Looking for a Mauser barrel in .308. Need some help.

[Atla]

I've a M48 that I'm rebarreling into .308.

From what I understand, a 98 Mauser barrel will work on it(the M48 is simply an 'intermediate action' and identical to a 93 except the mag well/bolt throw is a little shorter.).

I've found this barrel at midway.
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=665197&t=11082005

Adams & Bennett Barrel Mauser Series 3 308 Winchester F54 Contour 1 in 10" Twist 24" Chrome Moly in the White

Midway offered 3 different types of this barrel, an F12/F34/and this F54 contour. The F54 is the only one in available(no backorder on the others).

What is the difference in the contours?

 

[Atla]

Okay, looking at the pictures - I'm guessing the 54 is a thicker barrel than the 34, and the 12 is the thinnest?

 

[rcmodel]

If you scroll down on the page you linked to, there is another link to the barrel contour chart.

Nevermind, here it is:
http://www.midwayusa.com/midwayusa/StaticPages/charts/Barrel Dimensions.pdf

rcmodel

 

[Jim K]

The breeching on the M48 is a bit different as the barrel has to be cut for the extractor, something that is not the case with the standard Mauser 98. That means that you have to install the barrel, mark the place to cut, then remove the barrel, make the cut, reinstall, and then ream the chamber for headspace. So it is just a bit tricky and maybe not easy for a beginner.

(The factory set the barrel up using a gauge that automatically took barrel torque into account and made the cut first, but you don't have the gauge.)

Jim

 

[Atla]

Ah okay.

I'm not doing this myself, I was sending an M48 off to have the barrel cut/crowned behind the front sight, remove the rear sight ramp, drill/tap for scope, install a low position safety, and refinish.

The new stock and the work it involves I'm doing myself.

I was just figuring that for the price it would cost to cut/crown and remove the rear sight I might could pull off a new barrel in a preferred round for around the same amount.

And I would prefer a .308 over a 8mm mauser for simplicity and the amount of ammo available. Anything in 8mm I've got to order.

 

[NCsmitty]

What do you want to use the rifle for, hunting or target shooting? The F54 barrels are target weight barrels, the F34 are more standard weight and the F14 are the 21" slimmer barrels. If your going to have gunsmith work done, a little higher quality barrel would not add too much more to the overall cost. Shaw or Douglas or Shilen, there are a variety of barrel makers out there. But if you reload, do not overlook the 8MM Mauser as it is a potent round and cutting and crowning the original barrel, providing it's good, might be the way to go.

NCsmitty

 

[Clemson]

I like those Shilen and Douglas barrels, too, but I would be willing to bet that a properly fitted A&B barrel in .308 will outshoot that old Mauser tube by a fair margin. If the price of rebarreling is the same as that of sight work, cutting, and recrowning, I would say, "Buy the new tube."

I have fitted the F54 barrels to an M48 action, and that makes a very heavy combination. It is great for paper punching, but it is not a good hunting combo in my estimation.

Clemson

 

[Atla]

I talked it over with my gunsmith this afternoon and he said he'd preferred to work with a barrel blank. So he's going to look into barrels and pricing and let me know in a day or two.

He's going to charge me $175 to put a barrel blank in and drop $50 from the finishing price. So once it is all said and done, the only price difference between using my current barrel and putting a new .308 in will be the price of the barrel.

Which I think is probably worth while.

If I reloaded, the 8mm wouldn't be a problem. But I'm not planning on reloading for a while(probably be a year or two).

The barrel contour, I wanted one I could take hunting but still use for high power and such. So I wanted a min of 1MOA out of it(Granted it's not ALL barrel that affects moa), but still light enough to truck around in the woods.

He was thinking of a #5 contour.... which I think is around the same size as that F54...around .75 inch at the muzzle.

What do ya'll think?