adrook:
No problems with 86.0 grains of RL-15 and 450-grain TSX with filler!.

Other than to check the iron sights at 50 yards with Factory ammo (500 grain Woodleigh softs at 2400 fps, right on with a combat bead) I had never tried any other loads.
Glad I finally did.

First some gun pictures, SIGARMS M98 Magnum in 450 Dakota:

The loads:
I was preparing this rifle and 2 others for IWBB testing, so with my past experience with a couple of 460 Weatherby's and a couple of .458/.338 Lapua's, and usually having only about one day every two weeks to goof off like this, I decided to cut to the chase.

I have a lot of Elephant-Hunter-Terminal-Ballistic-Guru-Andy's data for the 450 Dakota.
The sum of his experience and mine made me feel confident in selecting one charge for each bullet, powder, and filler/no-filler load tested. I loaded 5 rounds of each load and chronographed 3 of them and saved two of each for the IWBB interrogations, seeking the penetrating truth!

Kids, don't try this at home!

All loads:
"Dakota Arms 450" headstamped brass
F215 primer

Filler loads: 5 grains of generic polyester fiber pillow stuffing

Temperature averaged 84 degrees F (started at 83 ended at 85 over the 3 hour period when I was firing this and 2 other rifles).

450-grain North Fork FP (copper truncated cone FN), COL 3.587":
86.0 grains RL-15 plus filler >>> 2279 fps
***(Extreme spread of 8 FPS for 3 shots was most uniform and second most accurate load.)

450-grain Barnes TSX, COL 3.735":
86.0 grains RL-15 plus filler >>> 2245 fps
(ES = 26 fps)

450-grain North Fork FP (copper truncated cone FN), COL = 3.587":
100.0 grains RL-15 >>> 2594 fps
(ES = 16 fps, most accurate load, by chance of compensating errors with iron sights?)

450-grain Barnes TSX, COL 3.735":
100.0 grains RL-15 >>> 2554 fps
(ES = 39 fps)

500-grain Barnes TSX, COL 3.735"
105.0 grains of H4350 >>> 2302 fps
(ES = 28 fps and worst accuracy)

The rifle weighs 9.5 pounds exactly, iron sighted and unloaded.
The barrel is 25" long and is very thin at the muzzle 0.670", about a No.4 sporter contour, like a CZ .458 WinMag or .458 Lott.
It holds four rounds in the magazine.
No scope mounting provisions yet.
I would like to have it cut to shorten LOP from 14.75" to 14.5" with a thicker pad.
That would improve the balance because it is a little muzzle-light.

Now THAT!!! is a proper rifle!!

Been holdin' out on us again RIP??!?!

mad Mac,
I have a few pretty ones, but I mostly like mudflap girls.

Regarding the two .458/450-grainers: The North Fork and Barnes TSX both measure .458" but the North Fork gives better accuracy and uniformity of velocities, and slightly higher velocities for some reason.

I have a lifetime supply of North Forks in .458/450-grain FP and SP.

If I drift that front sight back to the right a bit (it is over to the left a bit from the factory sight-in) and use a fine bead (top edge of bead), I'll be dead on with the high velocity 450-grain North Fork FP.

The low velocity 450-grainers shoot to same elevation (lower) as the similar velocity 500-grainers. That will be to center of bead, combat style.

Beautiful rifle, very well done

The rug ain't bad either

quote:

Originally posted by jwp475:

The rug ain't bad either

jwp475,
Thank you!
What could be better than a bison rug and a Bud?
Swedish Bikini Team parachuting in?

Those M98's are incredible rifles. First class all the way!

RIP,

Thanks a bunch for the test. I've got some loaded up, I just need to make it to the range. I'l let you know how it goes with my rifle.

That rifle is gorgeous, by the way .

Andy

VERY nice...

Way to go

Congratulation from here..

when were these rifles introduced and who sells them? Can't find any info on the Sig webpage.

quote:

Originally posted by Ken Cline:
when were these rifles introduced and who sells them? Can't find any info on the Sig webpage.

Ken,
My rifle was made in 2000 AD, amen.
It is the basic redneck model with Prechtl action, serial # MM001X.

My rifle finally made its way to the original Cabela's store in Sidney, Nebraska, where I rescued it from the "Gun Library" in 2004.

The special edition models and 1 of 100 stuff started in 1998. With the centennial reissue of the Mauser Model 98, "Mauser Banner" rifles.

Like I said, mine is the basic redneck version in 450 Dakota. Very low serial number, but still not exactly what it takes to erect an extended pinky finger.

It is hard to find any info on these rifles. Let us know if you do.

My next loads will be Hodgdon Varget Extreme for both the 450-grain North Fork solid and soft, both of which I have lifetime supplies.

I think 2550 is just right for .458/450-grainers in the 450 Dakota.
That turns it into a .375 H&H on steroids. 300-grainers "Hulked Up" by a factor of 1.5.

See Here...

http://www.golmatic.de/Waffen_EN/waffen_en.htm

http://www.mauserwaffen.de/Home.home.0.html?&L=1

quote:

Originally posted by Macifej:
See Here...

http://www.mauserwaffen.de/Home.home.0.html?&L=1

They started making the "M 98 Magnum Basic Model" in 1999, in .375 H&H, 416 Rigby, 450 Dakota, and 500 Jeffery:


The basic model came in a Doskocil plastic hard case instead of the leather-covered hard case of the 1998 Centennial editions (100 each of .375 H&H and .416 Rigby only).

The test target in my Doskocil case has "Datum" 5-9-2000, and a signature of the "SchieBmeister" that looks like the signature of G. Prechtl.

Gottfried Prechtl signs the test targets?

Straight from
Mauser Jagdwaffen GmbH
D-88316 Isny im Allgau.

Sorry I can't type the "oomlah."

Briley WAS the US distributor. I think Mitchells Mausers is now the US seller.

http://www.mauser.org/rifles/mauser_m98/index.htm

WOW. Very purty rifle, RIP. Me likey.

Cheers,
Canuck

Gottfried signed the "Anschuss-Scheibe" 5-9-2000 at Mauser Jagdwaffen GmbH in Isny.

Other inventory tag names and dates:

Kunde: Blaser Isny
Termin: 31.05.2000
Anderung: BG 15.08.2000

Middlemen:

Blaser
SIGARMS
Briley
Cabela's
and Mitchell's Mausers most recently:

"Mitchell's Magnum M98 Mauser"
"African Mauser Magnum"
Model M98-100(-x) for any caliber up to and excluding 500 Jeffery, which is the M98-100-500J, for $3000 extra.

The rifle is too good to die, it has been moving from distributor to distributor.

Retail has gone up about $3000 in 4 years for this redneck model.

That is a nice rifle RIP.

Rip.....Nice rifle. And you are lots more "balls to the wall" than I am, touching off over 100 grains of powder, behind a 500 grain bullet, in a 9 1/2 pound rifle! But turn that rear sight around! I don't see any gold line on it, and the slant seems the wrong way to enable a clear sight picture in bright light........Grant.

To all who lookee and likee, I say thankee!

And for Oldmodel 70:

quote:

Originally posted by Oldmodel70:
... But turn that rear sight around! I don't see any gold line on it, and the slant seems the wrong way to enable a clear sight picture in bright light........Grant.

They charge extra for the touches you request. This Redneck Model can be upgraded as you request.

Yep, 450-grainers at 2550 fps from this 14" twist. I will not trifle with the over-long 500-grain TSX. I found one of those lying on the surface of the berm dirt, too hot to hold in my hand, fresh from the muzzle. Ouch! A picture of that bullet might be interesting.

The 450-grainers, whether North Fork FP or Barnes TSX all buried themselves so deep in the berm I did not bother to dig for them.

I will next start with 95 grains of Varget and work up to 2550 fps with the North Fork FP and soft, 450-grainers.

Heavier softs: Woodleigh, Hornady, and Swift 500-grainers will be tried with the Varget also, stopping at 2400 fps.

Those will be fine in the 1:14" twist at 2400 fps.

H4350 may be "The Cat's Meow" for the 460 Weatherby with 500-grainers, but RL-15, IMR-4064, and Varget ought to be better for the ~10% smaller case of the 450 Dakota.

Guidance from Andy's load data.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:


First some gun pictures, SIGARMS M98 Magnum in 450 Dakota:

RIP you scurvy dog! Been hiding that beauty from our gaze, eh? Well at least you brought her out!
Fatastic rifle, Herr Doktor!!

new_guy has a Heym 98 in 450 Rigby for sale, @ $6000.

Hey hey hey! It is drilled and tapped for the same Weaver bases that fit my Marlin 45-70.
Thanks for the idea!

German Claw mounts would be so much nicer, however.



[/QUOTE]

RIP,

If you want to scope your M98, take a look at what NECG does.

They use the EAW quick release mounts, and with an M98, they can use a CNC machine to machine the scope bases into the double square bridges. The scope sits LOW so drop is really not an issue. And, if you are so inclined, they have a rear peep sight that slips into the rear base when you take the scope off.

With the scope that low, they have to change out the safety switch from the "up down" to a "horizontal" flip.

Great setup. I had them do it on my Magnum M98 in 416 Rigby. Outstanding.

Jim,
Yup, I've seen the EAW pivot mounts.
If I got a peep too, I would have to make that single-fixed-leaf rear sight go away or fold down.
A Rigby-style cocking piece peep is offered by the maker as an option on this rifle.
I like German Claw mounts best.