Help on Mausers

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JSNAPS

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First off- I am Not JSNAPS, I am a friend. He has graciously allowed me to use his account (with his permission!) to ask this question.

So Im new to firearms and have a .22 and a 12 gauge and have been looking at a bolt action mauser. This will be my only centerfire rifle for a very long time. My question is what is the best mauser rifle or carbine for under $800, and where can I find one (preferably online).

My criteria is: 1. Matching parts. This is key, I dont want a mumble jumble funky rifle. 2. Accuracy. This is in terms of the cartridge capability and also the rifle. 3. Fit and Finish. No I dont need a shining rifle but I do want a rifle with good fit and finish (no over excessive wobble or extreme tightness) 4. Ruggedness. No Im not going to beat the crap out of this rifle but having a guarantee that it can sustain a beating helps. Im not seeking history but would not mind if it was included in the package. I want a workhorse and a fun rifle that I will be proud to own.
-Thanks for the help
Tim
 
Hi Tim,
By Mauser, do you mean one that shoots the 7.92x57 (8mm Mauser) cartridge?

I believe most, if not all the importers of Mausers are pretty much depleted and you may have to hit Gunbroker. Samco may have some still. Although in either case, you're taking the word of the seller if it meets your criteria.

Some of the better Mausers are the German Karbiner 98K, Yugo M24/47 and VZ-24/47.
 
Welp, if caliber doesn't matter and your price ceiling is $800, it couldn't be any easier to recommend a nice Swedish Mauser m/38.
 
+1 on the Swede(m/38 or m/96).

If you have $800 to spend you'll have enough left over for a K-31 Swiss.

Walt
 
I just bought a Yugo M48 on GB for $275 including shipping. I have two old FN Mausers that I have yet to fire, but the action is like a bank vault. They are also still giving away some of these (in my judgement) that have yet to become as popular as the K98s, 1903s and 1917s. It seems to me that Enfield .303s (not actually a Mauser, but damned robust), M48s, some of the K-31s...all in the $300+/- range, not to mention Mosin Nagants for ~ $100, won't last forever.
 
Many Thanks! After reading these posts and much Googling I have decided on a k31. The questions are what is that brass disc on the stock? Straight or bent bolt? What company? and lastly Where Can I Buy One?
 
Have owned all types of Mausers, I find myself more disposed to the Swedish Mausers these days.

The m/94 and m/94-14 carbines are somewhat overpriced these days. Yet fun to carry and shoot.

Some of the long (29inch bbl) m/96 rifles are bringing high prices for certain years. And because they are super accurate tack-drivers that often win military matches.

The m/38 rifles with their 23.5 inch barrels, which are a good all-around rifle. The Husqvarna versions made between 1941 and 1944 seem to be pretty popular and they are often in very good condition. They are accurate yet easier to carry and handle.



While the Swiss made K-31s are very accurate, I do not consider the straight-pull Schmidt-Rueben action to be a Mauser action.
 
Thanks Again! That's the cheapest Mauser ammo I've seen. On a side note, be careful about purchasing a Chilean or other South American Mauser that was originally in certain calibers, then converted to 7.62 Nato. Some of them were not rated for the pressure. That's the same with some of the French MAS conversion. I have 7x57s, and just purchased an 8MM. Both of those are robust.
 
You won't be disappointed with the K-31. I have a sweedish m/96 that I really enjoy as well but you can't beat the cost of GP11 ammo compared to the 6.5x55.
 
Honestly, I'd say to go with a Swedish Mauser 96 or a VZ-24. The VZ-24's are my favorite Mausers given their workmanship and full length handguard, which is slightly less curved than the 24/47. They also made many Brazilian contract rifles in 7x57mm, which affords some flexibility in choosing desired caliber.

Otherwise, finding South American contract Mausers in 7x57 is pretty easy, and most of them are very cheap. Most sites seem pretty cleared up of them, but you can still find them selling for 200$ or less on auction sites. You could get several Mausers, or a Mauser and K31, and a bunch of ammo for all of them if 800$ is your upper ceiling.

You can also go for a nice Turkish Mauser 98. They sell very cheaply as well, and tended to originate from factories in the German Empire around WWI, where they were afterwards re-arseneled in Turkey. Many examples have extremely attractive Turkish walnut and good actions/barrels.
 
I own Both a M-48 Yugo Mauser and Swiss K-31,I would get the K-31 even though My M-48 is a Premium Grade, #s matching gun.While the K-31 stock is in need of some minor stock work it is by far my favorite gun to shoot and is just plain fun to shoot.
 
JSNAPS said:
Many Thanks! After reading these posts and much Googling I have decided on a k31. The questions are what is that brass disc on the stock? Straight or bent bolt? What company? and lastly Where Can I Buy One?
Click to expand...
Congrats on your decision on the K31 but your questions don't refer to that rifle as it is a straight pull and has no stock disc. Those would be on m/38 or m/96. But keep up on your research as you may decide you'll want a Swede also.

Walt
 
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