Northern Virginia gunsmith for mausers

[MAKster]

I picked up an old mauser last week and before I shoot it for the first time I wanted to have a basic safety inspection done by a gunsmith. My main concern is the headspace. Any recommendations for the Northern Virginia area? Any experience with Gilberts or Clark Brothers? Also any idea on cost?

 

[sharkhunter2018]

Ive only been to Clarke Bros to shoot, so i dont know about their gunsmith. You can try Loudoun Guns in Leesburg as well, although some experiences a friend of mine had with them, i would stay away from them.

 

[RNB65]

There's a gunsmith at the Gander Mountain store in Fredericksburg.

 

[W.E.G.]

What caliber?

8x57?

Frankly, I'd be surprised if any gun-store gunsmith actually had a proper gauge to measure an 8mm chamber.

You can buy the correct gauges
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/ns/store/productdetail.aspx?p=7743
use them
Then re-sell them
like this http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=78579242
for probably less than you can pay "some guy" at a gun store to poke around at your rifle, and charge you money.

 

[MAKster]

It's a 6.5 x 55 Swedish mauser. I could buy a field gauge for around $20 but I was hoping to also have the sear and firing pin checked.

 

[W.E.G.]

You can buy those parts
http://www.e-gunparts.com/productschem.asp?chrMasterModel=1780z94 SWEDISH
for probably less than the anxiety cost of wondering whether the gun-store gunsmith has even a clue what he is doing.

As for the gauges, if you can only afford to buy one, you should buy the GO guage. You can add layers of tape to the end of the gauge to simulate a longer guage. It is easy to tell how much length you added to the guage by simply measureing the OAL with a vernier caliper.

Modifying a FIELD guage would be much more difficult.

Broader list of Mauser parts in case I didn't guess the right one in the link above.
http://www.e-gunparts.com/model.asp?idDept=161

 

[W.E.G.]

This resource looks very helpful for Swedish Mauser owners

http://www.alpharubicon.com/leo/1896swedish.html

 

[flashman70]

You might call Sandy Garrett at NoVA Gunworks - 703-644-6504. If he can't do what needs doing, he'll know who can.