I just pulled a VZ from my stash, the mag, rails, and action are unmodifed or 'touched'. I just opened the boltface



the dummy is a 600 gr hawk at 3.2" or so, you'll see plenty of clearance in the fore/aft space. I believe any good smith can alter the feedrails for perfect feeding.



in THIS case, there is only room for 2 down and a closed bolt, so three total. I really want 3 down, but that's another day



First pic, 2 rounds in a standard mag











Second Pic, the same round, just laying in the bottom side well of the vz











Third pic, two down in an unmodifed Vz





fourth and 5th



Boltface opened, Can see it will only take a little time to finish extraction feeding











lastly, Just a quick mock up of an insanely light version









Have fun!!



jeffe

Hey Jeffe, thats not bad at all . Sure would make a good pig gun.

Very nice jeffeosso. It would appear that the feed ramp may need to be lowered slightly to eliminate the possibility of a hang-up. Does it feed smoothly as is?

Jeffe,

Just take a bar of good steel and hollow it out, setting it up so it will fit on like the military floorplate. Be artistic and sculpt the edges. Then you can have three down and one up.

Jeff

Nice work that is going to be a fun rifle.

RNS

I love it! Now the 550 short will be the biggest round that can be fit into a mauser 98. Excellent idea and excellent pics.

Way to go Jeffe. There can't have been much of the bolt face left after opening but if it will extract, that is a sweet looking set-up. I am like you with a small stash of 24's waiting for these interesting developments.
A machinist friend of mine made a new box for me for the 458 Lott I have and it would only add a slight belly to get your 3 down. I personally feel 2-down will be plenty as long as the bolt clears easily under speed.
Great effort.
Frank

Frank,
Thanks..

There quite a bit of boltface left.. i'll go measure in a bit... remember, the 460 brass is only .05 larger than the standard mag.... which means .025 less wall.

I think if i mill out the vertical "Rails" in the mag, that will help... it needs .250 SOMEWHERE and if that's taller, wider (twice) and deeper, then that may help.

It's going to be fun!!

jeffe

Frank,
the rim on the bolt face is ~.053..
jeffe

Thanks Jeffe. I am e-mailing Mike to speak with him about the button vs. cut barrel.

I think I will also call Midway for the brass and maybe even Hawk for some bullets to make a few up ahead of time.

Thank you for the extra info. It makes it easier to begin the process.

Frank

Frank

Call Mike as he does not sign on and check his mail often 1-928-783-3850

RNS

I will do that.
Frank

Hi Jeffe and Neal. I just got off the phone with Mike. We had an interesting talk about the building of the 550 Magnum @458 mag length. I also spoke with him about the use of the vz-24 as a donor and he suggested that the mag box might be too narrow. His idea is that I use a Mag length Ruger 77-- I happen to have a couple of 7mm in the old tang safety for this very purpose. His comment was that the 77 mag box being wider would make the conversion easier and not necessitate the use of spring retainers in the feed rail area. He has not looked hard at the idea yet but I am planning to send him one of my actions to start with.
I am having this first one built on the low end of cost but still need to find a new stock that will accomodate the size of this new barrel. Any ideas?
Thanks
Frank

Frank,
Mike is certainly right that the ruger would be a better starting action, based off the mag requirements. The mag is going to be a certain challenge on mine.
But, I have months, probably, to fix that... in fact, when I finally get mine shooting, it might still be a single shot for the load testing!!!

Mike seems to be a great guy, with his head totally in the right place.

Jeffe

I had the same impression in speaking with him. I don't have your expertise to be able to fix a feed problem so I will rely on Mike to return a working rifle first.
I have yet to call Midway but I believe I will start there and with the bullets to make up some dummy rounds first.
Frank

Frank
Mike is a great guy he has listened to me for years about crazy ideas and he normally responds by informing me how to get from start to finish. By the way Mike did not get any contact information from you so could you get ahold of him and provide that to him.

With the 550 Express comming on board and mine getting closer to shooting would any of you like to start another order of bullets from Hawk. I would like a couple boxes of 700gr.

RNS

Frank
What kind of stock are you looking for?? wood/synthetic/laminated

I was thinking laminate would be best without having to have a special custom stock. Mike mentioned he had not yet found a synthetic that might be wide enough for his barrel profile. I like wood but want something a little more stable and heavier to absorb some on the concussion being delivered. I have also had problems with adding weight to the synthetic buttstock. I was thinking something like a mercury reducer being necessary.
Mike mentioned he was working with someone that may be able to build for this rifle and when I send him the action I will talk with him more on this.
I would like to order some bullets. I was thinking to start with the 500 gr. but...... How much are the 700's going to be and how many do we need to order?
Thanks
Frank

Frank

I spoke to Mike yesterday and he is working with someone to produce stocks for the shorter actions and in both wood and laminate.

I have made some contact with a synthetic stock maker for this project and they are willing to work with us. The synthetic is a little way down the road

.035" 500gr $50.00-- .065" 500gr $63.00
..........600gr $52.00..............600gr $65.00
..........700gr $54.00..............700gr $67.00
..........800gr $56.00..............800gr $69.00
..........900gr $58.00..............900gr $71.00
50 per box

Thanks for the list. I would be up for a couple of boxes of the 500 grain and a box of the 700's.
Let me know.
Frank

Also sent you a pm

Neal, Ed, Frank, harry,
I can't hardly wait!!


Think we can talk ANdy into making 650gr?
jeffe

Jeff

Andy will make anything that plastic will pay for

RNS

Neal,
i just emailed Andy.. i'll let you guys know
jeffe

Barrel contour ?????

Jeff check PM

YEEEHAAA!!!

The check is in the mail to Bauska for the barrel!!

who knows how long, but it's on the way

jeffe

This sounds like way too much fun. I have a nice M-98 in 338 win mag that has a heavy 20" Magnaported barrel. I don't really do much with it anymore, it just sits in the safe. It already has a Leopold 2-7x in Leopold mounts and rings on it. I've been thinking of doing something with it. I think I'd like to have a 375RUM, but this could be lots of fun. What is the bore and groove dimensions of the 550 barrel? I may turn some brass bullets to play with.

Lar,
sounds like a great candidate!

.550 and .540...

let me know what you are going to do with the 338 barrel

jeffe

Jeff. Great job. I got my action pulled yesterday and will be calling Mike on Wednesday next. You ordered your barrel from Bauska? Was it the 550 mag? Is it button rifled or cut? I am still checking into that difference.
I am wondering about bullets. Do I call Hawk or did we need to make it a group purchase?
Frank

Frank-Contact RNS.He got some extra 600gr. And he plans on getting group order for heavier bullets from Hawk.Ed.

Neal-About new bullet order. I will get a box of 700
gr when you have them do it. Thin Jacket.Ed.

A combined order is the way to go

Frank you wanted some 500gr and a box of 700 gr need to know .035" or .065"jacket I would go with the thin for load work.

Ed want a box of the 700gr .035"

Jeff you want some 650gr .035

I want a couple boxes of the .035 and .065"


Frank 2/3 500gr
jeff ??? 650gr
Frank 1 700gr
Ed 1 700gr
RNS 3 700gr (all probably .035")

RNS 2 700gr .065

Jeff since you emailed him already lets make the final # in a week and place the order.

RNS

Neal,
I am in for 4 boxes of 650s, 2 .035 and 2 .065. I'll be calling wayne this week and get some lead on order as well. Guess I'll need to turn som 2200fps lead cleaning jags.

Still waiting for Andy.

if anyone cares why I am so stuck on the 650, it's because the sd is over 300 (.309)... so I can stick to my mantra of 2200fps muzzle, sd about or over .300, and bullet weight at least 300gr.

jeffe
aka -elmer jr.

just ordered a JRS Classic boyd's stock, brown lam "nutmeg"...

they quote the weight as ~3.5# and the WOOD lop is 13 7/8.

it'll be late june before i get it, so that's about inline with what I expect to have the gun closer together.

this stock is VERY cheap... 77 and change delivered.

jeffe

Neal, thanks for doing this.
If it is OK I will change my request to:
1 box 500 .035
2 box 650 .065
1 box 700 .065
{Please let me know when or where to send funds)
Thanks,
Frank

Frank,
on the bullet order, Call andy at www.hawkbullets.com directly, and place your order. I will be calling him today.

jeffe