Average Guy
Member
I inherited, from my grandfather-in-law, a German Mauser 98 that had been “sporterized,” I suppose. The receiver had been drilled and tapped for scope bases, and a scope mounted. It had been re-barreled to .25-06. Also, the floorplate, spring and follower had been removed and a metal loop had been brazed on, evidently to take a detachable magazine (I never found one and was unable to find one that fit).
At first I didn’t trust the rifle. Grandpa Jimmy never met a piece of machinery he didn’t want to “improve” somehow, so I wasn’t sure what he had done to the Mauser. I’d never heard of .25-06, and because I didn’t know any better, I thought the receiver tapping was sort of Mickey Mouse. And who would do such a thing to a piece of military history, anyway?
I purchased a replacement trigger guard, floorplate, magazine spring and follower and installed them. I figured there was no more collector value because of the previous mods, so I also sanded the stock, filled in the flaws, and put a nice camo paint job on it. Then I took the rifle out and test-fired it (at arm’s length). It didn’t blow up, so I did some rudimentary sighting-in and got hits on paper.
I’ve always wanted a tactical-type rifle, like a Remington 700, but first it was financially prohibitive and now it’s not a priority. I know the Mauser will never be a 700 BDL, but I would like to make it a reasonable facsimile of a tactical rifle without going overboard with pricey and unnecessary add-ons. (Once upon a time, shortly after I purchased my SKS, I looked into turning it into a scout-type rifle with optics and aftermarket stock and the whole nine. And then I came to my senses and left it alone. Because it would always be, underneath, an SKS. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.)
I’d like to add taller scope rings (so the scope no longer prevents movement of the safety lever), a bipod, and a synthetic stock. (My first thought was to refinish the original stock with a spray-on texture coat, but at my personal hourly rate, I would lose money and still have a less-than-ideal solution.) What I want to avoid doing, above all else, is trying to turn a Chevette into a Corvette. Still, I understand that the 98 action has been the base of many a project gun because it’s a quality design.
So…am I being silly here? Should I just leave it as-is, in the safe? Should I say, “It is what it is and it will be nothing else,” and go buy a 700? (Yes, I know what some of you will say: “It’s your rifle; you can do what you want with it. Whatever makes you happy.”)
Conversely, is this something that can be done, but I really do have to spend oodles of cash to do it right? Or, knowing I’ll never have to take a high-pressure shot to save a nun holding a basket of puppies, can I make a decent stopgap shooter out of it for a couple hundred bucks?
Finally, any suggestions on gear (and/or pictures) from anyone who’s actually done it? I’ll take suggestions for the name, too. I’m partial to “Mall Ninja Mauser” or maybe “KrauTactical,” but I’m not married to either.
Thanks!
Hmm. I've been thinking: There's nothing wrong with my original stock. I could just stick a bipod on it and be done with it.
At first I didn’t trust the rifle. Grandpa Jimmy never met a piece of machinery he didn’t want to “improve” somehow, so I wasn’t sure what he had done to the Mauser. I’d never heard of .25-06, and because I didn’t know any better, I thought the receiver tapping was sort of Mickey Mouse. And who would do such a thing to a piece of military history, anyway?
I purchased a replacement trigger guard, floorplate, magazine spring and follower and installed them. I figured there was no more collector value because of the previous mods, so I also sanded the stock, filled in the flaws, and put a nice camo paint job on it. Then I took the rifle out and test-fired it (at arm’s length). It didn’t blow up, so I did some rudimentary sighting-in and got hits on paper.
I’ve always wanted a tactical-type rifle, like a Remington 700, but first it was financially prohibitive and now it’s not a priority. I know the Mauser will never be a 700 BDL, but I would like to make it a reasonable facsimile of a tactical rifle without going overboard with pricey and unnecessary add-ons. (Once upon a time, shortly after I purchased my SKS, I looked into turning it into a scout-type rifle with optics and aftermarket stock and the whole nine. And then I came to my senses and left it alone. Because it would always be, underneath, an SKS. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.)
I’d like to add taller scope rings (so the scope no longer prevents movement of the safety lever), a bipod, and a synthetic stock. (My first thought was to refinish the original stock with a spray-on texture coat, but at my personal hourly rate, I would lose money and still have a less-than-ideal solution.) What I want to avoid doing, above all else, is trying to turn a Chevette into a Corvette. Still, I understand that the 98 action has been the base of many a project gun because it’s a quality design.
So…am I being silly here? Should I just leave it as-is, in the safe? Should I say, “It is what it is and it will be nothing else,” and go buy a 700? (Yes, I know what some of you will say: “It’s your rifle; you can do what you want with it. Whatever makes you happy.”)
Conversely, is this something that can be done, but I really do have to spend oodles of cash to do it right? Or, knowing I’ll never have to take a high-pressure shot to save a nun holding a basket of puppies, can I make a decent stopgap shooter out of it for a couple hundred bucks?
Finally, any suggestions on gear (and/or pictures) from anyone who’s actually done it? I’ll take suggestions for the name, too. I’m partial to “Mall Ninja Mauser” or maybe “KrauTactical,” but I’m not married to either.
Thanks!
Hmm. I've been thinking: There's nothing wrong with my original stock. I could just stick a bipod on it and be done with it.
