With a modern barrel, good headspace, and proper heat treatment a 25-06 will be fine in your '09.

The '09 is basically made of softer steel with a case hardening ('heat treatment') applied to the outer surface.

Lapping the lugs, chasing the threads, truing the faces and refinishing the action all can remove this harder outer layer. If you do any of these you should have the action re-heat-treated. Ask your local 'smiths who they use. I may can dig up an address for you.

The "heat treatment" is really a thermal profile combined with a carbon-rich atmosphere that effectively case hardens the metal. If done wrong it can ruin the action.

If all you do is screw a new barrel in, without removing any metal on the action, you are probably OK without the treatment, but I would do it any way.

You should get Jerry Kuhnhausen's book on Mauser rifles. Last I knew both Brownells http://www.brownells.com and Midway USA http://www.midwayusa.com carried it.

In loading the higher pressure cartridges in the Mauser you are using up some of the safety margin that Paul Mauser designed into it. The Mauser may burst at 100,000 PSI, where a modern M70 may go 200,000 PSI. If you are working with modern brass you may not see pressure signs until 80,000 PSI, so pay attention to the powder-makers max recommended loads rather than loading up until you see pressure signs.

One of the benefits of the softer core metal in the Mauser is that when it suffers a catastrophic failure it usually does not shatter, it just stretches all out of shape.

Don

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Originally posted by DB Bill:
Gary...as the caliber you are aksing about is a wildcat, you will need to load your own ammunition so if you build it just be prudent. You can blow up any action if you keep pushing.

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Bill-

Good point. But in the case of a 6.5-06 A.I., why load it down? I might as well build a 6.5x55 then.

Looks like I'll either set it aside for a while & build something like a 6.5x55 later, or it may be on the auction block soon.

I've got a M700 action here as well, looks like it gets the nod for the higher intensity round. (Was saving it for a 338-06, but I'll get more use from the 6.5-06).

I did not mean in any way to discourage your 6.5-06 project.

I have 3 1909 Argentines stored away, and intend on building a 25-06; 30-06 and 35 Whelan (or similar series) on them someday.

They are good, safe, strong actions.

They just will not stand the abuse that seems to be rampant in load development today.

IMHO it's OK to load up Mausers until the alert reloader sees pressure signs like the onset of flattening of the primer, but NOT to go on up until the primers start cratering or the cases get stretched so bad the primers fall out.

I see people who do this all the time on these pages. I hope it never catches up to them.

Don

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Guns cause crime, which is why there has never been a mass slaying at a gun show.

[This message has been edited by Slamfire (edited 04-21-2001).]

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Originally posted by Slamfire:
Ackley claimed the improved cartridges gripped the chamber walls better than those with a lot of taper.

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Slamfire-

That's actually one of my main reasons for leaning towards the A.I. version as opposed to the "standard" version in this one. It's more that than to pick up a few FPS. Less bolt thrust, better case life, etc.

I have 3 1909s in mauser cartridges (6.5x55, 7x57 and 9.3x62) but I do wonder when I see the same action taken out to 375, 416 etc.

As for a 6.5-06 AI for I would caution you re magazine length. Unless you have a shorter throat (and hence negate the 06imp route) you might find that to touch lands etc you're too long to feed from the magazine and/or suffering bashed tips. Maybe you don't need to feed from the magazine.

[This message has been edited by 1894 (edited 05-11-2001).]

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Originally posted by 1894:
As for a 6.5-06 AI for I would caution you re magazine length. Unless you have a shorter throat (and hence negate the 06imp route) you might find that to touch lands etc you're too long to feed from the magazine and/or suffering bashed tips. Maybe you don't need to feed from the magazine.

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1894-

In this case, it won't be a factor. It will be used for long range matches & long range groundhogs. All single-shot kind of stuff.

Anyway, I've decided to build it on a M700 action instead. I *know* there won't be any problems there. (I didn't want that nagging thought "is this thing gonna blow?" every time I squeezed the trigger ).

Feel free to email direct, or post here.

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Originally posted by Wild Bill:
That certainly wouldn't help your concentration, would it?

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Nope, not at all!!