Help me decide

[Jcalder]

I've got an old mauser that I traded for last year. I've finally decided the barrel is gone. It needs some tlc but it honestly has no value. Needs a bolt body and barrel. Found a bolt body for about $55. Er shaw barrels start around $175.


First off. Any experience with an er shaw barrel? I'm not looking to drive tacks. Just hunt with and shoot the occasional milk jug at 250.

Second question is caliber. The gun is a Swedish small ring. Looking at 6.5x55 swede or 260. The current caliber is 243 but I bought another 243 a few months ago. Just wanting suggestions on which direction I should go. Also which twist would you go with

 

[mr.big]

I have used 2 Shaw barrels and they both shot at least as good as a factory Rem barrel,on the caliber using a Swedish Mauser action I would have to use the 6.5 Swede case,,I been thinking about doing my wore out 25-06 in the 6.5 Swede also,,with new Lapua brass in a 700 long action it should smoke the 260,,

 

[Jcalder]

My reloading book says it's slower by 100-200fps depending on bullet weight. Do you think my book is being a little on the light side since some of the older actions weren't designed to handle the pressures of more modern actions? I'm also looking at a 26" varmint barrel. Will 26" help me out on velocity any or should I go 24"

 

[Deer Assassin]

6.5x55

 

[280longshot]

I installed a ER Shaw barrel on my Savage just last year converting it to a 7-08.
Its factory contour and shoots great for what it is of value priced.
This is a GRP just shoot yesterday with it.

 

[Jcalder]

I think I'm sold on the 6.5 swede. I think the shaw barrel will do what I want it too. I thought about the 7mm mauser but feel I'm giving up too much speed.

 

[280longshot]

The 6.5 swede would have been my caliber of choice, of course mine is a short action.

 

[1 good shot]

the 7x57 and 6.5x55 are both proven rounds
depending on what you plan to do with it either one will please you for hunting around here
personally i prefer the 6.5 of the two simply because its a lefty
whereas my 7x57 is a right handed one

 

[ROVERBOY]

The .260 or 6.5x55 should both be great. I'd get at least a 1 in 9" twist. A lot of the Swedish Mausers had 1 in 7" twists to handle the longer bullets. Either twist should handle bullets up to about 160 gr. Also I agree that E.R. Shaw has good barrels for the money. Should be a great deer rifle.

 

[Jcalder]

I'll be shooting 129s and 140s. Hopefully in the next few months I can get it together

 

[mr.big]

I am not sure the 9 twist will spin the 140`s,,if you are gonna run the 140`s get at least an 8.5,,I used an 8 on my 6.5x47 and it will shoot anything from the 140 Hybirds to the 100 Nosler Balistic Tips pretty much through the same hole at 100 yards,,

 

[Jcalder]

I'll probably go with an 8. Think they offer an 8 and 9. I'm not gonna shoot anything lighter than 120. If I need a varmint gun I'll use the 243

 

[Hunter 257W]

I bought a model 98 Mauser barreled action, with a Shaw 270 Winchester barrel installed, probably 20 years ago. I got the reciever, bolt and barrel for $110. (Sure wish I had bought several of them!) All I did to "accurize" it was to glass and pillar bed it to the cheapest synthetic stock I could find, install a Timney trigger & Leupold Rifleman 3x9 scope. It really wants to shoot tiny little groups and will often put 3 shots very close to touching at 100 yards. After it heats up, it starts to scatter them quite a bit(1.5" which is still good accuracy) but for a hunting rifle, that makes no difference.

I call it my poor man's beanfield rifle.

 

[Jcalder]

The action has been bedded into a new stock. Aftermarket trigger. Just needs a barrel and the bolt body has an indention which is allowing the firing pin to stick out when it's decocked. Would make a good truck gun