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

[Gert Odendaal]

Shootist , this is one item I will not build for another person for sure. It is much , much easier to get a person to buy a Boyds stock for himself..I will always refer a buyer to Boyds stocks , too much time and work goes into a self build rifle stock..

It really is something I reserve for myself to build for myself and am enjoying it immensely..but will not do it for anyone else..every person who loves rifles should once in their live build himself a rifle stock and a complete rifle ...
The best rifle stock builder is Von Gruff, a member here on the forum, he is a Master Craftsman, the best there is when it comes to building rifle stocks..I am sure he will build you a beautiful 6.5 x 55 Swedish Mauser rifle stock and a complete rifle as well.

 

[Shootist43]

Girt, your previous post said you were cutting the stock and fitting the recoil pad for your wife and or daughter. I guess the rifle is still yours technically.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Girt, your previous post said you were cutting the stock and fitting the recoil pad for your wife and or daughter. I guess the rifle is still yours technically.

Yes, Shootist, you are correct, it is my rifle, but since it is a very soft recoil caliber it is the ideal rifle to ,make it available for my wife and daughter to use it on shooting days . I want to cast a chassis platform for the 6.5 x 55 Swedish Mauser as well..I will shoot it with the chassis..

 

[nztimb]

How did you calculate the pitch of the stock when deciding on the angle of cut for the two ladies it is destined for. It appears to be neutral pitch but apearances can be deceiving.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

How did you calculate the pitch of the stock when deciding on the angle of cut for the two ladies it is destined for. It appears to be neutral pitch but apearances can be deceiving.

Von Gruff, yes it is a neutral pitch, straight down, straight back , fitting any shoulder ...I did file out a palm swell, this design is based on my first rifle stock I did for the .375 H&H Magnum stock, it fits me well, I believe it will fit my wife and daughter as well.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Von Gruff, I still need to work out all the angles of this stock, the new barrel needs to be fitted to the action, then I need the length of the new barrel to determine the angle of the front of the bottom plate to the crown of the barrel..

then I still need to work down the arch of the psitol grip and the top of the pistol grip...then the grip cap stem is too long,

I need to shorten the grip cap so the angle can form a line to the pitch of the butt ...I probably will need to change the angle of the neutral pitch as it is cut now...so still a lot of work on the stock..what I can tell you it will be a dandy little rifle to shoot when finished, my wife and daughter will enjoy shooting this rifle..I am going to fit a silincer as well.

 

[nztimb]

The reason I asked about the pitch of the stock is that often ladies need a bit of negative pitch to be more comfortable with the toe against the chest, especially if, as is often the case, they stand more upright when shooting, but if they have a lean forward style then the neutral pitch may indeed suit them

 

[rdog]

IF i could only keep one rifle i would be my 6.5x55.

 

[Shootist43]

Rdog, I don't know if I'd go quite that far, but for a fact the 6.5 x 55 Swede has been my go to rifle (for deer and hog sized game) for 25 years. For my birthday gift to me I purchased my oldest one yet, an Obendorf which makes it among the first 40,000 or so built. I haven't fired it yet, but based on all of the rest of them that I own, it will shoot just fine. If I were limited to one gun, that would probably my 35 Whelen.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Rdog, I don't know if I'd go quite that far, but for a fact the 6.5 x 55 Swede has been my go to rifle (for deer and hog sized game) for 25 years. For my birthday gift to me I purchased my oldest one yet, an Obendorf which makes it among the first 40,000 or so built. I haven't fired it yet, but based on all of the rest of them that I own, it will shoot just fine. If I were limited to one gun, that would probably my 35 Whelen.

@Shootist43
If I could only keep one it would be a hard choice between my 25 and the Whelen but I reckon it would be the Whelen as I can load it down, can't load the 25 up any more than it is.
Bob

 

[Gert Odendaal]

I am down to working into the finer measurements and correct angles. I determined the angle of the grip cap in relation to the pitch . This gives me a guide to be as accurate as possible in regards to the angle of the grip cap..I cut off the original grip cap and glued the real grip cap onto the stock. Some photos:

 

[Gert Odendaal]

The next step will be to work down the double shadow line cheekpiece ..

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Spend today time to work down the double shadow line cheek piece into finer details. I completed the three millimeter shadow line, I am moving to the hollowing out of the cheek piece to form the v-shape I like in this design..

As it looked a few days back

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Focused today on the double shadow line cheek piece , I worked it down to a much smaller and finer cheek piece . There are still a good lot of sanding left to do on this rifle stock but I am getting there , slowly but surely..some photos:

 

[nztimb]

Have to say I am pleased to see the bulk taken off that cheekpiece Gert. You have "tamed the monster" with that reshape.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Von Gruff, it was my aim from the beginning to shape this rifle stock into a slimline , light rifle stock due to the small caliber. There are still a lot of wood I need to remove. The double shadow line will still be opened up . The Leadwood front tip is still too long. When assembling the complete barreled action and completing the inletting I will know what length I need it to be...still a lot of forming and sanding work left ..

 

[Shootist43]

Gert, I think the double shadow line cheek piece looks "cool."

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Gert, I think the double shadow line cheek piece looks "cool."

Shootist thank you kindly, yes, I still have to figure out what I want it to look like as a final product, this rifle stock I am building as I like it and not according to a set of rules at all..

 

[Gert Odendaal]

The double shadow line cheek piece is now how I like it to be. Will fit the recoil pad next week. I am currently "raising the grain" using 220 gn sanding paper to do the sanding. I will move next week to 400 gn sanding paper.

 

[nztimb]

That is looking really good Gert and having done a few of them I know how much it takes to get them "just right" as you have done.