The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

I'd be very interested to hear opinions as to which historical rifle might best serve as a basis for a target rifle. Most of my shooting is conducted at 300m, occasionally at 600m and, very rarely, 1,000m. I'd like a rifle that I could use at all those ranges, but don't want to go down the usual routes, eg Remington clones and so forth. My initial thoughts are to base a rifle on either a K31 or a Mauser action, chambered for either 7.5x55 Swiss or 6.5x55 Swedish. Both of those rounds appear to me to have pretty good ballistics, certainly good to 600 m and probably quite adequate for my skills to 1,000m. I'm thinking of a wooden thumbhole stock too rather than a modern aluminium / plastic / composite stock - again, largely a matter of taste. I'd be interested in views on the pros and cons of the two calibres / actions I have in mind, and open to suggestions about others.

I would say 6,5x55 Swede, certainly a 1000 yard contender it would give you access to a fine range of good BC bullets without excessive recoil.

Target rifle, so you would be using open sights?

I'm torn between the Swedish and Swiss rounds. The Swedish may just have the edge ballistically from what I have read and been told, though the Swiss doesn't lag far behind and the Swiss surplus ammo seems remarkably good for the price. I also like the straight pull action on my K31 and so that counts in its favour too as the basis of a better rifle... (I'll be keeping my existing K31 'as is' - I love shooting it, the new rifle will be exactly that , a new build)

Sights, I am not sure about. At 300m I'd go with iron sights, but beyond that a scope would probably be useful. I don't intend to shoot competitively, just for my own enjoyment and so an inexpensive scope would probably be used.

I think I'd also go for the 6.5x55, I'm sure I'm correct that it's the same bolt face as the .308 so you should be able to find a suitable donor action.

Alan

Just wondering if the straight pull SVD might be a contender?
Although a totally different calibre than you have mentioned it will reach out to 1000M...

Hi Badger - welcome to the forum

Fultons (at Bisley) make their own wooden thumb hole stocks (rail, adjustable cheek piece and butt etc.), and fit the usual TR actions into them - I don't know if they can fit milsurp actions into them?...but you could give them a ring...

Not sure about the SVD action, I think I prefer the K31 straight pull to a butchered semi-auto. I wonder if the K31 action can be modified to fire 6.5x55 Swedish ? Would that make it a Swish action ?

I think I would side with a Mauser action. Stocks, barrels, trigger units, mounts and anything else you can think of exist in spade loads.

Likewise, 6.5x55 is an outstanding cartridge that has had so much development, great components are readily available, from anywhere.

That said, rifles are personal things. If the K31 and 7.5 appeal, then why not?

I had my hands on a heavy barrelled sporter with a stunning target/biathlon type walnut stock chambered in a Mauser actioned 6,5x55 a couple of weeks ago, complete with 6X Zeiss. It was a truly stunning looking rifle with one of the nicest triggers I have felt for a long time. Not silly money and still for sale after a year, reading this thread made me think about it again.

I would go for the 6.5 over the 7.5

From the comments made thus far, I'm beginning to think that a P14 or P17 in 6.5x55 Swedish might make an interesting project. Perhaps with a heavy stainless barrel and a thumbhole stock ?

What is it about the 6.5 x 55 that makes it preferable to the Swiss 7.5 ?