New custom mauser, was it a good buy?

[Stook02]

I'll try to get a pic up, but here it is. 
FN Mauser 98 action in 7mm08
McMillan Blue/White marble fiberglass stock, heavy benchrest style
24'' douglas ss bull barrel
leupold base and rings

I've put a silver 4-14x40 tasco scope on it to compliment the ss barrel, it'll have to work til i can afford the leupold i want. 
All told, scope aside, the rifle was $450.    

I know the parts are pretty decent, but in the end was it a good buy?

I'm thinking of investing in a double set trigger w/ custom stainless triggers.  Anyone ever use a double set before... if so, did it really help or was it just more of a gimic?  I can't decide between just upgrading my trigger
or buying the whole double set deal.

[Mikey]

Stook - whatcha gonna use it for???  Sounds a bit beefy for general field use and luggin' around.  Gonna bench it?? 

Both Bold and Timney make excellent aftermarket triggers for the 98 action but they are not double set triggers.

With the stock, bull barrel and Leupold base and rings you probably got that FN at a good price.  That's jmho.  Mikey.

[Stook02]

Yea, its just a toy for the range.  Might experiment w/ a bipod just to see how it feels... may provide for some increased flexibility.  I'll look into those triggers though, thanks man.

[Brithunter]

Hmmm there are several different types of Sett Trigger. Some are also know as a Stretch Trigger because it's the front one which fires the rifle the rear just setts it. I have a coupld of rifles with sett triggers a double sett of BSA design on which the rear tigger can be used as a normal trigger and backwards curved front trigger which setts the mechanism. I can rock the front trigger forwads to seet in with the tip of my trigger finger whilst on aim then touch the rear to klet off the shot.

   The other rifle has a Keplinger single sett trigger which from the out side looks normal, you push the trigger blade forwards to sett and then touch the blade to fire the shot.

     Only you can decide if they are right for you  .

    Oh by the way I have a friend who huntsNorthern Missouri and for the last twos easons has used his Light bench rifle in .243AI for his deer hunting. Whilst not my idea of a huntign rifle weighing about 13lbs  he does extremley well with it using 95 Grn Nosler Balistic Tips.

[jeff]

Dosen't seem to be anything wrong with the components of the rifle.  Just hope that whoever chambered the barrel knew what they were doing.  Douglas makes good barrels, but not the best barrels.

             Free                 FN Mauser 98 action in 7mm08
         $500.00                McMillan Blue/White marble fiberglass stock, heavy benchrest style
         $285.00                24'' douglas ss bull barrel
         $  65.00                leupold base and rings
         $175.00                chambering and misc. labor

        $1025.00                Total estimated cost

While the Mauser action is good and strong, I'm not convinced that it's the best platform for a custom rifle.  Particularlly the Military actions, in order for them to work under battle conditions the bolts are 'loose' in the action.  A quality benchrest action and bolt are fitted with minimum slop.  In other words, the military bolt has considerable movement up, down and left right.  The benchrest action and bolt fit very tight with little movement.  Excluding custom actions, Remington or Savage are probably the better choice because of after market parts.  The military bolt like a Remington or Savage bolt should be sleaved to minimize unwanted slop at additional cost.

Regarding the DST.  Why?  Consider that you will most likely need to either modify the guard or replace it to accomodate the extra trigger.  A DST will require the services of a real gunsmith and that will add to your cost.   Instead, why not go to a single set trigger (SST)?  Either can be purchased from Midway.

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=716334


Good deal?  Based on costs to replicate?  I think you got a terrific bargain!  

Hope the gun shoots well for you.

Regards

[Stook02]

Thanks for the reply.  I am going w/ the SST.  I think i mainly wanted the DST as an excuse to try it out   What I should really be spending my money on is reloading equipment.  I know it is cheaper than spending $20+ a box for 20 shots, and I'm sick of having to use Rem Cor Lokt.  Its a fine hunting round but just isn't close to ideal for benchrest.  I figure my 1.5-2.0'' groups could be necked down .5-75'' or more just using a better balistic tipped bullet, let alone custom loads.  If I ever do get a chance to reload I'll let you all know how it goes.   As for bolt slop... unfortunately there is some.  I'm not a fan of it either, but couldn't pass on this gun when I found it.  I'll talk to a gunsmith and see what I can have done about it.  Thanks again for the comments and tips!

Brandon

[Brithunter]

The bolt slop as you call it was designed to allow for the Mauser to function in adverse conditions and not bind and jam which is has prooved to be effective at doing 

    And let's face it it's only really noticable when the bolt is withdrawn right to the rear.