| jgrabow |
| (.300 member) |
| 22/04/21 04:51 AM |
Another Christoph Funk but in 6.5 x 68 RWS
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Picked up this 6.5 x 68 rifle several years ago from Guns International. It was missing the scope and rings so I had JJ mount my scope using NECG rings.
The barrel is stamped Christoph Funk, Suhl and Rudolf Gronau, Braunschweig. I'm wondering if Christoph Funk made the basic rifle and Rudolf Gronau did the engraving, or did Christoph Funk do all the work and Rudolf Gronau just marketed the rifle?
Who is Rudolf Gronau of Braunschweig?
Looks like a date stamp 3 41. What are the other markings?
| kuduae |
| (.400 member) |
| 22/04/21 06:49 AM |
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Re: Another Christoph Funk but in 6.5 x 68 RWS
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Rudolf Gronau in Brunswick merely retailed this rifle. Gronau opened his gunshop in 1930. The shop existed at least to the 1970s as “Waffen-Gronau” at Schlosspassage, Braunschweig, but was owned by Werner Dollega then. I still remember that shop as I sometimes bought a box of 22 lrs there. At that time, the 1960s, they had a S&W triple lock in .455 Webley in their window. But I could not afford their DMark 375.- , about $ 95.- asking price then.
The barrel is made of R7L grade steel from Röchling’s steelworks at Völklingen by Louis Kelber, a well known Suhl barrelmaker, script Z like mark. The rifle shows the 1940 – 45 German proofmarks. The “pick and sole” mark is of the Suhl proofhouse. The script Kv mark is found on many Suhl rifles, but not identified. Funk used , as usual then, a Gewehr 98 action left over from the WW1 production. The small letters and numbers under the receiver are factory internal worker’s marks from that period, unidentifiable to outsiders even then.The 8 is a Funk assembly number.
The 6.5x68 is not a “Schüler” cartridge. It was developed by RWS and first shown in their 1940 handbook, together with the big brother, the 8x68S. So your March 1941 proofed Funk is probably one of the earliest 6.5x68 rifles existing.
| 93x64mm |
| (.416 member) |
| 22/04/21 07:07 AM |
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Re: Another Christoph Funk but in 6.5 x 68 RWS
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You certainly have an very interesting piece of kit there jgrabow!
It will make a great plains rifle to say the least, that 6.5 is one speedster of a cartridge.
It is truly gratifying to see someone like yourself get an 80 year old rifle back on its feet & returned to what it should have been. The chances of picking up a period scope would be extraordinary to say the least, you have simply done the next best thing.
Well done mate on your labour of love.
And thanks kuduae for another history lesson, always wonderful notes of wisdom.
Cheers
| jgrabow |
| (.300 member) |
| 22/04/21 09:56 AM |
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Re: Another Christoph Funk but in 6.5 x 68 RWS
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Thanks for the info Kuduae, I knew I could count on you.
93x64mm, I look now and then for an original scope but no luck yet.
NitroX
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| (.700 member) |
| 22/04/21 01:54 PM |
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Re: Another Christoph Funk but in 6.5 x 68 RWS
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Well done. I still lust for a rifle in that cartridge chambering.
Such an early vintage Mauser 98 rifle as well.
What is its barrel's length? What is its weight?
| Louis |
| (.375 member) |
| 22/04/21 06:11 PM |
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Re: Another Christoph Funk but in 6.5 x 68 RWS
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Very nice classic rifle Jim, congratulations on your acquisition, and thank you to Kuduae for the information provided.
Louis
| jgrabow |
| (.300 member) |
| 23/04/21 04:53 AM |
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Re: Another Christoph Funk but in 6.5 x 68 RWS
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Thanks John and Louis.
The rifle weighs 9lb 4oz as is unloaded. The barrel measures 24 5/8 inches from the receiver.
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 24/04/21 03:30 AM |
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Re: Another Christoph Funk but in 6.5 x 68 RWS
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6.5x68S(Schuler) is an excellent round. My buddy Keith has had one ever since I met him in 1979 - still does, as well as an 8x68S.
I've made 6.5x68S cases using .300 Winchester Mag. brass. Easy peazy.
| kuduae |
| (.400 member) |
| 24/04/21 03:50 AM |
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Re: Another Christoph Funk but in 6.5 x 68 RWS
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Quote:
6.5x68S(Schuler) is an excellent round.
As I wrote before, calling the 6.5x68 and 8x68S “Schüler” is just plain wrong. Both cartridges were developed by RWS in the late 1930s. R. Schüler, Suhl, was not involved in the development. Maybe some American “expert” encountered a Schüler made rifle in one of those chamberings post-WW2 and attached the misspelled “Schuler” to the cartridges.
| jgrabow |
| (.300 member) |
| 24/04/21 05:43 AM |
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Re: Another Christoph Funk but in 6.5 x 68 RWS
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Plus there is no S in 6.5x68. The S in 8x68s indicates a .323 diameter bullet vs .318 bullet.
| Wedgetail |
| (.275 member) |
| 14/05/21 04:53 PM |
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Re: Another Christoph Funk but in 6.5 x 68 RWS
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Oof that’s a nice rifle, congrats! Wicked cartridge too
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NitroX
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| (.700 member) |
| 14/05/21 05:58 PM |
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Re: Another Christoph Funk but in 6.5 x 68 RWS
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Quote:Quote:
6.5x68S(Schuler) is an excellent round.
As I wrote before, calling the 6.5x68 and 8x68S “Schüler” is just plain wrong. Both cartridges were developed by RWS in the late 1930s. R. Schüler, Suhl, was not involved in the development. Maybe some American “expert” encountered a Schüler made rifle in one of those chamberings post-WW2 and attached the misspelled “Schuler” to the cartridges.
For those of us without keyboards having an "umlaut" key, the use of an e after the vowel does the job so the German "Schüler" is spelled "Schueler", with non German keyboards.
And yes, while the 6.5x68 is related by its brass case to the 8x68S, the 6.5x68 has no S, as the 8x68S, the S relates as it usually does in any 8mm, to a .323 bore size/bullet size.
A fire cracker of a cartridge, preceeded the similar ballistics .264 Win Mag by several decades.
For chamois, a 93 gr projectile at some 4000 fps or more.
I'd love to give it a go on feral goats in the mountains, provided a 90 to 100 gr bullet was not too fragile.
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 15/05/21 01:31 AM |
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Re: Another Christoph Funk but in 6.5 x 68 RWS
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No umlaut key.
Could have sworn my die box had an S after the 6.5x68 moniker.
Just looked and couldn't find the die box even. Oh well.
I am aware the S in 8x68S is for .323" bullet.
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NitroX
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| (.700 member) |
| 15/05/21 12:24 PM |
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Re: Another Christoph Funk but in 6.5 x 68 RWS
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Quote:
No umlaut key.
Could have sworn my die box had an S after the 6.5x68 moniker.
Just looked and couldn't find the die box even. Oh well.
I am aware the S in 8x68S is for .323" bullet.
The anal retentive part of me gets annoyed seeing 6.5x68S.
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NitroX
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| (.700 member) |
| 26/12/22 08:10 PM |
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Re: Another Christoph Funk but in 6.5 x 68 RWS
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Lovely old rifle in a goody.tmm cartridge!