What action would ya'll recommend for building a 219 Donaldson Wasp ?

Left-handed.

Hammer

I have owned good-working, accurate Wasps on the P-14, '98 Mauser, Winchester Hi-Wall, full-sized (not "Cadet") Martini, and Ruger No. 1 actions.

As short, rimmed cartridges go, it is relatively easy to work with, and I would not hesitate in the least to use any one of those actions again.

My first preference among the single-shots would be a High wall, whether a Winchester, a Browning, a Clerke, or some other. My first choice in bolt action rifles would be a P-14, though it is really too heavy an action to be ideal for that chambering. And, of course, one could use the cartridge, appropriately loaded down, in any lever action that would work for the .30-30 Winchester.

Would it fit in the cz 527 mini mauser action ??

During its heyday in benchrest shooting, many 219 Wasp shooters turned the case rim down to 308W dimensions in order to use the cartridge in bolt action rifles. Also, there are several versions of the Wasp. Some are difficult to tell apart since the changes are usually small.

Ray

My Wasp is built on a Remington Rolling Block.

It works for me but most likely I can't load to full D. Wasp potential, but I don't care.
The crusty old character that built it had a bevy of fine target shooters, but as a POOR college student one is all I could afford, and I had to give up my trusty 44 flat top to pay it off. If you see that gun (13076) tell it I still miss it and all the FUN time we had!

Best I have ever shot out of the Wasp at 100 yards was 1/4X5/16" and that is outside measurements.

I have not shot it much in the last 20 years, but keep it cause I like odd-ball guns and chamberings.

It still sports the carved mahogany (YES MAHOGANY) stock that he put on it back then . . . WAY BACK THEN! ! ! ! !

OH, my suggestion for left handed action???
Falling block WITH hammer of course!

quote:

Originally posted by Cheechako:
During its heyday in benchrest shooting, many 219 Wasp shooters turned the case rim down to 308W dimensions in order to use the cartridge in bolt action rifles. Also, there are several versions of the Wasp. Some are difficult to tell apart since the changes are usually small.

Ray

True,. Mine all used the rimmed cartridge though, even in the '98 Mauser action. That particuler rifle WAS made by an early New England BR gunsmith (Morgan), and had a Mashburn trigger.

On my P-14, also rimmed, Ellwood Epps built a nice single column magazine inside the double column mag box, which worked flawlessly.

For a bolt action, I would suggest that pretty much whatever action will work with a .22-250 or a .220 Swift can be made to work with a .219 Donaldson Wasp, but if you want flawless feeding make sure you use a 'smith who knows what he is doing already, not just learning on yours.

I had a very nice AND very accurate 219 Wasp that was built on a TCR single shot. You ( at least I don't) don't see many of these actions though. The Donaldson Wasp was lots of trouble to form but really shot well. I really liked the TCR action except for the weird safety.