i picked up a Norwegian Krag in thid old oddball. what are you guys using for loads?

can the krag take MS loads from the 1903?

Check the Norma website or find an issue of their reloading manual, they have several loads for the 6.5mmMS. Also look for an old old copy of the Lyman manual, they have several loads listed too.

quote:

Originally posted by kevin.303:
i picked up a Norwegian Krag in thid old oddball. what are you guys using for loads?

Unless it was rebarreled somewhere along the line to 6.5X54 M/S, your Norwegian Krag is a 6.5X55, just like the Swedish Mauser. The development of the 6.5X55mm round was a joint venture between Norway and Sweden, and whne the development was complete, the Swedes used it in the M96 Mauser,, and the Norwegians used the same cartridge (slightly different loading, however) in their version of the Krag. I've owned both, and liked the Krag better!

Norwegian Krags are much stronger than U.S. Krags- they are made from better steel, and the bolt guide rig is a fully bearing locking lug, making two lugs for the Norski vs one for the U.S. version. In the Norwegian Krag I had, I used a handload with H4831 and the Sierra 140-gran bullet at 2700 FPS. It was quite accurate, and a very effective load for BIG northern New Mexico mulies.

it's been rebarreled, or at least had the barrel set back and the chamber recut. i've got two other Krags, one US and a true 6.5x55 Norge. t seems to be a more common conversion then you'd think this is the 5th or 6th one i've run across in the past few years. i've seen some Norwegians converted to .308 Winchester, but i think thats pushing your luck in the pressure department. i wonder if the Norwegian action would handle the 7x57?....

My experience with an ex-Greek military Manlicher has taught me that 160s are the bullet weight of choice. It's a good calibre, but not as good as the 6.5X55 Swede.

quote:

Originally posted by kevin.303:
it's been rebarreled, or at least had the barrel set back and the chamber recut. i've got two other Krags, one US and a true 6.5x55 Norge. t seems to be a more common conversion then you'd think this is the 5th or 6th one i've run across in the past few years. i've seen some Norwegians converted to .308 Winchester, but i think thats pushing your luck in the pressure department. i wonder if the Norwegian action would handle the 7x57?....

As Popeye used to say, "Well, blow me down!"

The 6.5X54 is a nice little cartridge, but I would not scrap a 6.5X55 to get one!

In my Greek military Mannlicher/Schoenauers, I use a 160-grain roundnose bullet and 42 grains of RE22. MV in a 24" barrel is 2200 FPS. It may be possible to improve on this velocity, but I am happy with it the way it is. Mine were made by BREDA, so I doubt that they are up to Steyr standards!

If the 7X57mm will feed in the magazine box, I see no reason why it could not be used. It should work ion the bolt face and extractor OK.

You might want to keep pressures to factory 6.5X55mm levels, but that is hot enough for most 7X57mm work. Those are nice actions.

well i finally got out to shoot it, and let me tell you it is a sweetheart! i used starting loads from an old lyman manual, 30 gr's of IMR3031, and a hornady 140 gr spire point. also tried a this same charge with 120 gr nosler bt's. both loads where so gentle that i thought i was shooting my .223. athe 140's where accurate too, over the hood of my truck on a sandbag i was shooting an inch and a half group at 75 yards. i've never shot a group that tight with iron sights. it's been drilled for a peep sight,i'm gonna put one on and see if it's tighter!

Cool rifle-

Congrats on the neat find.
Krags are lots of fun in that 'hatches, catches, and latches' kind of way, even cooler that you got one in 6.5

Write me if you're ever thinking of letting it go.
It looks like a really nice deer rifle.


--Tinker

quote:

Originally posted by kevin.303:
i wonder if the Norwegian action would handle the 7x57?....

competition ammo for the Krag-Jørgensen M1894 is loaded to 2800bar, for comparison cip-standard for 6.5x55 is 3800bar

so if you download the 7x57, i see no reasons why you couldn't use it.