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Military Firearm Restoration Corner

7x57 19 Inch Mil Barrels


littlecanoe

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I have a couple of the 7x57 mil barrels that have never been used. They look to be in excellent shape and I'm ready to use one.

I was planning a rifle on a vz24 action and scoping it. I'm now considering aperture sights in a nice light weight mannlicher style stock with a drop comb.

 

Have any of you used these barrels and if so, how were they for fouling, accuracy etc? Were you satisfied with them?

 

Any idea on the History/Origin of these barrels? Were they German built for German rifles?

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LC,

 

I've used two of them: One I made into a 7 x 57 AI and it shoots bullets way faster than a 19" bbl should, and the other I left as a stock 7 x 57 that I built for my dad-in-law.

 

The AI was on an M48 action, the stocker was on a 24/47.

 

They're both accurate, but not scary accurate like the Swede surplus barrels have been for me. They're both about 1.5" at 100 yds. with careful loads.

 

Interestingly I thought the Hornady 154 gr RN bullets would have been good with this slow twist barrel. I couldn't find a load with 4895 or 4350 that worked well with these. The (used to be cheap but not anymore) Remington 140 gr corelocks were much better in both guns.

 

If you want load advice with the 140 CLs (and 4895) let me know.

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LC,

 

The 280 should be fine on a standard length Mauser action. You'd be pushing it on an M48 or 24/47.

 

I wouldn't hesitate to ream one of these barrels to a 280 though. They're meaty enough.

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I wouldn't hesitate to ream one of these barrels to a 280 though. They're meaty enough.

 

I'd hesitate, not because of safety, but because the .280 will produce quite a bit more muzzle blast. But, like DT said, you really ought to use a standard length action for a .280.

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i have one im building a light sporter with on a 24/47, has anyone recontoured one? i want to just not quite sure how to go about it. im thinking it should be easy and im making it harder than it is.

 

Recontouring isn't that hard but, you cannot just do a straight taper or the muzzle will end up smaller than the bore. Instead what you need to do is a series of tapers to remove each step and blend them in together. Basically you'll be freehanding it. That, and if it has the rear sight index hole already drilled you may have to live with that. What I try to do is either index the barrel so that hole will be on the bottom of the barrel or, cover it with a custom sight base.

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I'm so glad I found this thread! I just took apart a 24/47 that I was going to leave the orginal barrel on. It's a tack-driver in in mil-sup configuration, & I was doing this project for a friend as a gift. I've never done a 24/47, all I've done is 98's that were rebarreled. I have done a 91 mosin, left in the orginal mil barrel & that turned out gorgeous, but this barrel has a series of rather ugly steps to it. How are you guys effecting the recontouring? I'm assuming with a lathe, or could a heavey-duty power-sander do the trick. Anyone have a picture of a finished product? Thanks!

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littlecanoe,

 

When I bought mine 14 years ago from Springfield Sporters they were advertised as FN made barrels for the 1922 Brazilian carbine. I also wanted to chamber it in .280 but my 'smith declined because he didn't think there was enough chamber and the 1:8 twist rate would create too much resistance/pressure to be safe.

 

I sent a stepped .30-06 barrel from a Colombian mauser to a guy in Georgia who used a barrel spinner and a belt sander to free-hand it. It looked good but was never as accurate though.

 

I've read the Germans designed those steps in to provide certain harmonics - much like metal golf club shafts. I believe they also functioned to prevent the barrel from binding in the stock from heating.

 

Mannlicher stocks do a great job of hiding the steps. Also, if you install a barrel band swivel at the second step the appearance can be much improved. BTW, a 1909 Argy carbine front sight base turned upside down fits the barrel perfect at that spot and can be re-shaped to make a nice swivel base.

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I've turned down MANY milsurp barrels and never had a problem. Can't say the same for a few commercial barrels.

 

The M48a I built will shoot 1" at 100 with it's turned down barrel. Several of the Mauser sporters I've picked up still wear the original military barrel sans steps and they all shoot great. bottom line is, if you don't like steps, get rid of them. If you do, leave them.

 

Bob is right, the mannlicher stocks do help hide the steps. I was going to build a mannlicher with the 19" bbl I had, but forget why I changed my mind, so I got rid of it. Now, I'd like one again to do that very same project.

 

This M48a has a recontoured barrel:

 

M48Acrop.jpg

 

This is how it shoots with open sights.

 

P1010101.jpg

 

Here's an old sporter that I rechambered to 8x60s. It still has the original barrel that was recontoured. A very common practice.

 

8x60S.jpg

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I was going to build a mannlicher with the 19" bbl I had, but forget why I changed my mind, so I got rid of it. Now, I'd like one again to do that very same project.

 

I know where it went.

 

Say...that's a good looking 8x60s barreled action you've got there. ;)

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Great responses. Thanks! I've really been thinking Mannlicher on this one.

 

I really don't mind the steps on this short barrel especially when compared to a 96 that I bought that had been sportered. The steps on the shorter barrel giver a nicer proportion.

 

BobVZ, Did you ever get the Columbian in 30-06 to shoot well. I have one in a sportered military stock that will do 3-4 inches at 100yds.

I floated the barrel and am thinking that I need to add some pressure points to give it another try.

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I know where it went.

 

Say...that's a good looking 8x60s barreled action you've got there. ;)

 

Yes, that sure is a nice barreled action. It'll look nice in your stock!

 

Did you ever build that 7x57?

 

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littlecanoe,

 

I did improve the accuracy from 2.5 in groups to 1.25 in groups. Some improvement came from bedding the action and chamber area then free-floating the rest. That cut groups to about 2 in, but the last bit of improvement came from using neck-sized only re-loads. After inspecting fired brass I was seeing a good deal of case expansion. It measured out to be about .480. I figured when the Colombians re-bored and chambered these originally 7x57 barrels, since they didn't set the barrel back, they had to use an oversized reamer to clean up the chamber. The problem I have is the first two shots will go in .5 in but subsequent shots start to walk. Thats probably due to the thin barrel profile. However, I remember the remarks of the late gun writer Finn Aagard who wrote(paraphrase) that he didn't care so much how well a rifle grouped, but where it put the first shot. If it went where he aimed it he treasured that rifle. That is what I have. I can count on that first shot from a cold clean barrel to go exactly where I aim it. I guess thats all that counts for a hunting rifle.

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Very true.

 

I've thought of putting the 2nd 7x57 barrel on the Columbian action if I don't get it to pan out in '06.

I've also thought of a 35 Whelan barrel on it.

 

What grain bullet did you find that your Columbian likes?

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Bob, You may want to check your bedding again. I had a .308 I built that would put two shots very close then it started walking. Turns out the action was not bedded properly and it was inducing stresses. Afterward, it was consistent as heck.

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Yes, that sure is a nice barreled action. It'll look nice in your stock!

 

Did you ever build that 7x57?

 

I've got the action barreled up, but it still needs to be headspaced and D/T'd for a scope. I also bought a Mannlicher stock from Doug Humbarger a while back to put it in. I need to get the metal work finished up and blued, and finish the stock and figure out how much I want to spend on checkering. Hopefully by the end of the summer.

 

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Kool, That'll be a sweet setup. So, you were the one that got the Fajen mannlicher stock for the 98, huh. I got the mannlicher he sold for a 96 but he neglected to say it had a huge knot on the toeline. He's been on my "S" list ever since, lol.

 

 

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littlecanoe,

 

My pet load is 56.0 grains of IMR 4350 behind a Hornady 165 grain spire point #3040. Yours must have the feed rail, mag box and receiver ring mods for the .30-06 so I'd vote to keep it in that family. If you change it back to 7x57 there may be feed issues.

 

z1r,

 

Thanks for the tip. I was planning to Duracoat it this spring, so while I've got it torn down I'll check the bedding. What aspect of the bedding tipped you off that there might be a problem? When I bed rifles, I fix the barrel in a vise and bolt the stock from underneath just snug to let the bedding set, that way I don't have the weight of the barrel affecting the front lug area. Is this a right way or could I do it differently?

Thanks,

 

Bob

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I'd gotten into a bad habit of using the receiver screws or "T" handles to bed with. I started off by using surgical tubing and got lazy. A buddy from school and I were talking and he reminded me of the surical tubing. So I went back and checked the action and with the front screw cinched down the reat tang was proud of the stock. Tightening up the rear was bowing the receiver. Fairly easy to do on Mausers. So, I skimed the whole action area again, clamped the barrel in a padded vice like you and the secured the stock via surgical tubing. It's too easy not to notice excess pressure when using screws.

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How are you guys effecting the recontouring? I'm assuming with a lathe, or could a heavey-duty power-sander do the trick. Anyone have a picture of a finished product? Thanks!

 

Here is a photo of a Vz24 barel that I turned the steps out of without using a lathe. SmallRightSideForestock.jpg

 

I removed the front sight sleeve and chucked the muzzle in my drill press. I set the chamber on a live center mounted in a piece of 2x4 that was bolted to the drill bress table. With the drill press running I then went at the barrel with coarse files, followed by finere files followed by a belt sander with progressivly finer grits of paper and finished up with hand held wet n dry paper lubed with oil.

 

As the muzzle was quite worn I cut off the portion of the barrel that the front sight sleeve was on.

 

The profile was shaped freehand by eye. If you hold the barrel up to you eye and look down it you can see some ripples but looking at the barrel in any other manner the ripples are not apparent.

 

Vlad

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Here is a photo of a Vz24 barel that I turned the steps out of without using a lathe. SmallRightSideForestock.jpg

 

I removed the front sight sleeve and chucked the muzzle in my drill press. I set the chamber on a live center mounted in a piece of 2x4 that was bolted to the drill bress table. With the drill press running I then went at the barrel with coarse files, followed by finere files followed by a belt sander with progressivly finer grits of paper and finished up with hand held wet n dry paper lubed with oil.

 

As the muzzle was quite worn I cut off the portion of the barrel that the front sight sleeve was on.

 

The profile was shaped freehand by eye. If you hold the barrel up to you eye and look down it you can see some ripples but looking at the barrel in any other manner the ripples are not apparent.

 

Vlad

 

That's gorgeous - did you cold-blue that?

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