Which Mauser to turn sporter?

[jeepmor]

All,

My wife wants to go shopping for an 8mm Mauser for her first hunting rifle. I am certain I will put a new stock on it and scope, but maybe not this year.

Which is the most popular for sporterizing? I was going to dig on this one a bit more first, but she brought it up yesterday, so I best get on the stick. She wants to go shopping this week. I'm on the Portland, Oregon area, if that helps. Hunting season is in two weeks, so probably no net purchases unless delivery is guaranteed fast.

jeepmor

 

[Koobuh]

If you go to a local Big-5 sporting goods store you should be able to find a Yugoslavian M24/47 mauser, or possibly a Turkish mauser, on sale.
Barring a sale, check your gun-carrying pawn shops and gun stores for Turk mausers.
Turkish mausers are one of the most common variants, and no one will shed many tears over the loss of yet another dirty Turk. They are cheap, yet have a solid mauser action, and if luck is with you, are accurate to boot.

Turks are easily distinguished by the 'Ankara' cartouche on the top of the receiver. Please also note that these have very long barrels, possibly a lot longer than you want to carry in the woods; if you don't plan on shortening the barrel, an M24/47 would be a bit less work.

Edit to say: The M24/47 has a different action profile from the standard K98. It will not be a drop-in fit in a standard sporter stock. The Turk on the other hand...

 

[critter]

DO NOT pass up a Czech VZ24 if you find one. GOOD slick M98 action, 'regular' M98 for which there are a zillion add-on's available from various sources.

A Yugo M48 is ok but has a little shorter action. Add-on's are available but make sure they say 'fits intermediate actions' or some such.

Russian capture K98's are usually reworked German guns and can be found in good shape.

Just other options to keep an eye out for. Good luck. The M98 is hard to beat for the price and possible options.

 

[Cosmoline]

Why doesn't she just use the irons?

 

[dfaugh]

DO NOT pass up a Czech VZ24 if you find one.

Ditto. These have the slickest actions of any Mausers I've handled. Also many have had the cartouches ground off, and are of little or no collector value, as they made a zillion of 'em. I'm building an 8mm-06 on a VZ-24 right now.

The one thing I've found with all different surplus rifles is lots of "cleaning rod wear" at the muzzle. Can be corrected by shortening and re-crowning (as I did with previous Turk) or counterboring. The Turk I did (all by myself, including fitting and bedding the stock, scope mounts, bending the bolt handle, etc.) I shortened and recrowned and it shoots a little over MOA with commercial ammo...Started working on some handloads for it.

 

[jeepmor]

More good info, more thanks

VZ24 good - keep an eye out for those
K98 easy to sporterize
Iron sights may just be the ticket this season

Big 5, GI Joes and BiMart are all within a 6 mile radius, Gunshop about 20. Looks like a fun day of shopping. She'll probably buy the first one we look at. I hope I stumble across a S&W 1076 10mm at the gunshop, oh please, please.

Just went plinking this morning and now, already planning another session this week. Life is good. And one more next week to site in a buddy's 30-06. And I'll probably have to do it, good times.

This may turn into a project gun for two reasons. One, I'm a former woodworker and like the stock setup work. Two, I have a buddy who is now starting to barrel his own rifles. This could turn into a wonderful long term project if I find a worthy action. Looks like I'm hunting down a VZ24.

The K98's are big ring mausers aren't they?

jeepmor

 

[EvisceratorSrB]

I'll opt for the M48. I hear from those who have handled my rifle say that the accuracy is unusually good. I can squeeze out about ~3 MOA but I am using open sights. I've handled a Turk, my M48, and my 98k but my favorite was the M48. Hope this helps, and yes, beware of the short action on the M48, don't buy the wrong sporterized pieces for it.

P.S. Do not buy Yugoslovian ammunition with steel bullets. I've had chronic 'sticky bolt' problems with them. Every copper bullet Yugoslovian cartridge I've shot works fine, just stay away from the steel.

 

[MachIVshooter]

I personally have been looking for an M93 Spanish Mauser with a bad stock that I don't feel bad about ditching. I want to do one in a full-length Mannlicher style stock. I just love the 7x57 cartridge. But these are not nearly as easy to come by as the various 8mm Mauser rifles.

 

[dfaugh]

I personally have been looking for an M93 Spanish Mauser with a bad stock that I don't feel bad about ditching. I want to do one in a full-length Mannlicher style stock. I just love the 7x57 cartridge. But these are not nearly as easy to come by as the various 8mm Mauser rifles.

Actually I shoulsd have mentioned that the Turk I "sporterized" was an 1893 "small ring", that was re-arsenalled to 8x57 (I belive they did this around WWII. while the 1898 'large rings' are a bit stronger, and have more safety built it, I've have not had any problems with mine shooting commercial ammo (including "hotter" European loads), as well as some medium level handloads. I did try some of surplus Turk (147 grain) ammo, and experienced hard bolt lift, so I quit that after a couple rounds.).

But, the 1893 Spanish in 7x57 would make a nice deer rifle as well.

 

[aka108]

Rebarreled a 1909 Argentine Mauser to 308 and a 98K to 30'06. Cut the fore end of the stocks back to sporter length, refinished each stock. The barrels used were new surplus from somewhere and at the time cost around 20 bucks each. Both shoot well and maybe have 120 dollars in each. All the surplus Mausers need the bolt handle modified to clear a low mount scope if you are planning on scoping it. The 1909 Argentine actions are slicker than a school marm's leg. Made by DWM in Berlin about 90 yr. back.

 

[jeepmor]

Thanks again

I did some diggin into ballistics and the 8mm looks pretty weak beyond 150 yards. I like the ballistics of the 7x57 better for those potentially long shots. What say you guys with the experience?

Should I be looking for a 7x57? I'm not that concerned with ammo. Once I get about 50-100 rounds, I'll just start reloading them until we need new brass. Should be several seasons being the wifes rifle.

Also, how does the recoil of the 8mm mauser vs the 7mm mauser. I'd expect the 7mm to be more, but if neglibly different, please state such.

jeepmor

 

[Texas Gunman]

http://www.ballistics-software.com/8mm-ballistics.htm

1000yards?

TG

 

[telomerase]

I did some diggin into ballistics and the 8mm looks pretty weak beyond 150 yards.

The commercial stuff is downloaded so as not to blow up the old 88 mausers. But the cartridge is not intrinisically weak at all.

BTW, which is the best of the recent 8mm imports?

 

[Cosmoline]

8x57 made in the USA is useless garbage thanks to SAAMI. It's downloaded well below its power range. I've had good luck with S&B and Norma. The Privi Partisan is also OK.

 

[MikeJackmin]

Nothing wrong with sporterizing a mauser, but why not start with something like a used Rem 700 instead? You'll start with a better trigger, safer gas handling, proper feeding with any cartridge you choose, no worries about cracks or metal fatigue in the critical parts, lighter weight, a more convenient safety, and closer tolerances all around. There's a ton of after market stuff available to trick it out just the way you want, and mounting a scope is no problem at all. I'd probably cost less by the time you were done, too.

If you really have your heart set on a mauser, you might also consider starting with an already-sporterized swede in 6.5. Lots of people did nothing more to sporterize these than to than cut the stock, so they are perfect for your purpose and not collectible at all.

 

[flashhole]

Take a look at a new CZ, they're a Mauser derivative action and a heck of a good value. Try Guns America to hunt up what you want.

 

[mustanger98]

Tell you my thought... I'm on http://www.gunbroker.com a lot and if you run a search for "Mauser" and "K98k" and such, every so often you'll across some nice looking K98k barreled actions... I'm talking complete rifles except for the stock and stock hardware, but the lower steel and bolt and everything else will be there. Get one of those if the price is right. Then all ya'gotta do is order one of those synthetic sporter stocks from Cabelas... the stock with the camo pattern and recoil pad. Use the German issue iron sights... that's the less expensive way to do it.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Also, how does the recoil of the 8mm mauser vs the 7mm mauser. I'd expect the 7mm to be more, but if neglibly different, please state such.

Same case + smaller bullet= lighter recoil. My Spanish Mauser is hands-down the nicest shooting Military rifle I have, save perhaps the M-1 Garand. My only 8x57 is an M88 Commission carbine, and it belts pretty good on the back end.

I don't yet have a 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser, but have fired them and thouroughly enjoyed it. But for big game, the 7mm bullet selection is a bit better.

7x57 loaded with Sierra 150 gr. BTSP will take any big game animal you want.

 

[mustanger98]

The 8mm Mauser can be downloaded too. The 5th Edition Hornady manual shows four weights of soft-point spitzer hunting bullets... 125gr, 150gr, IIRC 180gr and 220gr. I'll hafta get the manual out tomorrow and see about posting some particulars, but those 125's and 150's will work although for deer I'd tend to lean to the 150's. Velocity would need to be what will work with the sights unless we're talking about an all-out sporter with scope and/or different irons.

What's she gonna shoot with this? How far?

 

[dfaugh]

7x57, 8x57, 30-06, .308...With similar bullet weights the performance and ballistics are so similar, that for "real world" practical purposes there's really not much difference. 30-06 has slight edge, with a bigger case, but again, hardly, enough difference to matter. All this is especially true for hunting...the deer won't notice a 150 fps difference, when its hit with any of them.