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From Frying Pan To Fire With Accuracy In Swedish Mauser


drgoose

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OK so I pulled off the barrel from the swedish mauser and put on a "Adams & Bennett Barrel Mauser Series 2 6.5x55mm Swedish Mauser F14 Contour 1 in 9" Twist 21" Chrome Moly in the White" and hand reamed the chamber. I had to open up the channel on the ramline stock and it is now free floated all the way up to the reciever. I took it to the range today and with some Privi ammo that I had the thing shoots 3 inch groups at best. I will try to shoot of some sand bags tomorrow but I don't think that the stock is touching where the tripod is attached. I don't know where to start. Here are my options.

 

1)Handload a bunch of rounds with different powder charges using the bullets I have in hand. (Varget and Sierra Match Kings 142 grs)

2)Handload a bunch of rounds with different bullet weights

3)Rebed the action and the barrel channel since it has been pointed out that ramline stocks suck.

4)Get different stock (Boyds).

 

Since I don't hunt I had never had a rifle with this kind of barrel profile (and probably never will again), man that thing gets HOT fast. 5 rounds into it and you can't hold the barrel.

 

 

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Any suggestions?

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Hi there, IMHO . . . looking at that target, I think you may need to retighten your rings and mounts. After checking the screws, I would definitly shoot in that barrel from sand bags or lead-sled, nice and slow. Most bbl mfgs recomend a break-in procedure in which cleaning between shots is common thus you are shooting an unfowled barrel and also allowing time for the barrel to cool. Compaired to a Hart or Shilen etc, A&B bores are rougher than premium barrels and will pick up a lot of copper fowling for quite some time. That added friction also adds to the heating problem. Barrel heat WILL cause a plastic stock to warp and may very well press against the barrel and cause your shot string to walk.

*Ramline stocks may not the greatest and maybe neither are A&B barrels but they don't shoot that bad either. You have a very nice looking sporter rifle that should be capable of shooting 1 inch groups and that ain't bad by a long shot. :) We should shoot so good when we are 100 years old! If you are trying for benchrest accuracy, well that is another story.

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the thing shoots 3 inch groups at best. I will try to shoot of some sand bags tomorrow but I don't think that the stock is touching where the tripod is attached. I don't know where to start.

 

 

What exactly are your goals with this particular rifle? Because your posts, questions, and actions are all quite perplexing.

 

You had an original barrel that was capable of 1" groups. You pulled it off rather than striving to replicate the conditions that consistantly created the 1" groups. Rather than trying to stabilize original. You replaced it with another skinny barrel that only shoots 3" groups.

 

Perfect example of cause and effect. You never ascertained initial cause so all your efforts are just creating unsatisfactory results.

 

IMO, the place to start is at the beginning.

 

JM2c

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Nice looking Sweed. IMO with the horizontal stringing I would also say mount or scope. Also check your action screws. To me it looks like something is loose somewhere. If you rule these out and move to hand-loading here is how I approach it. Pick a bullet weight you like. Check several sources for a powder with a burn rate that fills the case to around 90%+. Compare all data for that powder. Work up an average starting and max. load data. Select a starting load at around the middle and work up in 1/2 grain increments. I will load 5 round at each installment. Shoot each loading and you should find one your rifle likes. Good Luck

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I'm a barrel break in guy when using the budget A&B barrels, but they will usually shoot well after the proper break in recommendations by the maker. You probably should not allow a major heating of the barrel when starting out, as you should pace yourself. I would have selected at least the F-34 series barrel if not hunting. I wouldn't say that the poor group was caused by the new barrel, rather something appears loose, whether it's a scope issue or the action isn't sitting solid in the stock, it's really only a guess. Make sure that you have the correct length spacer for the rear action screw. I don't think that you have to buy a new stock at this point, just bed your action and check the screws in the scope bases and the rings, and make sure that you clean the copper out of the barrel.

I'd like to add that the 1in9" twist will handle the 140gr type bullets if they are driven fast enough, but if you have some 129-130gr or 120gr 6.5 caliber bullets, try them also to make sure it's not the long 140gr bullets causing problems. There's a big difference between the flat base 140gr, and the boat tail 140gr.

Congratulations on your build, you just need a little time to sort it out.

 

 

Spiris

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I would say check the action screws.

I read in an old gun book that the proper way to tighten them was a few turns to the front screw and then a few to the back till the action was tight.

 

Still, The first place I would look would be that scope.

I have never had one of the 500 to 1500 scopes, so I am not an expert.

But on the other types cheap to mid range, I have yet to see a scope that a 8mm or 3006 wont shoot loose given time.

 

karl

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What exactly are your goals with this particular rifle? Because your posts, questions, and actions are all quite perplexing.

 

You had an original barrel that was capable of 1" groups. You pulled it off rather than striving to replicate the conditions that consistantly created the 1" groups. Rather than trying to stabilize original. You replaced it with another skinny barrel that only shoots 3" groups.

 

Perfect example of cause and effect. You never ascertained initial cause so all your efforts are just creating unsatisfactory results.

 

IMO, the place to start is at the beginning.

 

JM2c

 

My goals with this particular rifle were to learn how to sporterize a mauser. Since I am not mechanically inclined, so far so good. Learned how to dissasamble the thing, forge the bolt down, drill and tap the action, remove a barrel, hand ream a barrel, bed an action and now in the process of cold bluing the thing. So far the goals have been achieved even if it end up shooting like a shotgun. I really appreciate everyones advice, this has turned out to be quite a fun endeavor.

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My goals with this particular rifle were to learn how to sporterize a mauser.

 

Again I applaud your DIY spirit. Even when the majority of your posts contain "How Not to Do" content. :D

 

Again I say "skinny barrels heat walk" that is why they are suitable for hunters who want that first shot to go exactly where they intend. But unsuitable for primarily bench target shooters who don't want to wait 5 minutes between shots. Being a hunter, I'm willing to wait at the range between shots so as not to carry another 2 pounds of barrel around in the field. I utilize the wait time to watch and visit with other shooters. There is a lot to be learned from picking brains.

 

5 shots from any barrel in fairly quick succession and you get a lot of heat.

 

You might want to check out Steve Wagners pages. IIRC he has a [how to make a barrel lap] that will smooth out the bore on your A&B.

 

Carry on Dude, have fun but be carefull.

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Is that horizontal stringing the same load? Something is wrong, beyond two bad barrels. At 100 yards, I'd expect no more than 2.5" with the worst barrel. You're shooting like lightning (lightning never strikes the same spot twice).

 

- Did you actually put bedding compound under the receiver ring in the Ramline stock? I have a Ramline as well, and I bedded the front receiver ring only. The receiver rear screw is supported, and both receiver sides are "floated" (I can run a playing card along the full length, up to the rear of the ring). My barrel is also fully floated. I have always managed sub 1" groups with that setup. I like the stock. It has minimal drop and fits me better than many others I've tried.

 

- For the bases, put the screws in individually and check for wiggle. You could have an issue with a screw bottoming out.

 

- You need to try a different scope. If the above two items are set (bedding and bases) your only remaining holdout is that scope. I'm suspecting it's the scope.

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My goals with this particular rifle were to learn how to sporterize a mauser. Since I am not mechanically inclined, so far so good. Learned how to dissasamble the thing, forge the bolt down, drill and tap the action, remove a barrel, hand ream a barrel, bed an action and now in the process of cold bluing the thing. So far the goals have been achieved even if it end up shooting like a shotgun. I really appreciate everyones advice, this has turned out to be quite a fun endeavor.

 

Dr, Really - you are doing fine! You might have a few issues to still work out but I'll bet money that your rifle will not "shoot like a shotgun"! You have built a fine mauser sporter rifle. If you now have been bitten by the bug, it will be the first of many! Maybe your next one will be a tack driving long range varminter. Have at it and have fun doing it!

 

John

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