Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Gunsmith to rebarrel '95 Mauser

Posted 14 December 2005 19:08
I am looking for a gunsmith that will rebarrel a Chilean Mauser '95 made by Loewz. The guys I talked to so far are either too expensive, or won't do it at all because of the limitations on the action. It has the original 7mm Mauser barrel and the inside looks like the surface of the moon, only worse. I want to rebarrel to .257 Roberts, understanding fully the pressure limitations of the action. I don't want a third rate barrel, although I don't think I want to pay for a Krieger either. The action has been inletted into a real nice Fajen Mannlicher stock and the barrel has been cut to 20" for that stock. I would like the new barrel to follow the original contour to fit the stock or have the 'smith inlet the stock for a more conventional barrel contour.

Any suggestions?

Fast Ed

What's too expensive? The smith, a responsible one anyway, has to headspace it,usually finish chamber it, and test fire it. These things don't just screw in & go home. Who is buying the barrel? I have bought several from Numerich/GunParts and have been satisfied with the results. Thought the price was right. Not a Douglas long range rifled crowbar, but that wasn't what I was looking for.

Check out E.R. Shaw Barrels. They will do the install after checking your action hardness for safety. Really reasonable prices, also.

Fast Ed,

This is likely not the answer that you wanted to hear, but I feel obligated to "tell it like it is".

The most expensive item is the one cheap one that doesn't do the job that you wanted it to. (Thus requiring redoing it) Redoing a military action is never the cheapest way to go. Even if one is given the action, by the time one rebarrels, reblues, buys an aftermarket trigger, drills & taps, adds a scope safety, it is cheaper in the long run to just go buy a commercial rifle in the caliber that you want. (When one considers potential resale; That makes it waaaay cheaper.)

Thus if one is determined to build on a mil-surp action it becomes a labor of love; an emotional project, if you will. One must accept that one is not going to save money.

That being said, I see that you live in SE Wis. A days drive will likely put you in St Anne, Ill at the shop of Harry McGowan. Harry is about as cheap as you are likely to get and still get a decent job.

IT&D Custom Gun in NE Ohio has gotten acceptable reviews to inquiries that I have seen, also. (They often advertise is the "Gunsmith Sevices" section of the Gun List)

Also, as previously mentioned: there is E.R. Shaw.

Any of the above will get the job done at a comparatively inexpensive price. If you intend to shoot the rifle next summer, you would be well advised to contract the job right after the first of the year. Most any quality job will require 3-6 months of turnaround time.

I know a gunsmith that will install an Adams & Bennet barrel really cheap, but knowing him, it will likely take 6 mos to 2 years to complete the job.

Only you can decide which is the best way you can be served. Good luck!

Grasshopper

e.r. shaw

I, T, &D are the guys that told me they wouldn't do it because it was a '95 action. I guess they were worried that I would load up or buy some +P's and blast away, then blame them when it blew up. I also have a local guy that builds customs, mostly Mausers, that told me he wouldn't do it because it wouldn't be worth his time or my money. He ain't cheap.

I hesitate to use Shaw only because there are differing opinions on the quality of their barrels. Some like them a lot, some think they are junk. I don't want to take a chance.

Grasshopper, the gun was my father-in-laws. It has personal value to me beyond what it is worth to anyone else. It won't wear a scope, the trigger has already been replaced with a Timney, and the original safety is just fine. I don't care if it is reblued or not. I just want a decent barrel installed, and I don't want to pay the Gander Mountain gunsmith $500 to do it.

McGowen has been noted by others. He may be my best bet.

Thanks for the input.

Fast Ed

I would contact Mark Skaggs:

http://www.skaggsgunsmithing.com/

He will do as much or as little as you want done and his turnaround time is very fast. (mine took 8 days door to door)
Mark answers the phone and returns calls, a novel concept for some <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Weagle

Fast Ed,

If I read you right, you are wanting to build a reasonable priced shooter, plinker, and occasional hunter... You are not looking to build a super accurate custom rifle (One wouldn't on a '95 Mauser, anyway) Being that there is sentimental value involved, it thus becomes an emotional project. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I believe if I were in those shoes, I'd just buy an Adams & Bennett barrel from Midway and then contact either Skaggs or Dick Williams in Saginaw, MI. Dick does reasonable work for a reasonable price in a reasonable time frame. Not high grade custom work, mind you; but decent honest work.

I'm guessing here, but I would think that you could get the barrel fitted, inletted into the stock, and reblued for somewhere around $200 - $250. Perhaps less. (If interested; PM me for contact info) That would likely do all you want to do with the rifle, anyway.

Good luck,

Grasshopper

You can take almost any takeoff barrel from almost any maker and turn down the tenon rethread it and fit it to a 95 mauser action. There are craploads of new remington, winchester and ruger barrels being auctioned off on Ebay every day.Every once in a while you will find a custom barrel in there too.I have done this with my mexican mausers which I believe have the the same threads as your 95. I have had good success doing this. I have one with a remington sendero 25-06 barrel on it and it is a tack driver. If you are interested I have a nickle plated 257 bob barrel on my other mex that shoots in the 1moa range without load development . I am planning on changing calibers. It would screw right on to your 95 all you would have to do is have the headspace set by a gunsmith. this barrel could be had for 60 bucks shipped.

I have a new Winchester heavy stainless in .22-250; and a new Remington barrel in .243. PM me if you are interested.

Fast Ed~just tonight I was looking at doing the same thing as you. I also have a Chilean '95 from Lowez. I ordered from the Sportsman's Guide about 15 yrs ago. It's also a 7mm Mauser that shoots all over the place due to a neglected bore. So I'm interested in doing roughly the same thing. However, the gun really has no sentimental value to me and I don't want to spend a bunch on it. I'm looking to do a short action medium bore for the fun of it. But after looking at the responses in this thread I think I'll find a used Savage 110 or maybe even a new Stevens 200 instead, and do the same thing. SO...thanks for saving me the trouble and time of posting. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> This site is awesome!
Good luck with your venture!

I have a Mex Mauser barrel in 7x57 if anyone is interested, the bore is in excellent condition, nice and bright. The outside is the ttypical, no pitting but not much blue. Cut it down, recrown and blue and your off to the races, PM me if interested.