9x57...Can it be rechambered to 35 Whelen to safely use .358 bullets?

[Milan]

All you 35 Whelen fans (and yes Bob that means you )...do you know if this can be done as easily as reaming out the 9x57 chamber?

Seems to me that according to SAAMI specs .35 Whelen groove diameter is .357 (9.07) and we push .358 (9.09) bullets through it... right? The CIP 9x57 is supposedly .3574 (9.08) bullets through .3566 (9.06) grooves. Yet throat is supposedly 9.15 and my barrel at muzzle seems to measure at 9.125 (if I can trust myself and the simple caliper). Is the slight difference in groove diameter safely negligible to push .358 (9.09) bullets through that .3566 (9.06) groove barrel?

Also, is this worth it or should I "preserve" the 9? Anybody in Canada want 9x57?

I don't need another obsolete caliber and maybe I should sell the darn thing to someone who likes such stuff. Being in Canada, such market seems smaller than in the USA. While we have crazies that load whatever, obscure components and obscure dies are harder to find. Last time I even read of anyone inquiring about 9x57 was 2018. My additional problem is that, while .35 Whelen is nice, I don't even want that as I already have a 9.3x62, so I have too many calibers to begin with.

 

[GuttormG]

You can shoot .358" , start low and work up to factory speed for the bullet weight.

 

[Sarg]

I was just going to do this myself on a old Mauser, no problen if case lets go of the projectile, so if rechambering should be good, but I'm like you I have a nice few 9.3X62 & some .375 .

Just this rifle was very cool looking old girl, add forend tip & it would look like a Type A ?

 

[MS 9x56]

The only safe way to tell is to slug the barrel. Then if within a .001 or .002 do as GuttormG recommends. 9x57 is no big deal if you reload. I had a plethora of issues with my MS model 1905 until I slugged the bore. I then had to order a swags die to sewage the 358 bullets down to .354 as my rifle had a tight bore. What model is your rifle?

 

[MS 9x56]

The only safe way to tell is to slug the barrel. Then if within a .001 or .002 do as GuttormG recommends. 9x57 is no big deal if you reload. I had a plethora of issues with my MS model 1905 until I slugged the bore. I then had to order a swags die to sewage the 358 bullets down to .354 as my rifle had a tight bore. What model is your rifle?

Damn auto correct and fat fingers it is swage

 

[AZDAVE]

I would leave the old girl as a 9x57 and sell it to someone that likes the odd calibers. as you said you have a 9.3x62 and 375. I am sure that you stand at the safe and try to decide which of those two to take. Why add a third choice of a bigger mid-bore.

 

[Milan]

I would leave the old girl as a 9x57 and sell it to someone that likes the odd calibers. as you said you have a 9.3x62 and 375. I am sure that you stand at the safe and try to decide which of those two to take. Why add a third choice of a bigger mid-bore.

You hit it on the nose. That's exactly what happens to me at the safe. I only bought it because it is a commercial Oberndorf. It was filthy but it actually cleaned up better than I expected. It came with a LH stock. If it was all original it would be worth some coin. But this way it is just barrelled action and I don't even need the barrel. So I bought it for the action alone.

 

[Milan]

The only safe way to tell is to slug the barrel. Then if within a .001 or .002 do as GuttormG recommends. 9x57 is no big deal if you reload. I had a plethora of issues with my MS model 1905 until I slugged the bore. I then had to order a swags die to sewage the 358 bullets down to .354 as my rifle had a tight bore. What model is your rifle?

Kind of what I was afraid of. And I'm not gonna swage. Too much work in that case for zero benefit to me. Thank you. I thought if I were to rechamber to .35 Whelen, it might make it more "current" and more interesting to potential buyers.

 

[Milan]

it actually seems to be stamped as 9,1 groove on the barrel. That should make it safe for .358 bullets I think. Or does the bore size matter more?

 

[CoElkHunter]

Let's ask Townsend @Bob Nelson 35Whelen?

 

[Hogpatrol]

My research says no cigar due to action length. The Whelen case is .284 longer than the Mauser.

 

[sestoppelman]

My research says no cigar due to action length. The Whelen case is .284 longer than the Mauser.

It will work fine on a std length Mauser 98 action, no problem.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

All you 35 Whelen fans (and yes Bob that means you )...do you know if this can be done as easily as reaming out the 9x57 chamber?

Seems to me that according to SAAMI specs .35 Whelen groove diameter is .357 (9.07) and we push .358 (9.09) bullets through it... right? The CIP 9x57 is supposedly .3574 (9.08) bullets through .3566 (9.06) grooves. Yet throat is supposedly 9.15 and my barrel at muzzle seems to measure at 9.125 (if I can trust myself and the simple caliper). Is the slight difference in groove diameter safely negligible to push .358 (9.09) bullets through that .3566 (9.06) groove barrel?

Also, is this worth it or should I "preserve" the 9? Anybody in Canada want 9x57?

I don't need another obsolete caliber and maybe I should sell the darn thing to someone who likes such stuff. Being in Canada, such market seems smaller than in the USA. While we have crazies that load whatever, obscure components and obscure dies are harder to find. Last time I even read of anyone inquiring about 9x57 was 2018. My additional problem is that, while .35 Whelen is nice, I don't even want that as I already have a 9.3x62, so I have too many calibers to begin with.

@Milan.
Probably could be done but not worth the expense.
The 9x57 is the metric version of the 358 Winchester and there's no flies on that. Loaded properly the 9x57 is fully the equal of the 358 and there's no flies in that.
A friend of mine Ted Mitchell modified the 8x57 case to Ackley style and necked it up to .358, long throated the chamber and its no almost the equal of the Whelen. A lot cheaper option.
Maybe you could go that way.
You could google 358 Mitchell Express and have a look and see what you think.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Let's ask Townsend @Bob Nelson 35Whelen?

@CoElkHunter
What would that old fart know mate.
Bob

 

[leslie hetrick]

i have a 1912 styer 98 mauser action barreled to 35 whelen with no problems with it.

 

[degoins]

I would leave it as is. The 9x57 actually has a little more capacity than the the .358 Win and it will most likely shoot .358 bullets just fine. Mine does and it was made in 1914.
But if you just want a .35 Whelen then by all means forge ahead.

 

[Milan]

It will work fine on a std length Mauser 98 action, no problem.

Yeah. This one is the long action not the intermediate. Should be fine

It will work fine on a std length Mauser 98 action, no problem.

I thought I replied to this but I guess I did not. Yes this is the standard length action not the intermediate one. So it should work just fine.

 

[Milan]

@Milan.
Probably could be done but not worth the expense.
The 9x57 is the metric version of the 358 Winchester and there's no flies on that. Loaded properly the 9x57 is fully the equal of the 358 and there's no flies in that.
A friend of mine Ted Mitchell modified the 8x57 case to Ackley style and necked it up to .358, long throated the chamber and its no almost the equal of the Whelen. A lot cheaper option.
Maybe you could go that way.
You could google 358 Mitchell Express and have a look and see what you think.
Bob

Thank Bob! Yes I would have to buy the reamer and pay a gunsmith. Still way easier than other calibers mentioned as those are truly reloading and brass prep option only and that is way too much diddling for me. I don't even manage to just reload what I have in the more standard calibers. 35 Whelen would allow buying components and/or whole ammo even for the next guy.

Other option is to re-barrel. That is the cheapest option for me as I have another 9.3x62 barrel but I thought this one deserved to keep the barrel it had. Then again since the original stock is gone, the trigger has been modified slightly, it's not all original anyway. But thanks for your suggestion. I will check the .358M out just to see.

 

[Milan]

I would leave it as is. The 9x57 actually has a little more capacity than the the .358 Win and it will most likely shoot .358 bullets just fine. Mine does and it was made in 1914.
But if you just want a .35 Whelen then by all means forge ahead.

If I did not have any other mediums I totally would. But at this point it would be yet another caliber in my gun safe, and would require more things to purchase and set up to use. none too easy to get. So as much as I'd like to keep good old things going, I think I'd rather support the 35 Whelen or even better the 9.3.x62.

 

[Luederitz]

Rechambering from 9x57 to 35 Whelen should be possible.
If you have a glance on the dimensions

https://bobp.cip-bobp.org/uploads/tdcc/tab-i/tabical-en-page67.pdf

https://bobp.cip-bobp.org/uploads/tdcc/tab-i/tabical-en-page137.pdf

it should be possible. The 35 Whelen exceeds the 9x57 in all relevant dimensions.

What has to be taken into account is a different maximum pressure (2800 vs. 4000 bar!). If its an original K98 action the higher pressure should be no issue.

Slight differences in grooves and twist should be also no big issue...