Author Topic: Matching small ring Mauser barrels & actions...... (Read 819 times)

kombi1976 · « **on:** May 31, 2005, 06:28:48 PM »

Just a few quick questions:
Will a barrel from a 95 Mauser(which I think is Small Ring) fit in a 96 Mauser action?
Further, is the 6.5x55 M96 bolt face the same size as the 7x57?
Could I load it up to the hotter load pressures so long as the action is in good condition?
Afterall the Swede cartridge is pretty heavily loaded in Europe.

jh45gun · « **Reply #1 on:** May 31, 2005, 07:33:51 PM »

I would stay with standard loadings for the 7mm it does not really need to be hotrodded. What ever the Swede pressure limit is I would not excede it. Yea the 95 barrel should fit the Swede action as they are both small ring and the actions are basically the same except the Swedes used their steel which they felt was superior. Not sure about the bolt head I do know the swede cartridge head is larger than the standard 7 and 8mm class of cartridges so I would think that the bolthead should be fine as you are going smaller instead of bigger as far as the cartridge head goes. Jim

1911crazy · « **Reply #2 on:** June 01, 2005, 03:08:26 AM »

First we have to watch the reloading books for which gun was the spec's made for and what gun they were testing it in. Some of the reloading books list a Ruger Rifle and some list the 1895 chilean mauser. We could very easily have a problem if we mix up these specs and use the wrong gun there's a difference in the strenght and the loc up. If i was looking to build a 7mm mauser for shooting max loads and modern 7mm loads it would be a 98 action for sure then your safe with any 7mm hotter load spec. The swede's did make a 98 action too. BigBill

The swede's were noted for having one of the best quality steels for many years. My dad was an experimental machinest and he always said the swedish steels had the highest quality too. Were talking back in the 70's and 80's too. I believe the swede's were the first to develope the chromemoly steels too. The Husqvarna motorcycle frames had swedish chromemoly steel frames. We broke/cracked many of the jap frames but we never had a husqvarna frame fail on us.

Mikey · « **Reply #3 on:** June 01, 2005, 09:51:41 AM »

kombi - the barrel should fit as both the 95 and 96 are small ring actions.

However, the rim diameter on the 6.5 Swede is a hair larger than that on the german 57mm rounds (6.5x57, 7x57 and 8x57). The rim diameter on the Swede is .480" and .473 on the 57mm rounds according to my Cartridges of the World book. Considering the tolerances built into the Mauser military actions I'm not sure this would amount to a hill of beans, or not.

And BigBill is right, the Swedes (Husquarvarna) also made the 98 action in 6.5x55 and 8mm - I have one of the 8mms and am getting ready to head out to the range with it later this week. HTH. Mikey.

kombi1976 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 01, 2005, 05:31:47 PM »

I'm a little confused by all this talk of Swedish steels.
I know the 94s and 95s, where ever they were made aren't up to more than 45,000 CUP.
But the M96s were almost all made in Sweden, either by Husqvarna or Carl Gustaf, and therefore should be using the high quality steels.
Does this make the Swedish made M96s stronger?
I did already realise that M98 is stronger and I intend on building a 7x57 on that action, should everything work out the way I want it to.

1911crazy · « **Reply #5 on:** June 02, 2005, 02:07:35 AM »

Lets straighten this out about the other German manufactured swede's. The Germans used swedish steel to manufacture the oberndorf swedish mausers. The swede's were very fussy about the quality of their guns.
I think the small ring mausers made by the swede's were the best quality small rings ever made. I think the german small rings were a very close second its just the swedish steels that made the difference and gives them the edge in quality.(my opinion) The 98 reciever has the third locking lug which gives it a notch up in safety too. If your going to use the modern load specs for the 7x57mauser it would have to be a 98 action or a modern action like a ruger or winchester model70 bolt action rifle. But even the normal 7mm loads are very close to the 308win/30-06 specs/7,62x54 specs. For many years large game has been taken with the 7mm up to elephant sized game. I'm sure it will handle any thin skinned game too. I met a guy at a local gun range who was lookingat my 95 chilean 7mm mauser and he said his buddy who hunts with him has taken every north american game and thin skinned game in africa with his 7mm mauser. There's no doubt in our minds that the 7mm can do the job its proven for many years. I think your making a great choice in building one.
BigBill

The swedish quality didn't stop at the mausers too they make an awesome chainsaw(husqvarna) and sewing machine(husqvarna) too. The orginal husqvarna dirtbike was unbeatable in its day and some of their spin off products are considered the best today like the Olin shocks and forks used in snowmobiles and dirtbikes today. Nothing i have ever ridden could match that olin twin shock setup for stability nothing today can match it. You could be hanging off that old husky bike wide open and it would still track straight just try that on a new single shock bike made today. With the new bikes you can't be off the centerline of the bike at all or you'll dump it.

Mikey · « **Reply #6 on:** June 02, 2005, 04:16:37 AM »

kombi - I do not think that one 96 is going to be any stronger than any other 96 regardless of who made it. The design of that action determines the pressure ranges you can use in it, same for the 98 - it's the design tht determines what pressures the gun (action) can handle.

BigBill is right about the quality of the steel and the quality of the finished Swedish product. I had a terribly irreverant thought however about Husquavarna - what a firm. You can run over someone with their dirtbikes, chop'em up with their chainsaws, sew'em back together with their sewing machines and if all of that doesn't work, well they do make other products ya know (LOLOLOLOL). Sorry, lost it fer a minute there. Mikey.

CowboyEngr · « **Reply #7 on:** June 03, 2005, 10:49:14 AM »

The Swedish M96 mausers are easily one of the most carefully made military rifles ever. The Husky and Gustav rifles are about as perfect in craftsmanship (miltary) as anyone can get. Question of strength? This one's been kicked around for years. All things considered, they probably will stand up to anything reasonable, but conventional caution probably has settled that the milder class of cartridges is where they should fit. But, these are truly some of the best anyway: 6.5x55, 7x57, 8x57, 9.3x57, etc. Heck, even the truly great 9.3 x62 was chambered in this action by Husqvarna (M46) and the 96 style action handled it just fine. In reality, they are probably more safe than some war production 98's, but still there has always been a question. I've always been so impressed with how they shot with the military 6.5x55 barrels, that I never could bring myself to monkey with them. I do have a 9.3x62 Husqvarna with the 96 type action and it shoots like a dream.

CowboyEngr · « **Reply #8 on:** June 03, 2005, 11:02:22 AM »

Maybe I should clarify: The safety factor of the 98 over the 96 is simply that the 98 has a thicker receiver ring (large ring) and a third recoil lug. When choosing an action to build a customized rifle around, the conventional wisdom has held that the cost difference between a M98 and a M96 is nil, so just go with the M98. That is sound wisdom, but the M96 actions can make a beautiful rifle. If you have a M96 action to use, and if you will not try to "magnumize" the cartridge, then by all means use it. But, the M96's continual question of strength will probably cause your gunsmith to advise you towards another action.

rockbilly · « **Reply #9 on:** June 03, 2005, 12:08:15 PM »

:roll: mikey, as an OLD machinist that has worked in the aircraft industry for over 47 years let me assure you there are major differences in steels from manufacturer to manufacturer, and sometimes from batch to batch by the same producer.

For example, look back to the period after WW II, the quality of the German, Swiss, and Swed steels were still among the best. Japan was producing pure junk. Today things have turned around, Japan now makes excellent steel, maybe even better than Germany, Swiss or the sweds.

Most of these countries today, along with America have very high quality controls in their steel plants. If you really want to see a difference in steels look at Mexico, China, Korea (but they are getting better). At one point Spanish (Toledo) was one of the better steels, but today even theirs is questionable.

Based on my experience, I do think the quality of any firearm hinges on who produced the steel it was made from. Granted it may not be a serious issue until you try to hop-up an old milsurp. Use caution, or experience the pain of a bolt with the lugs sheared off in your face.

Mikey · « **Reply #10 on:** June 04, 2005, 03:40:41 AM »

rockbilly - thanks for the insights and the advice. I hope all the readers get that point, and I will gladly stand corrected on the quality of the materials that go/went into the production of those older rifles. Thanks again. Mikey.