Fajen stock on Ebay...

So I bought this stock, 99% sure it's for a large ring 98...
I've got a 98 action, I have reamers in 9x57, 8x57, and .270 WCF. Go/No No guages for all of them...thinking I'd like to stay X57.

9x57

8x57

6.5x57

9.5x57 would be a lot of fun; but do you have a 7x57?

Not knowing what you already have, and knowing what I did (6.5-06AI) with my InterArms Mark X action, 6.5mm is the territory where I'd go again. Maybe a straight 6.5-06.

Its a nice stock but doesn't look particularly trim, a heavier hitting round would be a good fit. The 9x57 would be cool as would the 8x57 but consider the 9,3x62 as well. One of my personal favorites.

That's where I'm leaning at the moment, ER Shaw is making #2 1/2 12 twist barrels in 9.3 now...(already have a couple 8x57's, want to do a 9x57 but I'd like to do that on a small ring carbine set up).

9.3x57 is how I'd go.

If the action is a GEW instead of a KAR I might go with the 9.3X62

ER Shaw doesn't show a 9.3 barrel on their web page. Do they make one?
I have been trying to get Green Mountain to make 9.3MM with a 1-12" twist. I have not convinced them yet, but if a few more folks call them and tell them they want 9.3MM barrels they will probably make them.

In my efforts I have come up with about 45 people that say they would buy them but they want a 100 barrel order to make them, but that for a custom run.

I think they are missing the boat here. They should add them to their regular line.

Heck, they make Thompson Sub-machine gun barrels and 38 and 40 cal barrels for black powder shells. I cannot believe there is more demand for 38-55 and 40-60 then there is for 9.3s with the popularity of the 9.3X62 and the rising popularity of the 9.3X57 starting to gain ground too. Add that to the 9.3X74R and there is enough of a market to justify a run of 100 every year I'd bet.

Yup, they make them. Minimum 2 1/2 contour, 12 twist, I believe they will only chamber for 9.3x62 if you want it chambered.

Cowboy, that was a great tip.
I just called them (ER Shaw) and sure enough, they are making them.

I am probably going to forget Green Mountain. They seem to be waiting on someone to do it for them, and now Shaw is.
The two 9.3MM shells both 9.3X62 and 9.3X57 are growing in popularity in the last few years and ER Shaw was paying attention and listening to the customers. Green Mountain seems to not care. too bad, because I have used a lot of GM barrels and always had very good luck with them, but if they won't make what my customers want I'll get the blanks from someone else. Not just 9.3s either.
So I will give my business to ER Shaw. I do the smithing for 3 gunshops in the county, and all of them are now going to buy a few of these barrels too, so overall I expect between myself and the 3 shops we'll order 10-12 of them. ER Shaw should be happy with that. Not a big order for them, but worth the effort to make the barrels to be sure.

I have 4 customers who are asking me for 9.3s right now and have been for several months. I have been putting them off because I was severely back-logged, and because I was trying to get GM to make the blanks. Green Mountain has not moved, but Shaw is making them now.

I used a lot of ER Shaw barrels in years past and had excellent luck with them too, but GM was getting the barrels to me a lot faster so I started using GM about 4 years ago.
Well if Shaw will make what my customers demand and I can't get them in under 4 months that's still better than GM refusing to make them at all, (but they can ship what I don't need, right now...... How's that for a good business policy?)

So I think I'll go ahead and buy about six 9.3MM barrels now myself. I buy them as unchambered, unthreaded and uncontoured blanks. I'll have 2 on the shelf when I finish the two 9.3X57s and the two 9.3X62s. I can then have barrels for about any 9.3MM restoration or re-barrel that may come my way in the next 4-6 months too.

I'd pick the one in the middle the 8x57 about as good of an all around chambering as you can get, the Euro 30-06. Then I would whittle down that stock to a trimmer Schnabel ended stock more like the old Fajen Hunter model which was similar to the Winchester Feather weight in style. But you can't go wrong with any on your list or of the many others suggested. Me I would go 6x57 if I wanted to go metric.

Are you kidding.....9X57, of course!

I'm with Rev. Mike., 7x57.
Paul B.

A gun-makers comparison of the 9X57 and the 9.3X57.
The whys and wherefores of making each one.
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In the case of the 9X57 you must choose between the original spec barrels which had groove diameter of .356” or using the more common American/British size of 358"

The 358 size is nice in that the bullet available here are easy to get. I know of no 356" diameter rifles bullets for sale in the USA. You can make a die and size down 358"s to 356", but that is one of the small issues you'll need to deal with.

Some folks simply load the .358 bullets and “let the rifle do the sizing". In these cases you must be careful with your loads so as not to over pressure anything. Max loads from the manual will probably not be attainable and may be dangerous. If the throat of the chamber is loose enough to allow this it's fine if you keep total control of the pressure by loading your own ammo, but it's not the best way to go.

Next is the chambering of the barrel.

If you use the German size barrel you can use standard European size chamber reamers and the pilot of the reamer fits perfectly.

If you use the American/British size you will need to have the pilot either custom ground to fit the bore, or better yet, and the reamer made with removable pilots and use one of the size you need. This costs more, but the results are well worth the price.

But the other issue is the need to have the neck of the reamer made .002” oversize. When you seat a .358” bullet (.002” oversize) into the neck made to take a .356” bullet, the brass of that neck is going to get sized up .002” also. When the neck it .002” oversize it may not enter the neck portion of the chamber and it may not “release the bullet as it should. So having the reamer made to the correct spec for shooting .358” bullet is something you should consider.

Lastly the ammo:
If you intend to by European made ammo you will need the European sized bore and chamber reamer. If all 3 match, bullets, neck/throat and bore you are going to have prefect performance and no problems.

You can fire .356" through an “American barrel” and it’s perfectly safe, but it may or may not shoot well.

If you want to load you own ammo and you want to use .358” bullet instead of .356” bullets you will need to use a different expander ball in your sizer die. Easy to do, but something you should pay attention to. Use one made for the 35 Whelen or the 35 Remington and it works perfectly.

____________________________________________
In the case of making a 9.3X57 none of the above problems and/or issues exist.

All reloading dies are made to use .366” bullets.
All chamber reamers cut chambers for .366” bullets.
All 9.3MM barrels made in the USA or Europe are made for .366” bullets.

In reviewing Midway USAs web pages I find more .366” bullets available in the USA today then .358 bullets, (and way more of each then .356” rifle bullets.)

In fact, I find exactly zero .356" rifles bullets for sale in the USA today. You can get them from Germany, but only in loaded ammo as far as I know.


I have always liked the 9X57 cartridge, but I see nothing it can do any better or even as well as the 9.3X57, and going .008" larger with your bullets seems to tilt the playing field to your favor a LOT when we compare the 2 shells in the USA today.

Have a 9x57 reamer with a .358 pilot in the safe. Thinking that I'm going to wait and use it for a carbine(full length stock) with skinner sights.

szihn, making a 9X57 was no problem for me. I saw no reason to quibble about .002", so used a .358 Shaw bbl. Many original 9X57 bbls were that large anyway, and I know of no source for a new .356" bbl. What's .002" among friends anyway. The original R-P ammo that I have, marked 9mm Mauser/9X56mm Mannlicher, was loaded with 280 gr .358" RN bullets.

Tim's 9X57 reamer was mie originally. I ordered it from Pacific T&G with the .358 pilot and I sold it to him when my rifle was finished. The donor action is a Venezuelan FN and feeds the reformed 8X57 cases perfectly. The rifle shoots Hornady 250 gr RN bullets and cast.359 GC boolits about as well as I could ever hope for. One nice 8 pt has fallen to the 9mm so far using the Hornady RN and I hope to do the same with one of the 246 gr cast bullets next season.

Very good info. That reamer is doing OK then.
I had a 9X56 Mann/Scho that would not allow un-sized 358 bullets. I drilled a hole through a 7/8"X14 bolt and bought a chucking reamer to make a .3550" bore then lapped it to 356. I used Remington bullets and rolled them in STP and pushed them through.

Worked fine!

But if the neck is not too tight in the chamber (your reamer obviously is not) you could load the 358" bullet and fire them.

As I said, the trick is just working up the loads to function and be safe. Might even be fun.

Oh you can still get .356" bore barrels from Lothar Walther. None are made in the USA as far as I know.
I also know of no .356" bullets available here, but there are still made in Europe, but if I had a 9X57 I would not bother trying to get any. I'd just size them myself.

Yessir, working up loads can be 'interesting'. There is very little current load data available except the information shared on the internet by individuals. That type data must be approached very carefully, because it, if accurate at all, is certainly limited to the owner, his rifle, and his specifics. I personally chose to limit my loads to the lower/middle range of the 9X57 velocity spectrum and even bought a chronograph to help me from getting too close to the red line.

You obviously have been at this longer and in more detail than I have. It certainly seems as though you have had a lot of 'fun' getting your rifles to shoot. I suspect you have enjoyed the journey as much as I have. I may yet stumble across an original 9X57 and get to work out the kinks sometimes encountered with them. Those long, slender, light, 'between the wars' sporters are a true delight. My build is just a pore boy version of one.

I was unaware that Walther made .356" bores. Can't say it would have made a difference with my build, because I was on a budget and really didn't want to deal with issues one would have added. Anyway, as I said, what's .002" among friends.....

Well I am going to get 7 of the from ER Shaw. Will be sending off the money next week. Thank you very much for the tip Cowboy Tim!

6 for projects that are now confirmed, and one for the shelf, in case any other shooters wants one in the next few months.

I want at least one sitting on the shelf so I can go forward at the next request and not have to wait. I'll replace the barrel as soon as someone buys it from me with another, and keep one available.

It looks like Wyoming Hunters have "discovered" the 9.3s. They were just waiting for someone to take it to the "reality stage" instead of the "theoretical stage".

Cowboy Tim
I sent you a PM.