Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters large ring small ring mauser

like to know the diff.

Has mainly to do with the outside diameter of the receiver. The "ring" is the portion of the receiver that surrounds the barrel tenon (where it screws in).

Notably, a Model 98 is a "large ring" and has a larger diameter "front ring" than, say, a Model 96 Swede.

I'll let others who are more qualified explain in more detail...

Thanks alacarte im getting a 1 pc base for a custum mauser. Im going to get it undrilled just trying to make sure its rite I think its large ring because the mount on the rear is taller thanks again

Look at the left side of the action. Small ring is straight sided like Remington 700, Savage 110, or Winchester 70. Large ring bulges larger over the rear of the barrel and front of the bolt.

Large ring, may or may not have the thumb slot:



Small ring, may or may not have the thumb slot:



More details:
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/GunTech/NewsletterArchive.aspx?p=0&t=1&i=43

Bruce

The terms "large ring" and "small ring" refer to variants of the "standard" model 1898 Mauser. The actions used in J C Higgins/Sears mausers, early Brownings, and FN's are examples of the commercial 98's. They are identical in many ways to the 98 military actions which include Std Modell, VZ24, 1909 Argentine, DWM, Mauser Werke, etc. The military actions all have a "C" ring inside the receiver. This was eliminated on the later commercial actions made by FN beginning in about 1952 or so. The "C" ring was then broached on both sides to simplify manufacturing. Some of the early FN's retain this feature.

The large ring 98 actions have a larger diameter on the front receiver ring and a larger hole for the barrel shank. The small ring 98 type actions are small diameter on the front receiver ring and have a small diameter threaded hole for the barrel shank. For this reason it is considered a bad idea to make a small ring into a magnum because the wall thickness of the barrel wall is too thin. Examples of the small ring 98 are the G33/40 and the VZ33. The only small ring commerical 98 length action I know of was the BRNO M21 built in the early 50's. Granite Mountain is making them and the price is about $3800.

The Model 93, 94, & 96 actions, while having a smaller front ring are not 98 type actions and therefore are not stictly speaking "small ring" actions. The rifle pictured above, with the blue background, is one of these. They cock on closing, not on opening and are much different than the 98 type. They are not considered to be as strong as a 98 and are always much softer.

The military 98 type actions all had thumb cuts. From behind the front receiver ring, both types are the same except that the G33/40 and VZ33 had cuts milled to lighten them a little. Both make the very nicest 270's ever seen.

The Husky HVA is sort of a small ring 98 action.

There weren't any "large ring" pre-98 actions, but the 98 had small ring and large ring variations, with the small ring 98 receivers exterior almost exactly like the pre-98 illustrated.

The illustrations were just what I could quickly find to illustrate the receiver side shapes.

Bruce

the husq is a small ring action made from very fine steel. The bolt stop and ejector are not the same as the 98's. More like a pre 64 M70. Very tough and strong.

BCP thanks for the photos. I don't know how to post pics or I could provide some good examples.

RinB,
Thanks for the info! From what I understand, the trigger, bolt, and I believe a couple of other features on the HVA are just like the small ring 98 as well.

Jordan, The bolts are not the same. I believe that you can use a 98 shroud however. I think you can use the 98 trigger's as well. I don't think that the magazine box trigger guard assembly for a 98 will fit unfortunately. I know a guy who has used a number of them for high end rifles and can pass along your questions if I can find him.

If someone will help me I can post some very nice photos.

Thanks again. I meant to type "bolt shroud," sorry, typo. The trigger works, but the safety needs tweaking from what I understand. Any additional info would be great.

I can help you with the photos if you like.

Photos...lead me on Jordan.

Posting photos:
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...wflat/Number/696239/page/1/nt/14/fpart/1



And you can attach a photo link by clicking on "File Manager" (below where you type your message) and navigating to the photo on your computer.

Bruce

Not all small-ring military Mausers are "softer" (inferior in strength) to all large-ring military Mausers. For exampele, the Swedish M38s made by Husqvarna are probably as strong and well made as any large-ring military Mauser, but they are inferior in terms of handling escaping gas, as they don't have the large gas shield bolt shroud characteristic of the large-ring post-1898 military Mausers.

My favorite military Mausers are the 1908 Brazilians and 1909 Argentines, both made by DWM in Berlin before WW1, and the 'tween-wars FN 24s and 24/30s.

IIRC, some of the Turkish large-ring military Mausers have small-ring barrels specs.

Jeff

The Brno M-21 and 22, or the wonderful G-33/40, all small ring Mauser actions. They are plenty strong and will compare favorably to any 98 action in strength or safety with 06 length calibers..In fact, they don't have to be taken down and brought back up to specs, they are fine just like they are....

I would not recommend the use of the 300 RUM or Wby in any small ring action, but I have seen more than a few in these calibers and they seem to hold up..I wouldn't consider it myself. Those calibers defeat the purpose of a small ring Mauser action, the 7x57 to 30-06 is perfect..

260Remguy,
Ooops, I apoligize, I either read your post wrong or read someone elses post..so I am going to edit my post.

I just built a 358Win. on a small ring Danzig/Erfert '98 action.It has the same demensions as a standard '98 with the exception of the front ring being 1.300.I had the Douglas barrel throated a tad to seat bullets out a little longer and so I could shoot the 225 Nosler BT's.It has the third locking lug and I have shot some top loads in it with no problems at all. The action makes the gun a little lighter and I have it in an old Fajen stock.It's not a Guild gun just one I wanted for whitetails in Texas and hogs.It's becoming one of my favorite rifles. powdr

P.S. My cartdidge OAL w/ the 225 BT'S to the lands is 2.90...very wicked looking.

I am confused about the purpose of large ring vs. Small Ring.

I do know that the large ring has a larger front receiver ring, and it is obvious in the pictures above which is the small ring and which is the large ring, although the small ring rifle pictured is not a 98.

One sure way to distinguish a large ring from a small ring is by the step, where the front ring is enlarged from the body of the receiver. The small ring does not have this step up to the larger diameter.

Were all of the German military 8 mm 98s Large ring? Did the Germans ever use the small ring on their standard issue military rifles?

Were the small ring 98s meant for the commercial market, or was it because they were made by different companies in different countrys, or were they made small ring because the cartridge (7 mm) was slightly smaller?

Seems like I remember reading that the Mexican Mauser, and some others made for South American governments were small ring, chanbered in 7 mm Mauser, and other calibers. I believe one was a 7.65.

Was the small ring the only difference between the Mexican Mausers and the standard issue German military 98 except for caliber?

I do know the cut out on the rear of the receiver was to aid in loading the magazine from stripper clips. I don't know if small ring actions had this cut out or not.

The post above yours mentions one of the small ring large thread German military 98's from WWI. And a rare lightweight small ring 98 with narrower action body so it looks at a glance like a large ring. (G33/40)
--------------------------------
Lots of different military 98's. I think the factories just had a list of options which the ordering country could pick from. The 8mm Mauser needs no larger ring or barrel thread than 7mm Mauser. There are examples of both ring sizes with each caliber.

Large ring with large or small threads
Small ring with large or small threads
About a 1/4 inch difference in lengths
Different magazine/trigger guard designs

Not counting commercial magnum actions, standard actions, and short actions.

Bruce