Pair of 25 caliber custom hunting rifles!

[@Wheelchair-bear]

The first deer I shot was with a sporterized Mauser 98 in 30-06, it had a 4x Weaver scope. I was 14 years old, the deer was a 4x4 mule deer buck.

[@hopefulballistics]

@@Wheelchair-bear thats really cool

[@TheREALLibertyOrDeath]

1/4 bores are sweet shooters

[@hopefulballistics]

Right on!

[@demetriuscooksey7147]

Just plug the barrel with a wooden dowel and do a chamber cast with CerroSafe. Take some measurements with your micrometer or calipers of your casting and there you go.

[@zebrobson2639]

@@demetriuscooksey7147 I remember putting a cleaning rod in the barrelwith a wad of steel wool plugged at the top then pouring hot lead in the chamber, then popping it out with a dowel, that worked like magic.

[@czguy3045]

Always love the Mauser 98 action. I used to love Mannlicher stock. I don't dislike them, but I don't drool over them like I did in my younger days but boy that darker stock in this video... yeah, buddy! That darker stock with the peep sight setup from the other rifle in something like 257 Roberts, 7x57 or 6.5x55 would be a big 'YES!' in my book!

[@hopefulballistics]

@@czguy3045 right on, thanks!

[@lylewalters909]

The first person i would get ahold of is Randy Selby , The Real Gunsmith channel, and talk to him.

[@jeremystyron9721]

Yes sir Randy is one of the best it's ashame he doesn't have an apprentice to take over his Legacy and knowledge building and modifying rifles and cartridges that I know of . He has done quite a bit of work for me over the years.

[@brandondavis5249]

I have always liked the idea of a 250 Savage AI for Prong Horn. When I studied the cartridge, I liked what I found.

[@hopefulballistics]

@@brandondavis5249 I agree

[@tacticalmattfoley]

Yeah, I'm wondering if that's what he's looking at here........

[@stevepuyear2738]

I have a custom rifle chambered for Sav. 250AI

[@nmelkhunter1]

My uncle, who is a rancher in New Mexico, had a neighbor who use to hunt pronghorn with a Savage 99 in 250-3000. The rifle had a Leupold fixed 4X and he would get a buck every year. I asked him why he didn’t use a 270, 25-06 or similar cartridge instead and he simply stated because this one works.

[@demetriuscooksey7147]

Same. It's the most "improved" cartridge of the Ackley Improved cartridges. I'd hunt everything from rock chucks to mule deer with that quarter bore.

[@bryanbest5113]

Chamber cast them. Sounds like 250 savage AI. Maybe 25-06 AI. Chamber cast. Small amount of pistol powder with cream of wheat to get an expanded brass. Other option would be to spin a different barrel on them.

[@hopefulballistics]

@@bryanbest5113 I appreciate it, thanks!

[@Marcus-jg4jb]

If you get chamber castings done, and the chamber is something that brass can be fire formed for, you can always get custom dies made from a few pieces of fire formed brass. If the barrels aren't shot out I wouldn't be able to bring myself to ream out two old wildcat rifles like that.

[@hopefulballistics]

@@Marcus-jg4jb I appreciate it.

[@hillbillyscholar8126]

I would love to hear an update on this find. Very interesting story and rifles!

[@hopefulballistics]

I’ll definitely pass it along if I find something.

[@paullavallee1631]

I have a buddy with a Mannlicher Stocked Ruger M77 international in 30/06, its a Mark 1 and its a real beauty much like these 2 fine rifles are

[@hopefulballistics]

@@paullavallee1631 nice!

[@Disastrous.Affect]

That is an amazing piece of history, and such a great story.🫡Thank you for sharing it.👍

[@hopefulballistics]

@@Disastrous.Affect thanks for watching and commenting!

[@shaylneoozeva6260]

Bought my son a m98 from my uncle chambered a regular 22-250 custom by P.O.Ackley really tight chambers along with a m70 308 norma magnum by P.O Ackley also they're not improved both of them stamped P.O.Ackley. my grandfather back in the 60s and 70s was a big game guide hunter for walrus, polar bears and seal they all passed on and I inherited some of the rifles without getting the full story of who gave them to them ,always wondered if P.O.Ackley came out to hunt here at St. Lawrence Island Gambell, Alaska 38 miles away from Russia

[@hopefulballistics]

@@shaylneoozeva6260 very cool

[@dondilley5075]

Do you have or access to P. 0. Ackley Volume 1 for shooters and reloaders? Many 25 Wildcats that indicate parent cartridge. Might help with the mystery.

[@hopefulballistics]

@@dondilley5075 I don’t. I’ll look into that

[@fabrizioghilardi4020]

Complimenti bellissima presentazione. Molto gradita la traduzione in italiano

[@hopefulballistics]

Thank you!

[@markcarew6724]

The late 1950s to early 1960s was perhaps the most prolific period of wildcat cartridge development in America. The Handbook of Cartridge Conversion might be a place to find the particular cartridges in question. One could make a cast from Cerrosafe to determine the chamber dimensions and throat depth.

[@hopefulballistics]

@@markcarew6724 I appreciate that

[@milehighmagoo]

I have a very similar rifle and caliber. Barrel says 300/25. We ended up finding out it's a 25 caliber in a necked down 300 Win Mag case. Action is Remington Model 1917 Enfield. Stock is similarly heavily customized and checkered. Cheek piece is actually carved deer.

[@hopefulballistics]

Interesting, thanks!

[@rogersmaland7077]

Cool Guns

[@hopefulballistics]

@@rogersmaland7077 thanks!

[@zebrobson2639]

Ive got a .25-06 but you say it doesnt quite fit the quarter bore, so it cant be the 257 bob, 6.5x55 swede or 7x57 mauser as all 3 are shorter. For cartridges with 'pretty close' brass sizing the .270 and .280rem come to mind, and it could also be a wildcat 6mm-06. Good luck on finding the chambering!

[@hopefulballistics]

I appreciate it

[@tacticalmattfoley]

These two rifles are in shockingly good condition in my opinion. Not sure how they've been stored, but there's no signs of pitting on the metal or cracks in the stock that I could see. Lots of times you'll see "spidering" in the stocks from storage in dry conditions like attics. The way old timers did deep luster, rust bluing almost seems lost to history...The Fins at Sako are the only ones who seem to do it right at the moment.

[@hopefulballistics]

@@tacticalmattfoley yeah, I’m not sure how they were stored. But they’re in great shape.

[@merlemorrison482]

I had a 257 Ackley Roberts improved.

[@hopefulballistics]

Nice

[@edwardabrams4972]

I have Sako carbine in a 30-06 that is very similar to those but the Sako is a whole lot nicer🙌 My oldest son likes to hunt with it which is good because it’s super accurate even though it’s only got a 19” inch barrel. Being a 60+ years gun collector I have lots of guns to choose from but the Sako’s along with my pre64’s and CZ550’s! The Sako’s are the hardest to find in good condition.

[@hopefulballistics]

Thanks

[@shaylneoozeva6260]

Was thinking of selling the m98 shoots 1 holish groups with factory ammo, some people tells me not to use them but we still do saying that there collector's rifles .Hardly use them

[@hopefulballistics]

@@shaylneoozeva6260 I’m sure you’ll find a buyer easy.

[@drdes9609]

I would guess that they are 257 roberts?

[@TODinWY]

7x61 necked to .25 ?

[@hopefulballistics]

Maybe

[@ratdaddy7774]

If you didn't get the custom made dies with them in short who ever wants to shoot them may be somewhat screwed the way they are chambered, however beautiful rifles

[@hopefulballistics]

@@ratdaddy7774 they’ll probably have to be fixed with a reamer.

[@texpatriot8462]

The guns predate the Sammi 25-06, but that doesn't mean it was not a post wwii wildcat off the 30-06. If the bolt face matches the case head and the body fits, I would bet it is a 25-06 wildcat. On the other gun, does the bolt face matches a 375 H&H? Who needs Roy Weatherby when you can have your own "250 Magnum?"

[@hopefulballistics]

@@texpatriot8462 thanks

[@jbradley500]

Think its a 25/264 win mag?

[@hopefulballistics]

@@jbradley500 might be

[@TODinWY]

@@hopefulballistics if these guns were built in the fifties they pre-date the Win Mag.

[@WillyK51]

Look up Chamber Castings. Simple. Before running a reamer. If The Cartridge isn't available or simple to wildcat from a common parent cartridge, then Ream it to a a common modern cartridge

[@hopefulballistics]

@@WillyK51 I appreciate it

[@vernonlarson7016]

I think the 250 magnum is a 2506 ai

[@hopefulballistics]

@@vernonlarson7016 might be

[@TODinWY]

@@hopefulballistics Check the bolt-face for size.

[@TODinWY]

Why would it not be stamped that way?

[@savagestevens6398]

Identifying the chambering should be straightforward. Chamber cast with cerrosafe, measure casting with calipers or micrometer and find your chambering in cartridges of the world book. Shouldn’t be too difficult

[@hopefulballistics]

@@savagestevens6398 thanks!

[@savagestevens6398]

@ no problem. Our community needs to stick together and help each other out.

[@ReloadingWeatherby]

First!

[@hopefulballistics]

@@ReloadingWeatherby thanks!