Summary:
I have a plan, possibly just a terrible idea, but I’m looking for advice and criticism either way. In my possession is a 1934 Oberndorf ‘postal service’ Mauser 98 action in good condition and unmodified. I plan to use this action to build a rifle that shoots the .224 80 grain eld-m to be used on deer and hogs out to 400 yards. I believe the 22-6mm (aka 224 TTH, aka 224 Clark) will be the best cartridge for this purpose. Keeping chamber pressures rational, I should be getting between 3100-3300 fps depending on barrel length.
The Action:
The action is the only non-variable. If everyone tells me it's a bad idea then I scrap the project. I understand there’s far better actions than an old 98. But I like Mausers, and my gunsmith has a great record of building very accurate rifles with them. Also this action is already paid for. Some people think it's unwise to push a pre-war 98 to modern pressure limits, others will point out the untold millions of rounds of .270 win fired without any issues. My plan is to keep it simple and strike a balance: the luxury of using a 6mm case means I won't need to push the pressure to attain my velocity goal.
The Cartridge:
I like that the 22-6mm has lineage to the 7x57 and the cartridge length seems to match well with the magazine length. The only downside is I'll have to make my own brass from 6mm Remington, and options for that are limited. For that reason alone I would consider other cartridges. 22 creedmoor, 220 Swift, and 22-250 are all contenders. But still the 22-6mm beats them all in case capacity and the cartridge length minimizes potential feeding issues. What do ya'll think?
The Scope:
A Trijicon Credo 2.5-15x42, or something similar and nothing over 44mm objective size.
Bases:
I’m not set on bases but I want the picatinny system. Options include but not limited to a 2-piece set from Warne or Talley, or 1-piece rail from EGW or Ken Farrell.
The Stock:
I’m not set on any specific stock yet but I would prefer non-wood. I have an Interarms 375H&H that sits in a Bell and Carlson and that works great. Other options are Boyds, Richards, Hogue, and Bansner. I’ll be shooting from all sorts of positions: treestand, prone, quad sticks, truck window. Are there any other companies I should consider?
The big questions:
What twist rate would you guys recommend? Most of my hunting is at sea-level and it can get pretty cold here.
What barrel length? I’ll be using a suppressor and I won’t be seeking any tight situations where maneuverability is important.
What am I missing -what else should I consider?
I have a plan, possibly just a terrible idea, but I’m looking for advice and criticism either way. In my possession is a 1934 Oberndorf ‘postal service’ Mauser 98 action in good condition and unmodified. I plan to use this action to build a rifle that shoots the .224 80 grain eld-m to be used on deer and hogs out to 400 yards. I believe the 22-6mm (aka 224 TTH, aka 224 Clark) will be the best cartridge for this purpose. Keeping chamber pressures rational, I should be getting between 3100-3300 fps depending on barrel length.
The Action:
The action is the only non-variable. If everyone tells me it's a bad idea then I scrap the project. I understand there’s far better actions than an old 98. But I like Mausers, and my gunsmith has a great record of building very accurate rifles with them. Also this action is already paid for. Some people think it's unwise to push a pre-war 98 to modern pressure limits, others will point out the untold millions of rounds of .270 win fired without any issues. My plan is to keep it simple and strike a balance: the luxury of using a 6mm case means I won't need to push the pressure to attain my velocity goal.
The Cartridge:
I like that the 22-6mm has lineage to the 7x57 and the cartridge length seems to match well with the magazine length. The only downside is I'll have to make my own brass from 6mm Remington, and options for that are limited. For that reason alone I would consider other cartridges. 22 creedmoor, 220 Swift, and 22-250 are all contenders. But still the 22-6mm beats them all in case capacity and the cartridge length minimizes potential feeding issues. What do ya'll think?
The Scope:
A Trijicon Credo 2.5-15x42, or something similar and nothing over 44mm objective size.
Bases:
I’m not set on bases but I want the picatinny system. Options include but not limited to a 2-piece set from Warne or Talley, or 1-piece rail from EGW or Ken Farrell.
The Stock:
I’m not set on any specific stock yet but I would prefer non-wood. I have an Interarms 375H&H that sits in a Bell and Carlson and that works great. Other options are Boyds, Richards, Hogue, and Bansner. I’ll be shooting from all sorts of positions: treestand, prone, quad sticks, truck window. Are there any other companies I should consider?
The big questions:
What twist rate would you guys recommend? Most of my hunting is at sea-level and it can get pretty cold here.
What barrel length? I’ll be using a suppressor and I won’t be seeking any tight situations where maneuverability is important.
What am I missing -what else should I consider?
