custom mauser rifle

M

mississippi_rifleman

New member
Are there any gunsmiths out there that still make custom rifles using the mauser 98 action instead of a remington 700 or winchester 70?

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Ben Lee
Student, Senior
Computer Science
Mississippi State University
Heed the man that owns only one rifle,
he likely knows how to use it.
- Anonymous
 
Many, many, many gunsmiths still build on mauser 98 actions. See if you can scrounge up a copy of "Rifle" magazine, which will have the names and numbers of a bunch of 'em.

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semper ubi sub ubi
 
Ben, Billy Tierce down here in the Jackson area builds wonderful rifles on many surplus actions. If you like, I will give you his number.
 
As a person in the middle of many Mauser projects right now, I was disappointed to hear from a target rifle builder Bret Evans 253 891 9063, how much money it would cost to get a Mauser up to the starting point of a Rem 700.

He has an 8 month backlog, and I am a cheapskate, buy I will eventually buy a Rem 700 and have him blue print and install a match barrel.
 
Can anybody tell me where can I find a match barrel for Mauser, in 308NATO?? and about how much for it?? Thanks!
 
Clark,

What do you mean by these?:

"how much money it would cost to get a Mauser up to the starting point of a Rem 700"



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Ben Lee
Student, Senior
Computer Science
Mississippi State University
Heed the man that owns only one rifle,
he likely knows how to use it.
- Anonymous
 
Mississippi. There is a lot of work to converting a Mauser action to sporting configuration. Just some of the tasks include grinding down the raised portion at the rear ring that supported the clip loading feature. Then the bolt handle had to be refigured either by cutting it off and welding on a new one, or by heating and reforging it to a new shape so that the handle will clear a scope. The action face has to be squared, and the action polished out for smoothness of operation. It has to be polished and blued. Drilled and tapped. Decent work such as this is highly labor intensive, and costs money. Excellent work is even more expensive.
The last mauser I had done up ran a hair over $2,800. Was it worth it. To me it was. Excellent work? No just decent.For excellence, go to David Miller in Tucson. Rifles based on Mausers start at $15,000 and go up from there, and you have a minimum of a 5 year wait. It it worth it? I'm not sure. At 15 grand, you have a basic plain sporter, albeit, made with the most meticulous care.
When I plan to build another custom sporter using a Mauser action, I cruise the gun shows looking for a J.C. Higgins model 50 rifle. A genuine F.N. Mauser action, stock and barrel by High Standard. Stock is rather plain walnut and somewhat blocky, but some judicious work with files and sandpaper will turn it into a rather nice feeling and quick handling sporter with classic lines. They are usually fairly accurate. The last one I bought did 3/8 inch with the first handload I put in it. Granted it was a match grade load with military match brass, hand weighed charges and a 190 gr. Hornady match hollow point.
If you want to go farther in customization, a lot of the work of fixing up the action will not be needed and money in labor charges saved there.
JMHO.
Paul B.
 
Mississippi, I will email you Billy's phone number. I have seen quite a bit of his work and he is very good. Here is a rushed up pic of a 7x57 Mauser he did on a FN action.
http://www.acmecity.com/rosie/flower/304/7x57FN.jpg Sorry, that was off the gunrack and uploaded to server in under 10 min. without wife finding rifle on sofa in sun room.
This rifle cost me $1300 as I recall but it was being sold by the original owner. The sight notches had not even been started and the man had had the rifle for 5 or 6 years so
figure some inflation.

[This message has been edited by HankL (edited August 23, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by HankL (edited August 28, 2000).]
 
At this time i'm converting a Mauser '98 (from a 7.65 Argentine carbine) to .308
The barrel is from Shilen - youn can find their excellent web-page with most of the data. Also Timney trigger - still wondering about the stock. It will carry a Swarovski 6x42 in Millet rings and mount. They are also most suitable for a 'Scout' type (forward) scope - ahead of the magazine - you can still use the stripper clips, a nice feature.
Al the best - will keep you posted.

Peter Knight (in Argentina)
 
A 100 percent endorsement to Ashley Outdoors. Excellent engineering and support.
I haven't tried their 'forward mount' and you should look into the matter of so called 'Scout' scopes - for the most part, the many adaptions of the concept are using pistol scopes - not a bad idea but not ideal. As I haven't much access to many options in this country (importation can get very bureaucratic) i havent gone that road... but the Ashley mount is a very good concept - check out their web page also.
Peter Knight

PS: Paul B's comments ar quite true.
As far as I've got - the bolt will need some modification (done) and you have to be careful that the headspacing is properly gauged (ok... 'gaged' :) ). The trigger action is the weak point in th military Mausers - a Timney or Jewell or similar is i think the first job - I had one 7.65 that I did the trigger job first: it shot so well thereafter that it would have been tragic to change it's barrel - hence, a new action (this is Mauser country) and the Shilen is still on the rack, waiting to be installed. MacMillan stocks would be a very nice addition...

[This message has been edited by Elchimango (edited August 26, 2000).]
 
I'll have to add my two bits here. Yes, the 98 Mauser is a good bit of work to make into a custom rifle, and it's almost always cheaper to go with a current commercial offering. But once you've spent the money and time to build your custom Mauser, it's a thing of beauty, and it has your individual tastes built into it, making it unique. I built a 1000-yard Interdiction Rifle on a 1916 Haenel Mauser action, chambered in 6.5-06. It was a lot of work and money, but I feel it was well worth the effort. The gun hasn't disappointed me at all, it centerpunched a golfball at a 500 meter tactical match in May of 1999, and just today, went 1/4 MOA from the prone at 100 yards, after not having been fired for over a year, and moving from California to Florida. Here's the target from this afternoon:
http://www.geocities.com/gew98.geo/6506grp26aug00.jpg

Here's the gun, and it's history:
http://www.geocities.com/gew98.geo/interdiction.html

Raven
 
Thanks all for the info, I can see my Mauser Scout Rifl coming, it shall be great, any other suggestion??
 
I have bought a milling machine, a lathe, an oxyaccetalene set up, a scope drill and tap jig, a bolt bending jig, barrel vice, action vice, and lots of barrels.

I have made a bolt heat sink with butressing threads, a reciever turning mandrel, and a bolt facing set up.

After a year of work, I have not yet shot a Mauser. I really love the guns, but it is allot of work to sporterize one properly.

I am currently looking for an oven that goes to 2000 degrees F, so I can heat treat Turks.
I think the VZ24s are OK the way they are.

Grinding the stripper charging hump and making a safety that will clear a scope are not things one worries about if one starts with a sporting rifle.
 
Safeties: there are several ways to go (unless you are going for the 'Scout Scope concept, where its irrelevant) - the military model's sfety that turns near on 90 degrees, on the left of the 'shroud' can be replaced by a 'quater turn' toggle; the whole 'shroud' can be repalced by one that has a safety similar to the Win Model 70's ... or (as you should be repalcing the trigger assembly anyway) you can opt for one such as Timneys with a safety. Check out any issue of 'Rifle' - there should be ads for these features and where you can get them. Also from the publishers of 'Rifle' - Wolfe Publishing Co. - i recommend R.A Walsh's "Mauser M98 & M96 - How to Build your Custom Rifle:
Yessir - got me a lathe, have a mill on order and would like to get one of them ovens too - but adapting the bolt could be done quiote well by 'cutting and welding' - so - a TIG welding machine... and come to think of it... aw heck - forget it. By the time all this is done (and am close to a year into the project) will probably have about $15000 worth of machine shop. I also bought a Winchester Mod 70 to see me through the coming season here, in the meantime :)
- Anyway, Clark: Congratulations on your setup!
Hasta proto - Peter Knight

[This message has been edited by Elchimango (edited August 28, 2000).]
 
Guy's, I know it's a big step but you don't have to set up your own shop unless you want to build up a bunch of em! I think Harry McGowan is still out there and I know Billy is still out there among many others. Yes, it's going to cost time, money or both but!
I got to shoot a 416 Rigby this past weekend done on an Enfield P14 action with plenty of extras added that cost 650 bucks less cost of action [not bad] a B&C fiberglass stock sorry Gale and some time spent here for free, bedding the thing together.
The thing that I like about using an old military action is that you are resurecting a piece of history instead of: 1 changing grandpa's old Model 70 into something else or: 2 Spending a real bucket of money getting something based on a newly made Pre 64 embellished etc. etc. without having experianced what can be done with an old Mauser or God Forbid, Springfield.
Mississippi, This project will be down the road most likley but please keep it in mind. KEEP IT IN MIND These guys sure do!

[This message has been edited by HankL (edited August 28, 2000).]
 
IF you absolutely must have a Mauser or if you have plenty of time and money, have a go at making a sporter out of a military Mauser.

BUT, making a Mauser sporter equivalent to a Remington 700, Ruger 77 or Winchester 70 will COST MORE (maybe much more) than buying the sporting rifle to begin with.

Jim
 
Well I know the Ruger is just like the Mauser and the pre-64 Winchester are great, but how much difference is the new Winchester action compared to the famous pre-64?
 
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