Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats chambering for mauser for varmints?

got a nice mark x in 30-06 coming. was going to turn it into a 220 swift, but is that the best one? will other cartridges generally feed ok and be options? anyone have preferences or experience?

wildcats are ok and twist and length advice also welcome.

I built a 220 swift on a 1909 Argentine Mauser and it feeds fine.
Also has plenty of magazine length to seat bullets out close to the lands.
I suspect your MarkX would work fine in the swift.

I have heard the 22-250 doesnt always feed in Mauser, I have no first hand experience with that combo though?

The MarkX was available in 22-250. I believe they blocked the rear of the magazine?

Definitely go with 1/8 twist and a medium contour barrel.

Begs the question: what varmints are on the menu? Distances involved? Is noise a factor?

My first thought was .220 Swift. .22-250, .22 Cheetah, etc. come to mind also. When I hear "varmints" I automatically think woodchucks in Mid-Atlantic farm pastures and alfalfa fields. Where I spent 100's of hours shooting them 400 yards was a long shot, and 2-300 yards was the norm. For that shooting I alternated between a Ruger #1B .223 and a custom HiWall single shot in .219 Donaldson Wasp. I never felt handicapped by using single shots, so wouldn't hesitate to set up a Mauser in single shot mode, in which case the universe opens up as to choices. In fact my current rig is a Krag altered to single shot and chambered for an ancient wildcat- .22 Maximum Lovell.

Crowded Eastern farm land presents another concern: noise. My buddies and their Swifts and .22-250's garnered a few complaints from neighbors occasionally. Nothing like having John Law walk up on you to see what all the shooting's about.

1:8 twist 6mm Remington varmints to deer you'll have it covered.

Thats a good idea, the 6mmRem. is based on the 7x57 case and belongs in a Mauser.
Here is mine 6MM 1/8 twist.

Already have a 257 Roberts and a 6.5 swede. This one is going to be more of a walking varmint and yote gun. I think I have it narrowed to a 22/250. Until tomorrow when I change my mind lol

Noise not a factor and distance is probably going to be inside 300 yards as I don't have anywhere to hunt that would give me a longer shot than that

.22/6mm

Sounds like one of the Mausers I have.

Another fine Mauser....

To the OP, no matter what the chambering, 1-8 twist minimum is a must.

22 250 or 6-250, given it's a walker. I'd even consider 6 Creed or 6 Rem.

fubar, what kind of wood on that little 6mm? powdr

Powdr,
That stock is maple, if you look real close there is some spalting close to the forend tip.

It's my first maple stock and the pic's dont do it justice.
It shimmers in the sunlight.

The other side.

+1 for the 6mm Rem.
I have a 6-284 on an FN and want to do a 6 AI on a VZ24 that I have.

If 300 yds is all your after a 10" twist will do fine. Many people compete at 300 yds with 14" twist 6mm barrels.

I thought I hated maple stocks. That is fine!

6MM Rem is about as good as it gets for Deer or Varmints.

mjbgalt:

I built the gun you are after for the same reasons, too ;

a light weight walking varminter for coyotes and groundhogs: mine is a 22/250 with a Douglas Featherweight barrel on a Rem. Mod 7 action rather than a Mauser action. I would disagree with the poster who says an 8 twist, as mine is a 12 twist and shoots great.

A featherweight barrel was not as long as I wanted for a 22/250, so I suggest you consider a Douglas #2 barrel in 24 inches if you can get that length.. Do not go heavier than a #3 at 24 inches, even that may feel too heavy...although it will shoot well.

1903 Turk Mauser form BIG5 $50
Fajen European Classic Stock Mauser from Midway $33.70
.223" Douglas 16" twist rimfire barrel blank from gunshow $50
-------------
$133.70 Cost to build 223 Mauser

We TIG welded the bolt
We TIG welded the extractor
We drilled and tapped for Weaver #45 and #46 scope bases
We cut a 223 Rem chamber with custom reamer 0.250" neck 0.050" short throat.
We cold blued the barrel

It was built for single shot shooting ground squirrels with 35 gr Vmax bullets with Blue Dot in OR, but now resides in MT shooting prairie dogs with 40 gr Vmax bullets with H335.

22-250 would work well. Actually have one on a 1936 Mexican that I'll be getting rid of soon.

My go to Mauser Varmit rifle is a 223 single shot on a 1910 Mexican, heavy barrel. Lots of fun to play with seating depths, etc. with that magazine!

A) Mausers to 22-250 or 243 is easy. 6mmBR is easy, but will probably be single shot.

B)Rebarreling 98 Mausers for belted magnums is straightforward work; lengthen the magazine if needed, open the bolt face, relieve the extractor, and open the feed lips.

I could talk anyone through it on the mill and lathe, and in a couple hours they would have done it themselves.

C) Converting a 98 Mauser to .223 requires welding on the extractor. 50 years ago MacFarland showed how to convert a 98 Mauser to 222 and 225. He uses Silver solder and changes the firing pin.
I have worked on a couple 98 Mauser 223 conversions, and despite the great accuracy, I do not recommend this. I can buy a Sav 110 or Rem 700 in 223 and put a better barrel on and save myself some headaches.