Mauser 98 6.5x55 Clackamas build?

Woodsbum · January 30, 2018, 09:18 AM

Hello,new guy here, picked up a sporting arms, Clackamas Oregon, Mauser 98 6.5x55.I thought it was a 96 until I got to see it, was wondering if anyone has info or comments about it.The barrel seems to have a older military finish, and was really dirty! Thanks.

Slamfire · January 30, 2018, 10:39 AM

Put some pictures of your rifle out there. Up load to IMGUR, copy the BBcode, paste them so we can see the thing.

Kimber Oregon was going bankrupt, and managed to go bankrupt. I would not trust a single of their small ring 308 conversions, they are not appropriate for 308 cartridge conversions as the 308 Win operates above the proof pressures of the original action. Companies in financial stress will shovel out junk, knowing that if they fail tomorrow, the liability is gone.

As for your 6.5 X 55 conversion, keep that within Swedish service rifle loads and you should not have any issues what so ever. Basically the pre WW1 Mausers, be they small ring or large ring, were firing the same cartridge and were tested and proofed at the same pressures. Early Mausers are all made of the same inferior plain carbon steels of the era, all built in the same pre vacuum tube era factories, and thus, small ring or large ring, are not to be used with loads greater in pressure than period service loads. Small ring Mausers earned a very bad reputation with the Spanish small ring Mausers, if all large ring Mausers were as poorly built as Spanish small ring, large ring Mausers would also have a bad reputation.

If your large ring Mauser was a 1930's or 1940's or even better, a 1950's build, it could take a little more pressure, simply due to improved metal cleanliness and improved process controls, but it is only a couple of thousand psia, not tens of thousands. The steels were not changed, nor was the design.

Now, if you reload, stick to Swedish service rifle equivalent loads. My load, posted below, is a 140 grain bullet with 43.0 grs IMR4350/AA4350. As far back as the 1950's American Rifleman, this was being described as 6.5 Service rifle equivalent in terms of pressure. Velocity wise, it is not bad out of my 22" sporter barrels and it shoots accurately.

Mobuck · February 2, 2018, 08:00 AM

"I thought it was a 96 until I got to see it"

Specifically, what indicators are you using to determine that it is a 98 type action?

emcon5 · February 2, 2018, 05:59 PM

Quote:

what indicators are you using to determine that it is a 98 type action?

They are not all that hard to tell apart.....

Mobuck · February 2, 2018, 07:04 PM

"They are not all that hard to tell apart..."
Which is why I asked since most of those type rifles I've encountered were NOT M-98's.

fourbore · February 3, 2018, 07:23 AM

I tried a google, I dont know if this is the OP? It is almost identical question with some informative replies:

https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=585524

More hits,

https://www.longrangehunting.com/thr...-swede.113959/

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...pics/1962627/1

Kimber connection:

http://www.chuckhawks.com/kimber_swedish_mauser.htm

smarquez · February 7, 2018, 02:13 AM

If it cocks on opening it is a 98. If it cocks on closing it will be a 96. I have one on a 96 in 6.5 Swede. It is a pretty good shooter.

emcon5 · February 7, 2018, 01:42 PM

Finally got off my butt to do this:

The easy visual cue is the flange around the bolt shroud, is sticks out more to keep any gas out of the shooter's face during a case failure. If you can put your hands on it, the cock on open for the 98 vs cock on close for the earlier models is an obvious difference, as is the extra lug on rear of the bolt (and the gas vents on the bolt bottom).

The 1893 action above is actually on a Spanish 1916, and the Swede is a M38, but they are still a 93 and 96 action respectively.

The 93 and 96 are very similar.

fourbore · February 8, 2018, 04:20 PM

The OP posted for the first time on this forum 9 days ago. Not a word back since ... Too bad, I was curious.

Woodsbum · February 15, 2018, 07:36 AM

This rifle was described as a swedish mauser by the owner, but the barrel is stamped Mauser 98, and it looks like a military barrel stamped 6.5/55 on it. The receiver has A_____A under the scope base. My question is about the quality of the receiver and why they would screw probably a swedish mauser barrel on a 98 receiver in the first place? I am sorry about the delay in replying.

taylorce1 · February 15, 2018, 09:38 AM

The Swede was an intermediate length small ring Maurer, an original military 6.5X55 barrel wouldn't fit unless you had a small ring M98 or a large ring M98 with small ring threads like a Turkish Mauser. Anyway you really haven't provided enough info for me to say what you are looking at, pictures if the rifle would be the most helpful.

Clackamas sounds like it could be a Kimber of Oregon (KOO) sporter build. Before the Kimber went bankrupt in Oregon they built several sporter rifles on M96 and M98 rifles. I had a M96 sporter in Butler Creek synthetic stock that I bought off gunbroker.com, it would never shoot so I sent it Hooligan1 to put a new 6.5X55 Swede barrel on for a friend.

emcon5 · February 15, 2018, 11:03 AM

Please post photos.

Woodsbum · February 16, 2018, 08:40 PM

I am sorry, I tried to post pics, I don't know how.

January 30, 2018, 09:18 AM	#1
Woodsbum Member Join Date: January 28, 2018 Posts: 28	Mauser 98 6.5x55 Clackamas build? Hello,new guy here, picked up a sporting arms, Clackamas Oregon, Mauser 98 6.5x55.I thought it was a 96 until I got to see it, was wondering if anyone has info or comments about it.The barrel seems to have a older military finish, and was really dirty! Thanks.

January 30, 2018, 10:39 AM	#2
Slamfire Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2007 Posts: 5,261	Put some pictures of your rifle out there. Up load to IMGUR, copy the BBcode, paste them so we can see the thing. Kimber Oregon was going bankrupt, and managed to go bankrupt. I would not trust a single of their small ring 308 conversions, they are not appropriate for 308 cartridge conversions as the 308 Win operates above the proof pressures of the original action. Companies in financial stress will shovel out junk, knowing that if they fail tomorrow, the liability is gone. As for your 6.5 X 55 conversion, keep that within Swedish service rifle loads and you should not have any issues what so ever. Basically the pre WW1 Mausers, be they small ring or large ring, were firing the same cartridge and were tested and proofed at the same pressures. Early Mausers are all made of the same inferior plain carbon steels of the era, all built in the same pre vacuum tube era factories, and thus, small ring or large ring, are not to be used with loads greater in pressure than period service loads. Small ring Mausers earned a very bad reputation with the Spanish small ring Mausers, if all large ring Mausers were as poorly built as Spanish small ring, large ring Mausers would also have a bad reputation. If your large ring Mauser was a 1930's or 1940's or even better, a 1950's build, it could take a little more pressure, simply due to improved metal cleanliness and improved process controls, but it is only a couple of thousand psia, not tens of thousands. The steels were not changed, nor was the design. Now, if you reload, stick to Swedish service rifle equivalent loads. My load, posted below, is a 140 grain bullet with 43.0 grs IMR4350/AA4350. As far back as the 1950's American Rifleman, this was being described as 6.5 Service rifle equivalent in terms of pressure. Velocity wise, it is not bad out of my 22" sporter barrels and it shoots accurately. __________________ If I'm not shooting, I'm reloading.

February 15, 2018, 09:38 AM	#11
taylorce1 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2005 Location: On the Santa Fe Trail Posts: 8,248	The Swede was an intermediate length small ring Maurer, an original military 6.5X55 barrel wouldn't fit unless you had a small ring M98 or a large ring M98 with small ring threads like a Turkish Mauser. Anyway you really haven't provided enough info for me to say what you are looking at, pictures if the rifle would be the most helpful. Clackamas sounds like it could be a Kimber of Oregon (KOO) sporter build. Before the Kimber went bankrupt in Oregon they built several sporter rifles on M96 and M98 rifles. I had a M96 sporter in Butler Creek synthetic stock that I bought off gunbroker.com, it would never shoot so I sent it Hooligan1 to put a new 6.5X55 Swede barrel on for a friend. __________________ NRA Life Member

February 2, 2018, 08:00 AM	#3
Mobuck Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2010 Posts: 6,846	"I thought it was a 96 until I got to see it" Specifically, what indicators are you using to determine that it is a 98 type action?

February 2, 2018, 07:04 PM	#5
Mobuck Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2010 Posts: 6,846	"They are not all that hard to tell apart..." Which is why I asked since most of those type rifles I've encountered were NOT M-98's.

February 3, 2018, 07:23 AM	#6
fourbore Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2015 Location: new england Posts: 1,159	I tried a google, I dont know if this is the OP? It is almost identical question with some informative replies: https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=585524 More hits, https://www.longrangehunting.com/thr...-swede.113959/ https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...pics/1962627/1 Kimber connection: http://www.chuckhawks.com/kimber_swedish_mauser.htm

February 7, 2018, 02:13 AM	#7
smarquez Senior Member Join Date: March 8, 2011 Posts: 135	If it cocks on opening it is a 98. If it cocks on closing it will be a 96. I have one on a 96 in 6.5 Swede. It is a pretty good shooter.

February 7, 2018, 01:42 PM	#8
emcon5 Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 1999 Location: High Desert NV Posts: 2,850	Finally got off my butt to do this: The easy visual cue is the flange around the bolt shroud, is sticks out more to keep any gas out of the shooter's face during a case failure. If you can put your hands on it, the cock on open for the 98 vs cock on close for the earlier models is an obvious difference, as is the extra lug on rear of the bolt (and the gas vents on the bolt bottom). The 1893 action above is actually on a Spanish 1916, and the Swede is a M38, but they are still a 93 and 96 action respectively. The 93 and 96 are very similar.

February 8, 2018, 04:20 PM	#9
fourbore Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2015 Location: new england Posts: 1,159	The OP posted for the first time on this forum 9 days ago. Not a word back since ... Too bad, I was curious.

February 15, 2018, 07:36 AM	#10
Woodsbum Member Join Date: January 28, 2018 Posts: 28	This rifle was described as a swedish mauser by the owner, but the barrel is stamped Mauser 98, and it looks like a military barrel stamped 6.5/55 on it. The receiver has A_____A under the scope base. My question is about the quality of the receiver and why they would screw probably a swedish mauser barrel on a 98 receiver in the first place? I am sorry about the delay in replying.

February 15, 2018, 11:03 AM	#12
emcon5 Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 1999 Location: High Desert NV Posts: 2,850	Please post photos.

February 16, 2018, 08:40 PM	#13
Woodsbum Member Join Date: January 28, 2018 Posts: 28	I am sorry, I tried to post pics, I don't know how.