Looking at one in 1903 model with the idea of rechambering to 6.5 x 55, wondering if this is an alright thing to do with respect to its feeding through the rotary magazine.

Please be aware that the old MS action is a low pressure action & not meant for high velocity loads. The 6.5X54MS round is a 40000 cup round while the 6.5X55 Swed is a 46000 cup round.

I would not recommend it unless you know some one who has done it properly & then copy the magazine spindle & replace it.

If you read Frank de Has's book on bolt action riles, you will see this issue addressed.

Each rifle has its own magazine spindle made for that specific cartridge - so that the cartridge sits in line with the bore to be picked up by the control feed bolt. When you try to use a different dimensioned cartridge, the ammo does not sit properly on the spindle & fails to feed correctly. I have seen a 1903 MS rifle rebarrelled to 243 and a "U" shaped steel guide welded to the front of the magazine so that the ammo is held in place. This looks very crude & I feel it is an insult to the classic MS action. The 6.5X55 is an even fatter case than the 243 and so it should be even more of a misfit.

I have 3 rifles in that action and love them passionately.

rechambering it will ruin the value as a collectors piece, don't do it

Mike, I have done this conversion albeit to 6.5-257 Roberts, a very similar wildcat.

It is A BEAR and I wouldn't do it again!

Back in those days I didn't have any extra money but did have a (borrowed) reamer, a barrel, a milsurp Greek action and lots of spare time(no Bride yet,G).

I ended up needing ALL of the 'lots of spare time' and more besides. Yes, I made it feed and yes, AFAIK it's still working fine and yes, I was DAMN glad to see it successfully completed at last!

I've converted several of the later commercial models, mainly rebored the 8x56 M1908s to 9x57 or rechambered them to 8x57. Both those conversions work fine with comparatively little trouble but I'll not do another M1903 6.5 conversion to a larger head size, at all, ever again!
Regards, Joe

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Ray:
Looking at one in 1903 model with the idea of rechambering to 6.5 x 55, wondering if this is an alright thing to do with respect to its feeding through the rotary magazine.

The 6.5x55 only gives you a 100 fps edge in velocity which is for all practical purposes insignificant. That and the feeding issues make it not worth the trouble IMHO.

Mike, if I were you I'd leave it as is and enjoy it.

A .256 Mannlicher is what you've got and that's a great old caliber.

The Brits made an industry out of Anglicizing those old 1903s and their predecessors as well.

thanks guys for the advice and replies

lead the horse to water
ill hold his head under
you suck on his ass
sorry

These rifles and cartridges are an interesting part of rifle history and deserve to be tried as they are. MS dies and brass are not that difficult to find and I doubt that you would be able to tell the difference in the two cartridges in practical use.