Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Military M98 mauser action Vs Commercially made (FN) M98

I am looking at buying a 7X57 factory rifle - and in my part of the world, the only readily available rifles are the Voere 2155 (which is made on a military M98 action) or the Zastava, which sports the commercially made M98 action made by FN.

Of the two, the Voere is better finished as a complete unit, but I think it sports a 2 stage trigger - but the rest of the rifle is new. The Zastava , whilst it has a newer action (made by FN) lacks the fine finishing .
The Voere costs twice as much as the Zastava.
I could add a timney to the Voere if needed.

I only intend to use factory loads through the rifle.

Any thoughts or feedback appreciated.

Gus

I don't think FN would be making guns for Zastava, the yugo's make plenty on their own

I don't think FN would be making guns for Zastava, the yugo's make plenty on their own

Gus,

My experience with the Voere 2155, (An example of '2'...) is that the rifle has a tang safety. Which I believe is NOT compatable with a Timney trigger. Also, I have very small hands and the reach for the trigger is so long it is uncomfortable for me. Were it not for the above, I'd still own one or both of them... (One was a .308 Norma, and the other, a .300 Win Mag...)

GH

I read that Zastava use a commercially made action made by FN .

I have no reservations using an ex-mil action like the M98 as I have used them in the past and havent had any issues.
Gus

Thanks for that GH,

The rifle would be basically a stalking outfit, carried more than shot.

Cheers
Gus

Nyet. They been cranking out M98-type actions for many years in Zastava or thereabouts. They've also been imported here under a variety of "names", since: Interarms, Mark X, H&R, Charles Daly and most recently, under the Remington banner until discontinued.

The folks in what was formerly Yugoslavia, don't care what we call 'em here. They just keep making them.

Grasshopper;
With the understanding that I've only worked on a single older Voere, which is to say the ones built on surplus 98 actions, I would say the following.

I believe you are correct in that if one puts a Timney trigger onto it, there would then be a gap at the rear of the stock, as the tang safety is integral with the factory trigger.

The one that I worked on had an excellent polish on the external parts and better than average bluing.

It was a 7mm Mag and would not feed for sour apples. When I looked into the problem, it turned out that the extractor had not been opened up for the larger case. As I didn't and don't know the history of the rifle, I can't be sure it was that way from the factory, but it didn't feed until it was opened up to the correct size for a magnum case head.

The other interesting thing about that rifle was I couldn't seem to get it to shoot with either 160gr or 175gr bullets that the owner wanted to use.

I tried various loads that had worked in a couple of friend's 7mm Mags with no success. After pillar bedding the barrel and action it did a little better, but still nothing to write home about somehow.

As the owner didn't want to try lighter weight bullets I can't say whether it was simply a twist issue as I suspect it may well have been.

Anyway, it's unfair to judge anything based upon a sample of one, but that was indeed my one.

To the OP, a now deceased friend had a Zastava in 7x57 that functioned perfectly and shot very well. For reasons that I can't begin to recall now, he had it rechambered to .280 and restocked it for his daughter in law complete with an epoxy bedding job.

The result shot even better than the 7x57 did and last I heard she was happily shooting deer with it.

Hopefully that was some use to someone out there this evening. Good luck to the OP whichever way you decide.

Regards,
Dwayne

Either would probably give a very serviceable rifle. Don't sell the 2 stage trigger short, I've never heard of one failing! Maybe it's because I've shot military rifles for 50 years but, I have a 98 sporter that has one and it is a favorite of mine. Just take up the slack and the next tiny pressure on the trigger breaks clean with no creep. Of course it has been polished by the builder.

Concerning the Zastava, they are built at the Zastava plant in what was once Yugoslavia. Have read 1) that they copied the FN manufacturing tools, and 2) they acquired the tools FN used to manufacture commercial mausers. I have never come across any information indicating FN made actions for Zastava, but I wouldn't be surprised to find that opinion in print somewhere. From a retired rifle builder friend who has been there done that the bolts from FN's and at least the older Interarms Mark X's will interchange.

Joe
I agree witth your opinion of two stage triggers. I had to learn to shoot a single stage which seemed odd for a while. My mausers all still sport their two stage triggers.

Randy

The FN action and the Zastava are very similar, but the FNs were made in Belgium and the Zastavas were made in Yugoslavia/Serbia. FN did not make the Zastava/Mark X/Charles Daly/Remington 798/USSG actions.

Newsflash: The bolts from all of my assorted M98s will interchange and function. Be they actual WWII-era German, Danzig small ring, pre-WWII Czech VZ 24, FN Columbian, or the H&R w/Zastava commercial action.

Why? Because they're all "spec" M98 actions.

Guys,
I decided to go with the Zastava, the main point being the price - approx half of what the Voere would have cost me. I was fortunate enough to have my gunsmith recommend the Zastava over the Voere, as did the dealer from whom I will be getting it from ( good friend of mine to boot).For the price, the Zastava is excellent value.
All I need now is some rings and bases - and I will be in business.

Gus.