Is ordering cerosafe the best method? Helping a buddy go thru an inheritance and theres several sporterized milsurps and military mauser type barreled actions without any markings. Some are clearly rebarreled. Theres dies present for 6.5x52. 6.5x54. 6.5x55. 7.7x57. A couple are carcanos which i know came in both 52 and 54 lengths. Theres a krag which i assume would be a 55 but i didnt see any markings on it. Or just buy factory ammo for each and go to the range to see what fits? I dont trust the reloads in the house. Not a knock on the man just my personal view on the matter
Chamber identification
- Thread starter brybenn
- Start date
Wax casting is pretty easy and fast, it isn't as precise as cerrosafe but it works well and will let you know what you have.
I have used wax several times on oolder rifles, it is easy too cleann up.
Cat
Cat
I agree.
How exactly do you use the wax? Just plug the barrel and pour in melted wax to fill the chamber? Punch it out from the muzzle?
Not so good, really. A .22Hornet fits in a LOT of chambers that are NOT .22H!
Wax or molten sulphur, oil up the chamber pretty well first. Won't give you dimensions to make a reamer from, but will give you a really good idea of what you are looking at!
Compare dimensions, as well as shoulder angles and general shapes, and you are like to come out with a pretty decent idea of what is in front of you.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
Your caution / curiosity is well justified. Home guys can pull off a lot of "odd-ball" stuff that makes perfect sense to them, but is not marked at all for a future owner. Casting chamber, as described above, is really good step. So would be slugging the bore. For example, there was a "wildcat" 6.5x57 - so, as I understand, a "normal" 7x57 case, necked down to accept about .264" bullets. So your chamber casting might suggest 7x57 (although the neck should be smaller in the chamber), but a slug through the bore will be a lot closer to groove size .264" than to .284". And, about any combination has likely been tried at one time or another. Military barrels were readily available in many bore sizes - at one time - screwing a 6.5x55 barrel Small Ring Mauser barrel into a rifle originally made for 7x57 has likely happened often, for example.
Ultimately, you will use clues to determine what the unmarked barrel is chambered for, and sooner or later, will have to fire some rounds through it, based on those clues. As mentioned, what "fits" is often not a good clue - variations in design pressures - modern ammo in 100 year old action, etc. Many details of SAAMI cartridge design are to avoid closing potentially dangerous case into a rifle - like 280 Rem into a 270 Win - but home guy, for his own reasons, could ignore all that and "make his own".
Ultimately, you will use clues to determine what the unmarked barrel is chambered for, and sooner or later, will have to fire some rounds through it, based on those clues. As mentioned, what "fits" is often not a good clue - variations in design pressures - modern ammo in 100 year old action, etc. Many details of SAAMI cartridge design are to avoid closing potentially dangerous case into a rifle - like 280 Rem into a 270 Win - but home guy, for his own reasons, could ignore all that and "make his own".
put a wad of cloth patching a short ways into the bore, with a piece of string tied to it. The string comes all of the way out the back of the chamber. The purpose of the string is if the wax casting cracks, it keeps the pieces together. You do need a piece of 1/4" preferrably brass rod that fits down the barrel from the muzzle, to knock the wax casting out of the chamber. Do not go on the basis of whatever shell seems to fit into the chamber
cheers mooncoon
I have always used parafin wax. Also don't rule out the possibility that the cartridges could be wildcats made to suit the owner's ideas of better or alternately to take advantage of cheap brass. I have chambered a couple of rifles based on 45-70 shells because they are cheap and can be made into modifications of obsolete cartridges. The 44-60 Peabody for example has a base diameter of .515" which means expensive brass compared to making the chamber with a base of .500 so that you can make it from 45-70
cheers mooncoon
Im down to just 3. One old mauser action of which bubba welded on a ball to the bolt handle looks to have very worn rifling so i may just post it for parts. Its a complete rifle in i believe 6.5x55. The other 2 are carcanos. A military version and a sporter. Both without clip. Ill try and find the time to cast their chambers so i can post the info in the add.
