Mauser converted to 308WIN?
- Thread starter twoblink
- Start date
Rottweiler
New member
Yep, can be, has been done many times.
Bare minimum, remove barrel, ream new barrel's chamber to proper depth, install new barrel.
You can do it yourself,
Tools required;
1 Barrel vise
2 Action wrench
3 chambering reamer
4 appropriate wrench to turn reamer (I use a tap wrench)
5 headspace guages (go and no-go)
6 good quality cutting oil
7 someone familliar with the process to "check your work" (only a recommendation for the first few you do)
8. good quality pre-threaded short chambered barrel of your choice
Honestly, the first 6 tools alone will pretty much cost you what a good gunsmith will charge you to do the work.
Bare minimum, remove barrel, ream new barrel's chamber to proper depth, install new barrel.
You can do it yourself,
Tools required;
1 Barrel vise
2 Action wrench
3 chambering reamer
4 appropriate wrench to turn reamer (I use a tap wrench)
5 headspace guages (go and no-go)
6 good quality cutting oil
7 someone familliar with the process to "check your work" (only a recommendation for the first few you do)
8. good quality pre-threaded short chambered barrel of your choice
Honestly, the first 6 tools alone will pretty much cost you what a good gunsmith will charge you to do the work.
Great!! That's what I figured. Can you give me some idea on the pricing??
I'm probably going to buy a Turkish Mauser (big sale right now) and
http://www.atigunstocks.com/ one of these nice stocks for it.. (Looks like a Steyr Scout then..) and if I can get it chambered in 308.. that is just sweet..
This is definitely a Smith thing.. I am not about to try to do a conversion on my own..
Someone who has done it, please give me an idea of the cost involved.. thanx!
Albert.
I'm probably going to buy a Turkish Mauser (big sale right now) and
http://www.atigunstocks.com/ one of these nice stocks for it.. (Looks like a Steyr Scout then..) and if I can get it chambered in 308.. that is just sweet..
This is definitely a Smith thing.. I am not about to try to do a conversion on my own..
Someone who has done it, please give me an idea of the cost involved.. thanx!
Albert.
WilderBill
New member
If you want to save time and money there are Spanish surplus Mausers that are already .308.
They aren't pretty, but they are ready made.
They aren't pretty, but they are ready made.
Re: Spanish Mauser conversions to .308...
The FR-8 is a conversion to .308 of a large ring '98 action. These seem to be a very good buy and quite capable of handling the .308 pressures. I've seen lots of good reports on these, though I've never handled one.
The FR-6 (FR-7??) .308 is a conversion of a small ring '95 action and should be fired with caution. A lot of crufflers are very skeptical of this conversion due to the pressure of the .308 round. The small ring Mausers were not made for this type pressure. There are rumors around of these rifles turning up with cracked bolt lugs. Again a rumor, but it is said that the Spanish actually used a "reduced pressure" .308 round specially loaded in that country just for these rifles.
You might note that barrel makers and sellers will advertise calibers like .308, '30-06, .358 Win, and .300 Win Mag in their conversion barrels for the '98 large ring Mausers.
Also note that they NEVER advertise these calibers in their conversion barrels for the '95 or '93 small ring Mausers. They only make older, lower pressure rounds like the .257 roberts, 6.5x55 Swede, 7mm Mauser, etc., available for the small ring actions.
I passed up a really nice FR-6 (-7??) in a local pawnshop recently. Good blueing, perfect bore, and really pretty wood for only $85.00. A bargain to be sure, but if I bought it, I'd want to shoot it, and I just did not want to take a chance with the pressure issue.
Proceed with caution.....
my .02,
Swampy
See Swampy's milsurp Mausers at:
www.swampworks.com/SwampysStuff-1.html
and at: www.swampworks.com/SwampysStuff-2.html
The FR-8 is a conversion to .308 of a large ring '98 action. These seem to be a very good buy and quite capable of handling the .308 pressures. I've seen lots of good reports on these, though I've never handled one.
The FR-6 (FR-7??) .308 is a conversion of a small ring '95 action and should be fired with caution. A lot of crufflers are very skeptical of this conversion due to the pressure of the .308 round. The small ring Mausers were not made for this type pressure. There are rumors around of these rifles turning up with cracked bolt lugs. Again a rumor, but it is said that the Spanish actually used a "reduced pressure" .308 round specially loaded in that country just for these rifles.
You might note that barrel makers and sellers will advertise calibers like .308, '30-06, .358 Win, and .300 Win Mag in their conversion barrels for the '98 large ring Mausers.
Also note that they NEVER advertise these calibers in their conversion barrels for the '95 or '93 small ring Mausers. They only make older, lower pressure rounds like the .257 roberts, 6.5x55 Swede, 7mm Mauser, etc., available for the small ring actions.
I passed up a really nice FR-6 (-7??) in a local pawnshop recently. Good blueing, perfect bore, and really pretty wood for only $85.00. A bargain to be sure, but if I bought it, I'd want to shoot it, and I just did not want to take a chance with the pressure issue.
Proceed with caution.....
my .02,
Swampy
See Swampy's milsurp Mausers at:
www.swampworks.com/SwampysStuff-1.html
and at: www.swampworks.com/SwampysStuff-2.html
.308 Masuer
It is not a rumor, repeat, not a rumor that .308 NATO and/or .308 Win is unsafe in the FR-7 Spanish or any other small ring ('93-'95) Mauser action. The FR-7 used the .308 CEMTE, which the Spanish developed before NATO adopted the .308. The CETME round developes pressure in the .30-30/7X57 range which should not exceed about 47000CUP. The .308 NATO will exceed somewhere above 57000 CUP and the .308 Win will go beyond 67000.
The Isreali and Brazilian actions (which are large ring/98 mauser) were converted to .308NATO. The Fr-8 is questionable, but many have said they fire .308 NATO without a problem, however, even if that is true, the .308 Winchester is still to hot to be safe.
Why not just get a Winchester, Remington or Sako that was built in .308 Win?
It is not a rumor, repeat, not a rumor that .308 NATO and/or .308 Win is unsafe in the FR-7 Spanish or any other small ring ('93-'95) Mauser action. The FR-7 used the .308 CEMTE, which the Spanish developed before NATO adopted the .308. The CETME round developes pressure in the .30-30/7X57 range which should not exceed about 47000CUP. The .308 NATO will exceed somewhere above 57000 CUP and the .308 Win will go beyond 67000.
The Isreali and Brazilian actions (which are large ring/98 mauser) were converted to .308NATO. The Fr-8 is questionable, but many have said they fire .308 NATO without a problem, however, even if that is true, the .308 Winchester is still to hot to be safe.
Why not just get a Winchester, Remington or Sako that was built in .308 Win?
I have a 1909 that was rechambered to .308. It shoots great. However, when I bought it, it was already rebarreled, so I have no idea who did the smithing.
You may want to post your question over in Smithing. I'm sure some of our board smiths could give you a quote.
And as to the question, why a Mauser? When you could just get a Sako or a Remington.
Mausers are nice rifles. They have a huge amount of history and class, and there is just something special about hunting with a gun like that. Large ring Mauser actions are some of the strongest ever created. Controlled round feeding is great for dangerous game, thats why the most common dangerous game rifles are usually in a Mauser type action (like the pre '64) or a Mauser derivitive.
Also if you look at the bang for your buck, you can build up a rifle to your exact specs, for not much more than purchasing a box stock rifle that is just like the box stock rifle everybody else has. And that is just for sporterizing, I love military Mausers just the way they are.
You can pick up a surplus Mauser for in good condition for anywhere from $30-$200 bucks. Even if you ditch everything but the action you still have an action cheaper than a Sako action. (Don't get me wrong, I think Sakos are sweet).
Barrels are usually well under $200, and that is for a good one.
Stock of your choice, around $100, give or take.
Canjar triggers, I think are about $40. But I haven't looked at them for a while. Titanium firing pins can be used to reduce locktime, but I don't know how much those are going for either.
So there are all sorts of possibilities, and when you are done, you have a rilfe that is unlike any other rifle out there.
Excuse the long winded post. But I really like Mausers.
You may want to post your question over in Smithing. I'm sure some of our board smiths could give you a quote.
And as to the question, why a Mauser? When you could just get a Sako or a Remington.
Mausers are nice rifles. They have a huge amount of history and class, and there is just something special about hunting with a gun like that. Large ring Mauser actions are some of the strongest ever created. Controlled round feeding is great for dangerous game, thats why the most common dangerous game rifles are usually in a Mauser type action (like the pre '64) or a Mauser derivitive.
Also if you look at the bang for your buck, you can build up a rifle to your exact specs, for not much more than purchasing a box stock rifle that is just like the box stock rifle everybody else has. And that is just for sporterizing, I love military Mausers just the way they are.
You can pick up a surplus Mauser for in good condition for anywhere from $30-$200 bucks. Even if you ditch everything but the action you still have an action cheaper than a Sako action. (Don't get me wrong, I think Sakos are sweet).
Barrels are usually well under $200, and that is for a good one.
Stock of your choice, around $100, give or take.
Canjar triggers, I think are about $40. But I haven't looked at them for a while. Titanium firing pins can be used to reduce locktime, but I don't know how much those are going for either.
So there are all sorts of possibilities, and when you are done, you have a rilfe that is unlike any other rifle out there.
Excuse the long winded post. But I really like Mausers.
Arizona Eric
New member
My FR7 has swallowed several hundred rounds of full-power 7.62 NATO while in my hands and has yet to burp or show any signs of stress. Perhaps however I am risking my pretty face?