98 mauser Project

[BigDaddy0381]

I have acquired an 98 mauser action. What would be a good caliber to build this into? I want it for 500 yard shots to start with but I want to keep the gun around for a while since it will be the first one I’m building. I’m also looking for something that’s fairly easy to reload for. I have a 300 win mag but looking for something else to add to my collection.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Buffalobob]

I had mine made up in 240 Wby twice. Once as a shortrange whitetail deer rifle with a 1-10 twist barrel and then most recently into a longrange antelope rifle with a 1-8 twist. As an antelope rifle it has performed well at 600 yards, 680 yards, 800 yards, 868 yards and 1140 yards.

You can find pictures of it with the Joel Russo thumbhole stock in my antelope hunting stories. It has a minimum SAAMI chamber and is throated to the 105 class VLDs with no freebore. It is not "easy" to load for but is not finicky and is extremely accurate.

[BigDaddy0381]

Thanks for the info I'll check it out.

[jwp475]

Don't over look the 30-06. I t is definate 500 yard and beyound capable and it is easy load for for and plenty accurate...

[specweldtom]

I just set back the barrel and recut the chamber on a friend's military '98 Mauser chambered in .257 Wby Mag. That would be another option for your Mauser. If it's a standard size bolt face, it will have to be opened up and the extractor carefully fitted. The .240 should work without any bolt face or extractor work. However, if it's a commercial Mauser with the magnum bolt face, the .240 case head is too small and the .257 is just right. The .257 has a modest advantage in velocity with 100 gr bullets, but Bb has proved that the .240 is very effective also. It would be a hard choice for me, but I always tend toward larger calibers and unfortunately toward doing everything the hard way. I think the tie-breaker for me would be if I had an extra .243 barrel or .257 barrel. That would probably do it.

Large ring Mausers are fine actions (most of them), reliable and accurate.

Sounds like an excellent project. Tom

[James H]

25-06

[Ksmirk]

I did my first Mauser in the boring 308, it does not have the flash or cool factor of the magnums but it will sure enough put a thump on anything a 500 yards. Since then I have built a 6mm Rem, 6.5x55 and just finished up a 243 with a 1-8 barrel for the 105-107 bullets. Since the first one I have kept it and shoot it out to 1k on steel plates and that unlucky doe that stepped in front of a SMK at a little over 400 yards :-) many a pasture maggots have fallen to this rifle out to 800 so far but hey we'll see what we can do this spring. If it were me and I wanted a rifle for your stated requirments I'd look at the 280 Remington or for the bit more cost of dies a 6.5-06, they should feed without any work and they will have enough horse power with good bullet selection for about anything except for some big bears.