Thinking about building rifle

[koivu]

I know it would not be cost effective, but I'm thinking about building a rifle with a mannlicher stock.  I already have a Swede that I had rebuilt  as a sporter I also have a 308 Mohawk, but I've always loved rifles with full stocks.  A 20 inch barrel is great to carry.  It would basically be a white tail / mule deer rifle.  Which do you think would be the least expensive route, another Swede or a 308.  I figure it might be cheaper to come up with a milsurp Swede and go from there.  Thoughts?

[Tallwalker]

 I have built some rifles based on milsurp actions, or rifles, and I would say that it depends on how much work you are able to do yourself. If you can cut, and crown the barrel, or install a new one, and chamber it, modify the bolt, clean up the top of the receiver, drill, and tap for scope mounts, modify the safety, or install an aftermarket trigger with a safety, etc. then Mausers, etc. make a fun project. If you have to pay to have those things done, I would look for a used rifle in the caliber you like, or in the family of the caliber you like, 30-06 family, 308 family, 8x57 family, etc. Some actions will feed many different calibers (my .308 Ruger feeds .257 Roberts dummy rounds like grease), but most work best within the family they were designed for. As far as caliber, choose the one you like the most, or that you find an action you like for. Both will do the job. ( I did build a 6.5x55 on a 98 Mauser with a manlicher stock once) I shoot a lot of cast bullets these days so that influences my caliber choices some.

[Davemuzz]

You can do a "build" pretty easy using a Savage action. I did this last year. I purchased a Savage Stainless short action, then a stock of my choice ( I went with a laminated), then I ordered a Shilen Stainless barrel in 6.5x55 Swede  ...(I needed a "modern" version to go along side my 1915 original Military Swede Mauser). I purchased the Go\NoGo Guages and did the headspace of the barrel. (That took all of 10 minutes) I bedded the action with Davcon.

I worked up a load using Berger 140gr. VDL's and RL-22. The powder amount is a bit over the published data amount...but I am now dealing with a modern action and not a 100 year old action. This Stevens is pushing the 140gr. Berger at 2725fps across my chronograph. And my groups are sub-MOA at 100 yards.

Needless to say I am a happy camper with this project.

Cost: Stevens action $310, Stock $130, Shilen Barrel $280, Leupold 4-12X $300, Gauges $35, TOTAL $1,055.

[mannyrock]

  I believe that the easiest way to go would be to buy one of the new Ruger compact rifles, in  .308, which I think already comes with a 20 inch barrel.   You could install a custom barrel, and then just go straight to the stock issue.  (Everything else is already resolved.)  I'm not sure how you get to a manlicher stock for such a rifle, but an experienced stock maker could point you in the right direction.

   If you are going to go the long-route, just for the fun of it, then I believe I would start with a Swedish Mauser action, in  6.5 Swede, and leave it in that caliber.  (It is not hard to find a surplus 96 Swede rifle in full length, at a reasonable price  ($150.00?), just to get the action.)    For the game you describe, and the carbine you describe, the caliber would be excellent.

  Also, I seem to recall that about 10 years ago, SARCO was advertising brand new Swede carbine barrels (stepped military, packed in grease) for about $80.00.   Point is, it shouldn't be hard to find a 20 inch barrel for a Swede action.  Then, you are just left with the standard stuff to do (bend bolt, d/t action, add new sights),  plus the stock issues.

  Just some thoughts.

Mannyrock

[mannyrock]

   And, much cheaper than anything else?   Take your current Swede sporter, remove and sell the stock, cut and crown it to 20 inches, and go straight to working on the manlicher stock.   Nothing at all wrong with doing this, since you are doing it for fun anyway.

Mannyrock

   

[mcwoodduck]

Just see if Fajen has a manlicher stock set up for the 96 swede and your done.
Order the stock in the grade and wood you want.
I will look up the website for you.

[Davemuzz]

The only issue with using a 100 year old military action is....you cannot load the rounds to a higher pressures than you can with a modern action. I would NEVER load my Swedish Mauser Hornady loads to the levels that I load my Stevens Berger or Barnes bullet loads. The Swedish Mauser could never handle the constant hammering of pushing a 140 grain bullet to over 2700fps. If you look at all published data on the 6.5x55 Swede loads, there is not one of 'em (with the exception of Vihtavouri) that will show a 140 grain bullet being pushed that fast.

And the reason is because powder and bullet companies fear the older mauser actions will break under the higher pressures, where as the new modern actions can take the stress.

Dave

[Davemuzz]

http://www.treebonecarving.com/index.html

I believe this fellow makes custom stocks as well as "regular" stocks. He has quite an operation.

Dave

[mannyrock]

   But Davemuzz, remember that 90% of us hunters and shooters don't reload, and don't want to!  :-)

   (Gives me an extreme migraine. )  :-(

Mannyrock

 

[Davemuzz]

   But Davemuzz, remember that 90% of us hunters and shooters don't reload, and don't want to!  :-)

   (Gives me an extreme migraine. )  :-(

Mannyrock

 

I won't question your percentage. But you probably do make a valid point. And quite frankly, one that I didn't consider....since I reload...I just think that everyone (including the head honcho of PETA) reloads. But...I guess that's just not the case.

However....you should pick up the hobby. It's a bunch of fun. Let that grass grow...and you can paint that whatever next year!!!

Dave

[koivu]

Thanks for the ideas guys.  It just proves there are more ways than one to skin a cat.  I'm heading up to a gun show at the end of next month so I'm going to see what's available.  I do love those Swedes.  It's kind of fun to know that I shot my last deer with a rifle built in 1917.  Cheers