Author Topic: mauser almost done!!! (Read 3917 times)

mjbgalt · « **on:** August 31, 2008, 04:28:30 PM »

i am going nuts waiting on a call from my gunsmith. i ordered 2 bags of winchester 6.5x55 brass and sierra bullets and got them all loaded today, ready for the break-in and load development.

i have been building this for 2 years, as money allowed and as i learned how to do each step. the smith is headspacing the barrel and finish reaming the chamber.

the barrel and action will be powder-coated at a motorcycle shop soon as well...

i just want to shoot it and get a load worked up.

it's a 98 mauser, bought at a gunshow in 2006. i handpicked one for good finish on the metal and then began taking it apart. my grandfather and i fitted the action to the stock i picked out, so some nostalgia and good feeling there when i will use it.

24" brownell's barrel on it (rumored to be e.r. shaw). i have learned a ton through this process and already have another one started, this one will be .25-06. the load i chose is with Varget and 100-grain sierra hollowpoints, for varmints and coyotes.

there is a place near me that does woodburning, where they can do awesome shading and can even copy a photo into wood, and i was thinking of having them do a burning on the gun, instead of checkering.

what do you guys think?

-Matt

GatCat · « **Reply #1 on:** August 31, 2008, 10:32:02 PM »

Sounds like a great project,and you got to learn alot,with hands-on experience. Good on you!!! Of course, it is in my favorite caliber, so what's not to like?
I've never been a big fan of non-traditional finishes on stocks. A few years back I bought a nicely sporterized '96 ( in 6.5X55 ) with a running buck woodburned into the stock. It was done nice, but I just can't warm up to it. But, it is your project, so proceed ahead however you want. Nothing wrong with being original.
Mark

Mikey · « **Reply #2 on:** September 01, 2008, 02:26:51 AM »

Show us pictures. I want to see what a 'burned' stock is like. I remember years ago there was a gunsmith in Brooklyn, of all places, who 'worm-wooded' stock blanks and they looked beautiful. Fellas name was Barth, and I think they called him Doc Barth. I recall his building a 444 on a Siamese Mauser action and worm-wooding the stock and it was an incredilbe looking rifle. Mikey.

mjbgalt · « **Reply #3 on:** September 01, 2008, 03:21:32 AM »

i know what you mean with the gaudy pictures burned into stocks. what i meant was, where the checkering would be, i would have them do a conservative burn in a pattern i like.

-Matt

james · « **Reply #4 on:** September 02, 2008, 03:30:52 AM »

I don't blame you for being anxious MJ. You can get a lot of satisfaction from building a rifle. I had 3 Swedes and an Encore but wanted a "modern" 6.5 x 55 in a bolt gun. So I bought a Savage 110 in a pawn shop, ordered a 25 inch ss barrel from McGowan (Kalispell MT), a Leopy 3x9 from Cabela's. and a barrel nut wrench from Midway. I swapped the barrels, polished the new one with J&B bore paste and reworked the factory trigger down to three pounds. It only took me about a month to find the parts and put the project together. I ran out in the woods on a 4 wheeler just to see if it would shoot. Using the 4 wheeler seat for a rest, the first two shots were touching and I pulled the third opening it up to about an inch. I shot a couple more to zero the scope and wanted to clean it before I shot it any more. The range finder showed the target to be 106 yards. I can't wait to get it on a bench to really see what it will do. I think the 6.5 x 55 is a sleeper.

mjbgalt · « **Reply #5 on:** September 14, 2008, 06:25:54 PM »

well i got to shoot it this week and tore a one-hole group with 3 shots at 50 yards. i didn't have time to shoot much at 100 yards but put two shots inside 1/2" before putting one away from the group that was my own fault. i had to leave at that point but i was very happy.

i used one of brownell's barrels for this, and it was very cheap...shot great but copper fouled like crazy. i am in the midst of getting it out and lapping the bore to keep this from happening again. as for accuracy, it's first rate...so far the swede is all everyone has said it would be.

the lack of recoil is nice, but the best feeling in the world is pulling the trigger on a gun i designed, created ideas for, and built. the only things i needed the gunsmith for was the bolt handle, drill and tap, and finish reaming. next time i will be able to do all but finish reaming. i did the woodwork and the safety and such small things.

i can't wait to take a pic with something i shot with my project.

-Matt

Sweet 6.5 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 17, 2008, 07:12:49 PM »

Hi

Sounds great, post some pics.

Cheers
Sweet

Catfish · « **Reply #7 on:** September 18, 2008, 02:18:12 AM »

What bullet are you useing??? To the best of my knowledge Sierra does not make a 100 gr HP. They do make a couple of 100 gr. bullets and a 90 gr. HP. I`ve like the 87 gr. Sierra`s. They have a little better BC than the 90 HP`s. They don`t leave near as big of hole, but they do the job with alittle less drop and a little less wind drift. Never the less if your getting good groups with the 90`s they will kill coyotes, I just hope your not wanting to save hides.

mjbgalt · « **Reply #8 on:** September 18, 2008, 12:50:19 PM »

yeah, a sierra hp 100 grain 6.5mm bullet. i forget the stock number.

it's listed on their webpage.

-Matt

mjbgalt · « **Reply #9 on:** March 03, 2009, 05:59:54 PM »

well this didn't turn out quite like i wanted. the barrel shot 3/4" groups but only until it got so copper fouled it took me forever to get it out.

i used a borescope and it looks like 5 miles of gravel road in there.

it&d gunsmithing is less than an hour away so i am having them put a premium douglas barrel on it in 6.5x55 and leaving it stainless, as that is actually cheaper than a blued barrel since i would have to have it blued. i would rather have stainless anyway.

so my project gun has now run me $1,000. i could have bought a kimber or model 70 for this price, yes, but i would not have had the pleasure of working on it with my grandfather and of learning as i go and doing it with my own hands.

so, yeah, everyone should do this once.

....ONCE.

-Matt

Mikey · « **Reply #10 on:** March 04, 2009, 01:27:06 AM »

mjbgalt: did you finish fire lapping the bore? It sounds as though the bore is still pretty rough if you have that much fouling. Honestly, I would firelap the barrel before having it rebarrelled - you might be able to save yourself a lot of $. And what about a Douglas barrel - would you have to lap that too?

? Just a thought. Mikey.

mjbgalt · « **Reply #11 on:** March 04, 2009, 12:35:43 PM »

the douglas is a premium air gauged barrel. i don't think they require any extra work at all.

this one i have is beyond the help of lapping, i am afraid. i used a borescope on it and it was horrible.

it does shoot but i only get a groups or two before it heads south and i get 8" groups. i stop then because i don't want to risk high pressures from the buildup.

the rebarrel is $281, i don't think that's out of line...

or do you think i don't need to at all??

-Matt

mjbgalt · « **Reply #12 on:** March 13, 2009, 06:42:48 PM »

i chose to have the smith put a Douglas XX barrel on it. 22" and featherweight contour. should be a great shooter when he is done.

-Matt

charles p · « **Reply #13 on:** March 14, 2009, 10:12:12 AM »

I wouldn't reload anymore rounds until you get the rifle from the smith. Your reloads may not chamber, especially if you are loading "long".

mjbgalt · « **Reply #14 on:** March 14, 2009, 02:13:38 PM »

i am not loading long. however i agree with you and i was not planning on loading any until i get the new setup back.

the other barrel had a short throat, which is what i wanted. should be the same with the douglas.

i usually load to kiss the lands and then neck size the brass after they're fireformed.

-Matt

Mikey · « **Reply #15 on:** April 03, 2009, 01:21:59 PM »

Matt: Have you received the rifle back yet from the gunsmith with the Douglas barrel? It bothers me a bit that you felt you needed a complete rebarrel even when you thought you already had a Shaw barrel. The Shaw barrel should have shot very well for you. When I purchase a name brand barrel I get it directly from the barrel maker or send the action to them for barrelling. When you get a name brand barrel from someone other than the barrel maker I would wonder about the quality of it.

If a barrel maker sells in bulk to a supplier/distributor they may sell at a lower price that causes them to eliminate some quality control, like the final hand lapping of the bore.

All the problems you described with that barrel sound as though the bore was rough and that it could have benefitted from a good lapping.

Ya gotta let us know how this one shoots now...............

mjbgalt · « **Reply #16 on:** April 04, 2009, 02:18:04 PM »

ok got it today. the new douglas looks awesome!

the other barrel...i really do not know where it was made, and i don't want to make Shaw look bad if i don't know for sure it was theirs. the gunsmith said it did not look like their outside contour they usually put on barrels.

i just found a comment online somewhere that said they thought the Brownell's mauser barrels were made by Shaw.

this one i have on now, however, looks great and i hope it shoots as good as it looks.

mike, if you want the old tube i will send it to you to check out.

-Matt

Savage_99 · « **Reply #17 on:** June 23, 2009, 04:14:24 PM »

Quote from: mjbgalt on August 31, 2008, 04:28:30 PM

the barrel and action will be powder-coated at a motorcycle shop

there is a place near me that does woodburning, where they can do awesome shading and can even copy a photo into wood, and i was thinking of having them do a burning on the gun, instead of checkering.

what do you guys think?

-Matt
===============
Good grief.

mjbgalt · « **Reply #18 on:** June 24, 2009, 02:51:20 PM »

decided against the burning. take a deep breath lol

-Matt

mjbgalt · « **Reply #19 on:** August 23, 2009, 02:10:38 PM »

alright, due to divorce, finances, new job, and laziness, i haven't gotten it out in a while. i had a douglas stainless XX air gauged 22" stainless barrel put on.

tonight, with 42.5 grains of varget and a 100 grain nosler bt, it put 3 shots into less than 1/4" at 50 yards. basically one hole. wow.

i still have my old 24" barrel that shot well. it just copper fouled a little and i wanted a lighter barrel. if someone wants it let me know.

but i am VERY happy.

-Matt

billy_56081 · « **Reply #20 on:** August 23, 2009, 02:16:00 PM »

Small ring or large on the barrel?

mjbgalt · « **Reply #21 on:** August 23, 2009, 02:27:26 PM »

large. 24" #2 contour, has been wiped down with cold blue to keep from rusting but could use a good smoothing and reblue.

shoots fine, just needs lapped. i wanted a lighter contour and didn't want to screw with lapping.

let me know if you want it.

-Matt

billy_56081 · « **Reply #22 on:** August 23, 2009, 02:28:16 PM »

large.

Darn darn darn darn

mjbgalt · « **Reply #23 on:** August 23, 2009, 02:30:53 PM »

could probably be turned down. arent the threads the same?

billy_56081 · « **Reply #24 on:** August 23, 2009, 02:36:27 PM »

Quote from: mjbgalt on August 23, 2009, 02:30:53 PM

could probably be turned down. arent the threads the same?

No the threads on a large ring are larger.

mjbgalt · « **Reply #25 on:** August 23, 2009, 02:41:11 PM »

no i mean the rate on the threads. if the twist is the same, one could turn the new lower threads by making the current ones smaller right?

i am not a machinist but i think you see what i mean, is that possible?

billy_56081 · « **Reply #26 on:** August 23, 2009, 03:03:57 PM »

That may be possible.

cwlongshot · « **Reply #27 on:** August 23, 2009, 03:05:52 PM »

I am building one as well. This is my fourth... (I think) This one is for the wife, I have it narrowed down to two calibers 257 Roberts or 6.5x55.... Leaning toward the Roberts as I have much more 257 bullets on the shelf than 6.5's. I have a number of 25's but only two 6.5's.

I started with a 1909 Argentine Mauser chambered for the 7.65 Mauser. Stocked with a Fagan syn stock as it was the lightest and she liked it the best. Timney premium trigger, spoon bolt handle and weaver bases. It needs to be barreled once I decide on caliber.

GREAT to read your thread, thanks for posting. Great shooting with the SS barrel!!!

CW

mjbgalt · « **Reply #28 on:** August 23, 2009, 03:31:00 PM »

i think the swede is great, since i can load as low as 85 grains and as high as 160. i plan on using the 100 grain ballistic tip Nosler as the all-round load.

if i wind up going after something larger than deer i can garb a box of 140's and go for it.

it needs a buttplate and it will be done. i shot it today without and it was fine. swedes have such nice recoil it didn't matter. i took off the old crappy one from the stock (stock is from 1960's era sporterized mauser i bought just for the stock).

btw the 100 grain BT does nasty things to groundhogs. the president of the club said if i find them, shoot them. i did today and it was gross!

...but satisfying.

-Matt

billy_56081 · « **Reply #29 on:** August 23, 2009, 03:44:04 PM »

I made a Swede for my son, 85 grainers work for coyotes 160 for moose. Not over or under gunned for either.