Just curious. If you wanted the "Best" 98 action you could get, what would it be? I'm a rookie when it comes to Mausers but I see some bring big money. Just curious as to top choice.
Lets go with Military 98 actions. Maybe something you would build a quality hunting rifle off of. Before I bought a few, I thought the best was a German 98 action. Little did I know there are lots of different 98 actions. A few years later, I still don't really know squat about them but enjoy learning more and more.
I like the '09's, everybody says they are too soft, but I have yet to find one that had lug setback. I got a '35 Peruvian that would be the last rifle to go, but they are pretty much unobtainium. I think it's time for Iskra to chime in.
Wait, can I add one more to my list? The Persian Mauser by CZ BRNO, but if I had one, I don't think I could bear to modify it. Beautiful.
Last edited by flintlocke; 12/25/23.
Well this is a fine pickle we're in, should'a listened to Joe McCarthy and George Orwell I guess.
Save yourself some money and find an Interarms/Zastava Mark X rifle or action. Most of your customizing is already done. You can spend your money on a nice barrel and stock.
Save yourself some money and find an Interarms/Zastava Mark X rifle or action. Most of your customizing is already done. You can spend your money on a nice barrel and stock.
Originally Posted by UncleGrinch
Save yourself some money and find an Interarms/Zastava Mark X rifle or action. Most of your customizing is already done. You can spend your money on a nice barrel and stock.
lotta wisdom right there^^^although Zastava hammer forged barrels are the berries in my book.
Well this is a fine pickle we're in, should'a listened to Joe McCarthy and George Orwell I guess.
In a generic military mauser action, my definition of "best" would be a decent quality source action and a quality conversion. Something most likely an owner of half century ago dropped some money in and you can benefit from the "package presented. That said, would I seek such. "No." Sporterizing a military rifle seldom competes well with the better purposed to begin with mauser literally improved for civilian use of origin. A matter of reinventing the wheel as reformatting a military arm. Moreover if planning on scoping your candidate, the D&T and re-forging the bolt handle for "low scope" application, yet more reinventing the wheel' detriment!
My opinion, the best deal on the market as "fairly often available" is the early fifties era Husqvarna Model 640 rifles. FN made Belgian mauser actions as top quality and decent if plain rifles ready for field or restock. Even just harvesting the action if applicable/practical!
You have a wide choice and you shouldn't need to spend a bunch of cash! Good Luck!
Hoping all are having nice Christmas experience and to all: Happy New year! Best! John
Probably the Mauser action I like best is the Commercial FN or a JC Higgins M50 which is also a commercial Mauser made for Sears, The come in two cartridges, .270 Win. or 30-06. Barrels are by High Standard and stock either by Bishop or Fajen, not sure which on that. I've made several semi-customs on them, one into a 7x57 and rhe rest stayed 30-06. The do have a bit of an oddball trigger but it's no more complicated that the pre64 Winchester M70 although different. I've replaced some with Timney's but most still have the original triggers and they've never given me trouble. I have customs on a1909 Argentine, Styer actions one on a DWM, two commercial FNs not on JC Higgins guns. If you get the idea that I like the Mauser action you would be right. PJ
Our forefathers did not politely protest the British.They did not vote them out of office, nor did they impeach the king,march on the capitol or ask permission for their rights. ----------------They just shot them. MOLON LABE
Just dropped back to see 'Wazz Happenin'. Actually I like Z1r's response best. Application and chambering count for a lot in defining overly broad "best". For instance, 7x57 a classic ever favorite, the ultimate is a 98 "Intermediate action length" which was of specs built specifically to accommodate that cartridge! But in mil configurations, I don't recall what nations adopted them.
The Standard length actions are easy to find. In such, I add my vote to the above suggestion of the "small ring actions" and of those, the German so-called AZ actions to my mind among the best. Such, various WWI & prior German quality manufacturers to Imperial specs. All quality!
Below one sporterized AZ I bought as cheapo Bubba to restock & maybe barrel to 7x57, but for... My 'weirdness'. Once in a while I feel a 'connect' with quality - presumptively 'home brew' work - conjuring the craftsman of likely century ago. Likely a skilled individual considering a perfect full metal scrubbing, European style & 'do most with least' mil-stock rework. In the field, a lightweight "minimalist" sweetheart & now custody on my watch. A plain little rifle capturing my imagination and 'keeper'! Pix below. Weirdly yours... John
my oldest son has a custom FN '98 Mauser (1950someting) in 7x57. i had the bolt bent, D&T for a scope mount, Timney trigger and a 20" Douglas Featherweight barrel in a wood-like synthetic Fajen stock. i put on a 3-9x Swift, an older one.
my youngest son has a custom '16 Spanish Mauser ('93 lookalike) in 6.5x55 Swedish. i had the bolt bent, D&T for a scope mount, Timney trigger and a 24" Numrich sporter barrel in a Richards Wolverine Apache Gold laminate gunstock, i put on a 3-9x Vortex.
i have '91 Mausers thru '98 Mausers and i think the best one is a 1936 Husqvarna m46 in 9.3x57. i had the bolt bent, D&T for a scope mount, Dayton-Traister replacement cocking piece (it's now a cock on opening, i am one handed). i put on a 2-7x Leopold. i left the original trigger in, it's a 2 stage trigger pull, but it breaks cleaning (2nd pull) at 4 or 5lbs. it is a small ring and the stock is birch. i'll say it weighs at a guesstimate of 7 1/2 or 8 lbs.
i have a 1908 Brazilian Mauser and a 24/30 Venezuelan Mauser in 7x57. i have a 1944 '98 Mauser in 8x57 with a Lyman aperture sight and a Richards black walnut Wolverine stock. i have a 1895 Chilian Navy Mauser action and two other '16 Spanish Mauser sporters.
i have 3 sporters '91 Argentine Mausers in 7.65x53. i gave two Loewes to my sons, while i have the DWM. my Argentine is also has a Lyman Aperture sight. i will say that the Loewes Mausers is sweet and svelte.
the '98 Mauser class is just well, overengineered. now i am saying that Paul Mauser built a greet military firearm. even after today, all bolt actions are a derivative of Paul Mauser's 1898 action. i use Mauser's for hunting, not for killing soldiers. i'd use a '96 Mauser small ring and go from there.
"Russia sucks." ---- Me, US Army (retired) 12B & 51B
Russian Admiral said, after the Moskva sank, "we have the world's worst navy but we aren't as bad as our army".
Commercial FN 98 Easy answer! At least 10 companies or more have sold commercial 98 FN's as the actions on their rifles. To name a few ---Weatherby, Browning, Sears. Montgomery Wards, Smith and Wesson and more like National Arms, Herters, Colt and the list goes on. Oh yeh, High Standard, Husqvarna. These are not counting the 98 copies. The Zastava/Interarms, Charles Daly, Rem 98's are also very good. I know here are some more but I can't remember them right now!!! Getting old. I forgot one more. Marlin also used one.
Last edited by kennymauser; 12/26/23. Reason: adding comment
