Re-Barreling a 1900 Action

track said:
You know, Jim I recently purchased a Viking 1900 Deluxe chambered in the 6.5x55 Swede and was beyond impressed with the quality of workmanship. No, I'm not going to rebarrel that rifle however, searching for another in the 30-06, which I located, just have to seal-a-deal with the vendor.

This rifle will be re-barreled (stainless) with a 25-06 Remington. Between you and me, wink wink, recently I gave all my magnum rifles to my son, being long-in-the-tooth; I don't enjoy recoil, hence the 6.5x55 Swede (photograph enclosed) and the upcoming 25-06.
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The 25-06 Rem generally offers slightly higher velocity and a little flatter short range trajectory, making it excellent for long-range deer/antelope, while the 6.5x55 Swede provides excellent long-range BCs and great energy retention with heavier bullets, often with less recoil, and using less powder making both superb for medium game, but the .25-06 has the edge over short ranges while the 6.5x55 excels with higher BC bullets at longer range. For 120gr bullets, the .25-06 pushes them a little faster for more muzzle energy, while the 6.5x55 shines with higher BC for 120 gr or heavier bullets for ultimate longer range performance.


.25-06 Remington (120gr)

  • Velocity: Higher muzzle velocities (around 2900+ fps) but needs a 24" barrel to do so.
  • Trajectory: Flatter shooting to 200 yards due to speed.
  • Energy: More kinetic energy at the muzzle.
  • Recoil: Higher recoil.
  • Best For: Flat shooting, deer, antelope, where speed helps overcome drop.

6.5x55mm (120gr)

  • Velocity: Slightly slower than the .25-06 with 120gr, but still very capable (around 2875+ fps).
  • Trajectory/Energy: Excellent with heavier, high BC bullets for the same weight (like the 140gr) for range, but the 120gr is also very effective.
  • Recoil: Often noted for manageable and less noticeable recoil and lower muzzle blast.
  • Best For: Versatility, excellent long-range ballistics with the right bullet, great on deer/hinds.

Comparison at 120gr

  • 25-06 Remington: Will usually win in a pure velocity/energy contest with a 120gr bullet, delivering more punch early on.
  • 6.5x55mm: Its strength often lies in its ability to handle significantly higher BC (Ballistic Coefficient) bullets well (even at 120gr), maintaining energy and fighting wind much better at extreme distances, though the .25-06 is still very competitive.
  • 6.5x55mm: Much better selection of higher BC target and hunting bullets.

Which to choose?

  • For pure speed & flatter shots: .25-06 up to 200yards.
  • For all-around performance & long-range efficiency (especially with heavier bullets): 6.5x55 for a easy win.
  • For handloading: 6.5x55 offers better choice of bullets and uses less powder to get almost the same muzzle velocity.
  • For easy handling rifles: The 6.5x55 perform very well from shorter and handier 20-22" barrelled rifles while the .25-06 needs 24" barrels to beat the 6.5x55 in velocity.
Both are fantastic, proven cartridges for deer-sized game and beyond, with the .25-06 leaning towards speed up close but with longer barrels and the 6.5x55 towards superior long-range ballistics with its wider range of bullet options while burning less powder and having a longer barrel life.
 
1899 said:
Brilliant response. I’ll forward it to Ralph Martini. Maybe he can have it transcribed onto a plaque as a not-so-subtle reminder of his, and his generation of gunsmiths’ failings.
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Ralf is currently in Germany. He is the head manager of Hartmann & Weiss and believe that he will be there for a very long time.
 
OP, there is no reason a Model 1900 Husqvarna or any other variant can't be re-barreled, and still shoot well, if the components are of good quality to begin with, and the smith doing the job knows what they're doing, and has a lathe that can match the pitch.

You may be able to get a prefit barrel made up for that action.

Tenon thread pitch and diameter on 1900 Husqvarna receivers is .984x12tpi or close enough, with a tool sharpened to Whitworth thread profile.

It's best to use a "pitch gauge" if the smith has a lathe capable of cutting metric threads.

A lot of people sneer at Husqvarna actions. IMHO, it's their loss.
 
track said:
Ralf is currently in Germany. He is the head manager of Hartmann & Weiss and believe that he will be there for a very long time.
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I didn't know that. I remember looking at a Kettner catalogue when I was in Europe in 1993 and that is where I first saw a Hartman & Weiss M98. Given Ralph's work with Heym, and his skills in general, I have no doubt some amazing rifles will be coming out of Hamburg soon!
 
.25-06 sure is a nice chambering. My father shot his first moose with one a few years after we moved to Canada. He used those 120gr PEP (Positive Expanding Points) from Winchester. This was my first big game hunting memory and he let me shoot the rifle, which was the first time I ever shot a centerfire rifle. Remington 700 BDL in .25-06....fine memories for sure.

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bearhunter said:
OP, there is no reason a Model 1900 Husqvarna or any other variant can't be re-barreled, and still shoot well, if the components are of good quality to begin with, and the smith doing the job knows what they're doing, and has a lathe that can match the pitch.

You may be able to get a prefit barrel made up for that action.

Tenon thread pitch and diameter on 1900 Husqvarna receivers is .984x12tpi or close enough, with a tool sharpened to Whitworth thread profile.

It's best to use a "pitch gauge" if the smith has a lathe capable of cutting metric threads.

A lot of people sneer at Husqvarna actions. IMHO, it's their loss.
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Thanks for that information. I know of 3 gunsmiths in Alberta, whom I haven't decided to perform the task however, I will inquire with them regarding the metric threading and pitch.
 
track said:
You know, Jim I recently purchased a Viking 1900 Deluxe chambered in the 6.5x55 Swede and was beyond impressed with the quality of workmanship. No, I'm not going to rebarrel that rifle however, searching for another in the 30-06, which I located, just have to seal-a-deal with the vendor.

The 30-06 will be re-barreled (stainless) with a 25-06 Remington. Between you and me, wink wink, recently I gave all my magnum rifles to my son, being long-in-the-tooth; I don't enjoy recoil, hence the 6.5x55 Swede (photograph enclosed) and the upcoming 25-06.
View attachment 1056293
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25-06 with 110 ACCUBONDS (y)
 
remington jim said:
25-06 with 110 ACCUBONDS (y)
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I've owned 3 weatherby's in the 257 Wby. Magnum and always used 100 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip's therefore, it will be my choice of bullet. I killed many of deer with that bullet, with devastating results therefore, it will be my bullet of choice. To bad they didn't have the 100 grain accubond
remington jim said:
25-06 with 110 ACCUBONDS (y)
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I did not have a metric lathe, nor the gearing to thread metric but I was lucky to have access to a shop that had a metric lathe. The rent for this was usually $50. I would have the tenon cut and only do the metric threading. I charged the customer $25 more.

There isn't a metric thread anywhere on a large or small ring Mauser.
 
Was the gear box on your lathe, quick change, or back gear?

I'm lucky enough to have both.

The "back gear" lathe is best for metric threads of the two.

The "quick change" lathe has an "adapter" which will cut threads very close, but usually a bit on the tight side.

The back gear lathe can be tedious to set up when switching thread pitches and profiles, but it's always what it should be when the job is finished.

I've known a couple of smiths, who would send the barrels to a local machine shop to get the tenons threaded, no matter which pitch or profile.

One of the reasons for this was small lathes with poor power ratios. Sometimes the lathes were well worn, and not much good for more than polishing barrels before bluing.

They weren't bad smiths, per se, but they knew their limitations. I never heard any complaints from any of their clients, so all is well.

Some machine shops will not thread barrels.
 
guntech said:
I did not have a metric lathe, nor the gearing to thread metric but I was lucky to have access to a shop that had a metric lathe. The rent for this was usually $50. I would have the tenon cut and only do the metric threading. I charged the customer $25 more.

There isn't a metric thread anywhere on a large or small ring Mauser.
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Barrel threads are 12tpi, trigger guard screws 22tpi.
I've long wondered why.
 
I have a Viking with a 1900 action that had been re barrelled before I bought it. I don't know who did the work or the barrel make, but it is a little heavier profile barrel than my Carl Gustav 1900, and as well it's longer at 26 inches. The Carl Gustav is a 270, and the Viking is a 6.5x55, and they both are very nice rifles. Both shoot much better than I do with possibly the Viking leading (possibly due to the heavier barrel and being free floated). The Viking is a standard grade, and the Carl Gustav is a grade 2 (I believe) with a rosewood for end, and a slightly narrower wrist that fits my grip better. They both have very nice palm swells. I believe these rifles to be at least the equal of a Sako and as such putting the money into a new barrel makes a lot more sense than doing so on a Winchester or Remington. I myself have had visions of doing a similiar swap on the 270, with a 257 Roberts barrel. I'm torn as I currently load it with 110 grain loads that can shoot groups that I can cover with a quarter.
 
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