What longest cartridge for M(* without modification?

[shinjin]

I got the itch to build (well hire one out) a M-98 in a large Elk cartridge next year. I have two 1908's and one of them will be either a 7x57 or a 257 Roberts next year. But the other...?
 
What long range Elk calibers can I shoot safely in a 1908 Brazilian M98 without modifying the receiver like I must for magnums or shorter than 7x57mm cartridges?
 
Anybody know a gunsmith named Hammerick?

[cwlongshot]

The 63mm case will fit well into large ring Mausers. With out any alterations. With alterations the short magnums up to 300 can be made to fit and feed.

Personally good argument can be made to stay 57mm. 9x57 is a dandy large critter med range offering.

CW

[shot1]

The 338-06 is a wildcat based on the 30-06 case. Simple neck up from 06 to 338. You can get with in 100 to 150 fps velocity of the 338 Win mag with the cartridge. Will make on heck of a elk rifle that will require NO MODIFICATION to your 98 Mauser action.

[Frank46]

375-06 is another good one or 9.3x64 rimless. If I had the $$ I'd get one of my win 1917 enfields redone to 375 06. Frank

[shinjin]

is there a 375x57 if so where can i find reloading data?

[cwlongshot]

Before you decide on any dia larger than .358 in a .47?ish dia case. Be sure you read up on the cartridge. The 375/06 is plagued with head-space issues as the shoulder is all but non existant!  I would advise one of the "improved" designed that reduce the taper to allow for more shoulder as well as case capacity. The Brown line is a good one. We all know about Ackleys versions too.
The 9.3x63 is another good choice with + Whelen Ballistics but heavier bullets.
 
CW

[Frank46]

Think there is such a critter. But the 9.3x57 is limited to about 2100fps with the 286 grain bullet. I would imagine that the 9.5x57 would be slightly faster with a 270 grain or better yet a 235 grain bullet. Google 9.5x57 and see what comes up. The twist in my husky is 1x14 if that is any help. Frank

[mauser98us]

338-06,35 Whelan in both standard and improved versions. The 9.3 X62 is absolutely probably the best bet. Almost 375 H&H performance from a rimless round.I have a Swede in 9.3 X57. I have taken elk with it,but as noted before the Swedes call it a potatoe launcher.But then again, I have been lucky,and think my longest shot on anything has been 150 yards. No flies on the 8MM Mauser when loaded to spec with 196 grain slugs either. Of the mags, I know a lot of folks like the 338,but I have used both the 308 and 358 Norma mags, and they are well underated. These were made to fit the standard action. As with all mausers,if fitted with calibers other than their own,all will require some work to feed properly. Good luck

[Larry Gibson]

Concur that the 9.3x62 would be the best choice but bullet availability can be a problem.  The 35 Whelen would be my choice, hard to arge with a 250 gr bullet at 2500+ fps.
 
Larry Gibson

[smokehouserex]

 
 
  Hello shinjin:
  Nothing wrong with a 8x57 mauser for what you are asking about, on paper anyway, can't tell you personally but it does have a lot of power. If I wanted to rebarrel I would have to look at a 338 of some sort in the 8mm case or 30-06 case.
  J. Hamrick, graduated from Trinadad Colo. in the late 70's. Haven't  seen him in 10 years but he was a very competent gunsmith then, don't know anything lately.
  HM

[Tackleberry]

just built a .308 Norma Magnum on a K98 action. The nice thing about this cartridge is it will work in any any action that a .30-06 can be made to fit in..I had to open the rails a bit to accommodate feeding & Bolt face must be opened up for Magnum shells. I did use a Magnum length commercial magazine, but that really wasn't necessary...
 
also built a .338-06 on a K98 action and had to little or nothing to modify the action.
 
keep in mind. Low cost .338 ca barrels are available already threaded for large ring K98 thro Adams and Bennett (Midway or Numrich) and short chambered for .338-06.
 
Any previously chambered .30-06 barrel is easily re-chambered for .308 Norma Magnum. Those prethreaded .30-06 shortchambered barrels are also available from Adams and Bennett. Those are two reasons why I choose to build one of each, since the barrels were under $100 each..and are good shooting barrels.   
 
I've included a comparison of the four cartridges...on the left standard 8 x57 Mauser, then .30-06 with 150 gr, then .338-06 with 220 Grain, and then far right .308 Norma Mag with 150 grain. There is no effective difference between the .308 N Magnum and a .300 Win Mag powerwise. The 300 Win Mag length tends to be longer.   
 
to add: overall the .338-06 is easiest to do, modification wise and really is a magnum in it's own right. It only falls just shy of the belted magnums by about 150-200fps ....
 

[cwlongshot]

Back when I built my 35 Whelen I was dead set on a 358 Norma magnum. Feeding problems and the uneasiness of the gunsmith deterred me from doing it. He suggested the ackley improved whelen. I was not so enamored... I like what I saw in the Brown Whelen, but NOT what I saw from the die and reamer costs...
We ended up going with the std Whelen and leaving the barrel long for a bit of a boost in velocity. It worked! I get close to 2900fps from the 200's and over 2600 from the 250's
 
The 308 Norma mag is a very nice caliber!!! Its also Mauser friendly!
My favorite 300 is the originally, the 300 H&H. Yea I know it will not fit easily into the Mauser and about all the "300's" can better its velocity and energy. To my eye its just classic and I like it!
 
CW

[Tackleberry]

The cartridges in my pics look very squatty for some reason....
 
for inspiration Shinjin...you can do this...A book I recommend is "the Mauser Bolt Actions, M91 through M98, a Shop Manuel", by Jerry Kuhnhausen, 1991, VSP publishers. Essential is the section on chambering and headspace.
 
my .308 Norma Mag K98 Mauser in Boyds' laminate and my .338-06 in on Husquevarna K98 in Walnut Boyd's Stock...

[1911crazy]

In europe they hunt moose and reindeer with the 6,5mm x 55mm swedish round with no problem.  They also hunted elephants with the 7mm x 57mm mauser round too in africa.  If you want to go even bigger the 8mm x 57mm mauser round would be a good choice too.  If you have a 1908 brazilian 7mm mauser i would leave it alone and pick up a yugo m24/47 in 8mm mauser and replace the straight bolt with a bent bolt and scope it. Its all about the shot placement that counts.                                   CZY

[shinjin]

1911 Crazy I would leave that 1908 Brazilian alone if she still had a barrel but someone put a sewer pipe on her so she needs some TLC.
 
I bought a new, in the white, 19.5 inch 7x57 mil-stepped barrel from Sarco to mount on the better of the two 1908's I have. I am leaning towards a 257 R barrel but I am eyeing some nice commercial barrels right now in 8x57, 30-06 and 7mag and may go that route.
 
Anyone use LOWTECH Gunsmithing? Mauser central rates them highly.