gun nutty

The Brits converted '95s to .303 during WWII. It was a tight fit, but it was functional. Since the 30/40 and 303 are fairly close, it might work.

The 6.5x284 has EXACTLY the same powder capacity as the 6.5'06. I'd go with the latter. The former is nice for short actions (.308 Win-sized). I think the 6.5x57 is nice, and you get to form cases from 7x57 or 257 Roberts. Not a full wildcat, but in the same vein. If you want something a little different, I'd go with the 6.5x57 or 6.5/06. I have a minimum taper case on a '98 (a Gibbs). I'm happy with performance but feeding isn't as good as it could be. For wildcats based-on existing cases ('06, x57, 308Win, etc.) and just changing the neck size, little if any mods will be needed for the mag and feed rails. If you're looking for minimum case body taper, things get different... You may need to open the front of the mag well, as well as the feed rails. With the .25 caliber, you have: .250 Savage, .257 Roberts, 25/06 Remington, and .257 Weatherby With the .264/6.5 you have: .260 Rem, 6.5x55, 6.5x57, 6.5 Remington Magnum, .264 Win, plus the 6.5x284 and 6.5/06 (while both are wilcat, they're fairly common) Is there a case capacity that you want that isn't covered by standard cartridges, what is it? Oh and yes, a properly heat-treated 98 Mauser should adequately handle the pressures you mentioned.

You know that z1r is gonna see this and scold us for even talking about it. Reversing the feed and spindle (you'll need to reverse the boring bit to the opposite side as well) might work. Still will need a thread relief though. Sounds like an ambitious and noble endeavour. Using a lathe is the only way to do this properly and accurately.

Cutting 1"+ threads with a tap? That's a helluva tap-handle! Heh. I'd want to single-point it to at least 85-90% before the tap... I wonder how much torque you can put on a Mauser action without breaking something?

Nothing is impossible... I despise turning internal threads. You're working blind, can't see what you're doing. Someone asked this within the past week and there was a reply about not having a thread relief in front of the "C" ring. That would be a . I'd be a little concerned about cutting into various hardnesses within the reciver as well. Good threads benefit from uniform metalurgy. Threading into case-hardening and heat-treatment worries me. You're more apt to tear chunks rather than cut threads. Perhaps with a full annealing... I currently don't have lathe or mill access... If I did, with all the necessary auto-stop trips and features, I still wouldn't attempt this. You screw-up threading a barrel, you can cut-off the bad stub and start again. You screw the receiver, it's done. But along with the "thread bushing" post, the answer is... Why? The thread bushing I can actually live with. The mod you're describing is un-necessary. With pre-threaded and rough-chambered Mauser barrels going for $80 (on sale) and actions/rifles going for about the same, why do all of the work? Save the Turk for a nice '06 case-head cartridge, and get a regular '98 for the Magnums. I don't have an issue with a small ring thread/Magnum/Turk combo, but others do. The closest I have heard to this was the conversion of one of the Italian auto shotguns to a slugster. Some company was internal threading the (aluminium) receiver and turning in a threaded barrel.

Husqvarna Magnums were small ring, small barrel shank. They were patterned after the '96 Mauser with modern features (cock-on-opening, stream-lined bolt shroud, modern trigger, etc.).

The 30-338 is simply the .338 necked-down to .30, so it's the same base case as the .264 Mag, 7mm Rem Mag, and .338 Mag. Dimensionally, it's almost identical to the .308 Norma. .308 Norma brass can be formed from .338 brass. Both are excellent cartridges capable of taking any game on the North American Continent (but then again, I'd make that same argument for the 30.06 as well). People refer to the .308 Norma Mag as "factory". Sure. You can buy Norma ammunition (Midway had a box of 20 for $53... Ooopps! Guess it's on backorder) or some semi-custom stuff for around $46 a box (http://www.cpcartridge.com/). I consider it a "semi-wilcat", and for realistic economy, a good candidate for re-loading. You won't walk into Wal-Mart and ask the kid behind the counter for some Norma ammunition. If you want a "factory" .300 Magnum, you need to get the Winchester. You'll have better bullet selection, better availability, and better price. Both the .308 Norma and 30-338 are handload only options for me. As a handloader, I'd choose either cartridge (I'd lean towards the 30-338 for less expense on the brass and, as a chambering option, the greater likelihood of a 'smith having a reamer). The cost of .308 Norma Brass is $28 a box of 20, and .338 brass is $25 (Midway again). I get plenty of once-fired .338 and 7mm Magnum brass from the range from non-handloading buddies though. As a non-handloader, I wouldn't touch either; I would instead opt for the .300 Winchester Magnum.

.308Win, 30'06, 30-30... Any .308 bore will be a good candidate provided: The barrel diameter is correct in the right areas (some featherweight barrels are a little thin just forward of the chamber and in the chamber area for the H&H case at high pressures). You have the correct twist (the .308Win is usually a 1-10 twist, but can vary from 1-10 to 1-15. I'd want a 1-10 for the magnum case). An A&B .308Win and 30'06 barrel of the same contour (F34, F54, etc) should have all external dimensions the same. It will make no difference when cleaning out either; you'll wind-up with the same final product when reaming to 308 Norma.

I'm just reading what's in De Haas' book. The Yugos barrels can be cut without the extractor slot and function fine, although the normal 98 is for rimless cartridges. Because headspace for rimless cartridges is set at the shoulder, there's some flexibility to what happens at the cartridge base. The Siamese is for rimmed, and the breech face will actually be the headspace shoulder for the rim. The breech face presentation is absolute. The length of the shank will be the receiver face to boltface, minus the rim thickness. I don't see how get around some sort of slot with a rimmed cartridge. The extractor will need to sit forward of the rim to extract the case, especially with a 45/70, as it has no shoulder to headspace on. A cartridge like the 30/40, .303, or 7.62x54R has a shoulder and could be treated as headspacing on the shoulder (and should be re-sized as such).

De Haas shows: 0.990 major thread diameter 14V 0.515 shank depth The breech end face of the barrel is "flat", with a slot cut for the extractor. The slot is a full run on the right side of the face, running from the chamber to the outer threads, approximately the height of the extractor. No depth or height dimensions are given for this slot. You'll need to use a depth mic from the receiver face and a calculator for the depth. Maybe 0.010 deeper than measured to prevent to extractor from hitting the face of the slot? No idea on the slot tolerance.... +0.010 on top and bottom?

The 7.62x39 data in my Hornady manual does not exceed 45k CUP. That should be well within the usable range of the Carcano.. http://www.gunboards.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=15683 The only issue I'd be concerned with is the twist-rate. With the relatively light bullets used in the 7.62x39, a 1-in-10 twist is too fast. I've seen many disappointing accuracy tests with the 'x39 (even in bolt rifles), and I've always wondered if using a 1-in-14 twist would be a better option. The Parker-Hale pull barrels were 1-in-15, whick would be just about perfect for the 'x39.

Isn't the COL of the 35 Rem longer than the 7.62x39? You'd need to extend the front of the magazine to get the .35 to fit. IF the gun has no collector value and IF you can lengthen AK magazine and IF you can handle the odd (left-hand) receiver thread, this might be do-able.

I've thought about this before... The rim diameter of the 7.62x39 and the 6.5 Italian round are VERY close. Would it be possible to "chop" an M16 or AK mag, open-up the underside of the receiver for the magazine feed-lips, and chamber the barrel for 7.62x39? The M16 mag seems an ideal candidate, as its upper section is straight for insertion into the long M16 mag opening. Shortening the mag to 5 rounds and using the existing follower and spring would do nicely.

I don't own an 1891, but '89, 90, 91, MN, Italian Carcano, 95 Mannlicher, and 88 are fairly similar in operation... The 1891 is a single column magazine, the 1893+ models are double columned (staggered) magazines. Even if an 1893 magazine were to fit an 1891, you still have to ADD feed lips for the cartridges by machining the bottom of the 1891 receiver. Nothing is impossible, and the 1891 is a fine specimen, but even if this were do-able the work would be considerable. I'd rather start with a 93, 95, or 96. It would be interesting to make the magazine flush, modify it to hold a Remmington 788 clip, and chamber the rifle for 300 Savage. 788 magazines are pricey though, in my limited searches. I'd leave the '91 as-is magazine-wise.

Excellent! So, the Norma brass has the groove. So I'm seeing a base of .485-.486 for Norma and Lapua brass. Thank you. Very good info.

Thanks on the Lapua... I'm still interested in the Norma dimensions as well. Perhaps cannelure is a bad word... "Extraction groove"? He is a linked pic. There is a grove forward of the rim: http://www.midwayusa.com/mediasvr.dll/imag...leitemid=328783 That .486 number is interesting. Clymer lists their reamer as .491. That .005"

I'm interested in the actual, measured base and COL dimesions on 7.62x54R brass, preferably Norma and Lapua. I've seen recorded base dimensions the range from 0.485 to 0.491. COL is just as bad. And the Norma and Lapua brass... Midway shows a light cannelure grove just forward of the rim. Does this brass actually have that?

Thanks Z1r. I didn't think about re-tightening the completed components. Not having a Turk and knowing that small ring mauser barrels fit the Turk, I guessed that the barrel butted against the receiver face rather than the inner torque ring. Your insight and experience is both humbling and appreciated.

If the barrel is a junker, I'd wouldn't waste the time on a barrel vise. You can cut a relief groove on the barrel just in front of the receiver ring to help remove the barrel. That should release pressure on the threads and allow easy barrel removal. clamp the barreled action (sans bolt and parts) through the lathe headstock to do this. Now, this applies to an M98... the Turk has the extension on the receiver ring... I'd see about machining the extension partway off then getting closer to the receiver ring.

http://www.sporterizing.com/index.php?showtopic=2415 Good read

Would a 35 Rem function through the 88?

My older Ram-Line stock had standard-spacing recoil pad "posts" set deep in the stock. Mine had 0.5" chopped off with no issues. I don't know how deep they go, but you might be able to take a full inch or more off the butt. They did make a small ring Mauser stock at one time. I've heard many complaints about the Ram-Line, but I like mine.

Hah! I was waiting for someone to say that.

On the link I provided, the sample target shows (step 1) to move it up (right) one click. After zeroing it on the target (step 3), you move it back 1 click (left, which is down). There is a link at the bottom of the linked page that goes into great detail on the full battle zero A2 procedure: http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/army...6a2-rifle.shtml

Many inexpensive .308 cal barrels out there. You could probably even use an A&B LR .308 barrel and clean out the chamber to 7.62x54R. Threads SHOULD clean up. Haven't done the math. Chamber reamers on on the reamer exchange. You'll have to mill the extractor cut. Have you shot the barrel with .312 bullets? If it shoots good, why re-barrel?