M-96 in 6.5x55 to a 358 Win

[Recondo 101]

Had a brand new arsenal Husky 1943 M-96 action, never had a barrel mounted. So kept thinking about what to do with it. I have several 35 cal rifles I have built, but not a single 358 Win rifle....so why not build one.

Checked the data, not a super easy conversion, but can be done if you pay attention to feeding, extractor hold, OAL, etc. Max loads as listed are only 2k PSI different. I am not interested in max loads. But the M-96s were proofed to 70k+ psi each, before sale to the public, and the Husky is reported to be the best of the 96s. I really wanted a cast bullet 35 rifle, so.

I figured maybe about 40 alterations, am now at 48 so close enough with the Carekote, glass bedding and cross bolt with English walnut cap. Absolutely not very cost effective for a paid project. Have done a few 96s so this was only a why not project for myself. The 96 is a 3/4 length action, not a short or a long action, is in-between.

 

[Recondo 101]

A few more pictures, I normally do not take pictures, just go through the process, step by step, then take a picture at the end. Decided on this project to take pictures as I went through each modification. I wrote the mods down and got to 54.
This is the cross bolt setup, cap dowel bit in mill, cross bolt drilled and installed, cross bolt jig, tools, and lamp for black, dowel cap mounted over the bolt head before cut off.
Dowel Cutter in mill

Cross bolt Inserted and dowel cap bits

Cross Bolt Jig w drill bits, barrel channel rasp, lamp black, file-rasps and Dremmel for touch up fit of jig

Cross bolt cap dowel glued in place for final surfacing

Note the inside of the wood inletting is rough on purpose to provide a holding surface for the Acraglass Gel bedding. It will be 1/8" drilled and fine saw cuts made at opposite angles to provide a strong holding surface.

 

[Recondo 101]

This is the bolt mods, bolt handle forged and shaped, shroud modified, cocking thumb piece removed, safety cut, safety installed.

Faced and threads trued on mandrel.

De cocker removal, firing pin length reduction, fit and polish

De cocker, firing pin polish with sporter safety installed

Timney trigger installed w/ safety adjusted for proper function

Stripper clip hump removed

Tang cut layout

Lug lapping tool w new brass dummy to set headspace and feed

Forged and formed bolt handle w scope base for scope clearance

 

[Recondo 101]

A couple of tools

This is the Forster drill / Tap fixture for the milling machine.

This is a Machine Turning or Jewling fixture

The bolt body and handle flat jeweled

The jewling fixture is not to common, the geared head moves 1/2 row per click, the end crank movs one half row per click to create the over lap. Both adjustments are spring loaded and you move in one direction as you jewel or cut the surface

 

[Recondo 101]

Went down to check the final coat on the stock, to see if it is setting up in all of this humidity. It is doing OK and I got a decent picture of the stock by changing the angle of interior over head lights. And a picture of the finished Carakote Granite Black coated metal.