I am not clear if you had a coverted military rifle or it started out to be a sporting rifle.
In USA there have been many, many surplus military rifles bought cheap and sporterized. While the market is not what it once was, shotgunnews.com or buy the magazine hard copy or subscribe, or Gun List hard copy (I have much less knowledge. Been reading SSN for 20 years when Gun List got started.) have ongoing advertising from firms with surplus M98's, parts, and whatever your budget permits. Unfortunately many of the 7x57s got rebarrelled. SARCO (and advertiser in SSN, above) at one time advertised brand new barrels for the 7x57 that were made in Germany for WW I, some country's rifles. 29 inches long. (I have no idea what your preferred length can be, but they can be shortened.) Obviously, cut rifling. Equally obvious, in USA, the "action" --so to speak-- began around the Springfield, 1903 in .30/'06. Necked to 7mm that's called the .280 Remington. (to .27, the .270 Winchester.) As good as the 7x57 is, this is a little more "heat" if you want it.
As suggested, ask around. Visit gun shows. Occassionally you will find someone with a surplus action that needs gas money and will part with it cheap. $50.? $75.? Many, many gunsmiths have things laying around and might sell them cheap, and bring them to gun shows. . My own tiny preference is the Belgium Mausers, definitely new steels, but to each his own. You might also want to read the De Haas book, "Bolt Action Rifles of the World." LUCK, happy trails.
