That pesky mauser 98 action I have laying about...

[badge176]

I just stumbled onto this idea ".429 express"; a .429 wildcat on a mauser action. Apparently a .429 barrel reamed with a .444 chamber but using .30-06 cases (fireformed straight). Loads with .444 boolits, in .444 dies using a .30-06 shell holder! [smilie=w: indexes on the case mouth...

Now I'm excited! I have the ubiquitous 98 mauser action (complete) sitting under a pile of stuff in my workspace and have been jonesing for a bigbore conversion (like .458 SOCOM) but with simplest machining.

Any opinions? ideas?

[nicholst55]

I'm just wondering how you're going to headspace the cartridge; not sure if your idea will work or not. I'd be inclined to look at the .416 Taylor instead, but that's just me.

[badge176]

I guess this has also been called ".444 Rimless", and headspaces on the case mouth like the .45ACP or the .45 Bushmaster...

[deltaenterprizes]

Sounds like a 44 Automag on steroids! I like it! Potent cartridge made from readily available components.

[badge176]

Doesn't the positive extractor grip of the controlled feed nature of these rifles contribute to headspacing?

Also, so ho would a person open up .30-06 brass to make this case? Fireform? Light load of fast powder with some sort of filler or wadding?
Progressive neck then up? .308- .338-.358 ...progressively larger expanders?

And should I plan to anneal the case before and/ or after? I assume plenty of lube to reduce drag and stretching...

This idea has merit since I already have lots of .30-06 brass, I have a donor Mauser 98 action and stocks/ triggers/ scope mounts are readily available, allegedly these feed from unmodified '98 mag (4 or 5 in mag?!), there are lots of common .44 and .444 CB molds out there (RD ?!), the action is easily bedded in a variety of stocks (glass bed on pillars), there is no bolt face alteration needed, and the action is overly strong so margins are favorable for wildcatting

[deltaenterprizes]

The brass is going to be thick at the shoulder so I would ream it or outside turn it. I would make an expander to get the mouth to .427 seat a cast boolit with a 44 Special load of Bullseye and fire form the brass.
I have been told that some benchrest shooters fire form brass with a charge of fast burning powder like bullseye and a plug of soap instead of a boolit. The soap can be removed from the barrel with water.

[badge176]

I think this was done by a Gsmith in NM named Ken Howell and others...

With handloads I hope to have a low effort/ much less cost equivalent to a .45-70 Siamese Mauser for brush and on irritable game (hogs)!!!

Gotta name it with the word "Malleus" (Latin for 'Hammer') in it

[EMC45]

I have a couple Mauser actions at the house and was just thinking yesterday to do the same thing, but blow it out to .452. Knock the shoulder off a .308 case and let it headspace on the case mouth. Just run a .45 ACP reamer deeeeeppp into one of the Rhineland Arms barrels is what I was thinking.

[badge176]

The barrel that I had my eye on turned out (no pun intended) to be too small to get threaded tp a LR action so I'm looking at a blank sold by Numerich Arms (was told it was 1:22 twist- strikes me as faster then the 1:38 and slower than the 1:20 so maybe a decent compromise- I'm looking at RD's 265g or larger and don't plan on sticking cases in the chamber as far as loads go) , GPC's barrel runs about 22" which was about what I was planning anyway and it is already contoured! Has me thinking about a .444 SMLE too( I found my beater No.1MkIII in the work room- sewer pipe for a bore! Might hold out to do a .405 on that one...

[bcp477]

I have always wanted to do a wildcat, based on the 8 x 57, blown out to form a straight-wall case (or nearly so). Seems like such a concept might be an ideal cast or especially paper-patch shooter, with smokeless powder. I've never pursued the matter, however. Your 30-06 based idea is very similar. I like it ! But, I have a feeling that headspacing on the mouth of the case will be problematic. I know that many autoloader pistols do this, but it is far from ideal. I think you'd be better off with a slight bottleneck case for headspace integrity, or to go to a rimmed case (which will introduce feed issues from the magazine). My personal choice would be a .375...or perhaps .416. Then, you'd have enough of a shoulder for proper headspacing - and could still base it on the 30-06 case.

I'm not sure of the technical details, such as exactly which reamers to use, etc......but those are my thoughts on the matter.

[longbow]

No, not an original idea but I think a good one. Link here:

http://www.shootersforum.com/wildcat-cartridges/32036-rimless-444-marlin.html

As for the headspace issue with .444 rimless, there are a number of cartridges that headspace on the case mouth so it should be no problem as long as cartridges are trimmed to correct length. The only disadvantage I see is that you have to make brass.

Another option is .458x2" which is an easy conversion as well but again you have to make brass.

I have been toying with similar ideas myself. I used to have a Siamese Mauser (8x57 rimmed) converted to .45-70. Quite the gun and capable of high pressure loads. Unfortunately it was a victim of my need for money to go to college so got sold. I don't think there are anymore of those actions around now.

Being lazy I would go for the Lee Enfield in .444 Marlin with a fast twist barrel to allow heavy boolits.

Nothing wrong with the .429 Express though and if you used full length .30-06 brass it should give better performance than .444.

Keep us posted on what you decide to do.

Longbow

[Dark Helmet]

411 Hawk basic brass is (almost) straight walled 35 Whelen/06 I believe
http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/BrowseProducts.aspx?pageNum=1&tabId=1&categoryId=10264&categoryString=9315***652***670***9013***

[StrawHat]

I am not sure how the straight case would headspace, Relying on the extractor would not sit well with me. Z Hat does the 411 Hawk. That is about as large as I would go with the -06 case but I am always interested in what works for others so you might give it a try at 43 caliber.

[drhall762]

This place never ends! Now I have more ideas filling my head as to what to do with the various actions I have collected. SMLE, Mauser, S. Mauser, Springfield, Martini, Gras, where does it end. Is it the red pill or the blue pill.

Thanks Guys,

[pdawg_shooter]

Load primed brass with around 5/6gr of fast pistol powder, fill with COW, seal with wax or soap, chamber and shoot. Perfect fire form.