Cut 6.5x55 to a 358 Win

I was going to re-barrel my Dad's 6.5x55 with a new arsenal 38 barrel. I built the little carbine for him. Somewhere he got some corrsive ammo and shot it without proper cleaning, it ate that brand new barrel up. The muzzle is .682 so figure I have enough meat left, plus the chamber cut will remove the remnants of the 6.5x55 chamber with a turn or two off.
Thus I can put Dad's barrel with a mod, back in the rifle. Normally I would not bother, but Dad is gone now, so the project is a bit more than just replacing a barrel.
I will call JES shop today and see what they think.

Will it remove the chamber? I thought the 6.5x55 case head was larger than the 0.473" standard case, probably more so in a military chambering.

I believe the barrel will have to be set back a bit to clear up the base and the shoulder of the .358. Jess can tell you whether it will though.

BK7Saum has identified part of the possible problems. The 6.5x55 had a few thou added to the case body diameter in development to meet desired velocity and pressure requirements. Base/head diameter of .480 versus the 'common' .470-.473, enough to need consideration. If the barrel is 'set back' ( rethreaded/ shortened) you MAY clean up the chamber enough to rebore to .358 Win. Again 6.5x55 brass MAY be sized down enough to chamber in a .358 but expanding .308 is a much easier. MidwayUSA, Brownells, Shaw used to make 'small ring Mauser' replacement barrels that were inexpensive and in 6.5x55, other calibers. A search might find a replacement barrel on an auction site. Setting a barrel back is more involved than rechambering.

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You have enough muzzle O.D. - since Jes' minimum muzzle O.D. for a rebore is .608" in your case.( .358" + .125" + .125" )

He won't go any thinner than a .125" barrel wall thickness @ the muzzle after a rebore.

Called JES, went to answering machine, said no more recording space and you can not leave a message.....:sad:

Reason I said remove one or two turns. I do all my own work in my shop, I have a dozen M-96s so am a bit familiar with the 55 and the 96s action and cartridge. The 96-358 I am working on I have already fitted to feed the 358 Win, so two fer is OK too.

My Shaw 1-14 SS 22" barrel for the 358 Husky 1943 I am building is to be delivered Friday.....thought I would make note of this rebuild and rebore and why, as this rebore would be a special and totally different project. I already have the brass, dies, reamer, etc.

I still have the new 38 barrel, which I can taper on my lathe and replace the corroded barrel with. However I do not want to replace the barrel itself if I can save it. I like 35s, have seven or so now, so why not.

Just thought I would add another project to the six going. This is the current 358 Win cast bullet project action in the sight fixture hand the action with mount.

Why not sleeve the barrel? Much easier, I would think and plenty of accuracy, at least with my sleeved 1895 Win in .30-40.

If the barrel is an original 6.5x55 military stepped barrel setting the barrel back a "turn or two" may remove most if not all the first step. That would preclude a tight abutment back against the receiver ring. However, if the original barrel was a new commercial contour that shouldn't pose a problem.

Or 35x57. That would maybe work easier than .358
If you have brass to start to use

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Larry Gibson

If the barrel is an original 6.5x55 military stepped barrel setting the barrel back a "turn or two" may remove most if not all the first step. That would preclude a tight abutment back against the receiver ring. However, if the original barrel was a new commercial contour that shouldn't pose a problem.

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Th OP stated that the barrel was an arsenal 38 barrel, wouldn't that signify that it's a military barrel? If not he could also put a barrel nut on it such as Savage and alleviate that problem you mentioned.

I decided to put the "keep the old 55 barrel project" on the back burner. I have enough 35 projects going right now with the 35 Whelen and 358 Win guns to finish in the new 35 build category already. Maybe I might do an X by 55 something or other, later.

Thanks for the ideas, I will check on JES again, later.

If JES can rebore it to 35 caliber, why not just wildcat the 6.5 cartridge?

Kevin

How does the gun shoot now. Some corroded barrels have been known to shoot well. The 6.6x55 is a proven round. If it shoots, why not keep it?

A “9x55mm” sounds kind of neat…. Especially with a .358” JES 3 groove tube.


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Just a small update, got the 358 new barrel M-96 build ready to sand blast for a Granite Black Cerakote applied finish on the SS barrel and other metal. Decided to go with Cerakote because of the different metals.
Mods: Front to back
Shaw 358 Win short chamber SS 1-14 twist 22" medium contour barrel.
Muzzle threaded 5/8x24 for a can
Recessed crown
Barrel Stamped 358 Win
Barrel shoulder set back .012 long and sad story about different reamers
Barrel shank set back .012 to match with 45 degree break, polished
Chamber headspace set to a slight base sweep on new factory brass just as the bolt closes
Face cut square on mandrel and threads uniformed
Lugs lapped to 100%
Bolt face squared, and fitted
Extractor fitted to feed and extract .473 rim cases
Bolt body and flat on handle jeweled.
Bolt handle bent t and swept
Thumb sporting safety fitted to bolt and firing pin.
Tang top taper ground below the firing pin catch groove.
Sear slot in reciever elongated by 1/8" to fit new Timney trigger.
Stripper flip hump removed
Drilled and tapped for a one piece center mount scope base
Race ways polished
Trigger guard reduced to 3/8" width with center to edge reduction to 1/16"
Action Screws changed to allen head and fitted.
Bottom plate polished.

Sure I forgot something but this is how she looks now, before blasting and coating, the 200 RCBS FN does feed. The brake is for a thread protector.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by StrawHat

If JES can rebore it to 35 caliber, why not just wildcat the 6.5 cartridge?

Kevin

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My thought exactly.

Never heard back from JES so will just rebarrel the action. So the extra set of 35 Whelen dies will be laid back for another day, cut down to make a 35x55 or 57.
Oh, realize I never responded to how does it shoot with the 20 miles of bad road, barrel, I am not interested. I had a "dark barrel" 96 it shot fine, but bothered me, so I replaced the barrel with a new, never mounted in the white Armory M-38 barrel. Fully aware a pitted barrel may shoot, just they will not become one of my guns on my racks while I have a full shop.

By the way, got the 358 Win Husky barreled action and bottom metal Granite Black double coated yesterday. We will see how it cures out. The stock is still bugging me, need to decide about the wood species.