normal pressure signs like I would with any rifle.  The Swede's are darn good actions!  Seems to me a company sold a bunch of them chambered in a number of modern high pressure calibers a few years ago; 308 and such.

[UMD]

I pulled the trigger - action is in the shop - rebarrel to 257 Robt's, installing Dakota three-position safety/shroud, reblue.  Now the wait - pretty excited though!

Forgot to mention, my original barrel was just 18.5" on the Swede.  Being that I hunt in northern MN and rarely, if ever, shoot over 100yds, my new 257 barrel will be the same length.  'Spose I'll lose some fps and ballistics will be affected, but I'm ok with the loss.  Finished rifle should be a dandy walker, or nice stand gun.  I shoot the Fed Premium 120gr Nosler Partitions out of my 257 BLR - would think these should do ok in this rifle as well.  Have had real good luck with the Rem 117g CL's as well.

We'll see.