Hey Paul,
Look into the 20 Tac. or the 204 Ruger. The length of the box will be just right for the 20 Tac, but the one I have on the mini action in 204 can not be loaded with the longer bullets and feed through the box. I don't want to cut away any of the metal to allow for a longer box.

As for the action conversions it is simple to fit up a 98 bolt shroud. My first ones were converted in 1989 and a two position safety was made to fit the size of the action. James Anderson was in summer school in 1992 and I had my 17 Rem mini Mauser when I visited the school. I discussed how I converted these actions and he started making several mods. He has made some very nice rifles since that time.

I have had all the calibers 17 to 220 Swift. The 204 Ruger with the 1/12 twist in a 24 in. #2 barrel weight is perfect for a field rifle. It is as flat shooting as the Swift with the 39-40 gr bullets out to 500 yds and more fun with less noise and powder. I would change to the 20 Tac because of the 223 cases are cheap and it will feed better if I wanted to start another rifle. The shell is about .100 shorter than the 204 Ruger. Look up the charts on the 20 cal. and you will find that the 20's are the fastest and flattest of the varmint rifles. Try one of the 20 cal. as you have several larger calibers to use on deer.

quote:

Originally posted by Snellstrom:


Hey TC1 how is your 7.62x39 shooting and what ammo or loads does it like?

Mine has been out shooting twice now. Both times using steel cased russian ammo and aimed at cans, rocks and such. It hits what I aim it at but never bothered to shoot a group with it. If I ever finish it I'll get a little more serious about it.

OK what am I missing. The OAL of the 223 is 2.26" the 204 is 2.22. I assume the box is lengthened for the 22-250 at 2.35.

I've never really fooled with the 204. Is the norm to set it up for a longer OAL?

Well CRAP!!!!! Now that I'm interested and geared up the deal went south. So guess I'm in the market for a mini. Did the original (early) Interarms have the release in the bow or do all versions of the Mini have a cross pin release?

I think they were all cross pin release.

quote:

I think they were all cross pin release.

So Interarms, Daly, 799 or m85 Zastava I guess I don't care except for what is stamped or cut into the action.

Paul the reason I mentioned the feeding problem is with the 40 gr bullets set just so the base of the bullet isn't too deep into the case. I had the measurements down, but can't find my sheet. I will need to measure the action and loaded shells again.

The early mini actions had the button in the late 80's as I would weld up the holes and recut for a lever in the guard. I had a template for the lever. The button can be cut so only clearance for it to slide to release without cutting the wood. I will probably weld up the 204 written up on the project of Stockmaker Show and Tell. The new Serbia built rifles are crude in manufacturing and stamped almost thru the actions.

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:

quote:

I think they were all cross pin release.

So Interarms, Daly, 799 or m85 Zastava I guess I don't care except for what is stamped or cut into the action.

Yeah, the 1st one I bought was a Charles Daly. It was just a bare action bought from Numrich gunparts. It got the G33/40 treatment while it was a Shane Thompson's. The second one a 7.62X39 was Remington 799. James Anderson did a little work to it for me. I was complaining about the ugly Remington billboard on the left side of the action, he could fix that and milled it off. I was very happy with the results.

quote:

The button can be cut so only clearance for it to slide to release without cutting the wood.

I do that on the later MKX Daly 98s as well.

TC1 There are several manufactures than LOVE to stamp or cut info on the newer actions.

A 300 Whisper (Blackout) or a 6.8 SPC.

quote:

The button can be cut so only clearance for it to slide to release without cutting the wood.

Les,
Thank you for explaining - a much-o better solution than the factory cut (gouge) across the bottom of the stock.

quote:

Les,Thank you for explaining - a much-o better solution than the factory cut (gouge) across the bottom of the stock.

I'm sure Les does a much better job than I do but here is what mine looks like on a Daly


The backside needs even less metal removed.

Yes that is a nice solution for the mag release.
I need to find someone to install new bolt handles on both my Mini's.
I bought 2 new handles from Les, just need to find someone to put them on.
That and I'm slowly working at restocking them both.
I'll be talking to Ramrod on the stocks.

quote:

I'll be talking to Ramrod on the stocks.

I'm all ears.

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:
I have someone wanting to trade a mini mauser action for a couple blanks and duplication.

Don't own one. Hadn't thought of getting one recently but price probably makes sense since I cut myself a deal on labor.

I believe it is a 223 head action. Trying to get some more info. But assuming it was yours what would you build? I have a couple bolt 223 and 2 ARs. But won't rule out another

458 SOCOM

HAR! A bigbore Mini Mauser. It's probably impossible but I love the idea.

Well they open the bolt to 22-250 so the rim is covered. The length is the same as the 223. Over in bigbore there are pictures of a Mossberg 223 bolt converted. I guess the answer is never say never.

Couldn't quite get a .458 out of it
BUT you could get a .411! ( I just added this, I guess you could get .458 but you would have to headspace off the case mouth. )
Start with a Mini in 7.62x39 and blow out the neck.
It would have a small shoulder like a .400 Whelen, .411 Hawk or a 400 PDK. Shoot 300-350 grain bullets in it at about 900fps.
Could call it the .411 Kitty Hawk or
.400 MPS (Mini Pachyderm Slayer).
HMMMmmm.....
We can't do that, we would have to move this discussion to the Big Bore Forum.

quote:

Couldn't quite get a .458 out of it

What limits you to 411?

My thinking on the 458 SOCOM is there isn't enough room in the front ring to push it through. The front ring opening is .550" and the cartridge is .538". That sure doesn't leave much room for proper feeding since the cartridge is coming in at an angle. I'm not sure about chamber wall thickness but I bet you'd be pushing the envelope on that.

Then there are other considerations like feeding and loading. I bet it could only be loaded from the bottom which for me would be a pain and I would probably use it as a single shot the majority of the time.

That's what came to mind with the 458 SOCOM and is admittidly just a SWAG.

Now a X39 based wildcat might be a different story all together but you would need to leave enough shoulder on it to headspace.


A Mini Mauser thread in the bigbore forum, now that's funny.

I figured chamber wall and feeding would be an issue. Didn't think about the front ring but should have.

Just asking Ammoguide to list everything from a 222 case to the rim, body and length of the 22-250 and it comes up with 63 options.

Sounds fun to me!

did anyone do a 35 Gremlin yet. sorry.. that is on the 7.62x39 action

quote:

35 Gremlin yet. sorry.. that is on the 7.62x39 action

As I was having lunch I thought of a 35x39Imp. Guess that would be pretty close to a 35 Gremlin

QL lists a 350x39

I built my 6x45 following very similar severe English patterns to those above I used a L-461 Sako small action. The only thing I did different in that the late and great gunsmith Tony Barnes built me a very petite to scale model 70 safety for it out of a piece of take off bull barrel and its worked like a charm for the last 30 years..Gun weighs 5.5 lbs with 2x7 Leupold compact in old Redfield mounts..It shoot so well that I never installed the barrel band front sight, swivel and quarter rib...10 shots in .265 to .320 is the rule on the fwt wt. Douglas 18.25" barrel. When it quits shooting like that then I'll dress it up with irons etc. even though they have no place on such a caliber, but I like'em

Thanks to richj for the lead. I now have a Daly 7.62x39 new barreled action on the way.

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:
Thanks to richj for the lead. I now have a Daly 7.62x39 new barreled action on the way.

Grendel, grendel, Grendel, grendel, Grendel, grendel,

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:
Thanks to richj for the lead. I now have a Daly 7.62x39 new barreled action on the way.

Now I just need to get that GAG stock from the guy in CS to make a copy of.

That and since I had decided on a chamber for the 223 face make another choice.

quote:

Grendel, grendel, Grendel, grendel, Grendel, grendel,

6.5 or 6?

The 7.62X39 itself isn't a bad choice. Lapua brass and bullets for shooting groups and Russian Golden bear for plinking. I was going to do a Grendel with mine but decided I was taking a lot of the fun/cheap to shoot factor out of it.

I agree with TC1.
I'm hoping to get mine to shoot accurately with a little more fooling around. It apparently does not like .308 diameter bullets, so far my handloads are 4" groups, cheap Wolf ammo 2" groups!
So I am ordering .310 .311 bullets to give it a go. I have confidence that it will be a shooter.
It's like a bolt action 30/30.

Ramrod I sent you a PM.....

Mine is 6.5 grendel my buddy had Hart do his barrel in the original 7.62x39 (308) both with flutes and a break.

quote:

Originally posted by Snellstrom:
I agree with TC1.
I'm hoping to get mine to shoot accurately with a little more fooling around. It apparently does not like .308 diameter bullets, so far my handloads are 4" groups, cheap Wolf ammo 2" groups!
So I am ordering .310 .311 bullets to give it a go. I have confidence that it will be a shooter.
It's like a bolt action 30/30.

Ramrod I sent you a PM.....

Barnes makes a 123 TAC-X

This thread deals with the Mini Mauser and IMO its limited to the 222 Rem case.

That is why I chose the Sako L-461 for my 6x45 and it works to perfection with the 223 case and also with a modified 30 Rem case. Tony Barnes made a number of beautiful pistols on the L-461 Sako action in the 30 rem shortened and necked up and down. I liked his 257x45 real well also.

The 6x45 and the 257x45 judiciously handloaded can come pretty close to factory 243 and 250-3000 specs..

Not really Ray, the Mini Mauser also comes chambered for the 7.62X39 cartridge from the factory and ramrod340 has aquired one. Read a few posts above ours. From his post the X39 family of cartridges is now on the table and the .223 size cartridges are on the back burner.

The 6X45 is a great cartridge and was high on the list when I did mine. The .223 won out in the end but only because I decided against any wildcats.

From the left is the 7.62x39, a 6.5x39, a 6.5 Grendel, My 6.5 Grendel-Max wildcat with the 123gn A Max loaded to 2.405OAL at runs at 2700fps. then the Grendel-Max with my 123gn cast bullet



It does quite well for itself from the 21" 8 twist light sako profiled TSE barrel

quote:

From the left is the 7.62x39, a 6.5x39, a 6.5 Grendel, My 6.5 Grendel-Max wildcat with the 123gn A Max loaded to 2.405OAL at runs at 2700fps. then the Grendel-Max with my 123gn cast bullet

And your favorite is????????????

358 Gremlin. 35 Rem power in a tiny package.

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:

quote:

From the left is the 7.62x39, a 6.5x39, a 6.5 Grendel, My 6.5 Grendel-Max wildcat with the 123gn A Max loaded to 2.405OAL at runs at 2700fps. then the Grendel-Max with my 123gn cast bullet

And your favorite is????????????

Well, that would be my 6.5 Grendel max of course. The other cartridges are just shown to give scale to my GM