FN small ring mauser caliber choices

E

ENC

New member
I have an FN small ring that was a 7x57 with the military barrel on it. I am looking to make it a project gun and was wanting to see if I could make it into a .308 scout rifle without any problems.

Thanks
Evan
 
Nobody that I am aware of is going to make you a .308 Win barrel for a small ring Mauser due to liability. The action simply is not strong enough for the higher pressure rounds over the long term. Sorry I can't be more help than that.
 
Not a problem that is what I am wanting to find out. What are some of the more common calibers this could be used for?
 
Why not put a 7x57 back in it? There is nothing wrong with that cartridge and caliber. Or a 6.5x55 Swede barrel. Brownells also sells small ring barrels in .250 and .300 Savage and .35 Remington. I had a .35 bolt gun once and it was a pretty good shooter.

I don't think I ever saw a small ring FN. What year model and contract is it?
 
There is no better cartridge for a small ring than the 6.5x55. I would argue that this is a better performing round than the .308 you initially wanted.
 
FN Action

Dear Sir:
I am of the opinion that this FN action, if there is no setback of the lugs, if the action shows no wear on the lugs or lug recess, if both lugs bear evenly in their seats would be as good as any action to endure 308 pressures (52,000 cup). However opinion in the fraternity consistently would limit it to 7X57 pressures (47,000 cup)! That's a difference of 5,000 cup.
In pressure testing 52,000 is the AVERAGE cup. pressures and so is the 47,000 listing. Most actions for 'high intensity" smokeless powder cartridges are able to stand TWICE the pressure limits of the cartridges they fire.
I would be irresponsible to recommend a 5,000 cup increase in the "small ring action." Yet if it was mine and it was to be mine for lifetime and headspaced by me I would have no problem in putting a 308 bbl. on it.
After I've written this I'm amazed I did.
I purposely blew up a small ring 7mm action - it took 2400 powder - a case full behind a 175 gr military bullet to finally blow it - bolt stayed in the action and the top ring blew off but the bbl went down-range.
Be your own judge! I do not endorse your idea but if I did the work I'd personally try it. Harry B.
 
Handloading is not a problem. I am currently building a M48 into a heavy bbl .308 So when I found this small ring for a song I thought about the possibilities. I will be doing all the work myself including chambering, headspacing, and truing the action, but I don't want to go overboard on the second rifle I am building. I will look into the 6.5x55.

Thanks
Evan
 
I once had a Carl Gustav .308 target rifle on an 1896 Swedish action dated 1916. It did ok.

Kimber raised money for their reorganization, relocation, and expansion by buying up a bunch of Swedish surplus 6.5x55s on mostly 1896 actions, maybe some '94s and '38s which are still small ring pre '98 Mausers. They dressed them up with scope bases, bent bolt handles, low safeties and plastic stocks.
Some they left in 6.5 but others they rebarrelled to .308 and .22-250. I doubt their lawyers would have let them do that without some assurance the actions would hold.

Are Swedish actions stronger than Belgian? I doubt it.

I still think I'd just leave it a 7mm even with a new barrel.
 
I have been looking and I think I will go with either 6.5x55 or maybe the .257 roberts if that is a decent choice.

Jim, what information do you need for the model number and contract, I haven't been avoiding your question I am just not sure how to answer it. The only thing on the reciever says fabrique Nationale herstal-Liege then the number is A9406.

The number on the bottom metal is A9628 then on the floorplate are the numbers 44
 

If the original barrel is still good, why not just shorten it, set it back a turn and rechamber for 7x57. It's an excellent cartridge and you can do most of that work inexpensively with a hand crowning tool and a rented reamer (though the shoulder set-back may take a machist buddy 10 minutes on a lathe - may as well have him cut and crown it too).

The chamber may be good as-is and then all you need is a hack-saw, a file and a crowning tool from Midway or Brownells....



-tINY

 
The original barrel had less than satisfactory appearance. Some pitting, and an ugly copper colored finish, the receiver is nice and blue. Not to mention the military sights aren't that good. It will definetly recieve a new barrel but 7x57 is a good choice as are the ones listed above.

Thanks
Evan
 


The outside can be refinished and made to look good with little effort, it's the bore that counts.


-tINY

 
The original barrel had less than satisfactory appearance. Some pitting, and an ugly copper colored finish
Click to expand...

Doesn't mean it won't shoot. I've "done up" a couple Mausers that had pretty lousy looking bores, and still shot 1 MOA or a bit bigger. What is usually the problem with Milsurps is cleaning rod wear at the muzzle, shorten and re-crown and it might shoot pretty well.

But to answer your original question, either 7x57 or 6.5x55 are very good calibers to consider.
 
you could 308 scout rifle sound great, other caliber options 257 roberts. 6.5x55 swiss 7.65x53 arg mauser and even better and I think the best option is to keep it 7x57 mauser,
 
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