Spent a little more than I wanted but got a Merco 9x57 Mauser mannlicher stock. 4x Hensoldt scope in claw mounts. With luck I’ll have it in my hands late next week. Now it’s time to find some components, dies and loads to see what it can do. If all goes well, it’ll go to Maine with me on a bear hunt in August.

Very nice!!!!! Congrats!!!!

Interesting! Look forward to some good pix when it arrives!
Congrats!
John

Pure class! Love it!

No doubt...that is really cool!

I’ve got some British made 9x57 if you want to yank it apart for the bullets, and maybe see if the brass is worth saving. Like 20 rounds

Have to love this place. Good guys all around. I sent you a PM.

That's a classy little piece that you will certainly have good hunts with!

This is what I use in my 9x57.



.356" Hawk bullet on the left, Sierra .375" 300 grain Game King on the right.

I was wondering if anyone used those. Hawk bullets is located about 30 mins from me. I’m going to call and see if he has any stock on the shelf. I’d like to shoot a few different ones and then make a lifetime supply order. Have you used any on big game?

simpsonltd usually has a few 9X57MM rifles on hand, I thought i wanted one a few years back but never pursued it.

Beautiful rifle, congratulations on a great find. Especially love that old Hensoldt in claw mounts. Don't see that too often.

I use the Hawk 200gr bullets with good success in a 1905 Mannlicher in 9x56, which is very similar to the 9x57. Accuracy is very good, even surprising for an old carbine fitted with a receiver sight. Not much experience to report on game. I've only taken one deer with the rifle, and it dropped.

You'll note on Hawk's website that they offer 9mm bullets in several diameters. This is because the actual bore diameter seems to vary quite a bit from one manufacturer to another in older 9mm rifles. The bore in my Mannlicher measures .352, so I go with the .353 diameter bullets. So it is helpful to slug the bore before ordering.

A less expensive option and potential solution to component shortages is to obtain a bullet swage die, which permits the resizing of more widely available .358 bullets. Sizing to .356 with jacketed bullets only requires only a pass through one die, which will fit in a standard press. Lee makes them, and I believe they often stock that size. I once had a Husqvarna in 9x57 that was very accurate with the resized Hornady 200gr RN. I have read accounts of some who claim that the process degrades accuracy, or facilitates jacket/core separation, though I haven't observed either issue.

I shoot 250 grain .358's in my 9x57's. Suggest you slug the bore as they can vary considerably. Two of mine slugged at .356", one at .354". Chamber necks in all easily accomodate a .358" seated so no separeate "swaging" of bullets before loading is required. A chamber cast should be made prior to assuming .358's can be used.

TeeBone, you sure you're not thinking of a 9,3x57?

z1r, these are what I shoot in the 9x56.

Your point about checking neck diameter is a good one. The cartridge shown is a resized, necked up 8x57 case. Neck walls are quite a bit thicker than with the few vintage cases that I have.

TeeBone, I mean in reference to the Husqvarna. They made 9,3x57's, not 9x57's.

People freak out about shooting a bullet a couple thou over bore diameter. It's not the bullet size but the ability of the neck to let the bullet loose upon firing. I once bought a rifle sold as a 9,3x57. It came with two boxes of Norma ammo; one full, the other partial. The half box had been fired through the rifle. When I received the rifle, I did a customary cleaing and noticed my 9,3 jag was too tight for the bore. I slugged it to fund it measured .356" not 366". It was in reality a 9x57 but the chamber neck was large enough to chamber a 9,3x57 and had sufficient clearance to release the bullet. I fired the remainder of the box before rechambering to .35 Whelen. The .366" bullets swaged down upon their trip through the bore and produced a nice 1.5" group at 100 yds. It is an open sight only rifle.

This!

That is a beautiful rifle in a great chambering! I searched for one in that chambering but never found it in my price range, so made my own (kinda). Put a .358 bore barrel on a Venezuelan Mauser action and bought a PT&G reamer to chamber it. Not having to worry about th bore diameter, I went immediately to 250 gr Hornady RNs that worked great on a nice buck:




Then, a couple of years ago, I switched to cast PCed bullets that also work well.





As z1r says, .358 bullets can work very well if you rifle meets the parameters he outlined. A very knowledgeable German I met on the German Rifle Collector's Forum also says and does the same. If you're uncomfortable with doing that, you may want to consider using cast bullets. They are very forgiving wrt bore diameters.

One other thing, the Hensoldt scope on German claw mounts is supper cool. I have that setup on a 1903 Mannlicher-Schoenauer. I had to have the scope refurbished by Iron Sight, Inc., but it is now top notch!

Congratulations on a fine acquisition!

Any bear should be proud to die with a bullet launched from such a fine looking rifle.

Thanks for the well wishes and info. I’ll update when it’s in my hands

Looking forward to it. hunter.

I'm sure you will find it quite enjoyable. I have one built on a small ring Kar98 action so I do not hotrod it. Doesn't make it any less deadly!

A true unicorn would be a Winchester M54 in 9X57MM

I’ll get some better ones after I clean it up. Scope is clear. Finish on the rifle is nice. A few dings here and there. I wish I knew the stories behind them. The set trigger is probably measured in ounces. I barely perceive touching the trigger when it breaks.

hunter, you set up to reload for that beauty?

Have some dies enroute from a member here. Slugged the bore at .358. Already picked up some old Knyoch rounds to disassemble. Looking for some additional 9mm head stamped brass but I have some 8mm if needed. I’m hoping to find some free time in may/June to hit the range and do some load development. Heading to maine in august so anything that’s consistent at 50 yards will work for that trip.

Pretty rifle.😊

You hit the jackpot with the bore size. Plenty of 358 bullets that'll work just fine! I recommend the 250 gr Hornady RN bullet or a good cast bullet if you want to go that route.

I didn't bother looking too hard for properly head stamped brass when it became obvious what it would cost. I just ran a hundred round bag of new 8X57 brass through the 9X57 sizer and started shooting!

Hope that beauty shoots as good as it looks....

Hunter, That's a nice find, I wouldnt fire any of that Kynoch ammo, its not very reliable. I sent you my address in the last PM, havent seen a response, is your flashy envelope not working again??

It’s also great that the barrel is 358!

That is a fine looking rifle.

I have used Hawke bullets in my 9x56 and taken several deer with them. Have not recovered any yet. I have also bought a swaging die and swage down Speer 200 grain round noses as my Mannlicher bore is .354. I tried shooting the 358 but had sticky bolt lift.