Sporterizing large-ring Mausers.....

[JamisJockey]

I know, I know, there are a buttload of posts in the archives on this topic. That's the problem, there are alot of posts to wade through.

I'm mostly just curious, although given the price of a large ring mauser, its a little more then curiousity....
First, the most common surplus seems to be the 48 mauser. Is this a direct clone of the '98?
Second, How hard is headspacing a barrel onto one of these rifles?
Third, what else needs to be done to convert one to .308, or potentially .30-06?
I take it the rounds will feed and extract...does the internal magazine need to be modified?
Any recommendations on inexpensive stocks? What about the ATI stock?

 

[stans]

The M-48 would be an easy conversion to .308. This action is just long enough to handle 7x57 and 8x57, but is too short to handle .30-06 length rounds. The standard 98 action can handle .30-06 rounds with a magazine designed for that length, but the 48 is just too short. There are plenty of aftermarket stocks for 98's, but few available for the M-48's.

 

[JamisJockey]

So the 48 and the 98 are different enough that the accessories are different.
Interesting. Mostly just curious, not sure I want to attempt such an undertaking.

 

[stans]

Sporterizing Mausers used to be the least expensive way to get a nice rifle. Today, sporterizing can cost you far more than you would ever pay for a new rifle.

 

[P95Carry]

Here are a coupla pics ..... sorry, both very poor .. need re done. Yuk!

My Turk - shown original .. was fine except . the line of the woodwork just plumb gave me a sore cheek when shooting ... those iron sights mean gettin down real low!! I wanted to scope it.

Anyways . I decided to convert with the ATI system ... now IMO this is plain BUTT ugly! But .. here was a case where I was not in the least interested in aesthetics ... just plain simple ergonomics.

Went ahead and did the conversion .. and did the bolt handle by the ''drill & tap'' avenue .. works just fine.

I now have a shooter that when brought up to shoot, feels great. So far scope seems to be coping but the plastic Weaver rail does not inspire confidence.

Hope to blast some more amoo thru soon and see if scope is holding Ok .... but otherwise ... as I say ... it feels great and like a different gun. Way more comfortable.

Before .....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After .....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Jim K]

Unless "sporterizing" means a quick hacksaw job on the foreend, or you have the skill to do a lot of work yourself, read and heed the post by Stans. Turning an M48 or VZ-24 into the equivalent of a Winchester 70, Ruger 77 or Remington 700 will cost as much or more than just buying the sporter. As an example, start with $150 minimum for a decent barrel, twice that for a really good one. Then add installation, working over the feed rails, drilling and tapping, turning down the bolt, polishing and bluing. Throw in $250-400 for a nice wood stock (plastic is less, of course - no comment on looks).

Like Everett Dirksen said about the Federal budget, a billion here, a billion there, after while it adds up to real money.

Jim

 

[Clark]

I just took apart, removed the barrel, drilled and tapped for scope bases, put the barrel back on, and reassimbled 9 VZ24s.

I can do one in less than an hour unless I run into grease.
Grease can slow me down for hours.

 

[Elarski]

Lots of Sportsterizing info here. Great bunch of guys, and great info in the archives as well. Good luck!

 

[Clark]

I drilled and tapped 9 more:
1 98/22 Czeck Mausers
2 1938 Turkish Mausers
3 1903 Turkish Mausers
2 1893 Spanish Mausers
1 1893 like mystery 7mm Mauser

It looks like some will not take a scope mount with the forstock in place.
I am going to drill and tap a K98, and then order some mounts.

 

[Tower06]

Which action should I choose

Wanted to hear what people thought of thought of the following actions to make into a 30-06 custom hunting rifle. All are available and in various conditions

M24/47 Yugo VGC
M24/52C Yugo VGC
M98/48 Fair
M98/29 Persian VGC
M96 Swedish Fair
M98k WWII Czech VGC
M38 Swedish Good

I know the cost is higher than just a off the shelf rifle, but I like something uniquely my own. Any suggestions on the the action would be appreciated.

 

[Sleeping Dog]

Tower,

The M48 action is shorter than normal, probably no good for 30-06. The Swedes are small-ring, no good for 30-06. I like the Czech.

Clark,

Did you do any bolt work so the handle will clear low-mounted scopes? Also, what do you do about the safety for low-mounted scopes? Change to a Buehler-style? Or get rid of the bolt safety and change to a trigger with integrated safety?

To me, the cheapest way to a good Mauser sporter is to find one pre-sporterized at a gun show. They're usually no more money than a genuine Mauser and can have a lot of the expensive work already done. I got a nice sporterized Gewehr-98 (1915) that way, as well as a sporterized '03 Springfield.

Regards.

 

[dfaugh]

If you really wanna consider sporterizing a Mauser look for a Czech VZ-24...They are very common, most have the markings ground off (meaning no collector value to speak of) and are cheap. And they are generally one of the smoothest actions out there. I'm currently converting one to 8mm-06 AI. I been "scrounging" parts off various action sites for 2 years, and I will only have about $200 invested when I get done. YMMV.

 

[White Horseradish]

Sarco sells Mauser actions - just receiver and bolt, nothing else. No sense buying stuff you're going to toss anyway.

 

[Dale Taylor]

My 270 built by Jaeger is on M48A. 270 and 30-06 are same length. Works fine. [email protected]

 

[Tower06]

Sarco is completely sold out of all actions. Went to the shop myself and was told by one of the guys there. Samco has some actions, but I would like to see it before I buy. No idea what they weill send through the mail. There is a place by me that has a barrel full of 1909 Argentine actions. I looked at two but I would have to go thru them all to find a decent action that wasnt pitted badly. The bold fot was tight and smooth on the ones I did look at. He's asking $175 a piece which I think is a bit hefty for just an action. Only benefit to it is that I get to see what I am buying and pick the one I want.

 

[mrmeval]

Sleeping Dog, good call on buying an already bubba'd surplus rifle. I picked up a M1917 Eddystone that's been hacked on but at least they had a clue. The stock is worth the cost of the rifle. It's a well done bubba though it needs better scope mounts. Pictures are here.

I paid $65.00 for it this year.

It's mostly identical to the Remington model 30 that was made out of left over parts right after WWII. Though the model 30 isn't a bubba.

 

[Tower06]

I was thinking that as well since I have seen some for about as much as the price of some actions. I just want a nice solid action with no pitting that I can set up nicely in 30-06. The Argentinians looked good and solid Any opinions on the Argentine actions as a sporter base?

 

[dfaugh]

There is a place by me that has a barrel full of 1909 Argentine actions. I looked at two but I would have to go thru them all to find a decent action that wasnt pitted badly. The bold fot was tight and smooth on the ones I did look at. He's asking $175 a piece which I think is a bit hefty for just an action.

Yipes! that's WAY to much to pay for just an action. I only paid $89 for a complete VZ-24 (with the crest ground off) at Dunhams, on sale. And that was for a rough, but servicable and complete rifle.

 

[Dale Taylor]

I love messing with and sporterising old mauserers. I have 4 done now. I always remember a trip to Walmart, who sells Weatherby Vangard for $385, is cheaper. Not as much fun and already drilled and tapped. [email protected]

 

[Tower06]

Thats part of the reason I want to do it. Winter project for next years hunt. Besides that, I want my own unique rifle, not something off the shelf. Its more fun that way.

 

[Clark]

Clark,

Did you do any bolt work so the handle will clear low-mounted scopes? Also, what do you do about the safety for low-mounted scopes? Change to a Buehler-style? Or get rid of the bolt safety and change to a trigger with integrated safety?

To me, the cheapest way to a good Mauser sporter is to find one pre-sporterized at a gun show. They're usually no more money than a genuine Mauser and can have a lot of the expensive work already done. I got a nice sporterized Gewehr-98 (1915) that way, as well as a sporterized '03 Springfield.

Regards.

I have been bending bolt handles with Oxyaccetalene and a hammer or cutting and welding with TIG.

The cheap sporterized Mausers I get have something wrong with them. If it is sights, it is easy to fix.