doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Small ring Mauser sported conversion calibers

Just looking for some opinions on what calibers would or would not be a good idea for small ring mausers if re barreling and chambering for a sporting rifle. I was thinking of .22-250. But I have heard that the pressures could be too high for a small ring. But, that came from a relatively conservative source.

To sum up what I want to do... Take a large ring Turk action (which has the small ring shank) and mill the ring into an octagon shape. Thus leaving the ring thickness no thinner than a small ring action.

Have used small ring Swede Mausers very niceley with .257 Roberts, also an Ackley Improved version, and with 7 x 57 Mauser.
I still have five brand new never barreled m96 Swede actions, thinking of making one into a .223 Ackley Improved. Need to bush the bolt face down, but should work well othrwise. Pressures need to be a bit below heavier modern cartridges, such as the .308 for these actions.

Regardless of whether or not an old small ring action will stand up to the pressures of a modern high intensity cartridge (likely it will), it's more about how it will handle a catastrophic gas leak that truly separates it from later designs. Possibly a moot point given the higher quality brass and primers we have today versus 100 years ago, but still something to consider.

Milling the receiver ring into an octagon is an interesting design concept. How thin will the walls of said ring become at its thinnest point? Aside from maintaining the minimum thickness of an original small ring, one has to consider the steel makeup of it and whether or not stress risers are set up by doing so. That would be an answer for an engineer or a metallurgist. I'm just thinking out loud.

B.Dudly
Do I understand that your intention is to mill a 98 action to small ring dimentions? Consider the 7mm Ackley imp, 10 twist. It is usefull from groundhogs to moose. Low pressure low recoil.
The 98 is way stronger than the 96 sweedish which cocks on closing. A lot of 93s were converted to .308 dont know of any of them coming apart.
Just my opinion
Tom

The Swedish Husky Mod 46 was basically a mod 96 Mauser and it was proofed to the same pressure level as the mod 98 for the same cartridges.I have seen ,on an auction site,a mod 95/96 barreled to 5.6x61 vom Hoffe SE,which is not a "low pressure cartridge.While lacking the third (safety)lug,the well built smallring, cock on closing,actions are as strong as the 98s.The main reason for avoiding them has to do with public perception and resale value, rather than strength.With regard to the Turkish actions, I have turned/milled/ground several of them to Kar 98 ring size.I had no trouble with this, but I don't know if there is enough "meat" for the "flats" to meet,if you try to make it octtagonal.Mod 98 ring diameter is about 1.410", while Kar 98 is about 1.300".This leaves a difference of .110" or .055" to the side.I suppose you could "trig it out", to see if flats would meet,before wasting an action.For what it is worth,I would only chamber one of the actions I did this to,to a non-magnum caliber.This was a way to use "take off" barrels(such as Rem 700)with a barrel shank too small for normal mod 98 actions.
Mike

I am currently restocking a small ring in .300 Savage that used a factory Savage pull off barrel. From the condition and style I received it, this was done many years ago. Barrel rotated to put the Savage markings below the wood line and sight filler installed in the dovetail.

For another small ring, I am doing as you describe. I have a Remington 700 pull off barrel in 6.5x55 that will be installed on that action.

Mike,
There is just enough diameter left after you turn the old thread off the 700 barrel to have .980"shank.You may see part of the old thread, but it goes away when you chase the new thread. Of course, you could cut the old shank off,but the shoulder that is left won't look nearly as nice.
Mike

Lots of SRM were in 7x57,,it's a nice sporting cartridge too.
Any of the x57's really. Depends on what you want to use it for.
.300savage ain't bad.

As far as the oct front ring,,I'd instead use the extra material in the Turk to shape a 'square bridge' front ring.
The rear ring can be built up into a matching square bridge in any of several different ways.

Kutter,

Shaping a 'square bridge' front ring on a LR ST Turkish M98, now that is a great idea!

That would give you the trim side-to-side profile of the SR M98, yet retain some additional strength over the top locking lug recess. Plus look really nice.

Why didn't I think of that?

I come up with all kinds of ideas,,that's why I have a room full of 'projects' to work on!
I'll never get them all done but it's fun after doing customers work. There's still some of that too.