Rifle Identification

[Maxinquaye]

My grandpa passed a year ago and I finally had some time to drive out to my Mom's place...she was saving some of his tools for me. He was a machine shop supervisor at Coors his entire career, and she saved his toolmaker lathe from his basement for me!

While I was down there she asked if I wanted his hunting rifles. Silly question; of course I do!

Now I'm curious about them, and would love to know more about them.

One is a Winchester Model 70 chambered in 300 Win Mag. Looks pretty standard except the bolt is nicely jeweled. Serial number is 8747xx - anyone know when it dates from?

The more interesting rifle is a Mod 98 Mauser chambered in 22-250. Gramps was in the war, so I wonder if he brought it back and converted it himself. I can't find any markings which would indicate who did the conversion, nor any import markings. In fact, the only markings are on the left side of the receiver. It says "Mod. 98" then "5648" above "gg". Finally there's a bird with what looks like a swastika in its claws, and 22-250 on the barrel. Mag well is also stamped "5468".

The mauser has a NICE stock with fancy checkering and forend, with a really nice double set trigger. I don't shoot rifle much, but I think I'll be making a trip soon...

 

[rcmodel]

The model 70 is a post-64 made in 1968.

The jewelled bolt was standard equipment then.

Can't help you with the custom Mauser, as serial numbers are pretty much meanless on them.

I assume the scope mount is covering the markings on the front receiver ring that would help identify it.

That all the numbers match is good.
The double-set trigger is good.

Sounds like a nice rifle.

rc

 

[Maxinquaye]

Thanks RC! You're right about the scope mount covering the top of the receiver. Checked the bolt and the numbers are different, so maybe it was imported and I just can't find the markings. Barrel is nicely floated and bore is flawless...thank god because no one's run a patch down it for at least a year. It will be pretty cool to shoot his guns...now I just need to dig through his reloading notes and figure out what he was putting together for it.

 

[Jim K]

Thousands of Mausers were converted to sporters in those years. Many were vet bringbacks, but many thousands were imported by companies like Interarms. .22-250 was a popular "wildcat" for many years and is still a great varmint cartridge. The rifle has no collector interest since it is no longer military, but it sounds like a nice sporting rifle.

Jim