Interesting 30-06 rifle I found

Status
Not open for further replies.

adcoch1

Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2015
Messages
3,798
Location
Centralia Washington
So a friend of mine showed me a rifle tonight and may sell it to me if we can figure out a fair price. It appears to be a 98 mauser style action in 30-06 made or modified by Chet Paulson of Tacoma wa. 20200502_194246.jpg 20200502_194315.jpg Weaver 4x on top, beautiful blueing and some nice decoration on the bottom metal. The gun is in very nice shape, and my buddy has had it for more than 20 years. I am smitten with it, but what is it worth? I want to be fair to him but don't want to overpay either... What do you think?
 
Custom Mausers are not uncommon. The Mauser action was/is plentiful but more important it was perfect for hunting. Especially after WWII, the factories were slow to revert to civilian models and were expensive. Gunsmiths could turn out beautiful work for the same or less.

That is a good looking rifle. Value, depends on what You want to spend.

Kevin
 
Looks like a commercial Mauser with a strange ejector. Maybe JC aHiggins or FN messed around with this? Those are the two most common commercial mausers not to have the receiver cutout
 
Looks like a commercial Mauser with a strange ejector. Maybe JC aHiggins or FN messed around with this? Those are the two most common commercial mausers not to have the receiver cutout

Yeah, I was also thinking that it was a later FN bolt stop/ejector. I skimmed through de Haas and also found this type on a Herter's XK3 action, which was made in W. Germany mid-1960s.

Ask if he'll let you take the action out of the stock to check the marks and proofs on the barrel and receiver. If the receiver was produced by FN, there should be a date code on the flat surface behind the recoil lug on the underside of the receiver -- here is a chart of these codes:

FNDateCodes.jpg

I'd also pay something in the region of $3-500, depending on the bore condition, whether the stock has any cracks, what kind of trigger it has and the quality of the optics. Since the stock doesn't appear to be checkered, removing external dings and refinishing should be easy if you decide that's what you want. The vented recoil pad is probably due for an upgrade -- I'd definitely lose the white spacer! A handsome rifle.
 
Last edited:
Yeah, I was also thinking that it was a later FN bolt stop/ejector. I skimmed through de Haas and also found this type on a Herter's XK3 action, which was made in W. Germany mid-1960s.

Ask if he'll let you take the action out of the stock to check the marks and proofs on the barrel and receiver. If the receiver was produced by FN, there should be a date code on the flat surface behind the recoil lug on the underside of the receiver -- here is a chart of these codes:

View attachment 913793

I'd also pay something in the region of $3-500, depending on the bore condition, whether the stock has any cracks, what kind of trigger it has and the quality of the optics. Since the stock doesn't appear to be checkered, removing external dings and refinishing should be easy if you decide that's what you want. The vented recoil pad is probably due for an upgrade -- I'd definitely lose the white spacer! A handsome rifle.
400 was my first thought, the trigger is amazing, about 3 lb and no creep. I am sure he'll let me pull the action. Fn commercial mauser was my first thought, but I am no mauser expert....
 
It's a bit hard to see on the phone but it looks like there's a QD mount on that scope.
That's half the value right there, those are expensive to fit properly.

I'd buy it in a heartbeat. Could be a good starting point for a project ;)
 
It's a bit hard to see on the phone but it looks like there's a QD mount on that scope.
That's half the value right there, those are expensive to fit properly.

I'd buy it in a heartbeat. Could be a good starting point for a project ;)
It is a twist off QD scope base with a flip up ghost ring at the back. Sounds like my buddy will let it go to me with 260 rounds of mixed commercial ammo for about 550. I gotta raise some cash fast before he comes to his senses!
 
That is a bargain!

Here the ammo alone would be almost the entire value of the package with the rifle thrown in to close the deal. Wow!
 
It is a twist off QD scope base with a flip up ghost ring at the back.

That makes my mouth water!
Since my rifle wasn't d&t I chose to keep it that way but if it had been, that would have been exactly what I'd wanted.
 
Just about any Mauser around here in the .270-30-06 range in as clean as that rifle is would go for at least $500.00 or more, especially with all that ammo thrown in, I'd figure out a way to come up with $550.00 pronto.
 
$550 and I have it home! And it came with 516 rounds of commercial brass case ammo, and 100 once fired! I am blown away by how nice this thing is! I bought ammo and got a gun for free! I will get it out to the range and get some better pictures too. It ended up being a FN commercial action. Still can't believe I picked this up for 550...
 
You should be extra careful for a while because of karma, if you survive the next seven or eight days you've probably gotten away with it.

Congratulations and welcome to the Society of FN Made Recievers
Actually everything I touch has been falling apart lately, so if karma is a thing I was about due for a shift to good things. I also managed to get my truck back together over the last few days, so it seems to be looking up! Maybe Monday I can get out and at least shoot this rifle a few times...
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top