Swedish Mauser 6.5x55 Carl Gustafson action, is it good? What caliber build?

[mdwest]

I have been waiting to see some reviews on the new ZL3 scopes from Minox.. They appear to be trying to do the same thing that Zeiss did a couple of years ago with their Terra line and offer a low cost "German" optic that isnt in the same capability range as their premium lines, but is affordable and can easily compete with other mid market scopes from the likes of Leupold, Nikon, etc..

My understanding is the ZL3 is German "designed" (like the Zeiss Terra line was), but is assembled elsewhere (not sure where, perhaps China?), but that it uses glass from AB Schott (same place Swaro, Zeiss, Leica, etc obtain their glass).. and is supposed to be a very good scope for the price...

I just havent been able to find enough independent reviews to know whether or not the ZL3 is really as good as Minox says it is.. and havent been able to find one at any store here in the US to actually look through one to see what I think..

Personally, I have been very happy with the 2 Zeiss Terra scopes I have.. they arent anything close to a Zeiss Victory.. but are surprisingly very close to the same light gathering and clarity I get out of the Zeiss Conquest optics I own.. for the money they have been very hard to beat..

If the Minox ZL3 is roughly comparable in performance.. I'd certainly be interested in them at the price they are asking for them..

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Good to hear from you Dave, I believe all is well and good on your side?? Dave , here is a web page I visited ,,,If you have time please take a look..I really want to buy a Minox for a long time now..it was the best dangerous game rifle scope I looked through a few years ago when I went to the Shot Show in SA ..I was impressed with the glass quality of the Minox scope and from then on always wanted to buy a Minox scope..I now has a reason..
https://www.minox-usa.com/riflescopes/zl3-line

 

[mdwest]

Yes. Thats the ZL3 line.. It says on their website "Developed in Germany", but it doesnt say "made in Germany" like their ZE5 line does..

I am almost certain they get their glass in Germany from AB Schott (AB Schott is owned by Zeiss, and is where all of the premium optics manufacturers like Swaro, Leica, Zeiss, S&B, etc get their glass), and that the ZL3 was designed in Germany.. but then they send the components somewhere else (China?) to be assembled in order to reduce the cost of the scope..

It still carries the same 30 year Minox warranty that their other scopes do.. and while I am sure they are using a different grade/quality of glass than they do in the ZE5 line, AB Schott doesnt produce anything bad or poor.. I'm betting the ZL3 is a very nice scope for the price..

If you get the Minox for this rifle and like it, let me know.. I am looking for a low cost scope for a 30-06 build I am currently working on.. the 3-9x40 Minox might be a good solution for that rifle..

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Dave, let me send you money to buy it , use it on your rifle to see if you like it..then you will know if you want to buy it..You can then bring it to SA when you visit... Keep in mind I still owe you buffalo grip caps. I will be great-full if you can do this for me..since I always wanted to buy a Minox as I explained ...

 

[Gert Odendaal]

I do have a lot of buffalo boss material now, let me know how many grip caps you need as well..will have them ready when you land here..

I noticed it is covered by a 30 year warranty...

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Great, the Minox scope is on it`s way....thank you kindly Dave , it is much appreciated...

 

[bruce moulds]

slender stock etc means that the high mounts required for big objectives will put the scope higher than optimum for a fast pointing rifle, as well as affect the balance of the rifle with the big scope.
even smaller than 40 mm is better .
this brings to mind the 2 - 7 leupold and the 2.5 - 8 leupold, mounted as low as possible.
for hunting game as opposed to varmints, out to 300 yds, more than 7 or 8 power is just not necessary.
many years ago, 2.5, 3, or 4 power were considered optimum for this.
for some reason in this day and age some seem to think 12 power is a minimum requirement for some reason unknown to experienced shooters.
those bdc reticles can, strange as it may seem, cause problems.
under pressure it is easier than you might think to use the wrong hash mark. simple is better.
the marketing machine rules again.
bruce.

 

[nztimb]

I use the 2,4,8 memory for out to 300 ysd for all "standard" loads. That is the medium heavy bullet in the 27-2800fps range with 2 inch high at 100yds, for a 200yd zero and 4 inchs low at 250 and 8 inches low at 300. Easy to remember and use in the field with no complicared scope reticles needed. Out to 250 yds hold center and at 300 hold a bit high.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Bruce/Von Gruff, I need to see all this for myself when I get the scope...what I know is that I am not competent to use a BDC reticle...I will rather learn the bullet trajectory out to 300 meters.. I studied the BDC reticle set up , it seems the BDC reticle system needs to be working in conjunction with a specific bullet weight as well as a reloading program to work out the exact distances in the BDC reticle ...as pointed out by Bruce..it can get difficult in a hunting scenario...

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Good, members, I spend time today on the in-letting...I will be completing the in -letting tomorrow..keep in mind I still need to wait for the actual barrel to arrive to complete the in-letting as a whole..

From tomorrow, most of the in-letting will be done by hand.

 

[nztimb]

What,, no chisels

 

[Nevada Mike]

I own a 6.5 X 55 Karl Gustaffs Mauser with original barrel cut to 21". I have had it for decades. It is extremely accurate and has taken quite a few deer for me. I suggest that you look at the Norma 6.5 X 55 SE ammunition offerings.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

What,, no chisels

Von Gruff, I will use chisels from now on when doing the final in-letting... the 8x68s rifle stock will be a chisel project from start to finish..since the stock have not been in the duplicator like the 6.5 x 55 stock..this at least gives me some skill practice for the big one that is still coming...I want to glue/dowl the front black ivory piece today , as well as the recoil pad templet so I can start shaping the stock while waiting for the new barrel ..

 

[Gert Odendaal]

I own a 6.5 X 55 Karl Gustaffs Mauser with original barrel cut to 21". I have had it for decades. It is extremely accurate and has taken quite a few deer for me. I suggest that you look at the Norma 6.5 X 55 SE ammunition offerings.

Mike , thank you for your positive input , it is much appreciated.. Mike, this rifle I am building currently..but I really would like to own a original Carl Gustaf 1817 milsurp rifle ...I think I need to start looking for one ... In regards to the re-loading ...we are fortunate to have good quality powders here, we even have all the American powders available in SA now..so re-loading will not be much of a challenge..

 

[Gert Odendaal]

If there are any Swedish citizens on this forum that will be able to assist me to permanent import a original 6.5 x 55 Swedish Mauser I really would greatly appreciate it. It is not difficult to permanent import from South Africa as a private person. I can get all the documentation and import documentation in order ....I am just not versed about the laws from Sweden or Finland ??
I really would appreciate this very much...

 

[Shootist43]

Gert, after the Swedes opted for newer rifles the 1896 Model 6.5 x 55(s) were shipped all over the world. Try looking at https://www.gunsinternational.com/ I'm sure you can find something there.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Still busy with in-letting will be completing it tomorrow ...here are some photos:

 

[nztimb]

When you get to the final stages of the inletting Gert, scrapers are the way to go and you can make them from old files. I have made ones with curved ends as well as these flat ended ones. Anneal the file, heat and bend, grind the angle, harden and sharpen. I did the sharpening on a 600grit belt on the grinder

 

[nztimb]

For the barrel channel there is both the push and pull scrapers. You will have access to a couple of old barrels to cut bits off for this. The cut off pieces are the pull scrapers and the left over lengths of barrel are the push scrapers and with the pull scrapers (the ones with the handles) having the 'cutter head' sharpened on both sides you are only using a third of the edge at a time so the end nut can be loosened and the cutter rotated so you get two or three uses from the end before you need to turn it to use the other end. It is an efficient little tool

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Thank you very much Garry, I really appreciate this..I will try and copy /forge some of these tools to assist me to do better stocks...it seems I will still need to build a few rifles while I have the opportunity and time..I really like working on stocks..it keeps a person focused...