mauser donor actions

[bluebayou]

I want to make a custom Mauser at home.  I seem to keep missing the M48's.  I know that Boyds makes a stock to fit the M48 and that the extractor is an issue for adding a A&B barrel.  But the price is right. 

Will the Yugo 24/47 work in place of a German K98?  I also see that Boyds makes 98 Mauser stocks.  Are the actions close enough to interchange?  Are there any other cheap options?  What about the Turkish Mauser at Classic Arms?  Trying to limit myself to $120 for complete donor rifle.  I see that Classic has M48s listed too, but don't see having enough cash for another month. 

Any thoughts appreciated. 

[Catfish]

There are still alot of the CZ on the market cheap and they are the best of the Mausers available today at any kind of a reasonable price.

[Siskiyou]

If I were seriously looking for a M98 type action I would look in a different direction.  During the 1960-1980 period a number of low price sporting rifle’s based on the M98 action were sold by Sear’s, Ward’s and other department stores.  These rifles are showing up in used gun racks and gun shows.  These actions have a better finish and a turned down bolt handle.  The actions have also been tapped for scope mounts.  I recall going into the sporting goods department of a large Sears store in 1968.  There must of have been fifty or more rifles built on M98 actions on display.

Write down what a surplus rifle will cost you, then add in the cost of any modifications.  I think the cost of a used commercial M98 sporting rifle with a new Boyd’s stock will be less. 

The Model 1950 and Model 1951 Husqvarne have ugly wood, which hides a great commercial M98 action. 

I took the bear with a sportized M98 in 8mm.

[Slasher]

There are still alot of the CZ on the market cheap and they are the best of the Mausers available today at any kind of a reasonable price.

probably is right... Cheaper just to build from a commercial offering...

But I know that emotionally, sometimes there's something to be said for building what you want...


However, I'd say the chezch can be found reasonable enough... Mine is based on a VZ-24... And after a barrel, turning the bolt (actually just cut it off and had another one from brownells put on), the trueing the action, the stock, the trigger... milling the triggerguard... drilling and tapping a scope mount, picking up an aftermarket stock... potentially ending up with a piece of junk if something isn't done right... its not just a sporterized mauser/truck gun... its a (semi)customized mauser!!! 

I went with a short action round and that is my only thing I would have done differently!!! feeds well when really working the bolt... but slowly feeding a round into the chamber after I pull my rifle up into the stand... doesn't work so well... Go with a long action round in a long action receiver... For that case I would try to just pick a receiver, bolt, and bottom steel up at a gun show...

However, I love my rifle as it shoots well, and everything is as I wished it to be... Would've been about the same as picking up a decent bolt action at a gun shop... but my rifle was built as I wanted it- not with a trigger decided on by the legal team, a barrel that was settled upon by the design team and the bean counters... and it brought back the experiences of my youth and a rifle owned by my buddy's father based on a german mauser, that I dearly covetted...  and nothing else would bring that feeling of my youth back....

[bluebayou]

Well, I have just about talked myself out of the Mauser custom.  Frankly, it just seems like too much work to roll the dice.  Maybe it is cold feet.  I was going the M48 route because it was cheap and the extractor cut would have to be made...then the K98 for more money....then MAYBE the 24/47 action is the right size....

I bought a Winchester M70 in 270 for $220.  It is looking more and more like the likely donor action.  I wanted a custom project to justify buying rebarreling tools and such.  This would be a longterm investment/learning experience, but now...I don't know.  A Savage is only $175 used and rebarrels are quite a bit easier.  Could then learn refinishing on the Savages.  Oh, well. 

[Mikey]

Bluebayou:  The K98 and the VZ-24 are both full sized 98 actions.  The VZ is touted as being the smoothest of the 98 mil-spec bolts and both I have are very smooth. 

You didn't say what cailber you were thinking of for your project and you may experience some problems with short rounds in a long action like the 98. 

I have a $60 Boyds stock for my VZ, whenever I get to it.  Cutting and welding a new bolt handle to dress up the action doesn't cost much, neither does drilling and tapping for a scope.  You can fit your own aftermarket triggers (not expensive and I would recommend a Bold Trigger with internal safety and a bolt sleeve or block to replace the flip safety and then, short of a new barrel, there you are.......  Hand-finish your stock and then you have about as 'custom' a home worked rifle as you might want. 

I have most of the parts but just need the 'smithing' for that VZ.  Of course, in the interim I found a Husquavarna made 98 in 8mm that I 'dressed' with a Bold Trigger and a good set of scope rings and that rilfe is so incredibly accurate that the VZ is still sittin' in the closet.  Mikey. 

[Cknerr]

I keep an eye open on various "For Sale" forums on several hunting boards. THere are several here in Georgia.

When one shows up, grab it quickly. It usually comes with a scope that I sell on Ebay with the rest of the rifle I don't use. When I am there on Ebay, I pick up a bolt with the handle bent. Gotta check to make sure the temper wasn't ruined when they welded the bolt handle back on. At this point I am close to even with the budget....the receiver with a bent handle is free or very close to it.

Now for the work, lap the lugs/ true the bolt face with a fixture I made...do this while sitting down watching the evening news. Now I have a receiver equal to any of the $400 to $500 commercially made versions available. Numerich makes a trigger guard assy with the latch in the trigger guard ($75) instead of the button in the magazine bottom to complete the metal. The rest of the rifle is put togther in the usual way. BTW, buying a commercial trigger guard assy costs about as much as the receiver.

This saves a tremendous amount of money, with the results you can see below. These are mine, they have been around awhile so please forgive  the bumps and scraps. The others go out the door as income.





It works & both still shoot sub MOA,
Chris

[CelticCross]

Check out this site. They have a bunch of mausers at reasonable $$$$.          http://www.classicarms.us/htm/firearms.htm
Good Luck, Ryan