old mauser to 308 conversion
- Thread starter KelTeKee
- Start date
I asked this one a while back and I think the long and the short of it is: It depends.
If I stopped there, you'd think I was a lawyer, which I'm not, so I'll continue. If your Mauser is a 98 Mauser, then the answer is most likely yes. Obsiously this requires a barrel change, but I think that the bolt and extractor work fine, since the .308 and 8x57 use the same shell holder (ie ... they look the same from that end). Among others, I plan on making a .243 on that platform when time allows. The .243 is a .308 necked down to close to 6mm. There might be some mods to the mag well to help the reliability of the feeding since the cartridges are considerably shorter ... I'll be checking back to see what the pros have to say about that.
Saands
If I stopped there, you'd think I was a lawyer, which I'm not, so I'll continue. If your Mauser is a 98 Mauser, then the answer is most likely yes. Obsiously this requires a barrel change, but I think that the bolt and extractor work fine, since the .308 and 8x57 use the same shell holder (ie ... they look the same from that end). Among others, I plan on making a .243 on that platform when time allows. The .243 is a .308 necked down to close to 6mm. There might be some mods to the mag well to help the reliability of the feeding since the cartridges are considerably shorter ... I'll be checking back to see what the pros have to say about that.
Saands
KelTeKee,
Converting a 98 Mauser action to .308 is a snap.
Change out the barrel & headspace, new sporter stock, and you are ready to drill & tap for scope mounts. Any decent 'smith can do this.
Midway often offers "Sporter Conversion Kits" for 98 Mausers in their monthly catalogs that include a new barrel and sporter stock. They usually offer 3-4 calibers in these kits, including .308, .30-06, and .300 Win-Mag. Prices vary from $165 to $350 depending on how fancy you want the wood.
Midway ALWAYS have several different stocks and barrels for Mauser 98's. The barrels come in about 20 different calibers and 5 different contours. Stocks come in a variety of grades and shapes as well.
Good Mauser 98 actions are readily available too. Just pick up any Shotgun News or Gun List and see all the 1938 Turk Mausers for sale at the princely sum of $39 to $69 US. Even if you scrap out the stock and barrel, the action and trigger are still plenty usable as a "project gun". Many guys buy them exactly for this purpose.
In short, Mauser 98's are an easy conversion to just about any caliber that has the same head diameter as the 8mm. This includes the .22-250, .220 Swift, .243 Win, .257 Roberts, 6.5x55, .308, 30-06, 300 Win Mag, .270 Win, 7x57, .338 Win Mag, .416 Rigby, and even the whompin .458 Win Mag. The '98 action is STROOONNNGGG !!!
The Enfield, on the other hand, though strong, is a Cast Iron B#&*h to do a conversion on. Barrels are not commonly available to do this like they are for '98's. A blank will have to be bought and turned to proper threads and contour. The bolt head and extractor also require severe modification in order to work with any caliber other than the rimmed .303. Lot'sa 'smith time, which translates to $$$. Then you need to find a stock to fit this conversion. Good luck.......
Just my .02 on the subject,
Swampy
Converting a 98 Mauser action to .308 is a snap.
Change out the barrel & headspace, new sporter stock, and you are ready to drill & tap for scope mounts. Any decent 'smith can do this.
Midway often offers "Sporter Conversion Kits" for 98 Mausers in their monthly catalogs that include a new barrel and sporter stock. They usually offer 3-4 calibers in these kits, including .308, .30-06, and .300 Win-Mag. Prices vary from $165 to $350 depending on how fancy you want the wood.
Midway ALWAYS have several different stocks and barrels for Mauser 98's. The barrels come in about 20 different calibers and 5 different contours. Stocks come in a variety of grades and shapes as well.
Good Mauser 98 actions are readily available too. Just pick up any Shotgun News or Gun List and see all the 1938 Turk Mausers for sale at the princely sum of $39 to $69 US. Even if you scrap out the stock and barrel, the action and trigger are still plenty usable as a "project gun". Many guys buy them exactly for this purpose.
In short, Mauser 98's are an easy conversion to just about any caliber that has the same head diameter as the 8mm. This includes the .22-250, .220 Swift, .243 Win, .257 Roberts, 6.5x55, .308, 30-06, 300 Win Mag, .270 Win, 7x57, .338 Win Mag, .416 Rigby, and even the whompin .458 Win Mag. The '98 action is STROOONNNGGG !!!
The Enfield, on the other hand, though strong, is a Cast Iron B#&*h to do a conversion on. Barrels are not commonly available to do this like they are for '98's. A blank will have to be bought and turned to proper threads and contour. The bolt head and extractor also require severe modification in order to work with any caliber other than the rimmed .303. Lot'sa 'smith time, which translates to $$$. Then you need to find a stock to fit this conversion. Good luck.......
Just my .02 on the subject,
Swampy
.308 Mauser
You might want to take a look at this web site. The Spanish Mausers are sold in .308.
Samco Global. I bought a Swedish 6.5 mm rifle from them.
http://www.samcoglobal.com/rifles.html#gcm
You might want to take a look at this web site. The Spanish Mausers are sold in .308.
Samco Global. I bought a Swedish 6.5 mm rifle from them.
http://www.samcoglobal.com/rifles.html#gcm
Re: Spanish .308 Mausers... FR-8 and FR-7(FR-6??)
Guys, these were conversions done by the Spanish on their old bolt guns during the 1950's.
The FR-8 is a good one.. done on a large ring '98 action Mauser. Can take anything that any other '98 can.
The FR-7 (FR-6??) was a conversion done on the Spanish Model 1916 rifle, which is a small ring ('95 Mauser??) action. There is a large amount of concern among crufflers who buy this rifle that it is not strong enough for normal mil-spec 7.62 Nato and especially commercially loaded .308 ammo. It is rumored that the Spanish actually used a "light loaded" and locally produced 7.62 Nato round just for this rifle. I don't know if it is true or not, but my concerns over this recently caused me to pass up a prime specimen FR-7 I found in a local pawn shop for only $84.00. Very nice stock and excellent bore. The best one of the type I'd ever seen.
In any case, you don't normally find information or barrels for converting small ring Mausers, which the Model 1916 definitely is, to 7.62 Nato or .308. Too much pressure for the action.
Swampy
Guys, these were conversions done by the Spanish on their old bolt guns during the 1950's.
The FR-8 is a good one.. done on a large ring '98 action Mauser. Can take anything that any other '98 can.
The FR-7 (FR-6??) was a conversion done on the Spanish Model 1916 rifle, which is a small ring ('95 Mauser??) action. There is a large amount of concern among crufflers who buy this rifle that it is not strong enough for normal mil-spec 7.62 Nato and especially commercially loaded .308 ammo. It is rumored that the Spanish actually used a "light loaded" and locally produced 7.62 Nato round just for this rifle. I don't know if it is true or not, but my concerns over this recently caused me to pass up a prime specimen FR-7 I found in a local pawn shop for only $84.00. Very nice stock and excellent bore. The best one of the type I'd ever seen.
In any case, you don't normally find information or barrels for converting small ring Mausers, which the Model 1916 definitely is, to 7.62 Nato or .308. Too much pressure for the action.
Swampy
Brooks: cool site, great price on that spanish308, might have to do that instead cuz it is so cheap.
Swampy: I will research somemore and be wary of your findings. I hope that those old spanish mausers are up to the task. At the site that Brooks linked the spanish ones are $119. What a bargain!
Correia: Is the 1909 the same as the m98 mausers, I'm kinda new to these bolt action jobs. Been wanting a 700police in 308 or 300WM with scope(which means hella duckets and bend over) so a cheap bolt would be enough to pacify me for a few months at least.
Swampy: I will research somemore and be wary of your findings. I hope that those old spanish mausers are up to the task. At the site that Brooks linked the spanish ones are $119. What a bargain!
Correia: Is the 1909 the same as the m98 mausers, I'm kinda new to these bolt action jobs. Been wanting a 700police in 308 or 300WM with scope(which means hella duckets and bend over) so a cheap bolt would be enough to pacify me for a few months at least.
KelTeKee, you wrote:
"Swampy: I will research some more and be wary of your findings. I hope that those old spanish mausers are up to the task. "
Re "my" findings on small ring Mausers in .308 .... I'm only repeating what I've read a LOT of on the Cruffler websites regarding the small ring conversions. Nice little rifle if you intend to handload reduced pressure ammo, but reports of cracked locking lugs after extended shooting of Milsurp 7.62 Nato and or commercially loaded .308 tend to give me the willies..... No thanks, Bubba.
I'd rather spend my money on something that has the right chambering for the strength of the action.
Also note that gunsmiths DON'T convert small ring Mausers to .308. Barrel makers DON'T advertise .308 as a conversion chambering for small ring Mausers, only rounds like the 6.5x55, 7x57, and .257 Roberts, all older, lower pressure rounds. There has to be a reason.......
Err on the side of caution........
you also wrote:
"At the site that Brooks linked the spanish ones are $119. What a bargain!"
At $119 it has to be the small ring version FR-7(FR-6??).... The large ring '98's, i.e. the FR-8 normally sell at $200+. Because of their "true" 7.62 Nato chambering, they are much more desireable as shooters.
For that same $119, buy an excellent (almost unissued) condition M48-A Yugo Mauser ('98 action) from AIM or Coles (both advertise "excellent" at $109.00). If you want to be able to shoot cheap milsurp ammo, then 8mm is your baby. Buy all the Turk, Romanian, or Yugo 8mm you want for less than 10 cents a round and have a ball.
See my Yugo M48-A and target I shot with it at: www.swampworks.com/SwampysStuff-1.html
Anyhow, you makes your choices & takes your chances..
Good luck with it,
Swampy
"Swampy: I will research some more and be wary of your findings. I hope that those old spanish mausers are up to the task. "
Re "my" findings on small ring Mausers in .308 .... I'm only repeating what I've read a LOT of on the Cruffler websites regarding the small ring conversions. Nice little rifle if you intend to handload reduced pressure ammo, but reports of cracked locking lugs after extended shooting of Milsurp 7.62 Nato and or commercially loaded .308 tend to give me the willies..... No thanks, Bubba.
I'd rather spend my money on something that has the right chambering for the strength of the action.
Also note that gunsmiths DON'T convert small ring Mausers to .308. Barrel makers DON'T advertise .308 as a conversion chambering for small ring Mausers, only rounds like the 6.5x55, 7x57, and .257 Roberts, all older, lower pressure rounds. There has to be a reason.......
Err on the side of caution........
you also wrote:
"At the site that Brooks linked the spanish ones are $119. What a bargain!"
At $119 it has to be the small ring version FR-7(FR-6??).... The large ring '98's, i.e. the FR-8 normally sell at $200+. Because of their "true" 7.62 Nato chambering, they are much more desireable as shooters.
For that same $119, buy an excellent (almost unissued) condition M48-A Yugo Mauser ('98 action) from AIM or Coles (both advertise "excellent" at $109.00). If you want to be able to shoot cheap milsurp ammo, then 8mm is your baby. Buy all the Turk, Romanian, or Yugo 8mm you want for less than 10 cents a round and have a ball.
See my Yugo M48-A and target I shot with it at: www.swampworks.com/SwampysStuff-1.html
Anyhow, you makes your choices & takes your chances..
Good luck with it,
Swampy
KelTeKee, you wrote:
"swampy, that's a great page and your naration is great. That rifle is beautiful too...Everyone should check it out!"
Thanks... The photos of the M48 were taken 2 days after I received it. All I'd done to it at that point were clean vast quantities of cosmo off of it, shoot it, then clean it. I thought about sanding out and putting a nice finish on the wood, but something about that rough sanded stock in it's original unissued condition makes me want to leave it "as is". It still is in the same condition today, though I've put a number of rounds through it. What a charge.
I just this week took delivery on a Yugo M24-47, a "straight bolt" predecessor to the M48. Very similar rifle, also 8mm, also a '98 action, also from AIM Surplus. The 24-47, while in vg-excellent condition, had a stock that had definitely seen better days. Lotsa' dings & gouges and SOAKED in oil & grease. Am in the process of re-finishing it now. Will post a page for it as soon as I have it done.
Swampy
"swampy, that's a great page and your naration is great. That rifle is beautiful too...Everyone should check it out!"
Thanks... The photos of the M48 were taken 2 days after I received it. All I'd done to it at that point were clean vast quantities of cosmo off of it, shoot it, then clean it. I thought about sanding out and putting a nice finish on the wood, but something about that rough sanded stock in it's original unissued condition makes me want to leave it "as is". It still is in the same condition today, though I've put a number of rounds through it. What a charge.
I just this week took delivery on a Yugo M24-47, a "straight bolt" predecessor to the M48. Very similar rifle, also 8mm, also a '98 action, also from AIM Surplus. The 24-47, while in vg-excellent condition, had a stock that had definitely seen better days. Lotsa' dings & gouges and SOAKED in oil & grease. Am in the process of re-finishing it now. Will post a page for it as soon as I have it done.
Swampy
Mausers
I don't know if the advertised Spanish Mauser .308's are large or small ring rifles.
I talked to a fellow at my club who bought one of the "unissued" M48 Yugo 8 mm rifles and he was said it was the most accurate rifle he owns.
My Swedish "special select" 6.5mm M-96 Carl Gustav (small ring)straight bolt can group nicely. I had a receiver sight put on and that really made a difference. My FFL dealer sent the first one back. The M-38 cavalry carbine with the turned down bolt sells at a significant premium. The 6.5 mm will not beat the hell out of you after a day at the range like an 8mm. Check out www.saman1@telapex.com
I don't know if the advertised Spanish Mauser .308's are large or small ring rifles.
I talked to a fellow at my club who bought one of the "unissued" M48 Yugo 8 mm rifles and he was said it was the most accurate rifle he owns.
My Swedish "special select" 6.5mm M-96 Carl Gustav (small ring)straight bolt can group nicely. I had a receiver sight put on and that really made a difference. My FFL dealer sent the first one back. The M-38 cavalry carbine with the turned down bolt sells at a significant premium. The 6.5 mm will not beat the hell out of you after a day at the range like an 8mm. Check out www.saman1@telapex.com
Hi, guys,
Please permit a couple of comments.
The FR-8 is a Model 98 action (the Spanish Model 1943), but like almost all Spanish rifles, it is soft. Loads should not exceed milspec 7.62 NATO pressures and extensive use of commercial .308 Winchester (which runs higher pressures than the milspec loads) should be avoided. The FR-7 is the old Model 1893 action. Like the FR-8 it is soft and should not be used with any loads exceeding the pressure of the 7x57.
At various times, a number of rifles coming from Yugoslavia have been called "M48", but the true Model 48 and 48A are not really Mauser 1898 actions; the receiver and bolt are shorter and the bolt face is different. They are nice rifles, and this makes no difference unless ordering parts or doing an upgrade where such things would make a difference.
Jim
Please permit a couple of comments.
The FR-8 is a Model 98 action (the Spanish Model 1943), but like almost all Spanish rifles, it is soft. Loads should not exceed milspec 7.62 NATO pressures and extensive use of commercial .308 Winchester (which runs higher pressures than the milspec loads) should be avoided. The FR-7 is the old Model 1893 action. Like the FR-8 it is soft and should not be used with any loads exceeding the pressure of the 7x57.
At various times, a number of rifles coming from Yugoslavia have been called "M48", but the true Model 48 and 48A are not really Mauser 1898 actions; the receiver and bolt are shorter and the bolt face is different. They are nice rifles, and this makes no difference unless ordering parts or doing an upgrade where such things would make a difference.
Jim
Jim: your comments are noted in my search.
I guess I am looking for a 308 bolt action in a ten round mag capacity...looks like an enfield jungle setup? They do look as cool as the various mausers.
Swampy, that is some nice wood. I'm kind of a wood snob wood worker type of guy. They picked a good one for you.
I guess I am looking for a 308 bolt action in a ten round mag capacity...looks like an enfield jungle setup? They do look as cool as the various mausers.
Swampy, that is some nice wood. I'm kind of a wood snob wood worker type of guy. They picked a good one for you.
KelTeKee,
Be aware that the Enfield #7 Jungle guns are not really a conversion from a British made No.1-MkIII .303. In reality they are Indian Ishapore 2A Enfields that were originally made in the mid-60's & early 70's and were chambered in 7.62 Nato, then "chopped & sporterized" by the importer. The Ishy 2A is an Indian copy of the No.1-MkIII. The Indians seem to know steel, and they did upgrade the receivers & bolts to much stronger steel than the original Brit. 1-III.
I have 2 of the Ishy 2A's, full length, in 7.62 Nato. Nice rifles. Ugly as sin, but they shoot fairly well. Not nearly as accurate as a Mauser though....
Also note: other than using one of the forward mount, rear sight replacement bases, there is no way to easily or conveniently mount a scope on an Ishy. They were just not designed for it.
All in all, if what you want is iron sights, 10 rounds, and 7.62 Nato, "go for it" on the #7 Jungle gun.
Re the 22LR Single Shot trainers (Romanian or Polish??)... Seen them. Some guys like them, but, seen them in local pawn shop. Yuk. Don't know how they shoot..??...
I prefer the Mossberg US-44 trainers that the CMP sells. Nice rifle with micro click adjustable rear peep sight, 7 round magazine, and US made in the late 40's to train US Army recruits in the rudiments of marksmanship. Very sturdy little rifle. Heavy stock, heavy barrel, & very nice sights. The CMP sells them (without mag., which is available from commercial sources) for $75.00 each.
I have a couple, so does my dad. They are plenty accurate. Mine shoot under 1.5 MOA at 100 yds. Get one before they are all gone....
Swampy
Be aware that the Enfield #7 Jungle guns are not really a conversion from a British made No.1-MkIII .303. In reality they are Indian Ishapore 2A Enfields that were originally made in the mid-60's & early 70's and were chambered in 7.62 Nato, then "chopped & sporterized" by the importer. The Ishy 2A is an Indian copy of the No.1-MkIII. The Indians seem to know steel, and they did upgrade the receivers & bolts to much stronger steel than the original Brit. 1-III.
I have 2 of the Ishy 2A's, full length, in 7.62 Nato. Nice rifles. Ugly as sin, but they shoot fairly well. Not nearly as accurate as a Mauser though....
Also note: other than using one of the forward mount, rear sight replacement bases, there is no way to easily or conveniently mount a scope on an Ishy. They were just not designed for it.
All in all, if what you want is iron sights, 10 rounds, and 7.62 Nato, "go for it" on the #7 Jungle gun.
Re the 22LR Single Shot trainers (Romanian or Polish??)... Seen them. Some guys like them, but, seen them in local pawn shop. Yuk. Don't know how they shoot..??...
I prefer the Mossberg US-44 trainers that the CMP sells. Nice rifle with micro click adjustable rear peep sight, 7 round magazine, and US made in the late 40's to train US Army recruits in the rudiments of marksmanship. Very sturdy little rifle. Heavy stock, heavy barrel, & very nice sights. The CMP sells them (without mag., which is available from commercial sources) for $75.00 each.
I have a couple, so does my dad. They are plenty accurate. Mine shoot under 1.5 MOA at 100 yds. Get one before they are all gone....
Swampy