Wilson Mauser Barrel?

[Regal Beagal]

Hey Folks,
I am getting ready to build a custom rifle for my daughter in .257 Roberts on a Mauser action. I have built a few custom rifles with Shilen and Douglas barrels and have been quite pleased with their performance and accuracy but I was wondering if anyone here has used the Wilson or ER Shaw barrels on any of their builds and what kind of performance and accuracy are you getting out of these barrel makers barrels? Or, have you had a good experience with another manufacturer? Thanks! RB

[ramiller]

I have received very good performance from Midways Adam and Bennet Barrels, also E.R. Shaw Barrels are Very Good, I assume you are building a hunting rife and not a target rife.

[MAINER]

I vote for the E R Shaw barrel. I only know of a couple, but both are excellent shooters. Shaw only claims to build barrels for hunting rifles, not target, but I don't think he gets many accuracy complaints.

A .257 Roberts is a great choice. I'd have a hard time chosing between it and a 6.5-08, aka, 260 Rem.

Hope you post some pics of your project when complete?

[TerryN]

I've got an ER Shaw helical fluted barrel on my 6.5-06 sporter, and the only two things that keep it from being a one-hole gun are the trigger, and the loose nut behind the trigger - me!

I've also got a Douglas barrel on a Mauser in .257 Roberts, and it shoots pretty well. The throat seems to be just a bit on the long side, and I may have my smith set it back one thread and rechamber it with a shorter throat. I think it will shoot up to its potential then. It's a reamer issue, not a barrel/ammo issue.

[owlcreekok]

Timely thread.

I am considering the cheapy Adams & Bennett for a build just now. TerryN, your comment about the reamer issue is also very timely. I have recently been in discussion about this very thing.


I note that the vendors will list a "match" reamer. I was just this morning making out a list that included an Adams & Bennet barrel in .308 and a "match reamer". I am guessing that this reamer will give a 'minimum throat'.

[1006587]

I used a Wilson military contour .308 barrel on my Czech Mauser. It's been a while since I installed it. The rifle looks original including the stock. I gave up some accuracy potential hanging all the original pieces on the rifle. It is more accurate than it was with the original 8mm barrel but that is not surprising because the old barrel was a sewer pipe, victim of corrosive ammo and not being cleaned. Not by me but the previous owner who then sold the rifle to me cheap.

Now the barrel. Nicely machined exterior. Not perfectly smooth but evenly machined. The grade of the surface finish was a good match for military grade finishes on surplus Mausers. I've seen much more expensive barrels that were not as uniform as this one. The bore was six groove and pretty smooth. I've fired maybe maybe 100 rounds and it has never been a problem to clean. One shot of foaming bore cleaner, a couple of patches and light oil. Done. No excessive fouling and no tight spots in the bore.

I do remember the metal being softer than I expected and almost reamed the chamber too much. It cut real fast. The barrel I worked on before this one was stainless so that's what my muscle memory was expecting. I haven't reamed other barrels so this may be normal for chromoly steel, I don't know.

Overall, I am very happy with the barrel.

[Regal Beagal]

Yes....this is going to be a hunting rifle...DUH! I should have stated that when I started the thread. I was also wondering about the E.R Shaw barrels. I have read some pretty decent reviews. I may actually try them out and let them do the chamber work to my specs just because I am pretty busy these days hunting and training a couple of German Shorthairs....I already have a Timney Featherweight trigger and a nice figured American walnut stock with ebony tip and cap that I started years ago for a custom that I ended up putting a Brown Precision fiberglass stock on. Should turn out pretty nice. I am also planning on doing a matte rust blu as the finish. I have already done a couple of shotguns in this finish and it is down right durable. Thanks Folks! Keep 'em comin'. RB

[easttex]

With barrels you tend to get what you pay for. Why not spend a little more and buy a decent Douglas or Lothar Walther?

[owlcreekok]

Looks like you are going to have company. I am about to pop over to Brownells and order a .308 Wilson.

[Regal Beagal]

Owl,
Sorry I have been away for a week getting my best bud hitched again....Ya, when will he ever learn and hunting a few days in Texas. Anyway, let me know when you receive your barrel and give us a report. I am very interested in learning about their quality.

[owlcreekok]

I been wishy washy as a little girl. I ended up ordering a cheapo Adams & Bennett.

I'll post up how it works. It'll be a while though. Plate is pretty full these daze.

:beer:

[Regal Beagal]

Owl,
I know what you mean, that's why I have had the Preduce mauser barreled action for 5 years without touching it. Right now I am in the process of training my German Shorthair and spending $ on birds. Anyway, let us know how the Adam & Bennett barrel works out. I have a good friend whose dad built up hunting rifles off of mauser actions using the Adam & Bennetts. They turned out to be quite serviceable in the field. He use to get 3/4" groups out of those barrels out to 100 yrds. He never lapped them and I always wondered if the accuracy of those barrels would improve with some lapping. From what I have heard they are a little rough on the inside.

[owlcreekok]

Originally posted by Regal Beagal
Owl,
I know what you mean, that's why I have had the Preduce mauser barreled action for 5 years without touching it. Right now I am in the process of training my German Shorthair and spending $ on birds. Anyway, let us know how the Adam & Bennett barrel works out. I have a good friend whose dad built up hunting rifles off of mauser actions using the Adam & Bennetts. They turned out to be quite serviceable in the field. He use to get 3/4" groups out of those barrels out to 100 yrds. He never lapped them and I always wondered if the accuracy of those barrels would improve with some lapping. From what I have heard they are a little rough on the inside.

I read about the rough alleged of the A & B tubes. Last night I had about 30 minutes and about an hour this morning (at oh three fuggin hunnerd :sad: ) of spare time. I got the lathe all cleaned up and oiled, then dinked around with the barrel, looking as to how I can set it up for finishing the chamber. (my lathe is a little South Bend 9A with little room through the spindle) Anyway, I ran a patch thru the barrel and only as the patch entered the bore proper did I suspect any burrs by feel. The run of the rifling felt as smooth as any other.

For what that is worth.

I may start it turning tonight. We'll see.

J

[Beepy]

Hey Owl, I am interested in knowing about the A&B barrel as well. I am looking at doing a project similar to the "Serb Sniper" that you might have seen awhile back that SGTSavage built up:

http://www.ramairfreight.com/jon/Oct08RWVA/joeserbsniper3.JPG

I want to use the 54 contour (I think??) at about a 22-23".... Let us know how it goes! I don't have a lathe though so I am hoping to use a pull through hand reamer for the finish chambering. :D :D

[Beepy]

Oh... and Owl... we're going to need pics!!

(sorry about the pic size... but I'm stealing bandwidth!) :uhoh:

[owlcreekok]

The 54 is a fatty. If you need any measurements, holler.

Why pull thru ? That just what ya got ?

I tried to set it up last night and I can't get enough of the barrel into the headstock. No room at the starboard end, dammit. So, I either got to finish the chamber "by hand" and risk fuggin it up like I just did a $200 Shilen or wait till I can get to a buddy's house who has a South Bend 10K.

The pic looks like a CMP bolt action match line. :bow:


I'll post pics.

[Beepy]

Well, I was thinking of using a pull through since it is the only one I have seen in action. I have never otherwise reamed a chamber... I do understand the mechanics of it and am somewhat mechanically proficient. I do have to ream by hand since I don't have access to a lathe.

I have some time starting in January that I plan on getting this project done for possible line matches this summer (along with my other F class rifle... if it is a shooter I might use this one, I always like being a little different!). I was originally going to mate it with an M48 action I have had my eye on at a local shop, but after seeing the VZ24's from Aim I might go with that as they seem quite nice and in pretty good shape.

Still need pics though!!! ;) ;)

[owlcreekok]

Busy as heck these days. Night before last I got mine chambered to the point that the bolt closes very tightly on a GO gage with the barrel on the receiver hand tight. I did not use my lathe as I said before, it won't fit.

No time last night nor will I have any spare for a few days. Next session I will torque the barrel in. At this time I will take a collection of once fired, full length sized cases and kiss the chamber until it feels right on these cases.....

I am using a Clymer finish reamer, standard dimension (not "match" or "Palma". Turning it with 3/8" socket tools. I have kept the tooling short to the barrel chamber face and the cuts very light. I already ruined one chamber recently from not paying attention and using sloppy tooling. Live and learn. When I finish it out, it won't be more than a coupla thousandths I expect. I have a 3/8" drive x 10" extension to reach through the receiver during this operation.

I will get pics up, but it will be a while.

[Clyde the Pointer]

I was told the crown on the A&B barrels needs to be improved upon. So don't forget that Hooty! Pics!

[owlcreekok]

Originally posted by Clyde the Pointer
I was told the crown on the A&B barrels needs to be improved upon. So don't forget that Hooty! Pics!


It looks funky, but I see no problem with it.

[L Haney]

If it weren't for threads like this, I wouldn't be here. No shizz.

What looks funky 'bout that crown, Owl?

[Beepy]

didn't know about the crowns.... but I was going to have it chopped, crowned, and threaded for a FH (as per the above pic) anyways...

[shlomo]

Originally posted by L Haney
What looks funky 'bout that crown, Owl?

Prolly looked somethin' like this:

[L Haney]

After lookin' at that for a minute, it looks like it was crowned by a machinist that wasn't necessarily a gunsmith. Nothin' wrong with it. Rebated bore for protection and all the edges eased to minimize dings. CNC lathe maybe? Just surmisin' here.

Lowell

[shlomo]

These days, most likely CNC, but not for sure. That crown can be done with hand-crank lathe and tooling in about 3 minutes, once set up. It's only two cuts, unless the raised rim needs faced.

[L Haney]

For something like the externals of a barrel, from threads to contour to crown, how many pieces would it take to justify the time of programming? 5? 50? I'm making the huge assumption that a CNC machine can still be operated in full manual mode.

[shlomo]

No idea. Anything involving CNC programming of machine tools is definitely above my pay grade.

[owlcreekok]

That is it.

I got the barrel chambered and buttoned up to the receiver yesterday when I got home from the River Shoot. Even got the chamber area glassed. (The receiver was previously glassed with the milsurp aught six tube. I may not get time to ready it for the trip to the ranch this week. If not, it will get a test run and break in the foloowing weekend.

[Old Sarge]

Originally posted by Beepy
Hey Owl, I am interested in knowing about the A&B barrel as well. I am looking at doing a project similar to the "Serb Sniper" that you might have seen awhile back that SGTSavage built up:

http://www.ramairfreight.com/jon/Oct08RWVA/joeserbsniper3.JPG

I want to use the 54 contour (I think??) at about a 22-23".... Let us know how it goes! I don't have a lathe though so I am hoping to use a pull through hand reamer for the finish chambering. :D :D

Oh Crap! I think I just found a new project. Where can I find more details on this rifle?

Thanks
Old Sarge

[Hebrew Battle Rifle]

Originally posted by owlcreekok
That is it.

Even got the chamber area glassed.

What does this mean?

[owlcreekok]

Originally posted by Hebrew Battle Rifle


What does this mean?

I had glass bedded the receiver and the previous barrel for the first couple inches where the chamber portion is. I took the part of the glass bedding out (dremel) where the old barrel sat and re-bedded the new barreled receiver.

make sense ?


I'll get pics, eventually.

[koathmann]

I have 4 Montana rifle Co BBL's and all shoot sub MOA

[Hebrew Battle Rifle]

I got back building my CZK98 tonight. It started life as a CZ98/22. I am building it in K98 config and I am mounting a Wilson military contour barrel on it. I cut the chamber recently and I got the head space dead on perfect. That is no big deal for most folks, but it is a huge deal for me.

[owlcreekok]

Originally posted by Hebrew Battle Rifle
I got back building my CZK98 tonight. It started life as a CZ98/22. I am building it in K98 config and I am mounting a Wilson military contour barrel on it. I cut the chamber recently and I got the head space dead on perfect. That is no big deal for most folks, but it is a huge deal for me.

I got a VZ 24 in original shape (read: wore slap out). It shoots patterns. :rofl: One day, I hope to strip the barrel out and try to chuck it up in the little lathe and see about touching up the crown- some guys talk about counter boring. Thinking on that, I may try the boring deal. Otherwise, I got to find an 8 x 57 barrel for it or just blow the whole thing off.

[Hebrew Battle Rifle]

Originally posted by owlcreekok


I got a VZ 24 in original shape (read: wore slap out). It shoots patterns. :rofl: One day, I hope to strip the barrel out and try to chuck it up in the little lathe and see about touching up the crown- some guys talk about counter boring. Thinking on that, I may try the boring deal. Otherwise, I got to find an 8 x 57 barrel for it or just blow the whole thing off.

I am mounting a 30-06 barrel on my CZK98. After trying a couple of 8mm take off barrels bought off EBAY, I decided to drop that idea and put a new barrel on it. I couldn't find a NOS barrel in 8mm, and it seems that new manufacture 8mm barrels in military contour are just not being made.
So, it was either put a new production 30 cal barrel on it or let a $50 rifle go to waste.

[shlomo]

Lothar Wather offers premium barrels in 8x57 in military contour.

http://www.lothar-walther.com/272.php

[owlcreekok]

Originally posted by shlomo
Lothar Wather offers premium barrels in 8x57 in military contour.

http://www.lothar-walther.com/272.php

A $220 barrel on a $50 rifle.

More coffee on aisle three, please.

:rofl:

[shlomo]

Then it'll be a $270 gun.

What, ya cain't add?

Da more ya pays, da more it's worff.

[owlcreekok]

Originally posted by shlomo
Then it'll be a $270 gun.

What, ya cain't add?

Da more ya pays, da more it's worff.

How about I sell you a 30-06 military barrel (new when I got it and put about 30 rds of cast and 10 rds of jacket thru it) ?

$100 plus TT&L.

Small bills please. I need to be careful when I count money.

[shlomo]

Did you chamber it? :|

[owlcreekok]

Originally posted by shlomo
Did you chamber it? :|

:rofl:

By virtue of my artisanship, it should feed quite reliably.

:]

[shlomo]

Auto-eject, too? :devil:

[mitchellh]

Originally posted by Old Sarge


Oh Crap! I think I just found a new project. Where can I find more details on this rifle?

Thanks
Old Sarge

Old Sarge, I couldn't agree with you more. That is one cool looking modified Mauser. Now it's got me thinking how I can aquire one, and get it built. I guess I'll be contacting Sledgehammer.:biggrin:

Here's more information on that rifle from last December,by the owner, sgtsavage210

http://www.falfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=249552&highlight=Serb+Sniper

And the thread where the picture came from in one of JohnnyReb's thread.

http://www.falfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=245386

Good luck.