When Jack Belk was around he told me that the kar98 was not suitable for a 257 roberts, which was something i had planned. Are they worth a poop for anything? 243 maybe? not something fancy, just a cheap adams&bennet type project. I am thinking about trying to get one of my friends interested in putting his own rifle together, give him a good hobby. But not to be stingy I don't want to donate my argentine or 1903 to the effort.

Red

I can't imagine a KAR 98 not being perfectly suitable for .257. Maybe you are confusing it with the Turkish model '98-type, the Model 38 or 41. These are of variable quality and sometimes have a large action ring and a small barrel shank. Nonetheless, the Turk has been used for a lot of serviceable conversions.

Of couse nearly any modern bolt action is cheaper to build on that doing the drilling, tapping, bolt bending, trigger replacing, bottom metal, ad nauseum that is necessary with a military action.

maybe he was talking about the later war productions ones, after '43 the finishing got real haphazard

Red,

Do a search here in the gunsmithing forum. Systeme98 (Thomas Burgess) posted a real nice description of the flaws associated with the Kar. It would be much better suited to a milder cartridge like the .257 than it would be to the higher pressure .243.

The way too simplified version is that the earlier and I think mainly Prussian made models were made in such a way that they were left with a very thin section in part of the receiver ring i believe on the order of only 3/32". The result is receiver ring stretch or worse.

Check his post for the REAL facts.

Thanks, I'll look for it. It is stamped 1919 and I am positive it is German (don't have it in front of me of coarse).

I had already had the bolt bent and had installed a two position safety to clear a scope, I was in the process of having it done up into a 257 when i heard that and stopped. Fortunately I have so much other stuff going on, and so many great actions that it has sat in pieces under the bench for a couple of years.

Red

http://www.accuratereloading.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB5&Number=226308&PHPSESSID=&fpart=1#Post226308

Here is Mr. Burgess' post.

I'm still alive after shooting a few hundred 257 Roberts +p loads in my Douglas barreled KAR 98.

Majorcaliber,

Good for you! Old Mr. Burgess must not know of what he speaks?

Keep tryin, maybe one day you'll succede.