Can someone with a Norwegian Krag-Jorgensen check something for me?

Why not?

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Will factory 7X57 stack up and feed properly from the 6.5X55 mag? I suspect they will, but want to be certain.

Seriously thinking of rebarreling the Bubba I posted about last week.

Thanks,
Ted
 
Your best bet is to check out the length of military cartridge overall lengths. That would give you all of the real information you need.

You might have to do some modification the feed ways inside the Krag action as well. The 7x57 shoulder is further forward than the 6.5x55 and will likely hang up because of that. Otherwise, it looks like the cartridge will fit into the well.


Luke, your M65 shouldn't have any issues at all if you swap out the barrel for a 7x57. Hard to say which is the better cartridge though. That will all be in the mind of each individual. Mind you, it is a lot easier to find decent 7mm bullets than 6.5x55, same goes for brass.
 
The reason I am asking is that we do not want to do any work, other han the rebarrel job. Not the slighted bit interested in redoing feeding.

What I need is someone to dump four 7X57 rounds into the mag, and see if a loaded round will start feeding into the chamber. They won't fully chamber, of course, but if they go part way in, we will do the project.

Thanks,

Ted
 
Well this turned into a journey.
Where oh where did my M65 go........alas, there she is.
Tattoo to prove her dimensions...

[URL=http://s614.photobucket.com/user/kamlooky/media/chambering%20test/DSC07247_zps2643ed77.jpg.html][/URL]

Old factory Imperial 7x57 ammo in the 160 KKSP flavor.

[URL=http://s614.photobucket.com/user/kamlooky/media/chambering%20test/DSC07246_zpsa8847b8a.jpg.html][/URL]

Bearing in mind this is a public forum and lots of lookyloos going on, I went out into the shop and measured
OAL (over all length) and removed the bullets, drained the powder and popped the primers.
Then set the bullets back in with the written spec's.
I did five of these and they fit the mag/clip pretty darn good.

[URL=http://s614.photobucket.com/user/kamlooky/media/chambering%20test/DSC07248_zpsc1a5d7e6.jpg.html][/URL]

This gal picked them up and she was so eager for the chambering, well I had to find a pusher stick.
Good thing the rounds were neutered.........aye?

[URL=http://s614.photobucket.com/user/kamlooky/media/chambering%20test/DSC07250_zps3cde2334.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s614.photobucket.com/user/kamlooky/media/chambering%20test/DSC07251_zps2fa01e4b.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s614.photobucket.com/user/kamlooky/media/chambering%20test/DSC07249_zps3b35550c.jpg.html][/URL]

Here's a photo of a loose round to show the room in the heart of the busyness.

[URL=http://s614.photobucket.com/user/kamlooky/media/chambering%20test/DSC07252_zps67265de9.jpg.html][/URL]

And a photo of the rounds in the mag/clip......

[URL=http://s614.photobucket.com/user/kamlooky/media/chambering%20test/DSC07253_zpscf9bbe20.jpg.html][/URL]

Just a note to yu'all, no Lookies or critters were harmed in this experiment.
Only five neutered rounds with a chance of survival.

I think it's dewable.

:wave:
 
Thanks Looky.

I know it will work in a regular box magazine, however the Krag mag is on the right side of the action, and the rounds feed around a carrier spool to the left side, where they then feed into the chamber. Compliacted, but the Krag is one of the slickest, and smothest feeding actions ever designed.

Pretty sure it will work. Was hoping someone might have a rifle and a few rounds handy, and could give it a try.

Ted
 
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Okay, just heard from RockChucker, and five rounds of '57 fed like a fat boy at a buffet! Thanks Jim.

Now to contact my friend in NB, and see whether he wants to forge ahead to 7X57. He wanted to fix up his dads's gun, but may just buy another rifle.

Methinks a Norwegian Krag in 7X57 will be kinda kool.
Ted
 
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They are also square threads, but neither are difficult to turn. The more I think about this, there are scores of Krags around with badly-corroded barrels,...... and just as many cheap take-off barrels.

We can do one for you, too. :)
Ted
 
Jim says he also tried 250-3000 and 257 Roberts, and they worked slick.

I remember a guy years ago who had one done up in 220 Swift. I'm not quite that adventurous, and always left the range when that one came out of the case. :runaway:

Ted
 
The more I think about this, there are scores of Krags around with badly-corroded barrels,......

Drifting off the path a wee bit here ....

Have an N. Krag in .308. One of those Century sporters from way back-a-ways. Rebarreled with a lightwieght 22" Steyr tube. Nice walnut stock.
That rifle feeds from the unaltered mag soo slickly!. One of those actions you just love to cycle, handle, and operate.

Back on path ...
There is a potential problem when using the smaller 7x57 case head dia. in a 6.5x55 sized bolt face. The extractor hook might be too short to hold onto the case during its travel back to the ejector.
Mine leaves the empty laying loose on top of the action, about once every 4 cycles.

Haven't got around to fixing it yet, anyone got ideas?, other than getting the hook tigged up and re-profiled?
 
I wonder if Ron Smith could rebore the original barrel.

I am sure he could, but the base of the 6.5X55 chamber is oversize for standard cases. Would then have a wildcat based on 6.5X55 brass, and the ammo would have to be handloads. My friend is not a handloader.

The nice thing about the 7X57 is that factory ammo is readily available, and not loaded to much different pressure levels than to 6.5X55. He has decided to do a rebarrel. Have a fine 'smith lined up to fit a good used Ruger 7X57 barrel, and install iron sights that will be sighted in for 160 or 175 gr factory ammo.

More expensive than just buying another Krag 6.5, but he will still have his dad's old rifle with many of its memories, stories, and one in particular.

Ted
 
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