22 Varminter Mauser 98

[Billo]

Looking at the gun rack in 1 of my local gun shop an old Mauser started winking at me the other day, righto what's that hand it over

22 Varminter stamped along the top of the barrel along with the name of a long gone but respected gunsmith, what the hell is this

So any of you old boys ever played with the 22 Varminter, where do I find reloading dies and brass Yeap I went back today and bought the bastard

[dnedative]

That's the fancy name for 22-250 isnt it?
Same deal with people chambering things in 275 Rigby or calling their 243 Win a 6mm Win etc

[bigpete]

https://www.cartridgecollector.net/22-varminter

It proceeds the 22-250 although probably almost identical

[dnedative]

Got some photos? Love old school smith specials

[Blr243]

I use 90 grainers in my 270. I call it my 243 super

[northdude]

when I first read the op I was thinking maybe a 220swift

[Billo]

https://www.cartridgecollector.net/22-varminter

It proceeds the 22-250 although probably almost identical

almost but no Cigar, 22-250 doesnt chamber but not far off, slight difference in the shoulder as the Varminter I believe is based off the 250 savage case necked straight down to 224 and has more taper than the 22-250.

No photo's to share at this stage, the Mauser appears to be a very early Commercial FN clean skin with what appears to be a prototype military trigger with side safety. Mag box has a block for the shorter case and the trigger is light around the 2lb range, like all commercial FN's bolt is slick as any Mauser you will ever find.

[Billo]

Got some photos? Love old school smith specials

Its a Bill Marden special, rifling is shiny and sharp and most likely 1:14. Will probably try and bump the shoulder on a 22-250 to see if I can get a case to chamber otherwise I'll probably get a 22-250 run in to clean it up.

[bigpete]

Got some photos? Love old school smith specials

Its a Bill Marden special, rifling is shiny and sharp and most likely 1:14. Will probably try and bump the shoulder on a 22-250 to see if I can get a case to chamber otherwise I'll probably get a 22-250 run in to clean it up.

That last bit was my first thoughts lol

[Billo]

10lb 10oz with the Meopta, yeap a real fat barrel. Early 50's FN clean skin action, trigger is a bit special no idea if its an FN product but its double sprung and has adjustment for travel. Short action mag box has been milled out to to help contain cases, not something Ive seen before. Bolt lug have been lapped and overall the action is a slick example. No idea what it will become but I managed to size down some Tikka 22-250 cases after I took about 10 thou off a the base of a Lee FLS die. Range session tmw

[Gamerancher]

Billo wrote, "almost but no Cigar, 22-250 doesnt chamber but not far off, slight difference in the shoulder as the Varminter I believe is based off the 250 savage case necked straight down to 224 and has more taper than the 22-250. "

Yeah, um, well, where do you think the "250" in .22-250 comes from...That would be the .250 Savage.
The .250 Savage has been about since 1915 and would have been wild-catted soon after. The version of the .250 case necked down to .22 cal in the form of what is now the .22-250 has been around since 1937. Remington didn't commercialise the .22-250 cartridge, (and put their name on it), until almost 30 years later in 1965.

[Billo]

Hey Gamerancher I guess some may not know the origins of the 22-250 and yes many wild catted the the 250 savage, obviously thou this version of the 22 Varminter I have is not quite the same spec as the modern 22-250 remington, its close thou.

[Gamerancher]

Billo, I wasn't trying to be a smart@rse mate, but I've had plenty of folks tell me about how they "know" that it's based on the .308W case.

Your Marden rifle is very nice, bit jealous actually looks like it was looked after. If it's a simple matter of bumping the shoulder .010" on .22-250 brass to get it to work, I'd leave the chamber as is.

[Billo]

Hey gamerancher the gun will be left as is cause it works and it's also a bit of history.

I deconstructed some factory tikka 22-250 ammo and loaded up 34gr of 2208 as per ADI's start load. Even recycled the 55gr projectile.

Threw 1 fouling and sighting in shot which was close to the target, the next 4 shots went hru the same hole at 50m like it was normal thing to do

Hotter loads opened up a bit but it looks like a shooter.

I