Quick noob question about Mauser actions

Status
Not open for further replies.

lebshiff21

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2005
Messages
63
Location
PA
I've seen a lot of "sporterized" Mausers (98's especially). Here's my question: If I find an 8mm Mauser action, what are the steps necessary to make it into a 25-06, 30-06, .257, etc, etc.? Am I totally off base? It seems that there's a lot of sporterized Mausers in calibers other than the standard 8mm, 7.62x51, 7x57, & 6.5x55. Am I missing something besides the need for a new barrel & stock? Do people just take 8mm's and somehow make them into 25-06, etc.?
 
All of the calibers you mention use the same base size (.473) for the cartridge. So, you don't need to do anything to the bolt face/action to use 'em. So, as you say a barrel switch and a stock. (some of the -06 length cartridges may require a bit of work on the magazine, though, especially with longer bullets.

Now, even if you go to some of the "magnum" (bigger base) it still only requires some fairly minor modifications to the bolt face, to accept the larger base.

In short, the a bunch of cartridges that a standard Mauser action can easily accomodate.
 
Interesting - thanks for the quick replies. So - if I find a cailber I like w/ the same base size as the 8x57 (.473) it's a relatively "easy"? :cool:
 
There were lots of variations on 98 Mausers when they left the factories, and some have fared better than others since then (think Russian front, nothing matches). A copy of The Mauser Bolt Actions by Jerry Kuhnhausen would be very helpful before you select your action.
 
I love the Mauser 98 actions! I have made rifles in .270, 25-06 and 35 Whelen on those actions. Only need to rebarrel them and headspace. Bolt face needs no alteration. Action rails need no work as they all feed wonderfully. I also have a Chilian M12/61. They are 98's made by Steyr which were later converted to 7.62 Nato (aka 308 Win) in 1961 by rebarreling. Using short rounds like this, it is prudent to do as they did: they placed a small block in the front of the mag box to insure that the short round fed well.

Great project! Not a really cheap alternative, but loads of fun and you can come out with EXACTLY what you want in a rifle.
 
Neat - Yeah, I've read it can be a little cost-prohibitive, but over a long term - the wife won't know ;)

The best place to get 98 Mauser actions? Best to just buy an old beat up rifle?
 
The best place to get 98 Mauser actions? Best to just buy an old beat up rifle?
Same thing I've wondered for a while. I've had bad luck tracking down worn 98 Mausers for reasonable prices lately.
 
Before you embark on a custom rifle, think it through.

Yes, rebarreling will turn an 8X57 into a 7X57, .308 Winchester, 7mm-08, .30-06 (albeit with some work on the magazine to make it feed the longer cartridge) and so on.

But what will you use for sights? Putting iron sights on the new barrel can be expensive. If you use a scope, you need to do the following:

  • Drill and tap for bases
  • Reforge or weld on a new bolt handle to clear the scope ocular bell
  • Change the safety (again to clear the ocular bell)
Add polishing and reblueing, and throw in a new stock and swivels, and some trigger work (or possibly an after-market trigger) and you've spent more than the cost of a new sporter.
 
Add polishing and reblueing, and throw in a new stock and swivels, and some trigger work (or possibly an after-market trigger) and you've spent more than the cost of a new sporter.
It's not about saving money. Most know that you can buy a much lower-quality sporter for cheaper. It's very hard to do better than a properly done custom Mauser. It's my opinion that polishing should be done anyway. An after-market trigger is money well spent.

At least I don't think he's building on a budget.
 
I've bought a couple used sporterized Mausers and they haven't done me wrong yet. Just another alternative cause I know the ones I've bought cost a lot more to build than I spent on them...
 
What's wrong with buying a Remington 798 or 799 or a CZ without all the fuss? Personally, I've been leaning toward the CZ550 in .30-06 for a first hunting rifle.
 
It's not about saving money. Most know that you can buy a much lower-quality sporter for cheaper. It's very hard to do better than a properly done custom Mauser. It's my opinion that polishing should be done anyway. An after-market trigger is money well spent.

In theory, that's true. But in practice, you can walk a hundred miles up and down the aisles at gunshows and find hundreds of sporterized Mausers and never find one that's actually better than say, an out-of-the-box Model 700 Remington.
 
In theory, that's true. But in practice, you can walk a hundred miles up and down the aisles at gunshows and find hundreds of sporterized Mausers and never find one that's actually better than say, an out-of-the-box Model 700 Remington.
I've got a custom pre-WWII Czechoslovakian VZ24 sitting here that I have yet to find a rifle that matches its quality. It's rechambered in .30-06, got the bolt turned down, drilled, tapped, polished, custom trigger with almost no travel and so light that you can practically breathe on to fire, awesome sights, a low profile sight that's similar in style to an original(except lo-pro of course) custom everything. Incredibly accurate and smooth. Handles like a dream. I only wish I knew who did the rifle. A true work of art. It's not mine though.
I want to somewhat duplicate this rifle except while retaining much of the original military appearance. That would be my dream precision rifle.

Where can one get more info on reworking Mausers?
 
I've got a custom pre-WWII Czechoslovakian VZ24 sitting here that I have yet to find a rifle that matches its quality. It's rechambered in .30-06, got the bolt turned down, drilled, tapped, polished, custom trigger with almost no travel and so light that you can practically breathe on to fire, awesome sights, a low profile sight that's similar in style to an original(except lo-pro of course) custom everything. Incredibly accurate and smooth. Handles like a dream. I only wish I knew who did the rifle. A true work of art. It's not mine though.

A rifle of that quality will cost you big bucks nowadays -- but if you want to build a rifle, you'll find many modern smiths don't like Mausers as much as they used to -- modern actions with better lock time and other advantages are what they prefer to start with.
 
{off-topic}

Am I weird, or did anyone else read the title as "My erections"? Odd things happen when I scan too fast...

{/off-topic}
 
My dad bought a semi-sporterized Mauser from Montgomery Wards in the early sixties. From the crest on the receiver ring and the other markings on the action, it started out as a Brno VZ24 7mm short rifle made in 1937 for the army of Guatemala. The bolt handle was sort of bent down, a two groove 30-06 barrel with sporter open sights, and a plain low grade walnut monte carlo stock with a recoil pad was added.

The rest of the rifle is basically crap, but oh my is that action slick.

The stock split at the wrist, and needs to be replaced. I keep fighting the urge to buy it a new stock and a nice trigger and one of those XS scout scope bases. Then I'd need a scout scope and all that ammo to shoot through it.:D
 
Basically, I would want something along the lines of: rechamber to .30-06, polish up the action, really nice set of sights, refinish the stock, after-market trigger.. Nothing too fancy. I may also consider a scope mount. I don't want to mount over the receiver as I still want to be able to use the stripper clips.
 
Disregard this

Disregard this if you trully want to make a custom mauser. You could get a CZ550, and that would be pretty close to a sporterized mauser.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top