I have a Mauser 98 in 30-06 that was a Montgomery Ward purchase in the early 60s by my father. Action is a prewar Brno VZ-24, originally a Guatemalan Army 7x57 short rifle, going by the crest on the receiver ring.
The barrel is a little bit puzzling. It appears to be a commercial contour, with a dovetail for an open rear sight, and a pinned on ramp for the front. It is a 2 groove barrel though bright and shiny. I thought that 2 grooves were a WWII Springfield thing.
At any rate, the action is pretty much bone stock. The bolt handle is turned down a bit, but basically sticks out at 3 o'clock. Two stage trigger, no provision for scope or receiver sight. Very slick working action.
The stock is unusable. It is split through the wrist.
Finish isn't bad. There are some darker spots on the bolt, and some on the bluing, but no pits or real rust. The polish wasn't much to begin with, but it's presentable.
This is what I'm thinking.
Take it somewhere, get the bolt handle mounted as it should be and get it drilled and tapped for scope bases, or maybe for a Lyman 57. Have headspace checked.
Get an inletted stock, bed and finish it myself. Install a Timney (or some other) trigger.
What I fear is that I'll do this, and put a few hundred into it, then I'll find that it shoots 5" groups. And then it will be a new barrel just to make it shoot, and then a new trigger guard/floorplate to dress it up, and a new blue job, and then the cheap stock won't do, and soon I'll have another $1200 Mauser that's worth $400.:banghead:
If I can just keep it to stock, trigger, bolt handle, receiver sight...
The barrel is a little bit puzzling. It appears to be a commercial contour, with a dovetail for an open rear sight, and a pinned on ramp for the front. It is a 2 groove barrel though bright and shiny. I thought that 2 grooves were a WWII Springfield thing.
At any rate, the action is pretty much bone stock. The bolt handle is turned down a bit, but basically sticks out at 3 o'clock. Two stage trigger, no provision for scope or receiver sight. Very slick working action.
The stock is unusable. It is split through the wrist.
Finish isn't bad. There are some darker spots on the bolt, and some on the bluing, but no pits or real rust. The polish wasn't much to begin with, but it's presentable.
This is what I'm thinking.
Take it somewhere, get the bolt handle mounted as it should be and get it drilled and tapped for scope bases, or maybe for a Lyman 57. Have headspace checked.
Get an inletted stock, bed and finish it myself. Install a Timney (or some other) trigger.
What I fear is that I'll do this, and put a few hundred into it, then I'll find that it shoots 5" groups. And then it will be a new barrel just to make it shoot, and then a new trigger guard/floorplate to dress it up, and a new blue job, and then the cheap stock won't do, and soon I'll have another $1200 Mauser that's worth $400.:banghead:
If I can just keep it to stock, trigger, bolt handle, receiver sight...