Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats 3 rifles.. same action, but not sure on calibers.

I have purchased three BRNO ZG-47 rifles, which are destined to become custom rifles. All of them are in 30-06. I am keeping all the parts, ie. stock, and barrel. So it can be put togehter to original if I ever decide to sell one.


I have decided on two of the calibers, but not sure what to do with the third.

1. 9,3x62
2. 7x64B
3. Unknown

Use math. 9.3mm is .366". 6mm, arguably the lightest you want to go on that length cartridge is .243". .366"-.243"= 0.123". Half that, added to .243" is .3045". Damned close to .308".

With this, then 9.3x62, .30-06, 6mm-06.

If you wanted a rocket at .244", then .366"-.244"= 0.142". Half that added to .224" = .295". Still close enough to .30-06 to justify it, or do a 7mm.

Doing a .25-06 (never a bad choice), you get .366"-.257"= 0.109". Half that, plus .257" = .3115"; again close enough to .30-06 to justify it.

There's a hint in the middle bore there.

5.6x57

It would retain the European/metric cool factor. Similar to a 22-6mm, the round was designed for hunting roe deer and the like. I believe RWS cases are available through Huntington’s.

Or a 6.5x57.

8x68S

Using 4ager's formula but with .284 instead of .243, you'd be right close to 8mm (.323).

I'm in for this ^^^^^

I have something similar in SS Hawkeyes: 243, 30-06, 35 Wh. I also have a 7 and 30 WSM plus a 375 R just to make sure I'm completely overlapping

6.5-06

280

30.06

30-06

The 30-06 would be a strange choice when one is already building a 7x64 Brenneke. Same deal with the 280 recommendation.

This



Shod

I think you have the only two that really matter. Mine are the 280 and 9.3X62.

If I needed to build the third it would be a 6-06.

6.5x55

1. 9.3x64 Brenneke Personally I would do a re-bore for this one.
2. 7X64 Brenneke
3. 8X64 Brenneke or 6.5X57 if I wanted something smaller.

I wouldn't worry about parts or originality. I would either cut them up and do what I wanted or leave them alone and use them "as is."

If you cut them up and then try to return to original you're gonna take a beating on labor and parts. If you modify them you're gonna take a beating for modifying them. Same end result.

6.5 Swede.

Nah. A 30-06 is always a correct choice!

Of course, I'm committed now. 2 30-06s (pretty much all I hunt with, I haven't taken my 25-06 into the field yet), 11 lbs of H4350 (an 8-lb backorder of 8 months filled as soon as I had found 3 1-lbers), several hundred Partitions and Accubonds...I don't need fewer 30-06s, I need more!

Maybe 220 Swift and a 6 or 6.5 as the Med bore?

404 Jeffery

I like this thinking. 400 Whelen keeps it on the same bolt face, 416 Ruger gives you a real stomper and factory ammo/brass.

Original parts be damned, you'll never make enough back after all the labor costs.

22/6 mm
25-06
35 Whelan

Done.

Get rid of the extra parts and make them YOUR rifles.

9.3x -
280AI or leave it as a 30-06
6.5x68

I'd do:

6mm Rem

7x57

9,3x62

First, two are plenty for BG hunting rifles. Those actions are really meant for hunting rifles.

Second, I have built several very nice customs on ZG47 actions. Be careful. The chechs really removed a lot of the rails and they may or may not feed well. My 270 was terrible and my 338 was worse. Am guessing you are in Canada so you need either R. Martini or Jan Kollenbrander (sp). NOBODY ELSE!

And it doesn't take much to make Mauser actions not feed exactly right.

I'd keep whichever .30-06 has the best barrel the way it is, and make the other two into a 9.3x62 and 6.5x55. But that's just me.

Or you could go .35 Whelen, .280 AI (which might create its own interesting cartridge-feed problems), and .25-06.

Or .425 Westley-Richards, .318 WR and .280 Ross.

Or .333 OKH, 8mm-06 and .256 Newton.

Or....

It never ends does it? Lots of great choices.

How about:

7x64 : 150 grain TSX : 2950 fps
9.3x : 250 grain TSX : 2550 fps
458WM: 450 grain TSX : 2150 fps

Then I should get a 222 Sako Vixen. 50 Grain V-max...


No, its not easy. I do belive the 7x64 and 9,3x62 offers alot, and almost overlaps most of the hunting one could ever possibly do. 150 grains and 250 grains TTSX.. the 30-06 could fit perfectly in bewteen there with 180grains.

But considering the cost of a custom, I could most likely shoot 3-4000 rounds between the 7x64 & 9,3x62 instead of doing a third custom.


But, should not consider economics in such a question...

458 Could be fun...

Or you could sell me the 3rd one to offset the costs of your new 9.3x62 and 7x64 Those two can do it all and them some. No need for the third.

Just saying, when it sinks in you can send me a PM.

Agreed. I'd turn one into a 9.3;leave the other two in 30/06. Go hunting.

I would keep one as a 30-06, as it would be an excellent back-up gun. Don't modify it any more than you have to--just put a simple scope on it in rock solid mounts, and it would be a great "grab it and go" rifle while you are either fiddling with the other projects, or waiting to have your gunsmith do something.

This, is excellent advice, I have owned several ZGs and more 21/22s, have a matched pair of Zgs in 9.3x62, factory std. with custom mods and a carbine in 7x57 also customized now. I also have a spare action, the more desirable polished receiver variant as are the rifles I chose to keep....might do something on it, someday.....

I would do two 9.3x62s and either a .280 Rem. for cheaper brass or, to stay Euro., a 7x64B. These would give you the ideal trio for serious BC hunting and you could find a short ZKK action for a matching .22-250 for Coyotes,Wolves, etc.

Now, the last I heard from Jan, who has done a lot of my work for the past five years, he is not taking work until he cleans up a large backlog. He is an excellent smith, is very meticulous and a nice guy, but, slow as most smiths here are due to there being so few good ones.

Ralf, is ONLY willing to build wooden stocked customs and his rifles are not "cheap", but, are superb. He is a super guy and very fond of Brno ZG and 21/22 series actions.

The only other smith I use is also now only taking work from old customers and personal friends. So, I would contact Brno21 here, Mitch Kendall, as he is the only guy I know left who might be able to get this done for you and I recommend him highly.

HTH, good luck with it.

My thoughts exactly.

3 = .25/06 + .30/06 + 9.3x62

25/06, the most accurate of the 06's you have, and third 35 Whelen cause more bullets than 9.3. But 9.3x62 would be good too.

This line up should cover all bases and still be in keeping with the rifles origin.

1. 6.5x57
2. 8x57
3. 9.3x62

1. 30-06, 3x9 scope sighted with 155 gr bullets
2. 30-06, 1.5x5 scope sighted with 200 gr partitions
3. 9.3x62 with 286 gr partitions - not really necessary but just because it's cool.

doubletap: Stop making sense!!


I have 4 scopes ready for this project. All in Alaska Arms rings.

Both have 2,5x20 Leupold as a back up scope ( was intending to skip using back up irons )

One Swaro Z3 3-9x36 ( might change to 6x42 Leupold ) and a Aimpoint Hunter 30L.

Please keep us posted as this project progress'. I'm a big BRNO fan.

I cut a less than pristine one up a few years back and am very happy with the results.

This.

Keep the best shooting or nicest .30/06 as is. Build the .25/06 and 9.3. Where the .25/06 starts to come up a bit short is a natural starting point for the .366 bore. The '06 can serve as a backup for either of the others.

Since you are keeping the old parts, you'll want to minimize any action modifications your new builds will require.

5.6x57 with a 1-8 twist barrel.....

What Mule Deer said

I have 3 98's(2 VZ-24s and a GEW.98)...the VZ's are in process of getting done in 8x57(already rebarreled black parked and sent to McMillan) and 6.5x55(already have barrel, receiver was already tapped, have installed 2 pos M70 style safety...work in progress), the Gew I'm up in the air a bit on probably going to be a 9.3x62...

How about 6.5x55SE for the third rifle - hard hitting with mild recoil - definitely punches above its weight!

30.06 donor action/bolt face won't need any alteration either.

Well.. Having recived the third ZG-47, I find it has had a few things done to it, which I could not see in the ad. Like having a serial number stamped into the side of the action. So, in my eyes, its ruined as a fine hunting rifle.

So, its staying as a 30-06.

The two others, will become 7x64 and 9,3x62

The 30-06 will have its barrel reprofiled a bit lighter and shorter.. put into a syntetic stock, cerakoted and will be my foul weather rifle.

The two others, as well as single shot Mauser I have, will eventually be fitted with walnut stocks, red pads, barrel band and rust blued. A 22-250, 7x64, 9,3x62 as matched tripplets.

Might take a few years, but I hope I´ll get there!