Planning out a 10.75X68 build

[Brian Rothhammer]

It's part of why I couldn't stand to be a teacher, despite liking to help educate people; you can't teach someone who doesn't want to be taught (and you can't throw chalk at them when they don't listen either).

When ol' Granddad (born 1902) was young and still in Overbrook, Kansas, there came a time when local men went off to enlist in the 'war to end all wars' (World War One). When the schoolteacher enlisted, 15 year old Johnny temporarily became teacher and principal of the one room schoolhouse. He always was good with his 'sums'.

When students, some older and larger than he, chose to disobey and to test his authority he would "take them out back and tar them", then resume classroom instruction.

At the same time, his boy scout leader also enlisted and was replaced by a woman until war's end.

None of this, of course, has anything to do with a 10.75X68 build.

 

[WebleyGreene455]

When ol' Granddad (born 1902) was young and still in Overbrook, Kansas, there came a time when local men went off to enlist in the 'war to end all wars' (World War One). When the schoolteacher enlisted, 15 year old Johnny temporarily became teacher and principal of the one room schoolhouse. He always was good with his 'sums'.

When students, some older and larger than he, chose to disobey and to test his authority he would "take them out back and tar them", then resume classroom instruction.

At the same time, his boy scout leader also enlisted and was replaced by a woman until war's end.

None of this, of course, has anything to do with a 10.75X68 build.

Lol no, it doesn't. So uh... er... I think an octagonal or oct-to-round is the most aesthetically pleasing option in a oldschool rifle but that's just me. Seems a bit hard to find a chambered 10.75 barrel, though, from a brief look at my usual places.

 

[HWL]

The nice thing about 10.75x68; 9.3x64; and 7x57 (or x64) is that you can really assemble three matched rifles on three identical standard length Mauser large ring actions for a near perfect nostalgic East German African battery

The 9,3x64 did not exist in the German colonial era, but a 9,3x62 would fit perfectly.



HWL

 

[chren]

@WebleyGreene455 my best luck so far has been Lothar-Walther who makes a barrel in the .404/10.75x68 barrel......or at least has it listed in their caliber page, yet isn't selectable in their chamberings section. I was hoping an email could smooth that out as it seems every previous build has used their barrels to build it. I'm assuming custom chamber reamers would be a pretty expensive task?

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Well I prefer being straight forward rather than beat about the bush.....

Another person who does not have many friends I presume ..being so straight forward??? I also have only two friends....

 

[WebleyGreene455]

@WebleyGreene455 my best luck so far has been Lothar-Walther who makes a barrel in the .404/10.75x68 barrel......or at least has it listed in their caliber page, yet isn't selectable in their chamberings section. I was hoping an email could smooth that out as it seems every previous build has used their barrels to build it. I'm assuming custom chamber reamers would be a pretty expensive task?

I was gonna suggest L-W until I saw they didn't offer the chambering. But an email would be worth it. I've asked about custom barrels before and they said they could do them for a relatively small increase in price. Might be that they just don't get enough requests for one to have it listed but can still do them on request.

 

[chren]

@WebleyGreene455 The issue I think I am going to have is finding reloading dies for this caliber....when I researched 4-5 years ago, RCBS made them, but as of now all I can find is CH4d dies which seem to be back-ordered or "coming in stock soon" everywhere. Any ideas as far as places that might be able to furnish a set or am I going to have to scour for some second-hand dies?

 

[WebleyGreene455]

@WebleyGreene455 The issue I think I am going to have is finding reloading dies for this caliber....when I researched 4-5 years ago, RCBS made them, but as of now all I can find is CH4d dies which seem to be back-ordered or "coming in stock soon" everywhere. Any ideas as far as places that might be able to furnish a set or am I going to have to scour for some second-hand dies?

I don't know of anyone that'd have them in stock, so you'll probably have to go looking for secondhand or just keep trying to find CH4d ones if/when they're available again, I'm afraid.

 

[One Day...]

The 9,3x64 did not exist in the German colonial era, but a 9,3x62 would fit perfectly.
HWL

This is absolutely correct

East Africa...

Wilhelm Brenneke created the 9.3x64 in 1927, but the German share of East Africa, was taken over by the British under a League of Nations Mandate in 1922 after the end of WW I and the Versailles Treaty.

There is ample evidence that the 9.3x64 served well in East Africa, but, indeed, by the time it arrived, Tanganyika was not "German East Africa" any longer but "British East Africa", although technically the British East Africa Protectorate became the Kenya Colony in 1920 and Tanganyika was called the Tanganyika Territory after the British took it over.

I did not mention the 9.3x62 because the OP specifically discussed the 9.3x64

9.3x62 and 9.3x64...

Regarding the calibers themselves, there is little doubt that the 9.3x62 was hugely popular with German colons, reportedly in large part because it was readily available in very affordable Mauser rifles and it worked, but there is also little doubt that it stands at the lower limit of acceptable power for dangerous game, and that the 9.3x64 is considerably better suited as an all-around cartridge for all African game, including dangerous game.

This being said, by the time the 9.3x64 arrived, it was arguably too late, as the 9.3x62 was everywhere and provided acceptable, if not stellar, performance, and the 9.3x64 never developed the popularity of the 9.3x62 with the German in Africa or the .375 H&H with the British in Africa.

7x57 and 7x64...

In a way, the 9.3x64 story in Africa is similar to that of the 7x64 also developed by Wilhelm Brenneke toward the end of WW I (1917). It too never dislodged the 7x57 in Africa after WW I, although it too is a noticeably faster, flatter shooting and significantly more powerful cartridge, but in this market segment the 7x57 was everywhere and provided good performance.

In Europe conversely, the 7x64 proved hugely successful, to this day, where it is the .270 Win / .280 Rem equivalent, while the 9.3x64 did not really succeed in Europe because it was/is needlessly powerful for the largest game (typically wild boar and Stag) for which the 9.3x62 is plenty powerful enough, and it remains to this day a short to medium range caliber of choice.

Tradition vs. performance...

So, the traditional metric battery would be 10.75x68 Mauser; 9.3x62 Mauser and 7x57 Mauser.

The performance metric battery would be 12.7×70 Schuler; 9.3x64 Brennele and 7x64 Brenneke.

PS: actually the 12.7×70 Schuler was such a good design that the Brits copied it and renamed it the .500 Jeffery....

 

[HWL]

.... now, you just have to find a place for the 8x68S in your "performance metric battery".

Perhaps, a fourth rifle is necessary for the long distance plains game!

btw,...9,3x62 was not a "Mauser" design.



HWL

 

[HWL]

I think an octagonal or oct-to-round is the most aesthetically pleasing option in a oldschool rifle but that's just me.
Seems a bit hard to find a chambered 10.75 barrel, though, from a brief look at my usual places.

Have a look at this....

https://www.egun.de/market/item.php?id=8712427

HWL

 

[WebleyGreene455]

Have a look at this....

https://www.egun.de/market/item.php?id=8712427

HWL

Don't like the safety, or that kind of scope mount, but other than that, very nice. Very nice indeed.

 

[One Day...]

btw,...9,3x62 was not a "Mauser" design.

I know, it was designed by Otto Bock. But FYI it is generally known as the 9.3x62 Mauser in the US...

For example:

.... now, you just have to find a place for the 8x68S in your "performance metric battery".

Yep, I love the 8x68S, and a 6.5x57 would not be bad either, although from a performance point of view the 6.5x68 is so much superior; and of course a double in 9.3x74R would also find its place, etc. etc. The question then becomes how many rifles do you bring to Africa?

 

[steve white]

I think modern powders and bullets could rewrite the 10.75x68. If you could get some monolithic solids so much the better as they will be longer for weight. There are revolutionary new bullet designs that are not solids--ones with massive sharp petals that shear off, etc, etc. I think the older bullets were half the problem. Newer offerings are almost an caliber upgrade in themselves. Besides, it might just make a cherry big bear gun.

 

[steve white]

No system has held people down unjustifiably as has the caste system. It is indefensible, and far worse than anything imposed from the outside.

 

[HWL]

The question then becomes how many rifles do you bring to Africa?

Good question,..... enough stuff for e new thread.....

HWL

 

[grand veneur]

I think modern powders and bullets could rewrite the 10.75x68. If you could get some monolithic solids so much the better as they will be longer for weight. There are revolutionary new bullet designs that are not solids--ones with massive sharp petals that shear off, etc, etc. I think the older bullets were half the problem. Newer offerings are almost an caliber upgrade in themselves. Besides, it might just make a cherry big bear gun.

As you write , the bullet was only half of the problem.

What does modern powder mean?

The shells are too small for slow burning powders so that you always have to work with fast burning powders. Bullets of around 400gr with a muzzle velocity of 2300 to 2400fts are ideal in this caliber class , but this speed is not reached or hardly with the 347gr bullets. A monolithic bullet would be a good alternative , if you could speed it up. With the 347gr monolithic bullet , Barnes had a theoretically suitable bullet for this cartridge , but the muzzle velocity remains too low to ensure a deep penetration and if possible a exit of the bullet. I never tested it on game , but the effect would not have been better than that of an 347gr FMJ bullet from Woodleigh. I shot a buffalo with this bullet and was therefore able to determine the lack of penetration of the bullet. Sure , it killed the buffalo , but everything has to be perfect and that's not always the case with shooting game. That's why you move with this cartridge on a very tight ridge and certainly not on the safe side.

It definitely remains a very marginal cartridge for hunting heavy DG.

 

[Dr Ray]

Well I prefer being straight forward rather than beat about the bush.....

Good!
No wimps on AH!

 

[Major Khan]

As you write , the bullet was only half of the problem.

What does modern powder mean?

The shells are too small for slow burning powders so that you always have to work with fast burning powders. Bullets of around 400gr with a muzzle velocity of 2300 to 2400fts are ideal in this caliber class , but this speed is not reached or hardly with the 347gr bullets. A monolithic bullet would be a good alternative , if you could speed it up. With the 347gr monolithic bullet , Barnes had a theoretically suitable bullet for this cartridge , but the muzzle velocity remains too low to ensure a deep penetration and if possible a exit of the bullet. I never tested it on game , but the effect would not have been better than that of an 347gr FMJ bullet from Woodleigh. I shot a buffalo with this bullet and was therefore able to determine the lack of penetration of the bullet. Sure , it killed the buffalo , but everything has to be perfect and that's not always the case with shooting game. That's why you move with this cartridge on a very tight ridge and certainly not on the safe side.

It definitely remains a very marginal cartridge for hunting heavy DG.

What make and model was your .423 Mauser calibre bolt rifle , Kurpfalzjager ?I personally consider the 1s made by Fabrique Nationale in the 1950s to be the most excellent .

 

[grand veneur]

DWM Mauser Gew.98 System from 1912 , rifle built in the early Seventies. The stock is made with Bubinga wood.