Parts can be crazy. These days anything can be crazy. Fixing/restoring something for 2x what it is worth never made sense. I fell into that trap a few times. I know, you know about the KAR. I was not sure the others knew. I am no scholar of the Mauser, but; I do have a KAR98 which is why I got a bit educated on this model. Then again, I never got into it like you are. I simply " do not know " all the details of differences inside the KAR version. It seems more or less a whole different gun. Apparently a barrel swap is all the same. No surprise.
I have a 450 BM in a Ruger American and expect it should make a fine brush gun on deer with a little more distance and punch than the old 44mag. I have not begun reloading for that. I am at the mercy of the wizz bang red tip bullets. I miss the simple times, when ammo had round nose exposed lead like the old 35 Rem. On paper the 450 looks like a winner.
A friend of a friend sent his Ruger back due to some feeding issue. I guess that worked out in the end and might tie in with some cautions already posted. Again, I dont know and perhaps should leave that to those who do.
