Turkish Mauser rebarrel question

[rnhathaway]

I have a K-Kale 1940 Turkish Mauser that I plan to rebarrel. I can't decide what chambering I want. As tis rifle is a large ring, small shank format, that limits the pre-chambered barrels I can choose from. I have narrowed my choices to 6.5x55 Swede, .257 Roberts, and 7x57. This would be a dedicated cast gun. Of those three, what would you choose?

[SciFiJim]

I am partial to larger calibers, so I would go with the 7x57. IMHO the larger caliber gives you more options for loading down or loading hot to accomplish different tasks.

[tomme boy]

Look up ER Shaw. They will do whatever barrel you want for that action.

[rnhathaway]

I can order a blank and thread and chamber it my self but I had just planned to order a pre-threaded short chambered barrel. The turkish Mausers weren't know as the strongest of the M98 clones and I want to keep the pressures down.

[Uncle Grinch]

Prudent decsion there, while Turks are M98's, the metallurgy and case hardening/tempering and country of origin may be reason enough to be conservation. That is your decision.

I have seen Turks rebarrelled to 7mm Mag, 270 Win, 6mm Rem and they are still fuctioning as usual. Everyone has an opinion.

[rnhathaway]

If I can find a decent price on a 03A3, I'll probably sell the Turk and get that. Just recently caught the casting bug again and this time hard and I want a good dedicated cast gun and I'm really leaning towards something in '06. Decisions decisions!

[swheeler]

I can order a blank and thread and chamber it my self but I had just planned to order a pre-threaded short chambered barrel. The turkish Mausers weren't know as the strongest of the M98 clones and I want to keep the pressures down.

You're going to have to chuck it up anyways and face the shoulder back about .150"

[Bullshop]

If I can find a decent price on a 03A3, I'll probably sell the Turk and get that. Just recently caught the casting bug again and this time hard and I want a good dedicated cast gun and I'm really leaning towards something in '06. Decisions decisions!

What is a decent price? I have a few available.

[rnhathaway]

What is a decent price? I have a few available.

I'm VERY low on funds right now. I'm not making a lot of money right now. Kinda why I was thinking about going the Mauser route. I can buy a part here and there. Only paid $130 for the rifle to start with. If you wanted to donate one of your 03's to the Poor Casters Fund (aka Me), I'd gladly take it! haha

[tomme boy]

The Turks are just as strong as any other 98 action. The Turks used true 8mm loading pressure. Try a 154gr bullet at 2900+fps. I don't call that a low pressure cartridge. 59K psi is what they run. Most other 8mm is around 50K psi. Then you have American 8mm at about 42K psi.

As long as the lugs are not set back, go for what you want.

[Ed in North Texas]

The Turks are just as strong as any other 98 action. The Turks used true 8mm loading pressure. Try a 154gr bullet at 2900+fps. I don't call that a low pressure cartridge. 59K psi is what they run. Most other 8mm is around 50K psi. Then you have American 8mm at about 42K psi.

As long as the lugs are not set back, go for what you want.

I might be misremembering (is that a word? ), but IIRC, the reason for the idea that the '38 Turk Mauser rifles were not up to snuff for 8x57mm pressures just might be that in the '30s, under the model term "1938", they converted their WW I Gew. 98s from 7.65x53, and also a number of their 1888, 1893 and 1903 Mausers to 8x57mm to standardize their cartridge supply. Also, in 1954 they converted a number of WW I Gew 98s, in the process shortening the receiver ring to make a handguard holder. These rifles are supposed to be marked ATF. There is speculation, not proven, that these rifles with cut back rings might not be as safe as other rifles.

The K.Kale rifles marked 1940 (or later?) are newly made in Turkey, not reassembled from prior parts, and were built specifically for the 8x57mm cartridge. IIRC, they had a significant supply of small ring 8x57mm barrels due to the conversion program of the '30s, hence the long receiver small ring configuration.

YMMV.

[rnhathaway]

I figure a '06 loaded with cast will be MUCH lower pressure than surplus 8x57.

[ratitude]

I have one of these that will be getting rebarreled in 250 Savage soon. Then I've thought of reboring another to 9.3x57.

[gidgaf]

Exactly. Don't just say "Turked"; it's a "Turked" something else.
I have a 30's Turked K98, and a Turked 1891 Danzig. They looked very similar when I got them.
The 1891 shoots outrageously well; the other may get converted to 35 Remington soon.

[gidgaf]

Exactly. Don't just say "Turked"; it's a "Turked" something else.
I have a 30's Turked K98, and a Turked 1891 Danzig. They looked very similar when I got them.
The 1891 shoots outrageously well; the other may get converted to 35 Remington soon.

[Ed in North Texas]

Exactly. Don't just say "Turked"; it's a "Turked" something else.
I have a 30's Turked K98, and a Turked 1891 Danzig. They looked very similar when I got them.
The 1891 shoots outrageously well; the other may get converted to 35 Remington soon.

Which post was this referring to? I can't find the post where someone used the term "Turked" (other than your post).

Glad your Model '88 shoots well. Germany gave Turkey some number, in the thousands, of Model 1888 Commission rifles during WW I. As for the '98 Mauser, individual examples of all rifle models are subject to shooting poorly, for a variety of reasons.

[MtGun44]

7x57 is never the wrong answer.

Bill

[6.5 mike]

I ran into the same thing with one dated 1945, large ring reciever, small ring threads. And no 7x57 is never a bad choice, have 3 of them. I have a small ring '95 with a A&B small ring bbl in 257 Roberts, might be another choice.

[leadman]

With the sale of your Turk and the money you would have spent on the conversion you should be able to find an already sporterized 1903 or 1903a3. I really like the 30-06 and cast boolits. I have a sporter that was in terrible shape when I got it but now it shoots moa regularly.

[rnhathaway]

With the sale of your Turk and the money you would have spent on the conversion you should be able to find an already sporterized 1903 or 1903a3. I really like the 30-06 and cast boolits. I have a sporter that was in terrible shape when I got it but now it shoots moa regularly.

I don't care about the $. I just like having rifles I built.