I really "need" a .257 Roberts and the Ruger UL 77 I'm looking at is on the wrong side of $500. The thread about rebarreling a Mauser action has got me thinking (always dangerous) about doing the same thing.
So, let's say I'm shopping for a donor rifle, which action am I looking for? I would prefer if the donor was already sporterized. Also, what does a rebarrelling job cost these days? Would I be saving any money over the Ruger? Any quirks with the cartridge itself I should be aware of when building?
Won't save much, if anything. I.T. & D. custom gun in Minerva, Ohio will rebarrel for about $250.00 using a Douglas premium barrel. Just about as cheap as it gets for good work!
I.T. & D. does offer mauser actions as well, military and commercial.
The primary purpose isn't to save money, but that would be nice. I've found a bunch of Yugo M98's, some with just barreled actions. Would this be a good candidate? I've heard talk of Mexican Mausers for the .257 Roberts.
I guess what I need is a quick Mauser lesson. I want a rifle that can stand up to the +P loading.
$284.00 for a 1909, VZ 24, GEW German action fitted with a Douglas premium barrel.
I'd opt for the 1909 since it has the good triggerguard/floorplate! And any further work could be done over a period of time.
The Mexican 1910 and 1936 actions are wonderful, indeed, but difficult to find! Would be my first choice for a Bob! Have Dennis Olson in Montana weld on the new handle. He's the best at this IMHO.
If I had to do it with a mauser action I would pick up a Sears FN. By the time you do the bolt handle, saftey, trigger,drill & tap I'am quite sure you could buy an FN. I have one rebarreled with a Rem. takeoff barreled in 25/06 that shoots like gangbusters.
If it was just any action then I would check out a Howa.
If you are interested I have a very nicely spoerterized Springfield 03 that could be had for a reasonable price after hunting season (just picked it up and want to try it out). New Bishop stock, Timney Trigger, Low safety, bent handle, drilled and tapped (I'll throw in Weaver rings and bases) and everything was recently re-parkerized. Can send pick if you want. Need to fund my Rem 600 7-mm-08 project. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
If I had to do it with a mauser action I would pick up a Sears FN. By the time you do the bolt handle, saftey, trigger,drill & tap I'am quite sure you could buy an FN.
I just bought this exact rifle a few months ago, and for this very reason. It is a 30-06 in a plain vanilla stock, but as you say, all the work is done.
My plan was to rebarrel it, but as the old saying goes, "Never shoot a donor rifle. It might be too accurate to rebarrel." <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
The Mex would be perfect for a Bob because it goes well with that cartridge length. I have a Mex in .284 Win and it takes away all the length issues the .284 has.
The best M-98s are those made of modern steels (War rifles were not), and have the full inner receiver ring (many FNs and the Interarms don't). I am not saying these others won't work, but when I picked my Mauser action for my 416 Rem, I picked the CZ. It is made of modern steel, has the full inner receiver ring, and a very beefy extractor. (All my other bolt rifles are and will remain Rems.)
However the CZ may exceed your budegatry limits. Therefore, make sure you get one of the better sporterized M-98s, and make sure you don't spend more on making this rifle than what you would if you bought a modern rifle (bben there, done that).
I'm doing the same project right now and here's the cost so far
donor: Sporterized vz 24 in fajen walnut stock. W/ argentine bottom metal $150 / Pawn shop
Adams and Bennett f14 .257 roberts $93 shipped/ Midway usa
Square action, install barrel, finish ream crown and test fire $55 Skaggs gunsmithing
shipping to and from gun smith $35
Sold takeoff barrel - <$25>
Total $308
I'll blue the barrel myself with oxpho blue from brownells.
Actions to keep an eye out for are the JC higgins model 50, herters J9, interarms mark X, Kimber 98, Western field 720 and others mausers that already are D&T, low bolt handle and safety. with a little searching you'll be able to find one of these for under $300 and the take off barrel should get you about $50 on ebay.
The real sleeper for a .257 roberts or other x57 length round is the western field 720B. It is an intermediate length commercial FN style action built by Heym with the full C ring and the lever release bottom metal. They can also be found at good prices sometimes because most people don't realize what they are.
Another good candidate would be a 1912 Steyr Mauser which was made for the 7x57. They were made for Chile, and while most of them have been rebarreled to 7.62 NATO, they make into very nice lightweight sporters. How light? Would you believe five pounds with scope, sling and a full magazine. Stock is a thumbhole Lawson Mountaineer, the 19" barrel is about as thin as can saffely be slimmed, magazine box swiss cheesed, and a Leupold 4X Compact in Weaver bases and rings. Caliber is .308 Win. I have one more in full military regalia that has a bad 7.62 NATO barrel that I'm considering being made into a 7x57 sporter although it would be perfect for the .257 Bob as well. I did find a Winchester M-70 Featherweight in .257 Bob about a month ago at a gun show. it cost me $500 and is a darn good shooter with the one handload I've tried so far. A little work on the trigger and bedding and it should shoot a lot better. There's one really nice thing about a J.C. Higgins M50. The original stocks have so much wood that they are actually quite clubby. It's no big deal slimming one down into a much nicer stock. I've done three and have one more to do. No, the Higgins are not for sale. Paul B.
Our forefathers did not politely protest the British.They did not vote them out of office, nor did they impeach the king,march on the capitol or ask permission for their rights. ----------------They just shot them. MOLON LABE
About 37yrs. ago I lived in Tucson and worked in a gun shop called Jensen's Custom Ammo. Anyway this was before Bob's shop got real big and as usual there were the various "cling-ons", one being a large fellow named Neil. Neil hated Lawson's dumbhole stocks with a passion. Now and then a Lawson stocked rifle would come through the shop and Neil never missed a chance. This was before the days of political correctness and Neil's favorite discription was "Harry Lawson's design for the paraplegic". Every time I hear about a Lawson dumbhole I laugh and think of old Neil. Pedro <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
