mauser 98 wildcats rebarrel

[444ttd]

i have a 98 mauser made nazi germany(it has a eagle over the swastika). its 8x57 is shot out(missing the rifling in alot of places) so its time to rebarrel it. i was going to go with the 9.5x57(ch4d has them) but i decided to chamber a wildcat in either 375 or 41 caliber. but i'm leaning toward the 375. it should be deer accurate, 6" at 200 yards or less. cast bullets is a must!!!! i want to be a cast bullet shooter. all the work will be done by a gunsmith.

this is what i want.
1. the bolt should stay as it is or closer to it, rimless and a bottlenecked. as much as like to, i don't need a 45-70(rimmed).
2. the 30-06 case and smaller(308, 6.5x55....), i'm leaning toward smaller
3. 250 - 350gr fn gc
4. it should go 1600-1900fps.
5. barrel length is 22-24"
6. availability of brass
7. changes will be necessary!!!!!!!!!!!
what cartridge is best for all seven?

at first, i was going to with 375 whelen improved 40 but speed isn't a issue. i don't personally like the 308 winchester, but the 375-08, i like. i was about done deciding on the 375-08 and then i found this:


(this was made by another guy)
"On the left is the .376 Steyr, not a wildcat, but the one "that started it all" for my interest in the .375 caliber.

To its right is the .375/.348 Win. An excellent cartridge with respect to ballistics, and one I am seriously considering for the double rifle/cape gun project.

To its right is the .375x56R cartridge. The parent case being the 8x56R found in the M-95 Steyr military rifle. The reason I'm interested in this cartridge is that I am in the process of modifying a bunch of 91/30 Mosin Nagants I bought for $10 each. This cartridge would require only modification of the feed rails and magazine to work in that action. So converted, they would make excellen "Alaskan" rifles.

To its right is the .375x55 Swiss and .375/.284 Win cartridges. They are essentially identical, with the only difference being rim diameter. The x55 has a nominal rim diameter of 0.500" and the .284's nominal diameter is .473". Outstanding cases both of them. One of my K-31s is going to become a .375.

Finally is the .375-08. I include it here only because I had a cartridge made up for the ".308 Family" picture. I think the weight of the .375 bullet is just a little big too much for the .308 Wincheaster case, but I could easily be talked out of that position."
http://thehunterslife.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11739

i don't have a 6.5x55 swedish mauser m96, because if i did, it would be rebarreled to 375x55 swiss!!! i know that 375-284 win is close enough to be an exact copy, but i like the 375x55 better. i'm in a tizzy!!!!!!

[Walks]

Why not make it easy and just do a .358Win.

[bpatterson84]

35 Whelen would be a good one also. You're getting pretty obscure with some of these chamberings!

[Uncle Grinch]

Other than the 358 Win, I would stay with the 57mm case as my basis for a wildcat. This helps ensure feeding. Maybe a 9.3x57.

[444ttd]

i already have a .358 and .366". i don't have a .375 or a .41". so thank you, but i already have them.

[EDG]

The 9.5X57 is a .375 using .30-06 or similar brass.
The 9X57 can be made using a .358 barrel. The case is exactly the same as the 8X57.

Nothing has to be changed but the barrel for the 2 Mauser rounds.

Some of the examples you gave above are totally not compatible with the 98 Mauser action.
I have to wonder how much experience you have pouring money down a rat hole if this is your first post?
Did you know that if you spend $250 to rebarrel a $10 Mosin Nagant it will still be worth $10 when you get through?

[444ttd]

i'll be doing it for me. when i'm dead and gone, my sons will either keep it or sell it.

7. changes will be necessary!!!!!!!!!!! i think i'd said that.

[RustyReel]

You don't mention if $$ is an issue. If it is, and your Mauser is original (other than being worn), sell the Mauser and buy a Mossy Patriot in 375 Ruger. Inexpensive rifle, "cheap" brass and dies. Or, if the Mauser is not original, give JES a call and see if it will rebore it to one of the 375 or 400 wildcats.

If $$ is not an issue, buy all means rebarrel it to some obscure wildcat and pay out the nose for chamber reamers as well as loading and form dies.

Just an opinion from a guy who has, on more than one occasion, "saved" and otherwise shot out rifle by spending way to much money on it!

[444ttd]

money is ALWAYS an issue. i'll say $1500-2000 on the rifle. scope, dies and whatever is seperate.

the stock is not original and the barrel has been cut and they did scope it.

i really don't like the new rifles. i love the old ones.

i forgot about JES. 6 or 7 years ago, he did a 35/30 on my win m94. 200gr rcbs fn gc and h4895 is the king of deer rounds.

[Jedman]

For what velocity you want with a cast bullet I would go with the 375/08. A friend of mine had JES rebore a handi rifle barrel and chamber it to hat caliber and it is a good choice.

Jedman

[ulav8r]

Best choice feeding wise would be the 9.5x57. If you could find a 375 Whelen reamer, just cut to the right depth to use the 57mm case length, not full depth.

[samari46]

There is the 375/06 as another one to add to your list. I'm seriously contemplating doing the 37 rimmed which is nothing more than just a 303 British case and necking it up to take 375 bullets. No other changes needed. There is a whole load of posts on nitroexpress.com about a member doing the 9.5x54r on a moisin and he had to rework the magazine so it would feed the x54r cases with 375 bullets. Especially so for the front of the magazine and part of the receiver. The 37 rimmed I'm thinking about is going to be done on a jungle carbine action and a new barrel. But where it gets kinda expensive is getting a reamer and dies. I don't know why but a 375 caliber rifle has interested me. Used to own a 375 H&H M70 Winchester. Someone liked it better than me and paid my asking price without batting an eye. Do have a Win 375 big bore though. In any event have fun. Frank

[Tracy]

Cheaper to rebarrel a Mauser than rebore. Since you already have .366 and .358 covered, I would go .308 Winchester if you really want it to be a deer rifle. Otherwise...

wait for it...

.22-250 with the standard 1:14" rifling twist. Those shoot cast bullets great. They're actually not bad for deer hunting either (with soft point jacketed bullets), if legal in your state. And they conserve both lead and powder.

[Hardcast416taylor]

There is always the easy re-barrel or re-bore to the .338/06. Robert

[Sailormilan2]

If you must have a wildcat based on a rimmed case, I would pick a Siamese Mauser as a basis, rather than a standard action. Siamese Mausers are designed for a rimmed case.

[Ben]

Some of the rounds you're discussing will give you major headaches in feeding from a box mag. of a 98' Mauser.

[2152hq]

9.5 x 57 M/S (Mannlicher Schoenauer),,,also known as the .375 Rimless Nitro Express - 2 1/4 inch case in England where they built sporter rifles in the caliber on Model 95 Mannlicher, Mannlicher/Schoenauer, Mauser 98 and Lee Speed rifles among others.
There is also a rimmed version (called a 'Flanged .375 Nitro Express 2 1/4"...) that was chambered in single shot and Double Rifles.

The rimless version uses
Standard .471 dia case head
Make brass from 30-06, 270, ect.
.375 bullet dia.
Dies available from CH4D and RCBS (pricey)
I think PTG had the reamer as well as others.

Same caliber as the Model 1910 Mannlicher/Schoenauer was chambered for.

It'd make a nice round for a M98 rifle.

If you wanted to go cheap,,I'd probably find a decent 7 or 8x57 M98 bbl or even a commercial replacement in most any caliber so as to start with a decent length and known quality. M98 bbls are usually pretty inexpensive.
If it's a 7 or 8x57 all the better. Have JES rebore it to .375 and open the neck of the orig chamber to match. I think he charges something like $250 for the work.
A lot cheaper than buying chambering reamers & odd dies, ect.
Reloading can be done on any .375 neck die even if you have to cut the die body down to reach it. Neck size only.

Just my thoughts.