My Dad, Daughter and I just got back from a trip to visit family in Idaho. While there I was talking with my uncle who recently retired and moved back to the little town where my Dad's family is from. He is a fellow rifle loony so we got to talking about all things ballistics and hunting. I mentioned I was looking for a donor rifle to build my daughter a 6.5x55 Swede or 7mm-08 for her to hunt with. He went to the back room and brought out a 1894 Mauser that he had sporterized. He had the smith cut a thumb hole in the action for closing the bolt with an empty magazine, installed a stainless steel barrel and had the front site post and guard soldered on, cut and rewelded the bolt and put a Winchester type wing safety on it. He said it is a little heavy, but it might work. I asked him what he wanted for it and he simply stated pictures of dead animals. I don't know who was more excited her or me!
He also said he had a bunch of ammo to go with it and we started carrying ammo boxes full of stuff to sort through. All in all she ended up with the following
400 Norma 156gr SP
260 Hornady 139gr Innerlock loaded in PMC brass(his favorite hunting load in that rifle)
160 FMJ 144gr plinking ammo
400 FMJ 144gr mill surplus blister packs
She is set for a long time for both hunting ammo and brass. We had to stop in the desert on the way home and put some pesty rocks down with the new critter gitter....with all this stuff I may have to build a 6.5x55 for myself.
He also said he had a bunch of ammo to go with it and we started carrying ammo boxes full of stuff to sort through. All in all she ended up with the following
400 Norma 156gr SP
260 Hornady 139gr Innerlock loaded in PMC brass(his favorite hunting load in that rifle)
160 FMJ 144gr plinking ammo
400 FMJ 144gr mill surplus blister packs
She is set for a long time for both hunting ammo and brass. We had to stop in the desert on the way home and put some pesty rocks down with the new critter gitter....with all this stuff I may have to build a 6.5x55 for myself.
