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Old February 27, 2013, 09:26 AM   #26
chiefr
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With the right bullets: All of the above.
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Old February 27, 2013, 01:01 PM   #27
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I dont really get why everyone says the Sweede in the older Mauser actions cant handle pressure. There are a very limited few actions that cant, but the vast majority of them can. Some of the Sweedish military loads were actually over the recommended max pressure for the "modern only" loading data. I have an old 96 that is shot out. I think just for fun I am going to go P.O. Ackley and see what it will actually take to blow it up. From what the Rockwell numbers on the action turned out to be when we rebarreled it the last time, I am guessing it is going to take one heck of a charge of fast powder behind a heavy bullet.
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Old February 27, 2013, 01:46 PM   #28
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Throwing Elk into the mix kinda messes me up. Personally I was looking at many many different short/medium action cartridges for a build a few years ago. .257 bob, .260, .250 Savage, and the 6.5 swede. I really wanted something a little different but when it came right down to it I went with a .243. Boring as hell but the other cartridges I was lookin at had absolutely nothing to offer over the little 6mm. Now you throw Elk in and most would avoid the .243 like the plague. Me? I don't have any Elk.
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Old February 27, 2013, 01:53 PM   #29
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I would go with 6.5 swede. more bullet options, (though 7 will probably be a very close second), a lot easier to get ahold of(at least in my area), and very flat shooting.
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Old February 27, 2013, 02:18 PM   #30
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I'd feel comfortable with any of the above, but I'm not sure that I personally would use any of them for elk.

My first choice in that class, though, would undoubtedly be the .250 Savage.
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Old March 1, 2013, 07:48 PM   #31
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I'd feel comfortable with any of the above, but I'm not sure that I personally would use any of them for elk.
The 6.5 is used for moose and the 7x57 has been used for elephant - I would think that elk would not be an issue with either
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Old March 1, 2013, 09:18 PM   #32
Mike Irwin
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I don't particularly care what some one else has hunted with any given cartridge.

I care what I would hunt with a given cartridge, and as I said I would not choose any of them for game heavier than deer.
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Old March 1, 2013, 09:42 PM   #33
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When I lived in CO, many of the old timers used a lot of 6.5 mag, 7x57, 284, 270 for deer and elk. And then, of course, there was Mr. Bell:

Quote:
Bell shot 1,011[10] elephants during his career; all of them bulls apart from 28 cows. He was noted for using high speed, smaller calibre bullets[11][12] rather than the slow speed, larger calibre bullets that were popular with other big game hunters.[13] Around 800 of his kills were made with Rigby rifles manufactured on the Mauser action in .275 Rigby(Also known as the 7x57mm Mauser,
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Old March 2, 2013, 09:41 AM   #34
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Living in Montana, I know that more elk out here are killed with the .270 than any other cartridge. I personally use a .300 Win Mag or .35 Whelen but wouldn't feel undergunned with the 6.5
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Old March 2, 2013, 11:03 AM   #35
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"Bell shot 1,011[10] elephants during his career; all of them bulls apart from 28 cows. He was noted for using high speed, smaller calibre bullets[11][12] rather than the slow speed, larger calibre bullets that were popular with other big game hunters.[13] Around 800 of his kills were made with Rigby rifles manufactured on the Mauser action in .275 Rigby(Also known as the 7x57mm Mauser"

I wondered if someone would bring up Mr. Bell and his exploits.

One simply can't say that he whacked a lot of elephants with small caliber rifles and leave it at that. It's out of context, and it leaves out some very significant information.

Bell didn't simply walk into the local "Bwanas 'R Us" outfitters and ask for a box of 6.5x54 or 7x57 cartridges...

"What bullet style do you want, Mr. Bell?"

"It doesn't matter, I'm hunting elephants, and we all know that they're easy to kill with anything!"

It didn't work like that.

Bell chose the 6.5x54 Mannlicher-Schoenauer and 7x57 cartridges based on several VERY important considerations.

He used either military loadings, or loads that emulated the military loads. In other words, he chose full metal jacket round nose bullets.

The jackets on these early rounds were known for being very sturdy, which allowed them to penetrate heavy bone without breaking up or riveting (bending).

He also selected them because they had VERY high ballistic coefficients, which was derived from their heavy weight (160 grains for the 6.5, and 175 to 180 grains for the 7x57). The weight made these bullets VERY long for their diameter.

Those two factors, the ballistic coefficient and the sturdily constructed bullet, meant that they would penetrate literally FEET through the target without yawing or tumbling. That's very important because in some aspects an elephant's skull is well over a foot thick before the brain starts.

Bell also had an uncanny knowledge of elephant anatomy, based on his study of the skulls of elephants that he killed. The story is that he often had his bearers section the skulls with a crosscut saw so that he could see what the bullet did.

Bell also chose his shots extremely carefully. He realized that he might only have one shot, and if he didn't get it right the first time, he might have a couple of tons of very irate elephant trying to squish him.

Finally, and what most people don't know, is that while he apparently didn't use it much, Bell had, at all times, a gun bearer with a .450 double rifle standing beside him in case things did go wrong.
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Old March 2, 2013, 11:52 AM   #36
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What one also does not know about Bell, considering the time and lack of hunting ethics of killing ivory, how many elephants did he stick with a 7x57 only to go unrecovered?
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Old March 2, 2013, 12:01 PM   #37
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Whoops, made an error in the above...

I said Ballistic Coefficient... that's wrong.

I should have said Sectional Density. Sectional density is the critical factor once the bullet hits the target.

As an example...

Hornady makes a 160-gr. soft point round nose in 6.5mm that is close to the old 6.5x54 military round. Not the same, though, as the jacket is thinner and it's designed to expand.

It has a sectional density of .328.

A commonly used .308 caliber bullet is Hornady's 150-gr. Interlock boattail soft point. That bullet has a sectional density of .226, a HUGE difference between it and the 6.5 bullet.
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Old March 10, 2013, 08:51 PM   #38
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25 Roberts hands down

Bought one new in 1981. 50-gr 4350 pushes 100-gr bullets pretty good, and case life is good too (I anneal and trim after 5 loadings). Fairly accurate for a light rifle, shoots better than I do out to 300+. Shot well over 100 deer (mulies and w.t.) and antelope, and even a few bull elk I bumped into while mulie hunting. Use good bullets--I favored Nosler partitions for years, switched to Barnes the past 8 or so years. Light to carry while hiking over the Montana hills. Light recoil too--my daughter's first rifle and also several other new hunters.
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Old March 10, 2013, 09:35 PM   #39
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Perhaps you have the Spanish action but have not ordered a barrel yet?

If so I suggest that you sell the old Spanish action and buy a new rifle. The new rifle will be made from better, stronger steel and heat treatments.

Also none of those choices are all that popular so unless you handload and want such a chambering then I suggest choosing a popular cartridge.
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Old March 10, 2013, 10:35 PM   #40
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none of those choices are all that popular
Because everyone knows, if it isn't popular, it can't possibly be good.
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Old March 10, 2013, 10:43 PM   #41
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I am a fan of the 6.5x55 Swede. It is a good hard hitting and accurate round.
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Old March 11, 2013, 10:22 AM   #42
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I own a number of rifles in 257R, 6.5S, and 7x57.

There is not much difference between them, but I shot 4 deer in November with the Roberts.
I chambered that rifle in September, that is the 5th rifle in 10 years to use that reamer. That is a 26" Shilen SS select match barrel in #3 taper. My favorite barrel to build with. It finished at 24".

I am mostly shooting prone with a bipod at up to 500 yards... ~ every other year a shot out the window of the vehicle.

What does it all mean?
Smaller bore and more powder for long range.
Larger bore and less powder for short range.
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Old March 11, 2013, 12:12 PM   #43
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BigDinfl we hunt evrything with the 6.5x55 sexonhalvan as we call it. Even Bear. Sure some people havs bigger stuff but it is still very common. My pops egen uses it when he bearhunts with the dog because he doesnt want the risk of a thrushot that hits the dogs.

Ive put Down 20 or so pigs with it. Switch to the 9.3x66 for driven hunts bit that is more cus that is in a semiauto.

2 deers at 200m that didnt move more then 20m to
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Old March 12, 2013, 11:36 PM   #44
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savage99

well I haven't been reloading for 53 years, but I have for 30+, I don't need to buy a new rifle, I'm re-barreling an old one with a worn out barrel.
I have several others to fill my needs, even a model 99 in 300 savage. But thanks for the input.
As for all the other suggestions and info thank you for your time, I have decided to go with the 7x57 mauser, it has the best selection of bullets,
and I have already spent some time with it, with good results.
My standard Elk gun is an 8mm mauser (200 grn Partition), but if I had to use the 7mm it would get the job done (175 Grand Slam), with the right bullet of course.

Last edited by tahoe2; March 12, 2013 at 11:53 PM.
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Old March 13, 2013, 05:44 AM   #45
Savage99
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I still question bothering with that Spanish action unless it has some personal or sentimental value to you.

Most such actions require expensive work done on them to be suitable sporters such as bolt work, drilling and tapping for a scope etc.

Then comes the stock. Unless a plastic B&C or some out of the mold stock is ok with you then it won't cost much.

A checkered walnut stock could be expensive and they don't always turn out just right.

A factory made rifle is right there for you to see. Much faster and easier.

You can even go fancy and shop for a German or CZ made gun.



http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=331933798
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Old March 16, 2013, 12:47 PM   #46
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Spanish re-barrel

This rifle is my son's first big game rifle and he loves it, it has a Boyd's pepper laminate stock on it already, and this will be a project we will do together.
We find that when loaded to just above 30-30 win levels (150 grns @ 2600 fps-44,000 cup) it kills just fine, as most of our hunting is at 200 yards and less. Recoil is pleasant and it's very accurate.
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