gun nutty

DonMarkey also posted a summary on another site: http://www.mausercentral.com/hingedfloorplate.htm

fireform with Bullseye and cream-of wheat. No special dies for that.

With the M17/P14 front ring within 0.005" of a Savage 110, I'd contour the rear bridge to match the Savage. You can use Savage mounts, and front and rear base alignment should be just about perfect due to the flat rear surface.

I almost forgot... there was a neat article on converting the SMLE rifles to .223 Rem. http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting/no4223/index.asp Interesting read.

That's probably a trick question... For RECHAMBERING, there are no options. The .303 AI or any other improved cartridge is too much for this action. Now REBARRELING is another matter. 30/40 Krag, 45-70, .444 Marlin, perhaps the .44 Magnum. Rhineland made (makes?) 45 ACP conversion kits for the Enfields as well. There are also SMLE rifles in .308 Win (actually 7.62x51 - There is a difference). I'm sure that these would be fine in .250 Savage or .300 Savage, but the latter wouldn't make a damn bit of sense.

You can "sporterize" anything. The second favorite (beyond Mausers) is the P14/M17 Enfield. And don't forget the Springfield 03. Both can be modded just like the Mausers. Mosin-Nagants, Carcanos, SMLE Enfields and a slew of others have some limitations that prevent the configurability that the above actions do. But, if you can build a functional rifle that meets your hunting/sporting needs, all can be fun to play with.

Plenty of places have brass. 3rd link has ammunition listed. Might be an older link. Looking at pricing, It would be cheaper to roll your own I think. http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/4,821.htm http://www.noslershop.com/cgi-bin/virtualc...isplayNumber=55 http://www.qual-cart.com/93x64.htm http://www.huntingtons.com/cases_rws.html http://www.natchezss.com/category.cfm?cont...rodID=RW2145103

The example that Clemson is showing is one of the easiest and most accurate ways. You're essentially using the headstock as a "live-center". Keep a 1" diameter piece of scrap steel around; every time you need to put thungs between centers, mount the piece of steel in the headstock (I prefer the 4 jaw) good and tight, set the compound rest to make a 30 degree cut, and take a light skim cut on the scrap, creating a fresh surface. Do this EVERY time you remove the scrap and re-insert it. It sure beats dialing-in the mandrel every time.

http://www.lassengunsmithing.com/ Phone numbers for the college there. Looks like a nice campus in sunny California. California has an added advantage of having very fat burritos, which is always a good thing Says NE California... How close is that to Wine Country? Cabernet is always so good. Man, trips to Ensenada would be too much of a pain though. No Rolex watches and cheap tequila. Oh well. It's interesting seeing the differing views on the strengths of Swedes. De Haas felt they were safer than other small rings, but not necessarily stronger. Most others lump them in with the other small rings. I imagine heat treatment would do wonders. If I ever get ahold of a good Swede action, I think a 6.5X57 or 9.3X57 would be da thang.

Must be a wildcat... Weatherby had the double-radius shoulder, this appears a double-stepped shoulder The Bannerman MNs were "converted" and advertised to shoot 30'06; I see how they did it. Just ran an '06 reamer into the chamber. Try an empty 30'06 case and see if it chambers. If everything but the barrel is functional, you could always replace the barrel. The stock is very interesting. With a new barrel and a black fore end tip, that would actually be a snazzy rifle. Quoting De Haas: "Years ago two good receiver sights were made for the M-N action. One was the King "Little Giant", an adjustable peep sight which was mounted on the top arm of the cocking piece. The other was a Lyman with a swinging slide, similar to the one made for the Mannlicher-Schoenauer rifle which also has an action in which the bolt handle passes through a slotted bridge." Your cocking piece may have been cut for a King sight. As junky as they are, I wonder if there is any collector interest for this rifle? A Sedgley it ain't! This almost bears the markings of a letter to the American Rifleman Q&A...

Very nice! Is that held in place via spring retention? Or or you doing something with a ball detent?

I've already stated that the Swedes are fine Mausers. They are, in my mind, the best. I wish they still were $79.95 each; I wish my unaltered '96 wasn't all matching, with an outstanding bore, and shoots better with open sights at 100 yards than most of my scoped rifles (it sucks 'cause I'd love to put that butter smooth action under the knife and build a sporter rifle!). I think one issue that Swede users are confronted with is, what is a "Swede"? Many of the early articles and work about the Swedes comes from the early '94 models and very early '96 models. There are also much later model '96s and fairly modern '38s. The rifle was made in three distinct models over a span of almost 50 years, by three manufacturers. I suspect the later models are damn near "commercial" in metalurgy and strength. If I found a good price on a '96 that someone had converted to 30'06, 25'06, or .243, I probably about the safety of the conversion and do everything I could to get the price down, and walk away with the rifle and a big smile. I'd keep the rifle in the existing caliber (provided there was quality work performed), and not worry about it. I also have a friend who overloaded a Swede with 4198 (grabbed wrong canister of powder). Big boom, rifle survived. I must base my views of the Swede's strength on the experience of others (I only have one, and have no intention of modifying it). If someone says "this is my experience with this action", I'll listen. If someone says "be concerned about setback", I will. My 1908 '96 is almost a century old, and I will tread with an overabundance of caution when handling it. I will also listen to "I think they are very strong and have never seen any setback". It's too bad Ackley never tested the Swedes or even small rings. I think it would have settled some issues. I don't think the pre-98 Mausers are inferior in any way and make excellent lightweight sporters; in addition, they were made for and handle the X57 based cartridges very well.

Most Ackley cartridges would probably fall into upper pressure ranges. As there are custom, you can load them any way you want. Some exceptions would be the 30/30 AI, and other cartridges designed for the 94 Win. With the 257 AI, you're basically getting a 25/06 in terms of powder capacity. For all the work, the 25/06 would be much cheaper and probably feed better. I wonder how the 25/06 feeds through an unmodified 96 magazine?

I was in error. The original thread said the Kimber 96's with setback were in .243, not .308 Win. my error. http://www.sporterizing.com/index.php?show...c=3446&st=0 Post number 7. Perhaps the .243 runs a little hotter?

Is the Swede a good action to invest some time and money in? Yes. I think it makes a fine sporter, if done correctly, and I think it would be sellable on down the road (if that's some litmus test). 1. Yes, it would enhance safety adding an FN shroud. I have a good amount of range time, and am careful with my handloads. I have never pierced a primer or ruptured a case-head, in any rifle or pistol. Adding the FN shroud will help deflect gases. You'll need a trigger safety, but you were probably replacing the trigger, and the Bold unit in cheap enough. 2. I don't think adding additional ports on the bolt body will help. The Swede has two small holes; one's at 1:30, and the other is at 9 o'clock (closed bolt). I don't know that additional holes in the bolt body will help. I'd need some additional input on this, but I'd rather drill two holes on either side of the front receiver ring, immediately behind the barrel face. Many modern bolt actions have this, and it directs gases out of the rifle, instead of into it. The Spanish 93 has one; a second would be better. The locking lugs would be at 12 and 6 o'clock as the rifle is cocked, and they would not block escaping gases. 3. I think re-hardening is a great idea. Peace of mind. I think it would enhance the safety. I don't know that I'd do it; it would depend on how the action looks (seating surfaces, wear, etc.). The .257 Roberts is great. I think the 6.5X57 would be better, but not much to sniffle about, either way. I'd skip the AI. It's out of the safety zone on the Swede. Now bear in mind... If you took a Swede action, kept the original shroud, didn't drill any additional safety holes, didn't heat treat it, and added a modern .257 Roberts barrel - no one would probably ever question the quality or safety of the rifle. I'd gladly add such a rifle to my battery with joy.

460 Weatherby all the way!!! Actually, the Swedes are better made, with better materials and better metalurgy than their other small-ring counterparts. I own one, and am a big fan of them. If they were available at $79.95 again, I'd probably get 20. You can add a FN-style shroud to get the gas deflection, and the gas ports are in the bolt body are a bonus. Safety lug? Dunno... I don't know that it's likely that BOTH lugs would shear. I'm probably less concerned about the safety lug than the other components. With all that said, I'd still limit pressures to around the 45k CUP limit generally established for small rings. Z1r made a comment (I think it was him anyway) a while ago about Kimber-converted 96s to .308 Win - most or many had locking-lug setback. I believe him. These actions are generally older. Maybe heat treatment would help, but theses are still older actions. I think the 8MM Mauser would be "OK", but nothing more. These rifles feed 7X57, 6.5X55, 6.5X57, 257 Roberts, 9X57, 9.3X57 like they were made for for it (in reality, they were ). Small ring Mausers make wonderful, elegant carbines. Why not use the Swede action to enhance it's traits? I have reached a point where I am "anti-magnum". I enjoy shooting, and magnums just take the fun out of a day at the range. I'd rather carry a lightweight, 6.5 to 7 lb., 20" barreled carbine in lieu of a 10 lb. magnum monster. At 200 yards, a deer is just as dead with a 7x57 as with a 7mm Mag. I just don't view the Swede's "limitations" as limitations. A Swede action fits well within what I consider a working rifle.

Reminton bolts usually have bolt handles brazed/silver-soldered on (shhh... so is the bolt head, but don't tell any 700 owners). I might be mistaken, but after-market tactical bolts for Remingtons should be brazed-on just like the original. The pictures on Midway and Brownells show the wrap-around on the bolt base, with the bolt diameter radius. That wrap-around provides additional surface area for the braze; it helps increase shear strength. Remington handles are known to pull-off at inappropriate times. There are gunsmiths that are setup for repairing the handle. You might want to do a web search for one that does. There are also 'smiths that will WELD on a bolt handle, but my thinking is that it was a pricey proposition.

Wow! Very nice and well thought-out. I'm looking forward to seeing how you integrate things into the forearm wood.

The Remington 788 has/had a single-column detachable magazine; the rifle came in .308. It should be fairly simple building "tracks" in the fore and aft of the existing Mauser magazine to hold the 788 mag. Toughest thing I see is the release. The M1A/M-14 also used .308 Win mags. You could use these by removing the sidewalls of the existing Mauser mag. The Savage 110C, Remington auto and slide rifles all have magazines. I don't see why you need to re-invent the wheel.

30/40 brass has a base of .457 and rim diameter of .545 (http://stevespages.com/jpg/cd3040krag.jpg) 303 Savage brass has a base of .442 and a rim diameter of .505 (http://stevespages.com/jpg/cd303savage.jpg) 220 Swft brass has a base of .445 and a rim diameter of .473 (http://stevespages.com/jpg/cd220swift.jpg) As stated, if the 99 Savage will grab the rim of a 220 Swift case, then you're set. The base diameter should be close enough to allow chambering; the rim is under size, but still a rimmed case. Re-forming 30/40 brass to .303 Savage brass would involve machining/shaving ~ .015 off the base of the case and reducing the rim diameter by .040. If extraction won't work with a Swft case, then e-bay might be a better deal.

The closest I see is 220 Swift brass (.303 Sav - .442, 220 Swift - .445). The rim is smaller though (.473 vs .505). As long as the extractor on the Savage 99 can grab a Swift case, it might work.

That link would be: http://home.snafu.de/l.moeller/index.html

Side safety?

Bolt Action Rifles by Frank De Haas http://www.amazon.com/Bolt-Action-Rifles-F...8920&sr=1-1 Introduction to Modern Gunsmithing by MacFarland http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_seeall_2...Ci%3Astripbooks The second seems to be out of print, but you can still find overstocks and used editions. Have you checked your local library? The few I've checked had rather extensive selections of gunsmithing books. Ackley, MacFarland, Wood, and more. Ackley actually had a nice book on gunsmithing, although I haven't seen it for a while.

First of all... I BELIEVE. The majority of gunsmiths (or at least those experienced with the 98 Mauser) set the barrel against the inner torque ring. There is a reason for this, and accurate, safe hunting tools are created. I believe this is probably the "proper way to mount a 98 barrel. Not knowing any better... And this has always been a question in my mind. Why not use the receiver face? With the larger diameter of the receiver ring (vs the smaller diamer of the inner torque shoulder), wouldn't it be much like spreading the legs on a tripod to improve stability? A larger diameter help improve the rigidity, no?