Mauser Build (Pics to come)

[Drisnylan]

I have a few questions for you all over here on the Long Range Hunting web site. My Dad and me are starting to really get into long range hunting, mostly in central Oregon, and he is set up for Pronghorn and deer pretty well with a .270 Remington 700. I on the other hand need (or should I say "want" haha) a good gun for shots on deer and antelope out to 600 yards. I have been thinking about building this Mauser for a long while. When I was 16 (19 now) I bought an old vz-24 large ring Mauser 98 knowing that I will sporterize it one day, and that day has come. I do have a reloading station at my disposal and was thinking about doing a .284 win because of the 7mm performance and the ability to load long in the mauser mag-well. Now my question to you all is what chambering do you recommend for a mauser action (.280rem and .270win are too long for the long boolits :/... I tested)


[*]Bruno vz-24 action in top-notch condition (not a c&r item)


[*]I want to do it in .284 win with a 25 in bbl 1-10 twist but would like to hear your input on possible optioins


Thank you all for your help and good shooting to ya gun)

 

[benchracer]

Here are some things to consider:

Regardless of what chambering you ultimately choose, you can avoid or reduce feeding problems by sourcing and installing a 30-06 magazine follower from a commercial mauser. It seems to work much better than the 8x57 military follower for some reason.

With some careful file work it is possible to gain .040 to .050 extra space in the magazine to accommodate 30-06 based cartridges with high B.C. bullets. Substitution of recent production commercial mauser bottom metal is another alternative that may help. If you go this route, I would recommend that you consider .280AI or 6.5-06AI.

.284 Winchester has the right COAL to be a very good fit in a mauser. I don't think it is fat enough to require modifications to the feed rails, but I am not sure. Before going to the expense of building your rifle around this cartridge, I would recommend obtaining three or four .284 cases. Make dummy rounds and test to ensure reliable feeding. I tried that with a 6.5-284 build on a Ruger Mk II action and was glad I did. Combined with a change to the correct magazine follower, I was able to ensure reliable feeding with my intended cartridge.

Another option that is worth considering is the 6.5x55. It was designed for military mausers, so it will be easy to make it work in your rifle. Your 98 action is easily strong enough to load this cartridge to its potential and you will have plenty of room to seat VLD's where you want them. Ditto the 7x57. Both cartridges are also reported to respond well to ackleyizing if you are so inclined. I have two 98 mausers chambered in 6.5x55 and they are my favorites among my mausers.

Any of the above cartridges will easily get you to the 600 yard mark on deer or pronghorn.

Although there is no shortage of folks who will rightfully say that there are better actions to build a rifle on, the 98 pattern mauser can still make for a very nice hunting rig. I hope that you enjoy building and shooting yours as much as I have enjoyed mine. Good luck with your build!

 

[Drisnylan]

I do realize the pitfalls of the mauser action and how a push feed rifle like the Remingtons and the Savages are more easy to build from, but I have the action and they make killer hunting rifles. Mind you I have a tikka 30-06 that would get the job done, but that isn't a gun I see myself having all my life, this build is something I will hold onto and hopefully pass on to my future family. It is funny that you would mention the 6.5x55 because that is the round I was originally going to build off of, and I still might
Thank you for your input benchracer
And here is what I am working with

 

[jose wales]

I have two 98 Mausers that have or are being custom worked. One is in 280 Remington with a Remington barrel, new bolt shroud and trigger with side safty. Builder ?? but it shoots great. The other one I am doing my self, not changing the chamber, still an 8X57. One inch or less at 100 yards. You can do alot of the work yourself but the barrel is best left to a gunsmith. Working on another build either a 6.5x55 Swede or a 260 Remington

 

[RT2506]

I would give a looooog look toward the 6.5X55 Swede or the AI version for your 98 Mauser build. You don't have to change anything in the magazine and with the proper barrel length, say 26" you can smoke a 140 gr bullet out there around 3000 fps and those golf pencil long bullets really fly flat and hammer game. You can go a ways over most published load data with that 98 Mauser action because most data is for the small ring 96 Mauser which is limited to 46,000 CUP. I have been shooting the 6.5X55 in the original 96 Mauser for a long time and have one sporterized. Even with loads under 46,000 CUP for the small ring 96 action I still get 2800 fps with 140's and 3000 with 120's with the 29" barrel. The 120 Nosler ballistic tip will smoke a deer out to a touch over 300 yards which is as far as I have shot one with it so far.

 

[Drisnylan]

lightbulbWell, last night I learned why 6.5mm and 7mm bullets are so good, and it has to do with the fact that the first guns made for that caliber had fast twist barrels at around 1:8 to stabilize heavy military bullets (m96 sweed and 7x57's) when spitzer rounds came in the form of the 8mm mauser the bullets for the 6.5 and 7mm needed to be updated, consequently, the fast twist barrels allowed long lower drag bullets to be used to achieve better accuracy. The original 6.5x55 loading from 1894 to the 1940's was a 156gr round nose, when they updated, the twist allowed 140gr spitzers to be used. Bullet makers had to make bullets to accommodate the military 1:8 twist. That is why rounds like the .25 dont have comparable high BC, because the first popular round to be made in the .25 caliber was the 250-3000 savage that had a twist of 1:14, bullet makers couldn't make the long high BC bullets for that twist and subsequently, .25 bullets dont preform like the 6.5mm at long range. I say rifle makers need to get their heads out of their *ss and make guns in the right twist haha
AAAND with that said I will be building it in 6.5x55
A left hand boyds featherweight thumb-hole stock is on its way along with a bold trigger and a new action screw set(the current ones are pretty janky).

 

[Shane Lindsey]

Greetings,
I have a small ring Spanish in .243 Win.

How do you keep these older Mausers from growing rust. I have done everything I can think of. I even put some Militec on all the metal and put it in the oven on low heat to try and "bake it" in. Still leaching rust.

Watch that Boyds stock, mine took a little workto get the action to fit and the "reach" to the trigger is for "professional basketball player" hands.

Good luck,

Shane

 

[jose wales]

First off dont bake on anything. The best thing you can do is get some Dura Coat and clean your rifle real good then spray a few coats of Dura coat finish on it. I have three Mausers and I've done one so far and the others will follow soon. Get the on that dosent require baking, it takes up to a month to cure. Did you do any inleting before you put the action in the stock???? Boyds tells you in the instructions to do the final finishing your self. Havent had any problems with their stocks. It takes a while to get a Mauser to fit the way it should. Keep trying and it will be a great fit and a good rifle that is a blast to shoot.

 

[Shane Lindsey]

I thought about the Duracoat. Put some on a M77 and it turned out nice. May just have to do it afterall.

As I got into it, I really admire the design of the Mauser. Smarter folks than me doing that old designing.

 

[Drisnylan]

well Shane, I use CLP and oil the heck out of the actions, this action is so clean because it was covered in cosmoline for a long time.
I don't know where you live, it must be Malaysia or something, I live in Washington and have pretty high humidity and am not having any rust problems but CLP is great for stoping rust in its tracks. As for "Pro basket-ball player hands" that is great! Im 6'4" and could palm a 20 pound medicine ball haha

 

[jose wales]

Where can yu find load data on the 6.5x55 AI???? That is one that I've not heard of but I am a big fan of the 6.5x55. Have owned one in a Mauser 96. Great cartrige for getting Yotes

 

[Buffalobob]

I have a FN mauser in 240 Wby and have killed a truck load or so of antelope beyond 800 yards with it. Longest kill to date is 1140 yards. I have also killed a couple of truck loads of deer with it.

Needless to say, accuracy is extremely good.

 

[jose wales]

Drisnylan,, Get a new trigger with side safty, Bold Optima good trigger, and a new bolt shroud. From there you have a good starting point. 6.5x55 is a great cartrige and a blast to shoot

 

[benchracer]

Be aware that if you go with a side safety you will have to grind a clearance cut into the tang of your receiver to accommodate the safety lever. You will also likely have to adjust the inletting in your stock as well. FYI.

Regardless of what type of safety you go with, an aftermarket trigger is definitely worth while.

I believe that you will be very happy with the 6.5x55. It is a great cartridge.