Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Mauser Question

I have an Argentine Mauser action gathering dust out in the barn. Just the action complete with bottom metal. Have been thinking about doing something with it and was wondering if the action could be used as a base for a rifle chambered in 30-06 since I have never owned a 30-06 and I need to rectify that. Base diameter for 7.65x53 is .473 and the base diameter for the 30-06 is .471. Would the .002 of an inch difference make any serious issues. 30-06 is also slightly longer so not sure if that will be an issue either? In addition to the action I also have a nicely figured slab of French walnut that had aged for over 25 years out in the same barn that would provide the stock.

Is this a project worth pursuing or am I asking for more trouble than it is worth?

I have a FN 30-06 Mauser. I’d suggest you start out with one of those, if you want a Mauser 30-06. If you want a 30-06 you can pick them up probably for as little as it would take to build yours. There’s plenty of people here, on the fire, that know way more than me. But I would not spend the $’s making your action work with a 30-06. I’d keep it 7x57 personally.

I'll make this short. The 7.65 x53 as handloaded for 1909 strength action is about as good as anything ever made for medium game. The military barrels were seldom if ever used with corrosive ammo and every one I have had shot very well. Accuracy potential is comparable to the .308, the 7.65 with modern powders gives up nothing and to get the same velocity, given the same barrel length, will easily operate at 8K less pressure. Good bullets normally are available from all the major makers, brass is available, Norma and PPU provide accurate loaded ammo. You can make brass in one pass from 8x57. Good .30-06's are plentiful, if it's what you are after, but it would be a shame to step over a gold nugget to pick up a silver dollar.

Is it a project worth pursuing? Only can can say. Decide how much you want to spend, then calculate the cost of the project. You farming out the work or is it a DIY project? The 1909 is a fine action, many a custom Mauser was built on one.

Bugger, the 1909 was chambered in 7.65x53, not 7x57.

Lotsa ways to get into a .30-06 Mauser for less than the cost of a build but building allows you to build the rifle you want not just settle for what's available.

Fuq, can't anyone read anymore? OP has an action, wants to make something out of it. Asks some questions and gets told to leave it in 7x57 or shoot it as is in 7.65x53 neither of which are possible with just a complete action.

This would be a labor of love and passion based project where the final outcome on a job well done is the prize, not the cost.

I have several 1909 Argentine actions sitting on a shelf that temp me constantly to do something with but I always end up going with a commercial Mauser action because it is much easier, cheaper, and in the long run and I know the case hardening in the receiver is right.

Here is what you need to consider:
1. Are you willing to invest in having the action re-heat treated to guarantee the case hardening?
2. Can you cut, bend, shape, and weld the bolt handle without impacting the heat treating in the bolt?
3. Can you drill & tap the receiver for scope bases properly?
4. The 30-06 cartridge has issues fitting in the stock 1909 magazine box with certain bullets, you would have to modify it or change it if you want to run max COL.
5. Do you have the tools to properly install the barrel?
6. Starting from a slab of wood to a finished stock is an achievement and source of well earned pride. But do you have the tools and skill set to do this? If so, it is a labor of love and a large time investment.

Gunsmiths are extremely expensive and if you have to pay to have some of the above work done, you have already exceeded your cost goals.

If you are looking at building the 1909 for a cheap alternative to a hunting rifle, this is not an optimum decision and you will most definitely lose money on this project should you decide to sell it.

If the 1909 action is important to you and you have an attachment to it and would love to use it as the basis of a 30 06 hunting rifle, no other rifle you can buy will give you the same outcome you will get from building it yourself. But, you will be spending more money and the final product will not be worth more than the investment.

Would you want to sell it? Give me a shout.

What I failed to mention, 7.65 take off bbls in exc cond. are plentiful and cheap. As a matter of fact I have one I'd give him for 25 bucks shipping.

Why not put a 308 barrel on it? 3006 will be easy to find. The action you have will shine with the short action cartridge. 06 will be a little harder.

The pragmatic reasons for running away from this kind of build are many (and wisely adhered to). On the other hand, everyone should build a custom Mauser at least once in his life, if for no other reason than to punch that category on his Rifle Loony Card.

As mentioned above, COAL can be an issue with the '06 in a M98. In the one '06 I did there was no issue whatsoever but I've heard the stories. I think I would determine max length for cartridges to fit/feed in the magazine and have the barrel throated for that bullet and OAL, so as to avoid a couple headaches down the line. (In mine I may have gotten lucky in that regard as the first load I pulled out of thin air to try in it shot splendidly and feeds perfectly so I never messed around beyond that, and couldn't tell you what the throat dimensions are because if it works, who cares.)

Go for it. You can’t put a price on the fun you will have building your own rifle. I have a couple, one 7x57 and one in 25 06.

A VZ24 I built into a .338-06.



I've built dozens of '06 length rifles on 1909's.

Great looking rifle!

Proper bottom metal and follower is something to consider. They ain't cheap, but I like all of mine.

Ifoy ulook closely, you'll see that the VZ24 I pictured has 1909 Bottom metal. Properly dimensioned bottom metal is key.

z1r that is a sharp looking Mauser. I’m working on a 35 whelen myself and am curious about the stock you have on yours?

Mac, Is that a DWM made in Berlin or an Argentine made action? 1909's are a darn good action. I would build a 257 Roberts on it. No mods needed other than barreling it up. A 30-06 will fit with some massaging. Some of the Argentine built are a bit prone to being soft in the recoil lug area. Not a danger but not good for long hard use. Build it up.

They tend to be soft in the locking lug area, not the recoil lug area. But they are nice both because of the fit & finish as well as the accommodating nature of their feed rails.

Thanks Double Aught. That stock was, believe it or not, bought from Richard's Microfit around the year 2003. I lived in the area and hand selected it then took the biggest rasp I had a rasped on it for two days to release the stock within. It sported a 26" barrel and would launch Hornady 225's into a little under 1.5" at 200 yds. The barrel made long field shots real easy. Somebody offered me what, at the time, seemed like an obscene amount for it so I sold it. Kinda wish I had it back.

I certainly goofed that!! Of course I meant locking lug!! Hey I am only 94% human afterall - 6% Neanderthal! Most friends think that should be reverse LOL!

Kinda figured that's what you meant.

It turned out good that’s for sure!

That sure is a sweet rifle there. Stock looks great.

Not sure if you have made your decision yet or not, but I'll give you my thoughts. I'm building a 'custom' Mauser for my son right now, I have a thread in the Custom Rifle area if you want to see it. So far I'm into his rifle for about $1000, that includes the action cost, Richards stock (twice on the stock actually I started over), new Walther Barrel, swivel mounts, recoil pad and a few other smaller parts. The cost also includes some of the supplies I've had to buy, stock finish, bedding, solder, replacement springs and some tools. The cost does not include the cost of tools I already had such as a drilling and tapping fixture, various sanders, grinders, drills and screw drivers. That cost also doesn't include labor. I'm doing this as a labor of love, I enjoy it and its a gift for my son. Also the tooling and most of the supplies I could amortize the cost since I'll be building another for another son after this. Yes I am a glutton for punishment.

What I'm trying to say is even if it is a labor of love, and you are doing all the work yourself, you can still have a nice rifle ready to shoot cheaper or at least as cheap.

But if you want to do the work or you just want it exactly the way you want it and would enjoy saying you built of had this built then go for it. Just know it takes time and the cost almost never is seen in the monetary value.

Yep. And truth be told that's always been the case with such projects, even 50-60 years ago when all those costs were cheaper and Mausers were a dime-a-dozen. I look back on those days and remember the "old guys" and my Dad going on about it and can't help but think that mainly they were exercising their artistic sensibilities. Life goes on.