My new 6.5 Sweede

[mattd]

Buts its still a 8mm Turk. Just got it in from gunbroker. $97 plus $35 for shipping. Good one to sportize cause its already been worked on....the bolts been turned, and nicely, not just a 90 degree bend. Scope mounts have been installed, sights removed and stock isn't in the best shape.

[mattd]

Seems to be a lot of slop it the bolt. And not super smooth....maybe a good cleaning, maybe a little lapping.

heres link to video of it. Not sure if it will work....
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f196/mattd1978/8fc7b2eff1b32cfeb041d04aaa1db7c5_zpscc2d519e.mp4

[Mausermeister]

I built a couple of 6.5x55 rifles on Turk 38 actions back when new Swede surplus barrels were available cheap. Both are tack drivers.

[mattd]

Got distracted....anyhow this is my first build so I'll need help. My first question is actually about the barrel. Midway has barrels for 80 bux that has good reviews, they call it an F14 contour. Can't figure out what that means....no one lists the dimensions. Otherwise leaning towards an er shaw barrel, but they say 'threaded and chambered for your action', nothing about it being short chambered. But its gotta be right?

[TNsailorman]

If you want it be "be right", go with the E R Shaw. You can get a barrel the way you want it with him. I had my local gunsmith re-barrel a turk to 6.5x55 with a brand new surplus barrel for the Swede 96. The barrel was cut to 25" and glass bedded in a laminated stock. It was and is a tack driver so to speak. My grandson has the rifle now. It started out as an excellent condition action with a badly frosted and pitted bore. The price for the donor rifle was $59.00 plus shipping of $20.00. I would like to find another action in that good of shape for the price but those days are long gone--sadly. The price of military rifles now-a-days makes re-building to sporters cost prohibitive. You can just about buy a new rifle for what it would cost to build a sporter from a military surplus rifle now. If your turk's barrel is not pitted and has good rifling, it will probably make a really nice cast boolit shooter with a little development work. my experience anyway, james

[RustyReel]

How did I miss that one!! Looks like a very good buy, about the cost of the safety and having the bolt altered.

The Midway F14 contour barrel is a very light weight sporter barrel, 21". Somewhere near the bottom of the page they have a listing that shows the dimensions of all the barrel brands they sell.

I put one of these barrels on a Sears 50 (ie FN Mauser) and it shoots OK, really haven't spent a lot of time working with it. I have used four of their Green Mountain barrels and the heavier ones, F34, have shot better than the lighter ones.

Better get one fast as it seems Midway is closing out this barrel line. Shaw barrels are short chambered. I called and asked.

If you a looking to put together a hunting rifle as opposed to a "target" rifle I think the Midway barrel has some advantages. First, you will get it quick, may take a month or two for the Shaw barrel. At about half the cost, it leaves you with some $$ to put towards a barrel vise and action wrench which you will need for a do-it-yourself project. Of course, once you buy those tools there is no reason not to do another rifle...or two...or three....

Good luck...and nice buy.

[mattd]

Well the gunbroker add said "shows strong rifling". this barrel has none at the crown and is worn on the front 1/3 along with rusting and pitting. so I’m glad I got it for the right price and wasn’t looking for a gun with a barrel. It proly has enough length to cut it back though to make it functional.

I originally was thinking of a budget build, which is why the midway barrel stood out (that’s out the window now that I have been day dreaming about it). So buying wrenches and vices that cost more then the gun didn't make sense. Looked into making my own and doesn't seem too difficult to piece something together from scrap. That will be the first step so I'll update how it goes.

You mentioned the safety. I'm not at home now to check, but I could swear it goes almost vertical, so not a low safety one. But it does look brand new, so maybe I'm remembering wrong.

[nekshot]

midway f14 is a good fit for a lite weight mauser. For what is done on your rifle I think that is a very good deal. The new ones never have the character and heft that gun has. I would be very tickled with that gun!

[RustyReel]

From what I can see it looks like the safety has been replaced with a "low scope" one. Should swing up to about the 10 o'clock position. Should be useable with most scopes....as noted, if you want the Midway barrel I would suggest you order it soon. A couple of months ago they had lots of calibers but seems they have almost all been discontinued....

[nekshot]

From what I can see it looks like the safety has been replaced with a "low scope" one. Should swing up to about the 10 o'clock position. Should be useable with most scopes....as noted, if you want the Midway barrel I would suggest you order it soon. A couple of months ago they had lots of calibers but seems they have almost all been discontinued....
That would sure help me to stop spending money if they discontinue those barrels!

[mattd]

Will be driving by midway next week so would save shipping. That barrel is shorter and narrower then I have been wanting tho. and a 9 twist. The shaw barrel would be $90 more, but I would get the contour and length I want and maybe an 8 twist. NOE has 163g mold! But an 80g bullet being functional might be cool too. Still have to decide on that one.

[mattd]

It's a low safety! Also, it has a brass bushing on the rear action screw. Is there normally a bushing/post there?

[Mausermeister]

Most military Mauser stocks have a bushing insert inside the stock for the rear screw. Looks like the glue turned loose on yours.

[RustyReel]

Yep, what looks like brass to you is probably glue. All the ones I have seen are steel. Save it for your new stock.

[GunnyJohn]

Might spend a few dollars more and put a "Bold" trigger on it. I have them on our Mousers with the built in safety. Nice triggers in my experience.

[Larry Gibson]

Most military Mauser stocks have a bushing insert inside the stock for the rear screw. Looks like the glue turned loose on yours.

Yes, Mausers have the original "pillar bed" system. The "pillar" on the front is the pillar extension of the front of trigger guard the front action screw goes up through. The male portion is the round part of the screw hole in the recoil lug. It mates into the front pillar for proper bedding.

Larry Gibson

[mattd]

I think this is they guy that put my barrel on....

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f196/mattd1978/5986d93f0a02508ca03d83f2196a83b6_zps6fd95f11.jpg
(Real Turk)

Cant get it to budge. It sat with kroil on top of the threads for 3 days, and the puddle never got smaller. Tried making my own vice....

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f196/mattd1978/7296f37c00af667237f3aff430467462_zpsb7a484d3.jpg

Even tried a floor jack and my truck with wood spacers. Might build a metal frame and go back to this.

but this is where I'm at now....

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f196/mattd1978/0d2f21eb31d87995b29a00e37aec186a_zpsb73af887.jpg

Rosin on the wood, its got a good grip, but i hit the wrench with a 2 pound hammer and it breaks loose and spins. ThE wrench has a notch cut out...

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f196/mattd1978/88786ad9a2ab8f75e725829355c9f61e_zps05011e3a.jpg

Probably need bigger vice.

[mattd]

My father in law let me borrow his hitch mount Reed vice. The hitch removes the flex the bench mount vice has. Anyway, no luck. Getting a lot more pressure on the barrel, but it was turning and the wrench finally bent.

Proly time to get a real action wrench. Guessing I need the large ring Mauser wrench?

[milsurpcollector1970]

I understand the desire to do it yourself but riflesmithing requires a minimum amount of tools and knowledge

Brownells action wrench is about 80 A barrel vise that uses oak blocks is about $130.


I would also recommend kunhausen's book from brownells on gunsmithing the mauser action

[mattd]

Bata boom
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f196/mattd1978/E6050C47-90D6-4429-9DFF-33718116CBA1_zpsvxg6xssi.jpg (http://s47.photobucket.com/user/mattd1978/media/E6050C47-90D6-4429-9DFF-33718116CBA1_zpsvxg6xssi.jpg.html)

bata bing
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f196/mattd1978/2B104134-3441-4B67-8DDB-0B6C22C3F3F4_zpsxd6n8lnh.jpg (http://s47.photobucket.com/user/mattd1978/media/2B104134-3441-4B67-8DDB-0B6C22C3F3F4_zpsxd6n8lnh.jpg.html)

[mattd]

Secrets to my success w a vice and pine 2x4 bushings...the proper wrench is #1 (even tho it's bout as much as I'm into the gun), heavy vice w cheater bar on vice handle to get it real tight, and of course rosin.

Now, how can I confirm its small Mauser threads?
Outside dia of threads is .985

[30calflash]

My father in law let me borrow his hitch mount Reed vice. The hitch removes the flex the bench mount vice has. Anyway, no luck. Getting a lot more pressure on the barrel, but it was turning and the wrench finally bent.

Proly time to get a real action wrench. Guessing I need the large ring Mauser wrench?

I had to do a double take, thought you tore the mailbox off the post to anchor the vise! Die hard backyard barrel changer if I may say so!

[frnkeore]

There is only 2 sizes for small and large rings. .984 = 25mm and 1.102 = 28mm. Both are 12 threads per inch.

Frank

[mattd]

Now that we’re moving along I have 2 questions…..

1. I wasn’t planning on having the action faces trued (no lathe). I MIGHT spend $40 on a bolt face truing tool. But I am planning to lap the lugs. In general, if you don’t true the action, is squaring the bolt and lapping the lugs still worthwhile? Is squaring the bolt face going to make a big diff? If this thing ends up shooting 2 inches it’s shooting better than me.

2. Which twist? My options with a 6.5x55 are 8 or 9. If this was going to be a jacket gun then I’d go 8 all the way. But, I plan on making it a cast shooter. So I’m leaning towards 9, but even so if you follow the RPM threshold logic then am I only looking at a max of ~1700 fps? Will a 9 twist handle the heavies, 140-165g?

[Larry Gibson]

Mattd

Your Turk is a M98 design and the face of the barrel should butt up against the color inside the receiver ring (assuming the SR Turk has one?). The shoulder of the barrel should just "kiss" the front of the receiver ring and not be tightened up against all that hard. Trueing may or may not be necessary. I would not lap the lugs as odds are they are a good fit after who knows how many rounds of 8mm Turk ammo were fired in it. The Turk ammo is loaded right up to pre WWII German specs which are borderline with in current CIP specs. Doing either will probably not make any difference.

I know the 9" twist will handle 140 gr cast from 1600 to 2100 fps just fine. With the right cast bullet, the right alloy, the right load techniques, a longer length barrel and the right powder above 1700 fps with 2 moa or less accuracy is quite possible.

Larry Gibson

[Huffmanite]

Careful there, I just sold a nice 93 Spanish action (DMW) to a fellow. Gunsmith he used to put a nice Shilen barrel already threaded for small ring mauser on a 94 Swede action, had a problem removing the original 94 carbine barrel. Evidently the barrel was a bear to remove, receiver of the 94 Swede was bent.....and yes, the gunsmith was experienced and had the proper tools.

[mattd]

Got the receiver cleaned up. Now it's time to start polishing. Should I even try to save what's left of the Turkish stampings. They're pretty worn on the sides already. And I'm sure I'll wear what's left of the top while polishing. So I might as will just plan to take it off right? Rather than try to be careful and not get it as polished as could be.

[PAT303]

My swede has a 1-9 twist and shoots 160grn cast into an inch at 100 over 20grns of H4227,1.5 over 35grns of H4831. Pat

[koger]

I would go with 8 twist, the original had 7 1/2 twist, shoots my cast 140gr into MOA at 100yds!

[Crash_Corrigan]

One day a 8x57 Mauser followed me home from a Big 5 Sporting Good store. When I got home and opened up the carton it turned out to be a MoiseNagant 7.62x57 Russkie rifle. I went back to the store and we exchanged rifles. I ended up with a BRNO Mauser 98/22 that was made in about 1923. It cost me the princely sum of $109.95 plus tax. I bought two boxes of Remington 8x57 ammo and went off to the range. Of course two weeks of cleaning preceded the trip to the range. It had been packed in cosomoline for many years. I cleaned it up as best I could and then I wrapped it in many layers of newspaper and then in black plastic garbage bags and left it out in the hot Vegas sun to bake and cook out the grease. I just turned it over every couple of hours and all the grease sweated out of the rifle and stock.

It turned out to be a really accurate rifle but the sights at the lowest setting still printed about 18" above POA at 50 yds. I fashioned a taller front sight from some epoxy colored red and it worked out just fine. I scrounged up some '06 cases and went to work shortening them and running them thru my Lee 8x57 dies. I bought a mold and went on to shoot thousands of rounds thru this rifle with excellent results but the darned thing was plug ugly, long, heavy and generally not a decent looking rifle.

There was then a local custom rifle builder by the name of Ray Lynn in Vegas. His custom rifles started at $3,000 and up. However we had built a relationship over a few years of his working on my guns and I brought this sad looking relic to him for inspection. He concocted a solution. He would remove the barrel and replace it with a Douglas Match Grade in 6.5 x 55 Sweede, work over the bolt, jewel the bolt, add a Buehler Safety, add a Timmney Trigger, replace the wooden stock with a thumb hole laminated stock, turn the bolt handle, add a recoil pad, customize the stock to fit me perfectly and blue all metal parts. He would also mount and bore sight my scope on the rifle with sling swivels to boot. This would take 2 months and cost $1,100. I immediately paid my deposit and left the rifle with him. Some months later I was recuperating at home with a broken ankle when he called me to advise that the rifle was ready. I was house bound so he brought over the rifle and we exchanged goods for cash. I was mad to get out to the range and shoot it but I could not drive at all for a time. So I stayed at home and reloaded up 6.5 x 55 ammo galore.

That was in early '09 and I am still working on a decent cast boolit loading for this rifle. The J-word bullets are boringly accurate with 1/2" groups at 100 and 1 1/2 to 2" at 200 yds with my reloads. The cast story is still evolving but I can put 10 in a 1 1/2" group at 50 yds over 10 gr of Unique all day long. I want accuracy out to 300yds on steel gongs with a cast boolit and I have yet to find it. The quest continues.

[mattd]

Nice! One thing I'm debating is whether to blue the shroud/safety/bolt handle, or polish it up and leave it in the white like the rest of the bolt. Yours is a good example of the blue option

[mattd]

Got the hand guard ring filed down. You can see a line around the middle of the ring. That's the divider between where the ring was and the original face. Didn't touch the face w the file and that line was my guide.

Looking at barrel diameters at the shoulder it looks like there will be a 1/8" gap between the barrel and the edge of the receiver. That seems like it will look big. Can I round it so it blends better, or is that too much metal?

Wire wheeled the rest of the receiver and it cleaned up well. Got some bad spots out w some lite filing. And polished a spot w 400g paper. Still lots of little tool marks so I guess we'll start w 220. Tried a dremel w polishing wheel and 400 grit compound but it didn't really seem to do much.

[mattd]

Guess whos tired of polishing! Receiver done to 600 grit. Bolt next

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f196/mattd1978/2784DA67-AE43-44D1-9155-D80E8160F2C9_zpspwydxcqx.jpg (http://s47.photobucket.com/user/mattd1978/media/2784DA67-AE43-44D1-9155-D80E8160F2C9_zpspwydxcqx.jpg.html)

[waksupi]

Well, if you are going to blue it, go back to 320 grit, and stop there. Bluing doesn't work for beans on a real smooth surface.

You may want to search for the topic, Joni Lynn's Mauser, under my user name, and see the post about truing receivers. If you plan on mounting a scope, you need, or should, do this if you want the scope to have a better chance of holding a zero.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?112861-Joni-Lynn-s-Mauser&highlight=Joni+Lynn%27s+Mauser

[mattd]

I read that, but then I also got a book from the library that said to go higher for the mirror finish. Figured if it didnt take well it would be easier to go backwards.

How do i get the mirror blue?

[waksupi]

I read that, but then I also got a book from the library that said to go higher for the mirror finish. Figured if it didnt take well it would be easier to go backwards.

How do i get the mirror blue?

I have been told by a guild member, that I have probably as an individual built more firearms than any other builder in the US. I have a finest quality rating. Whether you chose to take any of my advice is your choice. I will not argue the points.

[mattd]

Thanks for the credentials. Mine are - first time ever building a rifle, need help. not arguing anything. just looking for advice to get where I want to go.

[RustyReel]

mattd, my experience is a couple of more bluing projects than you and at least a box car full less than waksupi. However, from my limited experience, I think he has a point. I have done one complete rifle, several barrels and a bunch of small parts polishing to 320 and using Classic rust blue from Brownells. These all came out with a bit of a mat finish. They look real nice when well oiled but do show more of a mat when dry...like when the barrel heats up at the range. Seems to be very durable however.

For my current project, a Turk action with a Rem take off barrel, I tried to get more of a gloss finish. I polished to 600 grit and then used a polishing wheel. It wasn't quite a mirror finish but darn close (and it was a very nice looking Turk action if I say so myself). Used the Classic rust blue again and in the end it has turned out just about like the others, more of a mat than a gloss. And, it took three more rust/card cycles to get there.

I live in south Florida and I do a rust/card cycle every 12 hours or so. Maybe if I did it more often, say every 6 hours or so, it may not have etched as much and came out a little more glossy. Don't know. May try that next summer.

Although I have seen pictures of some nice looking, supposedly rust blued firearms with nice glossy finishes I have not had that experience. I have come to the conclusion that if you want a "Weatherby" type finish you need to go hot blue. Your mileage may vary.

[mattd]

a "Weatherby" type finish you need to go hot blue.

Yes! this is what I was hoping for and am using a buddies Weatherby as a frame of reference.

I had planned on a hot blue. there's lots of backyard hot blue info out there, so we'll see how it goes.

So, if I do hot blue, is it the process that produces the mirror finish, or the metal prep/polishing along with a non etching blue that gets that? if hot bluing isn't the answer how do you get that "Weatherby" finish?

[mattd]

I decided to check contact w the lugs figuring I better do it now before the chamber is reamed and before I start polishing the bolt. Cut some brass in half and took some of the middle out, added a spring and put the 8mm barrel back on. One lug is at 80%, the other is at maybe 10% and all on the outside. Do I lap just the one that's at 80% until the other starts making contact?

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f196/mattd1978/5D25E3C8-7C7C-4E11-96F9-5CBCED89FE5D_zps30hg5zwy.jpg (http://s47.photobucket.com/user/mattd1978/media/5D25E3C8-7C7C-4E11-96F9-5CBCED89FE5D_zps30hg5zwy.jpg.html)

[mattd]

Started a new thread bout the lugs......http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?255893-Lapping-lugs&p=2968036#post2968036

They now contact at 100% on one and 95% on the other.

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