On re-barreling a Mauser 98

For 250 yard hunting, I'd leave it in 8mm Mauser and save a bundle of bucks, time, and effort.

If you're a broke university student, then converting rifles is not the way to go. Get some 8mm dies and brass, you're good to go.

As I read your post, if you convert to .280, you'll need dies and brass, anyway, so you're not going to save a dime in reloading costs by converting.

The 8mm is a superb North American game cartridge, not to be dismissed. Unless you are going to upconvert to a 9.3 or .375 kind of cartridge for the big bears, you have the best all-round cartridge you can get without an expensive conversion.

'Perfect' is the enemy of 'Good', and the perception of perfection, or improvement, is usually false. I'm not a big fan of swapping out perfectly good systems for another system, paychecks are finite resources and need to be husbanded.
 
Very well put. I've always loved the idea of 8m/m-06, yet another use for the most perfect parent case ever. Given the OP's priorities, however, not a very good idea. We older people have a tendency to start looking for ways to spend money on guns - silly but fun.
I also like 338 x 57 - the 338 Fed that grew up.
 
8mm-06 is a good cartridge. 8X57 is a good cartridge as well. Just be aware that a 30-06 length case may not fit in your magazine.
 
Anybody ever notice how much run out there is between the steps on some Mauser barrels? Some are really bad, but they seem to usually shoot OK. All this talk of bedding made me think of it. Some look like they turned a section, pulled it out farther and turned another section. All with a chuck that had mismatched jaws.
 
.35 Whelen.

I don't worry about bear here in FL...but if I were purpose-building a rifle with that in mind I'd want that extra stopping power and the "bigger hole".

$30 for 50 ct. brass is no different than anything else, you're not using it as a target rifle so I don't understand the comment about it being too expensive to shoot.
 
The 175 Sierra ProHunters that I've loaded in the old family 8x57 for some time fit just fine in my newly acquired 8mm-06 at a COL of 3.21. Yeah, it's a standard Mauser mag well. After one chrono session, I find that there is a very real (200+ fps) velocity advantage with the '06 case. At the range the OP is shooting, however, that doesn't buy that much.

I'm not the world's best marksman, but even my old eyes are good to 200 with irons. I'm sure the OP's youthful vision can put one on a moose at 250. In the old days, when a converted Mauser or Springfield was the poor man's hunting rifle, the common sight upgrade was to mount an aperture sight. A decent aperture isn't cheap, but it's less than bases, rings and a scope, and you're drilling back on the receiver. There's always an opportunity for error when drill press meets receiver, but you don't risk making the gun unsafe. That's what that old Mauser I carried in my youth has, and I used to target groundhogs with that rifle. Hunting Pennsylvania laurel, it's still a great choice.

Bottom line: Enjoy your Czech Mauser as is. If you just have to add something, buy a Williams aperture and mount it yourself. Good hunting!
 
As the OP was considering doing a full shorter conversion based on the .280 Remington, first thing I'd do is see if full 30-06 length cartridges will fit in the magazine. I have seen Mausers with magazines too short to allow a 30-06 or .280 Rem. length cartridge to fit. I've had a few Mausers done up into porters and it darn well ain't cheap. My .280 Rem on a 1909 Argentine DWM Mauser was $3,500 and change. I'm too ham handed to do my own work. My 7x57 on a commercial FN Mauser was a bit over $1,000.
I noted that the OP mentioned the possibility of running into a Grizzly Bear. While I think a .280 Rem. with a 175 gr. premium bullet would do the job should the Vigaro hit the Mixmaster that .35 Whelen would sure feel a lot more better in my hands should I bed in that position. The Whelen properly loaded will shoot far enough out that game can be taken at 350 yards. I load mine to 2700 FPS with the Barnes 225 gr. TSX bullet and two years ago took my elk at a lasered 350 yards. I'd face any bear with that load and not look back. I have friends who live in Canada who use the Whelen almost exclusively for moose and Grizzly Bear with the 250 gr. Speer Hot Core loaded to 2500 FPS. Just a suggestion. FWIW, all my serious hunting rifles are based off Mauser actions. I do admit I'm prejudiced. ;)
Paul B.
 
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