I see that Simpson ltd has Husqvarna 146 bolt action Mauser FN 98's for sale approximately $300 give or take. These are chambered 9.3x57. That seems like a good deal, depending on condition of course. Would these 146's be a good candidate for rechambering to 9.3x62?

Yes!!

One of the best you can get!

Yeah what Northman said.

One of mine was! One of my fav rifles!

Here's mine. A 46 actually. I will be leaving mine as a 9.3x57. They are good candidates for the conversion.

They are damn fine handling rifles.

Sweet.

Is that a Simpson LTD import?

I like that the front claw mount base is soldered onto the barrel. Bases that are dovetailed directly into the front ring give me pause.

Mine was, now she is all grown up!

Carbon 12,

Yes it was a Simpson. I wanted one in 9.3x57 and when I saw the claw mounts I knew it was the one. I do have a scope for it with the correct hooks but one mount is not the correct height. I keep looking for a mount of the correct height but haven't stumbled onto one yet. The scope has a rail so I can fit a different height mount if the hooks are correct for the base.

It shoots well with 286 grain Norma RN bullets with open sights.

Cock on closing?

The Model 46 is a small ring and C on C.

The Model 146 was built on FN 98 Large Ring military style actions (C on Open with a thumb slot and stripper clip guides).
They were made as commercial actions for Husqvarna. They do have a relatively slender stock for a 98.

Put one in a McMillan stock, put a Ghost ring / peep sight.. and you have a close to indestructible rifle.

They seem like bargains to me. How have the ones from Simpson's shot for you all?

Also, what sorta loads are you running through them? Looks like H4895'ish sorta powder would be excellent.

Don't say bargain too loudly. The good ones already sell damn quick.

I've gotten two M146s in 9.3x57 from Simpson LTD. A rare M246 (same as a 146 but chambered in 9.3x62 at the factory) was sold minutes after it was first listed, but sadly, not to me.

IME, 9.3x57s are among the least fussy cartridges I've messed around with. Easy to find satisfactory loads. H4895ish powders like R15 and Varget have worked very well for me.

In my M146s, I have easily push the x57 to within 200 fps of modern X62 velocities with no signs of excess pressure. Ballistics of my X57 loads exceeds those of the early X62 ballistics which the x62 first made it's bones on in Africa. The incentive to rechamber any of my x57s to x62 has dimmed considerably. It should be noted that My M146s are built on early FN M98 'C' ring actions.

Gothca, that is great intel. Looking forward to doing a little work with it. Seem like real handy little rifles.

Also, what options are there for putting an aperture sight on them? I don't believe I'll scope one ever, but a nice peep might be about right.. What do you all run on them?

Although a peep would be grand, it may not be a trivial install on M46 and M146 Husqvarnas if you want to retain the factory sight ramp.

The issue is the front sight. The factory blade height is fairly low and likely to be too low for most Receiver sights. Factory replacement blades of different heights are not common. Be advised that the blade dovetail is cut parallel with the bore v.s. the more common orthogonal cut dovetail. I have not obtained any to confirm but NECG Masterpiece front sight blades may fit.

https://www.newenglandcustomgun.com/Gun_Services/Sights.asp?offset=30#TOP

My 46 has shown good promise with the few loads I've tested. I've only tried some 286 grain Norma RN and have some of the newer 286 Norma Oryx but have not done any load development with them yet. Both H4895 and RL15 have given good accuracy and easily pushed that bullet to 2200 fps with no signs of sticky extraction or hard bolt lift. I haven't done any head expansion measurements. I'm getting about 1.5 inches at 50 yards and about 3 inches at 100 with open sights with the 286 Normas.

It should be a simple matter to have one drilled and tapped for a Lyman 48 or 57. I am considering the same thing with mine.

From all accounts I've read, the 9.3x57 is a hammer. I carried mine some last year but didn't get a chance to take any game with it. Maybe this year.

There's a ton of conservative Data with American powders on LoadData.com
Also this Italian website:
http://www.grurifrasca.net/ Then click "ricarica" on the left side menu.

Next click "armi a canna lunga rigata" in the center list under Ricarica.

They'll get you started.
I'm using H4895 with Norma 232 Vulkans at 2435 fps according to my Chrony Beta.
The most accurate bullet I've used is the Nosler 250 AB, but Nosler advised me not to use them past 100 yards in the x57. The Tech said they're better for the x62.

Thanks fellas, I've got a ton of H4895 and RL15 and those look real good with the cartridge.

I guess I'll get it and shoot it before I monkey around too much with it. Might be fine as is.

It looks like a real handy rifle. Should I be concerned with bedding it before shooting it? Seems like a lot of them have tang splits like the 338/375 P64's.

Bedding is the first thing I do regardless whether the stock is split or not.

If you have Red Dot and/or Trail Boss, you can make up crazy fun hand loads with 95ish gr. 9mm Makarov bullets. Maks usually mike .363 so are a RCH small in the 9.3's .366 bore. No matter if so. Load HPs tip down and they behave like skirted miniballs and expand to fill the bore. Accuracy at 25 yds might amaze grouse and squirrel's heads. Single load directly into the chamber because they may not feed from the magazine with an almost full diameter meplat.

I measure out enough powder to get 900-1000 FPS and one hole precision at 25 yds. All that's left is to call it good.

Great info. Thank you.

Can't wait to try it out some.

I full length bedded it. Relieved the tang and bedded it all the way to the forend tip. I dig it though. Need to get some dies and brass but man what a handy, well built little rifle.

beretzs,

Very, very nice M46.

It may be worthwhile to make a chamber cast before you start reloading and shooting your rifle. Several M46s that I know of (one of mine and another that Gil Sengel wrote about in Handloader #283) have chambers with necks tight enough to require neck turned brass to be safe. A vintage Norma 9.3x57 factory cartridge would be an interference fit in the chamber of my M46 if I would be so incline to try and jam one into it.



These old 9.3x57 Husqvarnas are maximum cool but have idiosyncrasies that need attention paid to them.

Looking real good there!!!!!!

I'll check it out. Need to get some dies and brass for it. Can't wait to shoot it.

Any idea what the sights are regulated with?

Mine is right on the money with 285gr Norma Alaska bullets I have loaded for it.

Smacks the sheit out of a 6" steel plate at 100 yards.

I would suspect Norma ammo but don't really know.

IME with the M46, 285-286 gr bullet, ~1950 FPS, 6:00 O'clock POA is POI at 50 yds.

Hornady dies are usually the least expensive and work dang well. I make a false shoulder when necking up 8mm Mauser brass and was able to obtained .375 and .411 expander buttons from Hornady CS for just a few bucks.

Sengel's article in April 2013 Handloader #283 is a good primer on loading for your new toy.

Another vote here on the Hornady dies!

Before you get dies and brass, you should know that many shooters here in Sweden get a gunsmith to ream the chamber out to 9.3 x 62 Mauser in these fine rifles. It must be a trivial operation because the gunsmiths charge VERY little for this service!

Personally, I would not bother re-chambering since the 9.3 x 57 is a good reliable killer of moose sized animals, and the more powerful 9.3 x 62 is not easy on the shoulder in such a slim & trim rifle!

John

Is there a legal obligation in Sweden to re-stamp the barrel after such a modification when done commercially?

Good question.

I am not sure of the law on this aspect, but over the years I think I have seen at least fourteen 9.3 x 57's re-chambered thusly, and ALL were re-stamped.

Some of these re-stampings were pretty misaligned (clearly done free-hand with no stamp guide!) but as I said, the price was low!

You can still buy 9.3 x 57 ammo here quite easily, most commonly by Norma (no surprise there!). Norma currently loads a 232gr FMJ for range practice

for hunting, a 232gr Norma Oryx bullet (which is a very fine bonded bullet; this one would be my choice for moose -- I have helped butcher (and necrcopsy!) at least 10 moose killed by my moose hunting team with this bullet from both 9.3 x 57 and 9.3 x 62 rifles. About half the bullets exited the moose, and the half that didn't exit were at the far-side skin and looked like gun magazine ads for perfect expansion.


and a 286gr Norma Alaska bullet.


Good afternoon from Sweden,
John

Great info. I was able to find a set of RCBS dies for it. I looked at the Hornady dies but they are sometimes a pain to set up in my COAX, and the RCBS dies were about the same price.

I also picked up a box of 270 grain Speers and 232 Norma Vulkans. I also grabbed a 100 pieces of Norma 9.3x57 brass, so I should be in good shape.

It'll be interesting to see the way it prints. The bedding turned out pretty nice and the bore looks excellent, so I am hoping for good things.

I have some 285 Lapua Mega's on the shelf as well, so I have some bullets to play with.

Pretty one you got!
The sights are regulated to the Norma 285 grain Alaska load. You can make a cheap clone with Prvi 285 at 2050 and the sights were close enough at 100 yards.
The Speer 270 and Prvi 285 are the least expensive bullets out there. I'm shooting 232 Vulkans with H4895 now. Great White Tail/Black Bear loads. They have the BC of a brick but, smack like one too.

That is exactly what I was planning on shooting as well. the Vulcans seem like a good one and I have a ton of H4895.

How did they hit compared to the 285's?

I don't recall exactly, I didn't write it down back between 2005 to 2007. But I recall the 232 Vulkan, 250 Nosler, and 285 PRVI were within 3 inches vertically at 100 yards. 3" high at 100 puts the 232 near an inch low at 200 I think.
I only shoot the 285 PRVI in the open site rifle.
I shoot the 232 in a scoped M46. One of my favorite deer rifles, but I limit it to 200- 225 yards. The short fat 232 Vulkans slow down quick and fall like a dead bird past 200 yards.

Great info. Should have the brass, dies and bullets pretty quick. Hoping to get it out and shoot it this weekend. If the 232's print decently I can't see any reason not to use them.. I have plenty of others for shooting longer. This one would just be for carrying in the deer woods. It is darned handy.

The bedding worked well. My only problem was the sights probably need to be drifted a little to the left. Otherwise I love the little sucker.

















My only issue with the rifle seemed to be headspace as I had primers backing out thoughout all of the loads. Not a big deal as I'll just size them to the shoulder this neck run but I may expand them up with a larger expander for the rest of my new cases. H4895 along with the 232 Norma Vulkans seems to shoot great out of this rifle. Can't wait to keep shooting it. Very pleasant rifle to shoot. It's going to thump deer and bear well I think.

Since people are showing pretty old 9.3 Husqvarna pics, here's my 1929 M46 on dirty tiles.
Sorry, the glare covers the figure in the wood.

Good idea to try necking up then back down to create a false shoulder on the neck. 54 grains of H4895 is plenty of pressure to know that the backed out primers are from long chambers some of these rifles have. I got backed out primers until I hit 47 grains of H4895 with the 232 and I have a tight chamber.
Have you chronographed those 54 grain H4895 loads? I'd figure over 2450 fps. A tad up there on the stiff side.
I quit at 51 grains of H4895 in my M46.

No, I sure didn't. I'd left the Magnetospeed speed behind because I rushed out of the house. I will for sure get some readings on the next trip.

Yeah, I had backed out primers all the way from low to high. Being as I'll be shooting it with irons it doesn't make too much difference to me if it runs 2300 or 2450, as accuracy seemed very similar across the board with 52 grains looking pretty good.

I need to order a 375 expander mandrel so I can create a false shoulder on the rest of the cases. Just about to head down and reload some more of them. It's pretty addicting to shoot. I wanna get the sights squared up windage wise but otherwise this thing is a blast.

I think that the actions on the pre-HVA Husqvarnas progressed as follows:

46 - Swedish built SR military style Mauser action
146 - FN built LR military style Mauser action
640 - Swedish built SR "strengthened", no thumb slot in the left receiver rail, style Mauser action
640 - FN built LR military style Mauser action
640 - FN built LR commercial style, no thumb slot in the left receiver rail, style Mauser action
1600 - Swedish built SR HVA actions

That's a beautiful rifle. I wished there was an easier way to put a peep on my M46 but I'll make do with the irons I think.

I would love some pics of that in the evening sunlight on a fence post.

Here's the one I picked about about 8 years ago.

Man, that is a nice one.. I dig the little rifle. Handy as heck..

Now I guess I need to find a fence post.

What powders are you guys using in the 9.3x57?

Loads?

Back when I started, there wasn't much data around, still isn't. Norma has data for the 285/6's with 203-B so I naturally stared loading them with RL-15.

Thank you.