Gentlemen:

I have a Husqvarna commercial small ring Mauser action. What grizzly bear killin' magnum can I reasonably fit into this action? I love the '06, and I could certainly stay with that parent case with a .338-06 Imp., for example. But if I decide to go with more potent bear medicine, how much bigger will this action handle? How 'bout a 300 Dakota?


Jordan

Some of those HVA actions were made into H&H based mags, primarily the 7 Rem. and .358 Norma; this is not an ideal situation, IMO, but it was done. It is not really suited to the Dakota rounds as they are "fatter" than the "ouch & ouch" being based on the old .404 Jeffrey case.

Friends of mine have had light .338-06AI rifles made up to carry in Grizzly country while working in geology, forestry, etc.; these rifles proved to be unreliable in feeding and were discarded for that reason. I have an HVA 4100, with Wisner safety, Brown Kevlar stock and steel bottom metal. I intend to get this re-barreled in .338-06 after Xmas and think this the best option for a Grizzly rifle on this action, a .35 Whelen is another viable option.

Power in a rifle used in Grizzly defence is certainly an important consideration, but, absolute reliability is fundamental and the first consideration. I would (and have) packed an old CRF .30-06 instead of a PF .375 H&H for this reason.

Do the .338-06 std or the Whelen, these are the best options, IMHO.

those calibers that you have listed are danm fine choices, but don't forget the 9.3 x 62. It should fit well in that action and is a real "thumper".

Jordan.

Belted magnums will fit the HVA small ring, just like kutenay points out. It will handle just about anything a M-98 would.

I have a friend that built a .416 Taylor on a HVA small ring, no problems at all.

Just keep in mind that the HVA small ring doesn´t have the angeled slot in the bolt that pull the extractor harder into the case when extraction is tuff! That mabye is a thing to remember if the rifle is built to be a grizzly stopper.....

Stefan

358 winchester

jeffe

Thanks guys. I appreciate the useful information.


Jordan

I have a question about the HVA (small ring) action as well. How much modification is required to fit a M98 type adjustable trigger to it? I'm pretty sure it's not a drop in fit. Most of these rifles came with a non-adjustable triggers. Some of the later higher end models came with adjustable triggers. Tradewinds eventually imported some adjustable triggers but these are hard to find now.

Matt:

Are you asking about something like a Timney? If so, they drop right in. There is another trigger manufacturer out there that makes a drop in for them to [can't recall their name]. The only problem I have run into with the Timney [and the other brand] is that if you try to reduce the stack height of the magazine box [trying to make the rifle more petite], it isn't far before you bottom the trigger housing out against the top of the trigger guard/floor plate.

Jordan

I think any trigger that will fit a M-98 will fit the smallring HVA. The problem is that the safety is built in with the HVA trigger........

I have seen HVA smallrings with a Timney trigger remade to accsept the HVA safety mekanism.


Another way is to fit a M-70 style safety along with a Timney or similar.

Stefan