doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion German & Austrian Sporting Guns @ doublegunshop.com Help identifying Cape Gun

Here is a better picture ( with better dimensions) of the Cape Gun rifle chamber casting. Can anyone identify the cartridge?
full link is
http://hutch2.tonidoid.com/app/websharepro/share/capegun/

new photo is called CASTING.jpg

It looks very much like a 6,5x70 in my opinion. Not the most common one anymore.
/ Hannes

shutchman,
I doubted it until I saw the chambercast,but now there is "no doubt in my military mind" that it is 6.5x70R.If you are worried about the 68.6mm length,add the 1.61mm you show for rim thickness and the result is over 70mm.I have some brass samples,but have never seen a rifle.The 6x70R Krieghoff brass,Huntington advertised should be useable after fireforming.I can't tell if the chambercast is long enough to show groove diameter.I think the bullet dia is less than .264, maybe .260-.262".Some just use .257" bullets,or you may size lead core .264" bullets to .260" or .262", depending on what slugging the bore shows.
Mike

Thanks Mike,

I ordered 6.5x70R cases at Buffalo Arms Bertram Box of 20. I am new to this, so after I get cases, I will measure and compare to the casting and think about learning to slug the bore.
Hutch

Hutch,
Slugging the bore is no problem,just cut open a 16ga #2 buckshot shell, for the 28 cal.shot. Carefully tap one of them into the muzzle of the barrel(remove it from the gun).Use a small hammer until it is almost into the barrel,then use a punch(be sure it will fit into the barrel)to drive it onto the barrel about an inch.Push the slug out with a rod,from the chamber end. Then, its just a matter of measuring it.This shouldn't be a problem as long as there is an even number of grooves.
Mike

Since you already have Cerrosafe and evidently know how to use it, you can get a very accurate measurement of the bore dimensions by reversing the chamber casting process and casting the barrel at the muzzle. Simply push a patched cleaning rod from the breech to within an inch or so of the muzzle and pour in the molten Cerrosafe. Once the casting has hardened, it is a simple matter to push it out using the cleaning rod. No hammering involved.

Thanks,
I will give it a try tomorrow. I have enough cerrosafe left over.
Hutch

Hutch,
You can reuse the cerrosafe over and over.
Mike

I slugged the barrel, and here is what I got for measurements
6.79 land and 6.44 for the grooves.

Hutch,
The measurements you provided work out to .2675" and .2535". This is a pleasant surprise that means you can use standard 6.5mm bullets(.264). I believe Hornady makes a .268,which would also work. This would be for the 6.5x52 Carcano,so it may not expand much at the 6.5x70R velocity and may be heavier than you want to use.
Mike