Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Mauser Action Conversion

I just got done converting two Mark-X actions, one a 458 Lott and the other a 416 Rem Mag. Both started life as magnums, a 458 Win and 375 H&H. The 375 was converted to a 416. One thing to consider, the standard bottom metal for the Mark-X will not hold more than three down and that is iffy. I used Weibe bottom metal which will hold four down and one up. No small task. Not only the rails but the underside of the action had to be machined to utilize the ovesize, wider new box. It feeds flawlesly with both pointed and flat nose solids but with a lot of work on the rails. Not cheap either.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/sako_high-power_rifle.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauser

The Sako Mausers are out there but very rare. Them being rare make them pricy!!

I should have known to check Chuck's website, it's usually my go-to source for research. Thanks for sending along as i had found nothing myself

That article is somewhat misleading. The actions were made in Belgium at the FN plant, then shipped to Sako for barreling and stockwork. Or, perhaps the rifles were completed in the FN plant and sold through Sako, but those actions were not made by Sako.

The commercial 98, as made by FN has been used for years for building high-dollar custom rifles. Weatherby is one that comes to mind, but I have never heard of a Weatherby with a 98 action being referred to as a Weatherby/Mauser. I guess it could be, but Weatherby did not make the action. FN did.

Browning used FN actions, and in the 50's complete FN rifles were imported by Firearms International, Garcia, and other companies. This same company also imported complete Sako rifles built on Sako actions. Maybe that is where the confusion comes in.

The Sako looks similiar, and is probably just as good, or better than an FN.

I have a rifle with a commercial FN action that came factory equiped with a Sako trigger, so Sako and FN must have had some type of working arrangment for their respective rifles.

The actions are made by FN and sold to Sako. They are Sako specifcation. They are different that other actions. The bolts could be the same, the actions are different. There might be some that are the same. Mauser-FN-Husky and the rest did some very odd things back in the day.

That is not a Sako Mauser.

I have a Sako Mauser in .375 H&H and would love to find another in 375 or 300 H&H. Mine may have been restocked- it has a schnabel tip and is fairly compact. The barrel was most likely cut as well (21"). It is a joy to carry and shoot. Several PHs tried to talk me out of it on my recent trip to Namibia. You can see the forearm and barrel in my hunt report in the Africa forum.

I agree this isn't a Sako Mauser. It is a Sako. It does have dual locking lugs and a claw extractor. It is a control round feed. I'll call it a Mauser made by Sako.....

I have had a few over the years, and without exception they all had dinky wee Sako extractors and were push feed with manual ejection.

This action has the large Mauser style extractor.

No mate....no it doesn't.

That is not the extractor, that is merely a guide....you might actually want to have a look at one.

Go here, spend the money, get what you want made the way you want it.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=1849/Product/30-06-Length-Action

or here, these are the same as Interarms.

http://www.zastava-arms.rs/cms/index.php?id=238

Check here to find a USA source: VULCAN ARMS, Inc, 9487 Inver Grove, MN 55076 (651) 451-5956

If you want to build on something more modern then look at:

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=32498/Product/Small-700-SA-Receiver-Blued

Scroll down, they have magnum SS long and CMS short magnum receivers.

have fun

Here's my L579 Sako action, similar to LR61 also a push feed. Based on a Mauser but not exactly. Like JSTUART mentioned, the bar is a guide bar.

Gunsmith I work with primarily does Mausera. He's already set up with the cutters for opening the bolt face

If you're looking for someone to set up an action for you send me a pm.

I just talked to a custom builder yesterday and he said that the afformentioned Sako's are controlled round feed and that some Remmy shooters have their 7hunerd bolts converted to the Sako extractor. Still not the same as a Mauser extractor but does the same job? Sorry to get off subject again.

The extractor does not capture the rim of the case until it is pushed over it when the case meets resistance from the chamber wall.

The bottom of the bolt face would need to be cutaway to provide controlled feed...same as those horrible Savage big bores.

As for the Sako extractors being used in 700's...I have used the same myself and they work fine...as do 700 extractors, where the Sako extractors shine is when the ppc case is used with a bushed 700 bolt face.

There really is not much new when it comes to firearms...bolts, at least.

JSTUART All my rifles are Mauser military conversions or commercial actions except for one Sako L579. After taking another look at the Sako bolt face, I can see the full rim there. Thanks for spelling it out for me. I don't recall my builder friend mentioning the bottom cut, but he may have. Guess I'm not the sharp younger fellow I used to be. Some things are obvious if you just look. My inclinations stand corrected. Your patience is appreciated. Thanks.

Nothing to be corrected old mate...we are discussing a favourite topic and enjoying the banter, and I for one am interested in such.


When I want a fight I go to the campfire.