Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Mauser 98 action strength

I picked up a 338-06 it has a mauser 98 action are these actions strong enough for modern operating pressures?

You wont have a problem with a 98 in an 06 based round. If you keep the pressures sane and watch for the usuall pressure signs in your loads.

I have 98's in 25/06, 280, 6.5x55, and a 240 Gibbs which abuses brass bout as much as anyone would care too.

There have been quite a few mauser 98's made by many armories. To make a blanket statement that the action is safe is fool hardy as the quality of actions has varied over the years, especially as WWII was winding down.

In general 98 actions are strong enough for modern pressures on an -06 sized case, but it never hurts to have a compentent gunsmith inspect the action.

There are numerous variations of 98 actions in a variety of conditions. Some started life better , some have been abused for a while. Best thing IMO, is to allow a 'smith that is familiar with Mauser actions take a peek. Having said that, generally speaking the answer is yes. There are some that should not be re-barreled IMO.

I type slowly.

...some were made a little soft and may need a heat treat which'll harden 'em up.

Generally speaking yes, they're great for a 338-06.

That all depends on the 98 action itself, when it was made, and by whom.
There are soft ones out there, and there are some outstanding ones, which can live in the 338-06 environment.
To determine if your action is safe would require a search using the data from the receiver of your rifle.
An example of some outstanding 98 actions would be those made by BRNO, or FN.
BRNO VZ24's mde during 1933 are the very best BRNO's available.
If your receiver was made during the last years of WW II, it would be suspect.
I have very personal family history involving soft Model 98 receivers made during the last years of WW II.
I would do a Rockewell check of the receiver as a minimum, but would use the markings from the receiver to do a detailed check before shooting the rifle,
I have Model 98 based rifles in 22-250, 22 BR, 250 Savage, 7x57, and 284 Winchester. All of mine are safe to shoot.

Don

You should also not be running a .338-06 at really high pressures, anyway. The larger bore is going to lend itself to getting more velocity and energy out of the 200 and 225-gr bullets without high pressures.

Is that way you designed it? That is good to know...

Suitably bowing,genuflecting and burning a little incense here, seein' how as 24 has returned to this planet.

Everything under control in outer space,Master Lee ?

GTC

A Mauser is designed to give under extreme pressure,it ruins the action but saves the face.A soft action is better than a too hard.It just doesn't last very long until set back happens.There is where the question is,the spending money on a short action life.If there is no set back now,I would gamble.