Hello guys!

Merry Cristmas!

While you are sitting in your "stress -less", watching the kids playing with their new toys that santa brought for them, and the calm is starting to catch up with you again, maybe you can help me thinking of what kind of a .50 cal can I build on a Mauser M98???
I would be very happy for some ideas.

How about .50 Calibers

George

My dad and I did a .50 on a Mauser 98 a few years back....basically, it was a .460 Weatherby cut to 2.55" and expanded to handle a .510" bullet (the rim was also rebated to the standard magnum configuration). Worked well with a 24" Pac Nor barrel.

Lee Martin
www.singleactions.com

Lee,
I have done basically the same thing using savage actions. I am curious how the rebated case feeds in a controlled feed action.

Later,
Pablo

It works pretty well.....we did end up making the extractor groove somewhat deeper on the case. The other alternative is to open the bolt face up to handle the standard Weatherby rim diameter. I haven't actually done this using .460 brass, but did convert a 98 to shoot the .348 Winchester (that has a huge rim and it just barely fits the bolt-head). Nonetheless, it works. Best of luck with whatever you decide.

Lee Martin
www.singleactions.com

I built a .500 Jeffery on a standard Mauser 98 action.
No problem with respect to pressure, recoil etc.
The only problem is reliable feeding, this action was not intended to be used with such a big round. The best way is to build a new magazine with the rounds in a column, not using the zig-zag Mauser system.

Not to be a party pooper,

but It might be better/cheaper to save your mauser 98 action and get a cz .416 & rebarrell to .500 A2 (most practical/easy) or go the .505 gibbs, jeff, up to .585 whatever.

Then again a .50 Alaskan would probably work on a mauser 98.

Regards PC.

460wby I know you stated you wanted a 50...but with all the feeding problems....why not consider the 470 Capstick. Uses 375 basic which should be made to feed through your Mauser action. You could even load it "down" to 470 Nitro ballistics and still have plenty of power. If you just got to have a 50 you might look at the 495 A-Square,uses cut down 460Wby brass. Might have to go to a single stack magazine like the big Wby's to get 100% reliable feeding.

Thank you, for some opinions.
Yeah, CZ 602 (or 550) would be the best. But a M98 is much easier to get hold of, very cheap.
So, I'm going for a M98. That is what I have.

I have Ken Howell's book, on my shelf. And I saw 2-3 interresting items there.
.500 Van Horne Express.
12,7x64mm.
Or maybe a 460 Short, opened up to handle a fifty caliber bullet.
The bottom question here is:

Using a 416 Rigby case, or a 460 Wby case as basis???
I'm curious if the tiny shoulder that are left. Is that enought to chamber a round on?? Or would it be better to use a 460 Wby case, and let it chamber on the belt??
Personally I think the last one must be the best, but that requires opening up the space between the rails on the M98 action, and I dont like that!!

I dont really need full .500 A-Square power, I'd rather like to go subsonic with some loads.

I highly recommend the .460 case.....primarily because the 416 when expanded to hold a .510" bullet has a very slight shoulder step. This definitely makes headspacing tougher. When I did mine, I used the Weatherby case headspacing off of the belt and it worked fine. You are correct with respect to opening the feed rails for the added diameter though. Regardless, the rails need to be ground somewhat if the Rigby is selected as the parent case.

Lee Martin
www.singleactions.com