Mauser 8mm or Arisaka 7.7mm

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With the cost of sporturizing guns today, I'd suggest that you sell these old beaters and buy a new, or used rifle. You won't get much for your old rifles. Just to re-stock one will be $300 or more. Probably more.

If you want to have a nice hunting rifle then buy a nice hunting rifle. Go to a pawn shop or a gun show and search one out. You'll pay around $500 for a nice one, less for one that needs work. More for a classic. But your Mauser and Arisaka aren't worth much and will never look very nice. As some wise man once said, "You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear".
 
But your Mauser and Arisaka aren't worth much and will never look very nice.
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Oh,I don't know about that. Here is my .308 that I built on a Colombian M98 Mauser. I think it looks pretty good. BTW,that stock cost $150.
 
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jimmyraythomason said:
Not even close unless you are buying super premium grade stocks.
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You seem to keep forgetting that a M48 doesn't take a k98 stock.

As of a couple years ago when I last checked your options are Boyds and Richards microfit. Both of which can come come under $300 for ugly "economy" models will require hours and hours of final inletting and finish sanding.


I've done it a couple times previously and can't recommend the process to anyone

No matter how you slice it with the OP's goal of "making one a better hunting rifle" an old Mauser CANNOT COMPETE with that $229 Stevens 200 in 7mm08 on sale at academy.

Which incidentally can be customized to suit the owners taste much more economically and uniquely than a M48 ever can.


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No matter how you slice it with the OP's goal of "making one a better hunting rifle" an old Mauser CANNOT COMPETE with that $229 Stevens 200 in 7mm08 on sale at academy.
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Only money wise and that isn't the point. Better accuracy goes to the Stevens but the Mauser is more than accurate for hunting.
 
You seem to keep forgetting that a M48 doesn't take a k98 stock.

As of a couple years ago when I last checked your options are Boyds and Richards microfit. Both of which can come come under $300 for ugly "economy" models will require hours and hours of final inletting and finish sanding.
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<http://www.boydsgunstocks.com/Monte-Carlo-Replacement-Stocks-for-Mausers-s/163.htm>. Richards DO take hours of work to finish but the wood is beautiful.
 
Boyd's Mauser stock

This is the Boyd's Prairie Hunter (pepper) laminate stock on my Steven's Model 200 .223. It was a drop in fit and cost $84 plus shipping(around $100 total). It was fully finished,came with a recoil pad and sling swivels. They have the exact same stock for the M48.
 
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Do they still make ready made replacement stocks for 98 Mausers? Since Fagen went out of business I have not seen any cheap ones. Hand made stocks are very expensive.

I do understand that a 98 can be sporterized into a nice rifle, but for what cost? New trigger, new barrel, new stock, removed the old sights, drill and tap, scope mounts, then the re-blue and you are into the rifle for a chunk of change. I'd say well over a grand. But you do get a nice rifle out of it.

The Jap rifle while very strong just doesn't make up into a very nice looking rifle due to that ugly palm actuated safety at the end of the bolt.

Both rifles can be shot as is. They will probably shoot just fine. But they'll laugh at you in camp.

You can go to a used gun store and, in my case anyway, buy a like new Parker Hale or Ruger 77 for $500 or less.
 
Yes, the palm safety is ugly but very positive, drop-proof and can be easily used with gloves on, unlike the standard mauser safety. Given the OP's opening thread, that is about the only advantage of the arisaka over the mauser for use as a hunter. As far as the tee-hees in camp, that would depend on who actually nails their target, and how far it can run afterwards.
 
I do understand that a 98 can be sporterized into a nice rifle, but for what cost? New trigger, new barrel, new stock, removed the old sights, drill and tap, scope mounts, then the re-blue and you are into the rifle for a chunk of change. I'd say well over a grand. But you do get a nice rifle out of it.
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I managed to do it for under $300 and have things you didn't list like * Tubbs Speed Firing Pin, barrel cut and recrowned, and a low mount safety. A re-blue isn't always needed...mine looked fine they way it was. It also shoots surplus into an inch and a half at 100 yards.

*the $300 dollar figure does not include the 3 round Gibbs detachable mag or the 20 round trench mag...
 
:rolleyes:I don't know why some people on here are so hung up on the idea that fixing up a Mauser 98 amounts to fixing up "old beaters" or an "old Mauser that cannot compete". What a load of bull! These people obviously have minimal (or no) experience with Mauser 98 actions. If they do, they probably started off with the idea that "when this fails, I'll dump it off on someone else".

That 'old-beater-Mauser' is the best, and most beautiful, bolt action design of all time. When gunsmiths start turning out their best hugely customized rifles on Stevens actions, (and auctioning them off at Southeby's) you can shout it from the roof-tops, but today is not your day!:neener:
 
And by the way, the Ruger 77 is nothing but a cheaply made ripoff of the 98. Buying a Ruger 77 is like buying a Chinese Rolex......please.:uhoh:
 
Don't know really, I guess it makes it a communist bloc ripoff! Mine are all commercial FN actions, and I think they are the rolex of rifle actions. Not for everyone I guess.....
 
Even the venerable 1903 is basically a Mauser action, the Mauser action is probably the most copied action ever made.
 
Sow's ear to silk purse.

As some wise man once said, "You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear".
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Maybe he wasn't all that wise afterall. I started with this receiver from Gunbroker for $60. I did all the work except installing and chambering the barrel($75). Bolt is a Parker Hale ($60) stock is a Rem.Model 798 pull-off ($150). .308 win. barrel ($60) from Gunbroker.com. Trigger is a Bold unit with side safety. Bolt sleeve is an FN ($39). I think the sow's ear was successfully transformed. Total is less than $500 not counting scope,scope mounts and sling. I did the D&T and bluing with equipment I already had on hand. I'm happy with it. It is only one of several I have done.
 
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That's a beautiful rifle JimmyRay, how anyone would think that it "can't compete" is beyond me (and beyond common sense too!). I just picked up a beater JC Higgins model 50 with original scope, thrashed stock, and beat up barrel for $220. Planning to make it into a 30/06 scout/sniper with bull barrel, bipod, Boyd's stock, and (I'm hoping) a trench magazine. I've heard these are complicated, and if I can't do it, no big deal. I'll get out of this for under $800 and have a rifle that can shoot the wee-wee off a bashful flea at who knows how far:what:

Love your photos!
 
Keep the Mauser

I modified the sights on my full military M98 (Colombian .30-06) with replacing the front sight with an Oberndorf M98 blade type from Midway USA for about $10, then I "U" notched the rear sight "V" with a small round file and lowered the wood on the hand guard behind the rear sight so I could see the rear sight better. The sights on an M48 that I have seen are the same.
This modified the hard to use barley corn M98 sights to a more user friendly configuration which really improved the sight picture (for me) and shot groups with my M98.
I have shot under 2 moa @ 100 yards from a sand bag rest on a bench using REM 150 grain CorLok as well as handloads and killed a deer @ 250 yds with one shot. Prior to this modification with the standard irons I couldn't shoot a 5 inch group @ 100 yd with this rifle.
So you don't have to spend too much more to have a hunting rifle.
 
Maybe he wasn't all that wise afterall. I started with this receiver from Gunbroker for $60. I did all the work except installing and chambering the barrel($75). Bolt is a Parker Hale ($60) stock is a Rem.Model 798 pull-off ($150). .308 win. barrel ($60) from Gunbroker.com. Trigger is a Bold unit with side safety. Bolt sleeve is an FN ($39). I think the sow's ear was successfully transformed. Total is less than $500 not counting scope,scope mounts and sling. I did the D&T and bluing with equipment I already had on hand. I'm happy with it. It is only one of several I have done.
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That is a good looking rifle!

I really don't know how folks get it set in their mind that a good conversion from military to sporter has to cost in excess of $1000. It can of course...you start throwing exhibition grade wood into the project, custom barrels, and other goodies and it can become a four figure project very quickly. But an very accurate rifle can be built on a budget as well. People keep saying, "well why not buy a Stevens or Savage?". I like my Savage rifles but to be realistic they will never have the butter smooth action like the Mauser can have. Nor do they have the classic looks.

I built my 98 Sporter because I have a Hakim and tons of 8mm surplus and commercial ammo on hand and I though it would be nice to have a accurate bolt gun to share the ammo. I bought several cases of the Olympia 196gr commercial soft point when it went on clearance a few years back and it is great hog medicine!

For me I just waited till I found a beater 98 that had a great barrel because I planned on keeping it in 8mm. Then I watched gunbroker and Ebay and bought the other parts when I could get them at the best price. I really like the Gibbs magazine because it allows for a very fast load and unload when crossing fences and such. The 20 round trench mag is great for...well...for fun and raising eyebrows at the range...lol.

projectm3round.jpg mausermag3-1.jpg
 
I have seen several of the Arisaka rifles sporterized and none of them are nice looking, and it is that palm actuated safety. However I do agree that it works very well. It is a positive and quiet safety system. I'm sure some of our Marines paid the price.

After WWII they got all of the bolt guns, loaded them up until they blew up. The strongest, as I read, was the Jap gun. I have two and they are nice, but butt ugly rifles. They also have chrome bores and both of mine are straight shooters. I paid $25 for my Model 99.

Therefore, the Arisaka rifles are good and strong guns. I have seen them made into sporterized rifles. Ugly? Absolutely. The 7.7 round is a powerful round similar to the '06 and the 8x57. I like my 99, but I only shoot it when no one is looking. It's that ugly.
 
The fact that you did the work yourself make a big diff. If I took one of my old M48 Mausers to my local gunsmith and asked him to make it into a sporter I bet I'd pay $1500 or so. But I have to admit that I don't know for sure what it'd cost.

As we all know WWII Mauser actions are some of the best. I have a Argentine 1906 Mauser which some say is the very best. It's a 7.65 X 54 (I think that's the case length). I've been thinking of making it into a 375 H&H mag. But I haven't done it. I just love the old musket.
 
I have a Argentine 1906 Mauser which some say is the very best. It's a 7.65 X 54 (I think that's the case length).
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I think you mean a 1909 Argentine. The rifle is in 7.65x53 but sometimes called the 7.65x54 Belgian. These are very good rifles and highly sought after because of the hinged floorplate as well as their strength. Doing the work myself did indeed save a lot of money but it can be done without replacing the barrel and rechambering, scout mounts for scopes is a do-it-yourself job. Duracoat ,et.al. can replace bluing to save a lot of coins. You can buy upgrade parts much cheaper than a gunsmith will sell them to you. Here are some sporters I did on the cheap.:
 
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