Steyr 1895 re-barrel

[jlwilliams]

I'm thinking about picking up a Steyr '95 to rebarrel in something a little more common.  I like the guns, but the 8mm rimmed isn't exactly a common round.  Sticking with a rimmed cartridge seems sensable, maybe 30-30, 35 Rem or 22 hornet.  Maybe even a magnum pistol round like 357 or 44. 
  Poking around the internet, I see people have done them in 30-40 and 7.62x54, but I have yet to see any in 30-30, or any of the others I am considering. 

  You folks have any thoughts or considerations you'd like to throw out?  This is a 'maybe' project so really anything may be helpful.  Nothing is yet carved in stone.

[Old Fart]

I picked up three of them about 2 months ago.
One for me and then one for son and one for son-in-law as Christmas presents.

I'm keepeing mine original. I found new prvi brass at graf and sons. I'll just reload them.

Good luck though.

OF

[Freezer]

    Interesting project.  What nitch do you have?  30-30- is a good deer gun.  With sprie point bullets it can perform well.  If this is for Elk and bear there were other better performers out there like the 303 Brit.

[Frank46]

Just a suggestion. Think 9.5x56mm or neck up to 375 caliber using the origional case. get a 1x14 twist barrel and you should be able to shoot even 300 grain bullets depending on how your barrel is throated. Or if you want get a .366 bore barrel and have a 9.3x56 which should be a 9.3x57 on steroids. Your best bet is use the parent case as that is what the action was designed for. I forgot to add use the parent case and neck up to your desired caliber. Have fun. Frank

[Antietamgw]

Like Frank46 said, think about feeding and the magazine. I'm a tinkerer at heart and got one of these years ago when they first came out. The condition of metal and bore was excellent and the wood very nice with good figure and color. I didn't want to touch it. I have a bullet mold from LBT that drops a .334 diameter 220 gr. spitzer that shoots very well. Making it a flat point by bumping the nose in the lubrisizer would make it an excellent deer bullet and would probably exit end to end if used for that shot. Some folks size .338 bullets down which makes sense as .333/.334 bullet molds are not common. I understand some also size or swage jacketed bullets down or up as needed but I rarely shoot jacketed in anything and haven't tried it. As Old Fart mentioned, good brass is available. I'd go with the original, get the stuff to load for it and keep some $$$ in your pocket. If I were to change one and had the reamer, I'd probably go 7.62X54 as the case is close in size. Any .30 cal takeoff barrel would work. My first brass before Graf's had it was 7.62X54 fireformed. I still use it but the neck is shorter than proper brass. Proper 8X56R brass feeds better and correctly - that's important to me. I'd like to find another sometime and add a reciever sight and probably optics but I doubt I'd change the chambering. Good luck with it, these little carbines grow on you!

[7 MM]

Check out work done by buckshot over on castbollets.com.
He did one in 45/70 that is supreme.
I want to do one in 45/70 just reading his post.
Am looking for a parts gun so I can get started.

7 MM

[7 MM]

Sorry spelled it wrong , it is castboolits.com

[jlwilliams]

  There are some in the Shotgun News this month for less than $100

  I'll go check out that 45-70.  That's something to think about.  45-70 is a fine cartridge.

[Confederate rifleman]

Old post...For the best possibility for success and cheap ammo, try the 7.62x54R.Fits the bolt magazine and most importantly the clips perfectly.All thats needed is the barrel and Montana rifleman(?) custom barrels makes tubes with the proper bore/groove demensions.

[trotterlg]

I easily built a 20-06 on one of these actions.  Feeds from the magazine and hits 4,300fps with 26gr bullets.  Bush the bolt head and silver on a little extractor work and you are set.  Anything from .338-06 to 25-06 would be a piece of cake.  Only thing is that the barrel threads are 55 degrees, but anyone cutting the threads wil have no problems with it.  Larry