Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Small Ring 98 Mexican Mauser

Mark Skaggs is a straight up guy. No nonsense about holding your rifle for months with no results.
He did a Bolt for me about 12 years ago. I'd recommend him.
D

Mark Skaggs.....had him rebarrel about 4 mauser actions, but its been about 5 years since I last used him. Always satisfied with his work and his turn around time was pretty good.

Last time I did business with him was because I'd called him to check if a barreled mauser action I'd shipped him had arrived. During our conversation, casually mentioned a local gunsmith was selling off his personal collection of mauser actions, because he didn't want to do mauser work anymore. Described a pair of his actions, being Mexican and had a Springfield type knob on cocking piece. Chuckle, he got excited about them.....so, I went back to gunsmith next day and bought them for $145 each. Seems the gunsmith forgot what he used to sell them for and didn't realize his mistake till I was leaving....he commented, "just remembered what I usually sold those Model 36 Mexicans for...you got a great deal." Anyway, sent both to Mark, he kept one in return for furnishing any new parts, such as the barrel, timney trigger and no charges for labor on one he returned to me. We were both happy.

One thing about the Mex is the barrel shank is small enough to take almost any take off barrel, rethread it and screw it into the action. I have done this a few times, they weren't things of real beauty but they shot well. You should be able to get the bolt work done, drilled and tapped and the barrel threaded and chambered for less than 300 bucks. If you want to make a real jewel out of it that's a different story.

I saw a custom Mexican 1936 with a barrel from a pre64 M70 FWT 243 installed on it.

Jericho, wasn't it you that sold me a nice 1910 Mexican sporter in 243?

Wazzabie, check your PMs....

I have one chambered in 243 AI, right now it's my favorite.

No expert, but the rifle you posted is above the $5K range. The stock alone might push close to $5K. Then throw in an octagonal barrel and the other metal work... your bill is beyond $5k.

IMHO

Scott

Some how missed a few pages of this thread, already discussed my point

I have had several Mausers rebarreled, put into both wood and synthetic,a 35 Whelen, 7x57 and a 308 not built for pretty that I have used to take game with for many years. If I build a rifle for pretty it is going to start out with a Springfield action, mine is a 280AI and the other Springfield is a workhorse in 30-06 which is my most used rifle next to my 7x57. I keep the preetty ones in a glass fronted gun case and the hunting rifles in soft cases ready to hunt.

I've never understood the idea of not hunting a pretty rifle much less building one for the purpose of being pretty and never hunted.

I hunt all my rifles; the gorgeously finished customs, the factory rifles, as well as the "truck guns".

Rifles are made to hunt no matter their looks.

I will hunt a rough looking gun harder and in much worse weather than a pretty one. Alaska and western Washington put me on the right path.

The last build I did was a 1909 Argentine Mauser in .280 Remington. Just about as pretty as the one shown. Cost me $3,500 to build. Shoots very nicely and gets hunted. It's gotten a few scars, all small so far but every one is a remembrance of a hunt, good or bad. A pretty rifle sitting in the safe is a waste. Sitting in my hands on a stand or stalking some deer or elk is a treasure that was built to do a job, not hiding out of sight in my gun safe.
Paul B.