mrbigtexan
Well-Known Member
how many like the mauser action for a long range rifle? i like them but would only use a commercial action for a magnum caliber. lets hear what your thoughts are.
mausers?
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6.5shaggy
Well-Known Member
BigTex,
I used mausers when I first started "rollin my own" guns because they were cheap. Turks and VZ24s at BIG 5 were $49.00. I never used commercial actions , but I did a .220 swift, 2 25-06s, 338-06, and a 458 Win Mag with Adams & Bennet barrels that all were MOA; the Swift and 1 25-06 were 1/2 MOA with pet loads. I used a Shilen on a 243 that was always 1/2 moa or less. The mauser is VERY reliable and can be made smooth and beautiful. You should stay with standard cartridges because the mags and short mags can cause feeding problems if you dont get the rails milled right.
Here comes the bad part. You no longer can build these cheap. Actions, barrels, triggers, and safeties have all gone up to the point where you may be in the same $ range as a used Rem 700 or Savage. Even worse is if you ever decide to sell it you will always get "Nice gun, but nobody wants a mauser".
A mauser 98 is all a bolt gun should be, and if you plan on keeping it be not afraid; but be prepared to show your groups when someone pokes fun at it because it will happen.gun)
I used mausers when I first started "rollin my own" guns because they were cheap. Turks and VZ24s at BIG 5 were $49.00. I never used commercial actions , but I did a .220 swift, 2 25-06s, 338-06, and a 458 Win Mag with Adams & Bennet barrels that all were MOA; the Swift and 1 25-06 were 1/2 MOA with pet loads. I used a Shilen on a 243 that was always 1/2 moa or less. The mauser is VERY reliable and can be made smooth and beautiful. You should stay with standard cartridges because the mags and short mags can cause feeding problems if you dont get the rails milled right.
Here comes the bad part. You no longer can build these cheap. Actions, barrels, triggers, and safeties have all gone up to the point where you may be in the same $ range as a used Rem 700 or Savage. Even worse is if you ever decide to sell it you will always get "Nice gun, but nobody wants a mauser".
A mauser 98 is all a bolt gun should be, and if you plan on keeping it be not afraid; but be prepared to show your groups when someone pokes fun at it because it will happen.gun)
Hntbambi
Well-Known Member
I have a few commercial Mauser 98 guns in my safe. One is a FN action with a big 28" fluted #7 Pac-Nor chambered for 6mm-06 Improved that will reach out there and frag varmints. I am getting ready to build my last one as a 375 Ruger on a Interarms Mk X action.
fj40mojo
Well-Known Member
Grew up on Mauser 98s. Didn't get my own until 'bout 2 years ago now. 6.55x55 Match Swede, Santa Barbara commercial action, Douglas 1:8 Premium Air Guaged #2 Contour. Building my second now, .280 AI, FN action, 1:9 Kreiger #3 Contour, Timney Featherweight trigger, Tubb's Speedlock, B&C Medalist Varmint stock. I like 'em.
I was given a 375 H and H Mark X a couple of years ago. After shooting it for a while it became a "donor" for a LR build. Joel Russo was willing to make me a laminate even though he didn't have it programmed into his CNC mill. Stuck a 1 in 7 twist 30" #7 SS barrel on it. My gunsmith worked the existing trigger to 1 lb. Near Mfg. sold me a picatinny rail. It was chambered in 7 rem mag and shot 180 Berger VLDs. It was extremely accurate and killed a coues wt at 460 very handily.
Eventually the fast twist and the three groove barrel combination doomed this barrel. It caused the VLDs to unravel in flight. Even the heavy target versions were not immune.
Last winter I had Dan Pederson in Prescott rebore the barrel to .338. I had him use my 338 RCM reamer and gave him instructions to lengthen the throat for my dummy round which had a 300 gr Sierra MK seated with base even with neck shoulder junction. The cartridge looks like a giant version of the whisper. Using 57 grs of powder this barrel ought to last quite a while.
The result is an very accurate rifle that shoots 300 gr Sierra MKs at 2540 fps. I shot it at 200 yd the first time this spring. Shot a three shot group of .312". Have only fired it once at 500 M rams at the Tucson Rifle club's range but conditions were very windy with gusts of up to 20 mph. It shot tiny clusters regardless of the wind. While the Sierras shoot well I want to try the Berger 300 hybrids when they come out again.
To be honest I didn't think the mauser action was the best idea for a LR platform. I was wrong.
Eventually the fast twist and the three groove barrel combination doomed this barrel. It caused the VLDs to unravel in flight. Even the heavy target versions were not immune.
Last winter I had Dan Pederson in Prescott rebore the barrel to .338. I had him use my 338 RCM reamer and gave him instructions to lengthen the throat for my dummy round which had a 300 gr Sierra MK seated with base even with neck shoulder junction. The cartridge looks like a giant version of the whisper. Using 57 grs of powder this barrel ought to last quite a while.
The result is an very accurate rifle that shoots 300 gr Sierra MKs at 2540 fps. I shot it at 200 yd the first time this spring. Shot a three shot group of .312". Have only fired it once at 500 M rams at the Tucson Rifle club's range but conditions were very windy with gusts of up to 20 mph. It shot tiny clusters regardless of the wind. While the Sierras shoot well I want to try the Berger 300 hybrids when they come out again.
To be honest I didn't think the mauser action was the best idea for a LR platform. I was wrong.
HARPERC
Well-Known Member
I've got one Mauser custom in my safe, great rifle, absolutely reliable, and accurate. However, while it wasn't exactly a sow's ear, by the time it was a silk purse I had as much in it as some of the commercial actions. Love the one I've got, but not sure I'd go that way again.
FAL Shot
Well-Known Member
If you want a Mauser 98, you can buy a new CZ 550 rifle or just buy a CZ action for under $400 and get the latest metallurgy. Old military rifles and conversions are for collectors, not modern long range shooters. Buy new and pay less in the long haul and get a better rifle.
My CZ 550 is in 7x57mm, so it is as Mauser as you can get, and it will shoot just as accurately as many custom rifles that cost much more, and I paid under $700 delivered, with CZ rings. Well within sub-MOA with Norma factory loads or handloads. With woodwork good enough that I have been asked "Is that a Sako?" by a Remington owner. No, just a typical CZ rifle that walks all over most similarly priced factory rifles, nothing special as far as being a CZ goes, just an average performer.....that shot as well with Norma factory loads as his Remington Model 700 Varmint shot with his handloads. I own four CZ rifles and am looking for more.
Russian special forces are now using CZ firearms (and I suppose they did for decades past), and CZ holds 50% of the new rifle market in Africa. Russian special forces do not buy into marketing hype and if CZ was in any way substandard they would not use them as they are not a Russian homegrown product.
My CZ 550 is in 7x57mm, so it is as Mauser as you can get, and it will shoot just as accurately as many custom rifles that cost much more, and I paid under $700 delivered, with CZ rings. Well within sub-MOA with Norma factory loads or handloads. With woodwork good enough that I have been asked "Is that a Sako?" by a Remington owner. No, just a typical CZ rifle that walks all over most similarly priced factory rifles, nothing special as far as being a CZ goes, just an average performer.....that shot as well with Norma factory loads as his Remington Model 700 Varmint shot with his handloads. I own four CZ rifles and am looking for more.
Russian special forces are now using CZ firearms (and I suppose they did for decades past), and CZ holds 50% of the new rifle market in Africa. Russian special forces do not buy into marketing hype and if CZ was in any way substandard they would not use them as they are not a Russian homegrown product.
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benchracer
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I concur on the CZ actions. I have a couple of those myself and absolutely love them. Not all gunsmiths will work on them, though, because the barrel threads are metric and require some different tooling to cut the threads.
The current production Zastava commercial mauser actions are also excellent mausers to build a custom on. In comparison to a milsurp mauser, they require a lot less work and you get modern steel in the bargain.
If you choose carefully, you can have a very nice rifle on a mauser action at a reasonable cost.
The current production Zastava commercial mauser actions are also excellent mausers to build a custom on. In comparison to a milsurp mauser, they require a lot less work and you get modern steel in the bargain.
If you choose carefully, you can have a very nice rifle on a mauser action at a reasonable cost.
mrbigtexan
Well-Known Member
i'll have to check out the cz rifles. I really like the mauser actions and did not know a cz was so identical.
mrbigtexan
Well-Known Member
anyone else putting a mauser through the paces? lets see some more pictures!
Back in the mid eighties I scrimped and saved to go hunting in Africa. I bought a Mark X Whitwoth Express Rifle in 375H&H. It was made in Manchester, England, and had the Yugoslavian Mauser action. With the old Winchester 270gr. Power Points it would cosistantly clover leaf 3 shots at 100 yards and still does with my stock pile of that ammo. It has been back to Africa a couple of times. It's not bedded in a gorgeous walnut stock, never touched the adjustment on the scope and still shoots to the same point of aim. I bought the rifle new for $450.00, the going price at the time. Probably, except for a few battle scares, the prettiest gun I own.
fj40mojo
Well-Known Member
Here is my current project still in the works. Barrelled action just got back form the smith yesterday. Should be CeraKoted by this weekend.
FN action donor was a JC Higgins M50
Krieger 1:9 .284/7mm #3 Sporter contour finished at 27" with counter bored 11degree target crown
.280 Ackley Improved chamber cut with PT&G's bushing type Match reamer
Timney Featherweight Trigger
Tubb's Speedlock firing pin/spring
B&C Medalist Varmint stock skim bedded with Devcon
Still to come: EGW 20MOA base and IOR Valdata 10x w/MP8 reticle
FN action donor was a JC Higgins M50
Krieger 1:9 .284/7mm #3 Sporter contour finished at 27" with counter bored 11degree target crown
.280 Ackley Improved chamber cut with PT&G's bushing type Match reamer
Timney Featherweight Trigger
Tubb's Speedlock firing pin/spring
B&C Medalist Varmint stock skim bedded with Devcon
Still to come: EGW 20MOA base and IOR Valdata 10x w/MP8 reticle
fj40mojo
Well-Known Member
Sweet, your gonna love that Swede. Great cartridge. If you need any load info to get you started let me know.
