The next custom an Oberndorf M98: What to chamber it in?

[jbmauser]

Beautiful rifle! Very cool all around. So it's basically a x57 case? I like that.

 

[Ardent]

Yep entirely a x57 case, just with the shoulder bumped forward to the .30-06 position, blown out a bit and 35 degree shoulder. It’s a 9.5x57 reamer, then ran my .25 Gibbs reamer with the .375 pilot til I got tight headspace on a .30-06. Having PTG make a proper .375 Kemano reamer and gauges as it won’t be the last one I do.

 

[bcsteve]

I like it. Basically a north american version of the 375 ruger but cooler than the 376 steyr

The .375 Ruger is North American.

Believe he’s saying you don’t always need to be slinging 300grs at 2650, for this continent. While I’ve guided that exact load on the biggest Grizz we took, I’d tend to agree that it wouldn’t have made a lick of difference if it was this 260gr Accubond headed into that bear at 2550. I’m not going to argue my wildcat is an H&H or a Ruger, but I can say I’d use it for the same things, and shoot it from 6 1/2 rifles- which I can’t say of the other two, much as I remain a fan of a .375 Mag.

Ah, makes sense now. A North American power level .375 for our North American size big game.

 

[medvedqc]

Douglas is forever infamous for firing a .300 Win in a .375 Ruger to form very decent brass.

there is a few continuing the legacy.

 

[medvedqc]

Shooting and regulating the express sights tonight, the 235gr Speer load and the 260gr Accubond shoot damn close to each other, love it when rifles do that.

beautiful rifles pic. love it.

 

[Ardent]

Thanks Phil think so too, particularly happy with them. It’s a bold statement and not sure if I will succeed or even how far I’ll get, but the goal is to scratch build a double rifle next, everything but the springs. Will be a few years at least though to get there.

 

[chuck nelson]

Very classy. I’m curious though about the doughnuts as well.

 

[Ardent]

On the case? That’s the ghost of the old x57 shoulder, made from a fresh .30-06 or .35 Whelen that disappears. Some of my initial development brass (the dirty case above is one) I fired in the chamber before running the Gibbs reamer, and there was a ring a few thou tighter where the old -06 chamber took over from the 9.5x57 shoulder. The brass kept the memory even after the Gibbs reamer cleaned it up and finalized the shape.

This is a virgin fireformed -06 case.

 

[chuck nelson]

you won’t see them from the outside

 

[Buckmastr]

Nice work Ardent!

 

[Ardent]

Having fun with them thanks, especially the new little .375 right now, it’s a sweetheart. May have to make a stainless / synthetic one on an M70 or 84L.

 

[Johnn Peterson]

Definitely an interesting thread. Trying hard to stick to a self imposed restriction of keeping my safe contents at the present numbers. This thread does tend to lead me down the road of 'temptation' though. Good work Ardent. Well done.

 

[todbartell]

I looked at my powder shelf before heading to work, and took a long gander at the Varget and H4350. Felt like RL15 was going to do it and was way off. Thinking BLC2 as well to get more powder in the case.

W748, CFE223, H335, H322, AR Comp are in the mix with BLC2 for top speeds according to QL. PM me if you'd like more info

 

[Ardent]

I’ll do that, appreciate it and the notes there on powders, will take a case water capacity.

 

[hoytcanon]

W748 would be my first pick...

 

[todbartell]

I’ll do that, appreciate it and the notes there on powders, will take a case water capacity.

barrel length
loaded OAL
Case capacity in h2O
distance off lands

 

[Ardent]

Sent!

 

[Ardent]

W748 would be my first pick...

Don’t have it on hand, would give it a shot, a ball powder may well be the ticket. Need a longer mag too I’m seating to a x57 magazine presently.

 

[Mik123]

After seeing your Glock after one guiding season I'm curious to see how the wood/blued rifle will fare on the wet coast.

 

[Ardent]

It’s getting fully nitrided, which of course Glock is too, but I don’t spend nearly as much time down in the salt water anymore since the Grizzly hunt closure. Can keep guns alive up top in the mountains much more easily.

Guess it’s super official when you make the first properly headstamped brass eh?