Make it suit you. It is beautiful as is, but doesn't meet your requirements. As a family heirloom it has no monetary value because you won't be selling it.
Thoughts About My Mauser
- Thread starter CamaroDMD
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Make it suit you. It is beautiful as is, but doesn't meet your requirements. As a family heirloom it has no monetary value because you won't be selling it.
Looks like an above average post WW2 (used to say, "Post War" but there have been a bunch of wars since then) conversion of a military Mauser. These are a few ads pulled from 1950. All sorts of choices on barrels, stocks. This is probably what your Grandfather did.
Sometimes you purchased a converted rifle from the importer.
Scopes were expensive, optics were so so. GI's would have been familiar with irons, that's what they were using pre War, and I have shot some excellent scores with a post and aperture, the ability to place and hit your shot with irons, at distance, is being forgotten.
The original owner of this rifle decided to have it converted to a Springfield Sporter version. That Lyman 48S was real high tech in its prime, which was pre WW2.
Sometimes you purchased a converted rifle from the importer.
Scopes were expensive, optics were so so. GI's would have been familiar with irons, that's what they were using pre War, and I have shot some excellent scores with a post and aperture, the ability to place and hit your shot with irons, at distance, is being forgotten.
The original owner of this rifle decided to have it converted to a Springfield Sporter version. That Lyman 48S was real high tech in its prime, which was pre WW2.
Jim Watson
Member
Looks like the OP's gun has about every sporterizing mod except D&T and scope safety. Commercial stock, 'Murrican caliber barrel, bolt handle bent or replaced, sporting sights, pretty good reblue.
Gunsmith charges are up and it won't be particularly cheap to drill and tap, but when it is done, you will have a pretty good sporter.
Gunsmith charges are up and it won't be particularly cheap to drill and tap, but when it is done, you will have a pretty good sporter.
someguy2800
Member
I think it looks fantastic. If I saw it for sale I'd buy it, refinish the stock, put a vented recoil pad and sling swivels on it, and drill and tap for a scope mount.
theotherwaldo
Member
Yep. Scope that rifle. It's ready.
Keep grandpa's stock handy, though.
You might want to put it back on someday.
Keep grandpa's stock handy, though.
You might want to put it back on someday.
Few minor observations,
If you are planning to D&T it, make sure to get the military mauser scope bases unless you plan on grinding off the charger bridge bulge on the receiver.
Second, you can go with a Huber trigger which fits without altering the rifle (you can always put the original back one if you want a bit better trigger pull) http://huberconcepts.com/product/mauser-trigger/
Or, the cheaper trigger job that I have used is Sentry Solutions. Clean and degrease the trigger, then apply the Sentry Solutions dry lube to it (it has a quick drying solvent base and moly disulfide components). Brownells used to also sell something like it. https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/2594145924/sentry-solutions-smooth-kote-dry-lubricant Makes the military triggers, especially those that have no burrs, ridges, etc., into a pretty smooth trigger that seems lighter. Slamfire's idea about replacing the old bolt and trigger springs is also a good one--see Wolff springs for that.
Replacing the safety with one that works with a scope, you have several options if you keep the original trigger, one is a buehler type https://www.brownells.com/rifle-par...ggers/buehler-style-low-safety-prod13149.aspx This has to be installed with the original military bolt shroud. The Buehler type does complicate removing the bolt.
Wisner makes the other popular one https://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/safety-parts/safeties/two-position-safety-kit-prod9916.aspx The wisner type requires machining the bolt sleeve and some like a m70 type safety made originally by Chapman I think that requires milling the bolt sleeve and thus is more costly to install. Here is one example, http://pacifictoolandgauge.com/maus...y-shroud.html?search_query=mauser&results=107
There are also some replica German sniper safeties out there but have no opinion on those.
Any of these will need to fitted these to your rifle to insure proper function.
Other option is to go to the scout scope alternative.
One last thing, make sure that the stock bushing(s) are in good shape with proper clearance.
mgmorden
Member
Your rifle is already setup to where you really only need to drill/tap and replace the safety for scope use.
Drilling and tapping is cheap, and if you ever want to go back to open sights you can just remove the bases and put in filler screws.
For the safety, IMHO the old Buehler style safeties are the best and don't require filling a notch in to the bolt shroud. I think Timney still makes a version of this. The "Dayton Traister" style requires modifying the bold shroud which I don't like.
There's also a third type that I don't know the brand of but I have on one of my sporterized Mausers that doesn't require any modifications and is simple to install but in order to work properly ends up putting the safety lever on the left side of the shroud rather than the right side.
Those are cheap and available from Numrich:
https://www.gunpartscorp.com/products/8550C
That said, I've had guns with all three of those types at various times and all of them do the job.
Drilling and tapping is cheap, and if you ever want to go back to open sights you can just remove the bases and put in filler screws.
For the safety, IMHO the old Buehler style safeties are the best and don't require filling a notch in to the bolt shroud. I think Timney still makes a version of this. The "Dayton Traister" style requires modifying the bold shroud which I don't like.
There's also a third type that I don't know the brand of but I have on one of my sporterized Mausers that doesn't require any modifications and is simple to install but in order to work properly ends up putting the safety lever on the left side of the shroud rather than the right side.
Those are cheap and available from Numrich:
https://www.gunpartscorp.com/products/8550C
That said, I've had guns with all three of those types at various times and all of them do the job.
It sounds like the Buehler safety is the best option. I'd prefer something that will not alter the bolt shroud and I don't like the idea of the safety being on the wrong side. As I understand it, the Buehler safety makes removing the bolt from the receiver a little tricky but I woudn't think that would be a huge deal.
mustanger98
Member
In my experience, I haven't noticed the Buehler safety making it any more "tricky" to remove the bolt from the reciever. However, does it effect dis-assembly/re-assembly of the bolt?
CamaroDMD, if you're thinking of drill/tap anyway... just me, but I see five holes to do in one trip to the gunsmith. That's three in the top for a Leupold Standard one piece base (IIRC, they made one for the K98k), plus two in the right side of the bridge for the reciever sight. If you do those all at once, mounting the reciever sight or optic later as you decide will be the easy part.
If you run a search for Johnson Automatics, you can check out other ads from 1946-55 or so. I'm not the only one here to mention those, but it's the first thing I thought of seeing your rifle pics. They offered the customer the choice of reciever sights... Lyman or Redfield... which was my first thought.
CamaroDMD, if you're thinking of drill/tap anyway... just me, but I see five holes to do in one trip to the gunsmith. That's three in the top for a Leupold Standard one piece base (IIRC, they made one for the K98k), plus two in the right side of the bridge for the reciever sight. If you do those all at once, mounting the reciever sight or optic later as you decide will be the easy part.
If you run a search for Johnson Automatics, you can check out other ads from 1946-55 or so. I'm not the only one here to mention those, but it's the first thing I thought of seeing your rifle pics. They offered the customer the choice of reciever sights... Lyman or Redfield... which was my first thought.
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Jim Watson
Member
Brownell's Gunsmith Survey says drill and tap for sight or scope $20-$45 a hole. Shop around but avoid the Black and Decker.
Good to know, thank you. I will have a professional do it...this is not a job for me, my vice, and the Back & Decker.
Mowgli Terry
Member
You don't want to D&T your rifle. Not arguing about that. I am sharing what went on building a custom rifle. That receiver bridge was made that way with clip slot. Leupold does make a base that goes on without altering the receiver. Sorry, do not have that number. Your rifle has good work done.
You could have a scope mounted with a minimum of alterations. The major alterations have already been done.
Addendum: Brownell's cost of D&T is about average around here. Right, do not go to Bubba's Custom Gun and Bumper Plating shop.
You could have a scope mounted with a minimum of alterations. The major alterations have already been done.
Addendum: Brownell's cost of D&T is about average around here. Right, do not go to Bubba's Custom Gun and Bumper Plating shop.
Vern Humphrey
Member
Some older scopes were set up so you could have the ocular lens just in front of the safety, but for most modern scopes you will need a scope-compatible safety.
The bolt on mine has been modified already. It’s bent in the opposite direction of original much like the bolt on a Remington 700.
mustanger98
Member
Regarding the underlined, I'm agreeing here as far as two points...
1- If the markings are still present on top of the reciever ring... and from the OP, I'd say they are... I wouldn't recommend destroying them. However, if the scope is at any time desired, then you gotta do a precision D&T.
2- I don't see anyone recommending altering the clip guide, and I wouldn't either. .30-06 fits in Mauser clips, too, if someone wants to run it that way. Also, with earlier mention of reciever sights, referring to Johnson Automatics ads, I figure those sights would still not interfere with the clip guide.
The stock that's on there looks to have been modified for a receiver sight already.
I think I actually have the correct williams or Lyman, cant remember which it is. I was using it on my Arisaka.
It would sit behind the clip guide, and directly in front of the handle.
I think I actually have the correct williams or Lyman, cant remember which it is. I was using it on my Arisaka.
It would sit behind the clip guide, and directly in front of the handle.
Mowgli Terry
Member
Your stock is fine. It would not be a big job to refine the lines of the butt stock. That is, if you wanted to. If it ain't broke don't try to fix.
I'll post some photos of it when I get home (currently at work
Perhaps something like a Williams or Lyman peep sight would be of interest. Also, installing studs for slings is a simple task, and there are bipods that will mount to that type of stud.
mustanger98
Member
That's what I'm talking about. If you like the Garand sights, you'll probably like a good old set of Lyman's.
Mowgli Terry
Member
Check out the Williams sight on line. You can get target target knobs as a factory update. Williams also sells front sights. When putting on receiver sights the front sight blade needs to be changed. Williams makes front sight blades. Williams sights have been around for many years. Lyman sights are more substantial. From experience. either sight is excellent. Ditto, old Redfield's. I am surprised that with the stock cut away the receiver is not already drilled and tapped on the side.
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