Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Mark X Questions

I found a neat Mark X in .30-06 today. It has a nicely figured striped maple
stock, virturally umarred; a very good barrel inside and out; and it
has what loooks like copies of SAKO rings -- no SAKO stamp but they are
identical to those on my L579. The bases are exactly contoured to fit
over the action rings and the rear one will also allow me to use my SAKO
rear peep sight.

My only reference book says that Mark Xs were built
in Yugoslavia at Zastava while Whitworths were
made in Manchester England. But mine says Mark X Interarms and
Manchester -- so I assume it was made in England with at least
the receiver coming from Zastava. The serial # is B2206xx,
will this date it's production?

It has a Bushnell Banner 3x9. I'm not at all familiar
with the model or Brand. Is it a throw-away or a serviceable
hunting rig option?

I got it for $340 and so far think it a good buy. Although it
looks to be in the mid to high 90s in condition, I'll have my
gunsmith check it out. A used .270 that all but blew itself
out of the stock on the first round taught me a lesson about
trusting my judgment on such matters.

I'm almost hoping it isn't a shooter, so I can have it remade into a
.338-06. I've already got two .30-06s -- a Tikka and a HOWA-- and
like them but at least one will have to go to make room.

Thanks for any help,
1B

Mark Xs are fine rifles in my opinion. They are extremely similar to commercial FN Mausers, but FNs do bring a higher price. All Mark X actions did come out of Yugoslavia. Ludwig Olsen wrote a book about Mausers that could probably give you a little additional information.

As for the scope, I personally would change it, but it may work for you.

For the record,..

After some book research -- Blue Book 2002 and De Haas's book on
bolt guns -- I think the rifle is either an early MArk X Interarms
made in Manchester -- not Yugoland -- or a Whitworth. If the latter,
it is worth probably about $100 or so more than I paid for
it -- not counting rings and bases, and the scope/paper weight.

It was glass-bedded from the factory. The stock by the way has
a black fore-end cap with white spacer -- yeah, probably an
older model -- and hard plastic butt cap.

Off to the range next week for some test firing.

1B

Does the side safety lock the bolt on Mark X's?
JZ

Hmmmmm...



I've got Bushnell scopes on four of my rifles... three 3x-9x variable scopes and a 1.75x-4x variable scope... and they've worked just fine for me and my purposes.



And I doubt that you can beat the kind of "service" Bushnell gives their customers. My hunting buddy and my kids gave me a like-new, 50 year old Savage Model 99 in .300 Savage caliber for my birthday several years ago... and the previous owner who had it in his rifle collection had mounted a Bushnell 3x-9x variable scope with a "Bullet Drop Compensator" built into the scope on the rifle. Upon examination of the Bullet Drop Compensator, I found that while the rifle was a .300 Savage caliber, the BDC was for a .270 Winchester.



I called Bushnell's toll-free parts/service number and found a very knowledgable customer service person on the other end of the line. She quickly determined the correct model of scope and the proper BDC "range dial" part that I needed and told me the part would go out that day together with an invoice for the parts... and that I could simply mail my personal check to the address noted on the enclosed invoice when I received the parts. I.E., THEY "TRUSTED" ME and didn't hold up the parts until I gave them a MasterCard or VISA number... and/or send them a certified check or money order for the less-than-$10 parts order.



After being disappointed in dealing with more than a few "service departments" with "attitudes" in the firearms industry, I CALL THAT REAL "SERVICE"!!!!!!!



The parts arrived a few days later together with an invoice for $7.50 plus only $1.75 shipping and handling.



Of course, I'm kind of a "relaxed" hunter. I don't get "up-tight" or worry about the slight maximum light-gathering ability which SEEMS to be the greatest "difference" between a relatively inexpensive scope like the Bushnell and similar scopes costing MANY times as much! If I lose the first and/or last 2 or 3 minutes of "light-gathering" during a day of hunting, I don't worry about it... but some fellas do and are willing to PAY for the slight "difference".



I've checked the "zero" of the cross-hairs at various power settings and found the Bushnell scopes to hold their "zero" at all settings. Therefore, I'd recommend that you use the Bushnell a while until you can determine for YOURSELF if you need another scope.



While all those extra "dollars" probably buys something, I've often wondered what they "bought" other than possibly some extra "confidence" in one's ability to make a good shot.



I'm much in favor of "quality", but sometimes... I have to wonder if a man really NEEDS an $800 scope on a $600 rifle?!?



Jus' my 2� worth... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />





Strength & Honor...



Ron T.