Digging through old posts of the Old Master, and found this post on small-ring large-thread actions. This has been discussed a bit recently, so I thought folks might want to read it. Tom certainly wasn't a deity, but next to the Almighty, he knew more about Mausers than anyone I can think of.

http://forums.accuratereloadin...?r=17510394#17510394

Mr Burgess was amazing.

The important part:

"Pete M., The less than desirable features of many small ring, large thread mausers are attributable to the method of manufacture at the Prussian Govt Arsenals. Around 1916 the steel used for these was supposed to be at the higher end of the carbon content range, at least past 30 points and they were to be more carefully "pasted-up" in the pack hardening process to insure hardening of the ring outside as well as inside in the business area. By 1917 this seems to have been accomplished most of the time. This did not fulfill the mission.
There is a clearance cut, A groove at the rear end of the receiver thread for the barrel at the juncture of "C" ring breech face, which at that time, was considerably deeper than needed to simply clear the very end of the barrel thread without interference. This was done so that a separate milling machine cut would not be required at the end of the lug/extractor slot on the right hand side of the receiver where this slot meets the threads. The slotting cutter pushed the chips forward and clearance had to be provided for them to break cleanly. This overdeep machining met the need. It also made the thread collar thickness very thin from one side of the recoil lug over the top and down to the other side. Somewhere in 1918 this got changed and No relief cut was made at the rear end of thread,(or very little). The barrels were altered in production by removing more than one full thread at the rear. A separate milling cut was made where the extractor slot goes through the "C" ring. Subsequent to this, scrunching in the barrel to seat against the "C" ring did not overstress it as had been capable of happening prior to the various modification print changes.
When found, these receivers after re carburizing, would be as servicable as a G or VZ-33, though not as desirable because of the stigma attached to all of them.
A bargain hunter who assumed he had found the "Mother Load" came in all smiles with 10 F.B actions made at Radom, all like new and as you describe yours to be. Every one of these made during the alleged 3 years of F.B. manufacture were machined as the very last of the Prussian arsenal production had been but Much tighter and much more finely machined, but still tainted in the eyes of the buying public. And still needing additional carburising.

The thing to keep in mind is that the bottom lug seats in the same ammount of metal support as does the large ring. The small ring is thinner in wall thickness all the way around. That infamous cut I described results in a wall thiskness of somewhere near 3/32 " and as the critics say, Hell, a water pipe coupling is thicker than that!
This section of your F.B. more than likely is about 5/32" in cross section, though less than that at the bottom of the thread grooves. This is nearly the same thickness as the G33 types inside the receiver where the lugs seat to the exterior surface. The Europeans did not seem to get much bent out of shape about this inasmuch as the lug which turned in at the top during firing was slotted for the ejector and did not provide (in practice) as much support as the bottom lug did anyway.
What usually happened to the militaries was, at first the barrels got loose because the thread "collar" section had stretched, increasing the headspace, Then when there was sufficient case head protruding from end of barrel during firing this let go allowing lots of gas into the bolt head area. This tended to distort and undo a lot of careful machining of the receiver. The stretching was first noticed in military training school weapons, and once a theory was developed and firing to prove the theory advanced the changes were mandated. Firing a rifle with excess headspace did two things. It pounded lug seat sockets in the receiver and also further stretched an already stressed area just ahead of the "C" ring face. Repeated headspace gaging caught many of the probem receivers but not all.
This is still how you can determine what'shappening
To be concise you must also be clear and not equivocal if you wish to communicate properly. I sincerely hope that I have accomplished that in this post without pounding the subject into the ground because this wasn't just for you,Pete."

I've got all Toms posts saved for reference. Recently I inspected a bunch of these SRLT actions and found exactly what Tom describes above. Invaluable info thats for sure.

I believe the G33-40 and the German Customs m35, basically the same action, are among the very best of actions and strong to a fault and make a beautifully custom rifle..

The Mexican small rings are not as good but loaded to book loads seem to be trouble free..I don't believe any small ring should be a magnum, nor do I see and good reason for them to be magnums in that the use of the small ring 06 length actions is sleekness, compactness and beautiful lines, and the perfect home for a 7x57, 6.5x57, 270, 280 and 30-06 for instance..The perfect marriage.

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
I believe the G33-40 and the German Customs m35, basically the same action, are among the very best of actions and strong to a fault and make a beautifully custom rifle..

The Mexican small rings are not as good but loaded to book loads seem to be trouble free..I don't believe any small ring should be a magnum, nor do I see and good reason for them to be magnums in that the use of the small ring 06 length actions is sleekness, compactness and beautiful lines, and the perfect home for a 7x57, 6.5x57, 270, 280 and 30-06 for instance..The perfect marriage.

Ray,

Jeff has a 458 Win on a Small ring Mexican. I had DPCD put this 9.3x62 barreled action together for me. It has a Wiebe 06' bottom metal (Jeff recommended that I use an 06' length unit). Duane was making a run of them and punched the front guard screw hole in the right spot for a Mexican. The action was opened up to allow for book length loads with Nosler, Hornady, and Barnes bullets (3.23" max). I will have the action hardened before I put it in service. It feeds pretty slick.

Matt

Pretty slick. What barrel is that.

quote:

Originally posted by lindy2:
Matt

Pretty slick. What barrel is that.

It's a stainless Montana Rifle Co barrel turned to a modified Mauser Type A contour. small ring diameter shank, and it tapers from the last step down to 0.60" at 22". I can post picks of the whole barrel later.

Here you go lindy2:

http://forums.accuratereloadin...4711043/m/6681050132