I'd like to get a 30-06 bolt action that incorporates the desirable design features of the Mauser bolt actions. Now, I'm not an expert on Mausers so forgive me I don't make sense!
What I want is bolt action where the safety locks the bolt (don't care if its 2-position or 3-position), CRF with claw, fixed ejector, and most importantly the gas baffles that people claim prevent gasses from hitting the shooter in the face.
I think the Winchester 70 and Ruger 77 come close, but not quite (no baffles on either, and the 77 safety is not my favorite).
How about the CZ bolt actions? Are they a good representation of the Mauser design?
One that I really like is the JC Higgins Belgian-made Mausers. These seem like great rifles for the money. I'd rather get one of these than a sporterized/bubba-ized Mauser, but maybe I am just uncomfortable about these since I don't know much about them. It can be overwhelming with all the variations, dates of manufacture, etc.
Open to suggestions. Wood stock or synthetic. Would like to spend $500-1000, but wouldn't be opposed to spending more for something special.
The CZ's are true Mauser's in form and function, but several changes have been made to simplify manufacture and modernize the styling. The bolt shroud is a good example; it does not contain all the various complicated and difficult (read labor intensive) shapes - it is more streamlined.
The expensive route to get a Mauser is to buy a military Mauser and convert it. I've done it and unless you're willing to spend gobs of money, just buy a CZ or Zastavia.
As for stock, I'd go synthetic for weather resistance (check the CZ 550 Kevlar).
Go to Gunbroker.com, narrow your search to bolt action rifles, futher narrow your search to "Mauser .30-06".
Within a very short time you'll be the owner a custom Mauser. If it were me, I'd look for one that had at minimum a Buhler style-safety, quality barrel, and perhaps an inside-the-bow realease for the floorplate (though it wouldn't stop me from buying a nice one that didn't have that).
If you're patient, you'l find one with a model 70-style swing safety, though those don't show up as often, and when they do - tend to be on high end rifles.
You can get an adequte rifle for well under $500.00. With patience, your $1,000.00 budget will get you a really, really nice rifle.
All 98's can make great rifles, some actions are highly sought after, though they don't change what happens when you squeeze the trigger.
I'd like to get a 30-06 bolt action that incorporates the desirable design features of the Mauser bolt actions. Now, I'm not an expert on Mausers so forgive me I don't make sense!
What I want is bolt action where the safety locks the bolt (don't care if its 2-position or 3-position), CRF with claw, fixed ejector, and most importantly the gas baffles that people claim prevent gasses from hitting the shooter in the face.
I think the Winchester 70 and Ruger 77 come close, but not quite (no baffles on either, and the 77 safety is not my favorite).
How about the CZ bolt actions? Are they a good representation of the Mauser design?
One that I really like is the JC Higgins Belgian-made Mausers. These seem like great rifles for the money. I'd rather get one of these than a sporterized/bubba-ized Mauser, but maybe I am just uncomfortable about these since I don't know much about them. It can be overwhelming with all the variations, dates of manufacture, etc.
Open to suggestions. Wood stock or synthetic. Would like to spend $500-1000, but wouldn't be opposed to spending more for something special.
Dig up a Husqvarna 640, they were made on FN made Mauser actions. Those JC Higgins ones were also made on FN actions. Get either of those.
Zastava's suck, I never seen one that fed properly and they have milling marks all over them. CZ550's are okay, but heavy big actions and often fail on the controlled round feeding. They are "sort of controlled round feeding". Tilt the barrel towards the ground and they will drop the cartridge. The best made Mauser actions were the Swedish Mauser 96's. Pure class. But they are 96's not 98's.
"A person that carries a cat home by the tail will receive information that will always be useful to him." Mark Twain
The Zastava and CZ rifles do not have "fixed ejectors." They are spring loaded, as is the one on my Interarms Mark X. If you want a fixed ejector, get am M1903 "Springfield."
Our God reigns. Harrumph!!! I often use quick reply. My posts are not directed toward any specific person unless I mention them by name.
Ruger 77 is close enough for me. If the only thing you don't quite like is the safety, then I can't see how a military Mauser is going to be any better.
My experience with Zastava Mausers has been different than yours--or perhaps it has been wider. Many of the earlier actions (especially those with the floorplate release inside the trigger guard) were pretty damn nice, and some were just as nicely finished as any FN.
I would also differ on the CZ's. I have two 550's, one a 9.3x62 and one a .416 Rigby. It took a little work to make the .416 feed reliably (mostly a stiffer magazine spring), but the 9.3 has been dead relaiable since I bought it 11 years ago.
My experience with CRF actions in general is that many take some tuning to act right. I talk about this at length (and describe ways to fix it) in my latest book.
There are J.C. Higgins rifles made on Husqvarna small-ring 98 actions as well as FN actions.
One of the features many people don't realize that true 98 actions (whether military or commercial) have a bevel on the little ridge behind that holds the extractor in place on the bolt body. This ridge is there on every CRF action with a "Mauser-type" extractor, but only Mausers and CZ's include the bevel.
The bevel on the 98's extractor matches a bevel on the circumferential slot on the bolt. When the bolt is drawn back, the opposing bevels make the claw grab the cartridge's rim very firmly, one reason real Mauser actions have such a reputation for reliable extraction.
Most other claw extractor controlled-feed action do NOT include this bevel, which is why their extractors are more prone to jump over the rim of a stuck empty. The CRF actions that don;'t include the bevel include the M70 Winchester, Ruger Mark II/Hawkeye, Kimber and Montana 1999. The only other CRF action I know of that includes the bevel is the CZ 550.
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
My experience with CRF actions in general is that many take some tuning to act right. I talk about this at length (and describe ways to fix it) in my latest book.
My experience with Zastava Mausers has been different than yours--or perhaps it has been wider. Many of the earlier actions (especially those with the floorplate release inside the trigger guard) were pretty damn nice, and some were just as nicely finished as any FN.
I would also differ on the CZ's. I have two 550's, one a 9.3x62 and one a .416 Rigby. It took a little work to make the .416 feed reliably (mostly a stiffer magazine spring), but the 9.3 has been dead relaiable since I bought it 11 years ago.
My experience with CRF actions in general is that many take some tuning to act right. I talk about this at length (and describe ways to fix it) in my latest book.
There are J.C. Higgins rifles made on Husqvarna small-ring 98 actions as well as FN actions.
One of the features many people don't realize that true 98 actions (whether military or commercial) have a bevel on the little ridge behind that holds the extractor in place on the bolt body. This ridge is there on every CRF action with a "Mauser-type" extractor, but only Mausers and CZ's include the bevel.
The bevel on the 98's extractor matches a bevel on the circumferential slot on the bolt. When the bolt is drawn back, the opposing bevels make the claw grab the cartridge's rim very firmly, one reason real Mauser actions have such a reputation for reliable extraction.
Most other claw extractor controlled-feed action do NOT include this bevel, which is why their extractors are more prone to jump over the rim of a stuck empty. The CRF actions that don;'t include the bevel include the M70 Winchester, Ruger Mark II/Hawkeye, Kimber and Montana 1999. The only other CRF action I know of that includes the bevel is the CZ 550.
You are probably right about different samples - I have had two CZ550's, and both were 'almost controlled round feeding'. In other words they worked fine, but were plainly not taking up the round from the mag, and were really 'half push feed", I could get them to fault if I wanted by working the action lazily while tilting the barrel down, and if I seated the bullets out, I would then have to find a thin twig to push the cartridge out of the chamber. This is not easy for a 6.5x55.
The two new production Zastava's were poorly finished I must say, and fed badly. A twenty year old Zastava in a Harrington and Richardson (which would have corresponded with an Interarms era rifle?) was very nicely finished indeed and a pretty rifle, but it wouldn't feed at all, no matter what was done to it, and I couldn't get it to shoot either. The only thing you could do with it that would give any satisfaction was look at it. I had paid too much for it really and it was during a lean period so it hurt me and I was very disappointed.
Understandably, after that, I have avoided them and held them in low regard; when they are mentioned I sneer quietly and spit, if I am not in polite company. I have not disowned friends who own them, but truthfully I don't see as much of them as I used to.
"A person that carries a cat home by the tail will receive information that will always be useful to him." Mark Twain
I've probably owned a dozen of the older Zastava rifles over the years, all made before the current rebirth of the company after the civil war that split up Yugoslavia. I have two right now, a 7mm Remington Magnum and a .375 H&H, and the others have run the gamut from .270 Winchester to .338 Winchester Magnum. All have functioned and shot well. Sorry for your bad luck!
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
I had a Zastava carbine with full lenth stock 30-06 and it was fantastic in fit and finish .I never shot it as I decided it was heavier than I wanted and sold it .
I think the best way to get a rifle with Mauser qualities is to buy a Mauser!! Not trying to be a smart... but I am sincere in that recomendation. Look around on the classifieds here and Gun Broker even pawn shops and you can find a rifle that you like and fits your budget. The only bolt rifles I have anymore are Mausers with the exception of a CZ 527 Carbine 223(which by the way I like very much). Also does it HAVE to be a 30-06? Reason I ask is the 8x57 mauser is a fine catridge and especially if you reload this round can do anything practically in the hunting field that the 06 can do. And there are quite a few 8x57 Mausers out there ,some in original condition where you would have to do a lot of expensive work to sporterize but also quite a few that have already had a lot of the expensive work done to them.Just a thought.
Yes, it's annoying. Another possible explanation is that we were not getting sent the same grade or quality of product that you guys are, which can happen. (one example, I am convinced we were getting higher quality grades of the little Rossi Winchester 92 knockoff than what was being exported to the States for many years.)
"A person that carries a cat home by the tail will receive information that will always be useful to him." Mark Twain
I have two FN commercial 98 mausers. One is a 30-06 made in '51 the other is a 7x57 made in '52. The barreled actions are stock except for Timney triggers. Both were bought used10-15 years ago. Both shoot 1.25" groups with several downloads. The 30-06 should be relatively easy to find for $600 or so, maybe less if you're lucky. capt david
"It's not how hard you hit 'em, it's where you hit 'em." The 30-06 will, with the right bullet, successfully take any game animal in North America up to 300yds.
If you are a hunter, and farther than that, get closer!
