Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Is there a budget friendly Mauser gunsmith on the fire?

Just picked up a German 98 that I need some work done to.
Not looking to make it a work of art, just a working rifle.
Looking to:
Drill and tap
Install new scope friendly safety and new trigger if necessary.
Currently an 8mm but eventually want to rebarrel to 257 Roberts.
Bolt handle already bent.

Is there a budget Mauser smith on the fire?

sent you a pm

You should be aware that a Mauser conversion is NOT a way to save money on a low-budget rifle. You would be much better off buying a Stevens 200, etc. On the other hand, a Mauser makes up into one of the finest hunting rifles there is. Just be certain that your Budget Friendly gunsmith knows where to put the mount holes so that you don't screw up your action. Also, a bent handle on a Mauser is not scope-ready. The handle will either have to be forged to shape (ugly and typically a bit short) or cut off and a new handle welded on (that budget thing again!).

Good luck with your project. I love Mausers!

Bill Jacobs

You could always learn to use open sights.


Seriously. I've been whanging a steel plate at 200 yards with great regularity with my arsenal stock Yugo M24/47 (Yugoslavian straight bolt M98) these last few weeks, this from the kneeling position. Shot a few benchrest groups in the 1 1/2" range at 100 yards with it as well. I'm thinking of upgrading that difficult barleycorn front/v notch rear combo to a decent square blade front and square notch rear like on my Swede - I can really shoot good with those sights.

Lots of folks managed to kill lots of game before scopes were invented or popular. Just something to think about...

I'd concentrate on getting a good quality job, rather than possibly saving a few bucks. The responder who said Mausers make great hunting rifles is right, but as he also said, there are cheaper ways to get hunting rifles.

My favorite is a 1909 Argentine with a Douglas featherweight barrel in .257 Roberts and proper scope-friendly bolt handle, all work done properly by Harry Creighton (Nashville) in the mid-70's. I don't have the faintest idea how much I paid, but the job was done correctly and the rifle can be relied upon for 3-shot groups around an inch.

The sting of poor quality lasts far longer than the euphoria of a small savings...

Clarence

I'd sell it and buy something more 'conventional'

This is akin to turning a small block into a big block; just get exactly what you want based on your budget/whim/needs.

Also buying already built will be substantially cheaper than doing it yourself.

A D & T jig can be bought from Midway (relatively cheap). A Dayton safety (Brownells) and 20 minutes with a Dremel tool will get your safety issue settled. Shop the classified's here or wait until a barrel goes on sale at Midway or elsewhere. A Bold trigger can be had from Boyd's as well as a walnut or laminated stock.

I grind/polish the stripper clip hump down before I D & T. Some bases(FN) don't require this. The barrel will need to be pulled before you D & T, so put witness marks on the bottom to keep your headspace correct when reassembling.

Nothing like having a rifle you put together yourself!!

cowboybart, how will witness marks help on headspace on a mauser or for that matter any other barrel?

How hard is it to replace barrel at home? What tools required for a midway per chambered?

Lots of bad advice here. There are those that are able to use tools and there are those that wonder what went wrong because of using tools.

So what bad advice did I give him?

A Quality large ring Mauser action wrench (and barrel vise of equal quality). A heavy steel bench or pedestal bolted to the floor can prove invaluable also.
Rosin, for the barrel vise.
Lathe facing mandrel to true primary torque shoulder.
Quality depth micrometer.
Lathe.
Chamber finish ream and ream extension.
Go/NoGo headspace gauges.
Copious amounts of Do Drill cutting oil.

I'm forgetting something.

When I pull a barrel and plan on re-installing it on the same action, I put marks on the bottom of the barrel and receiver.
Using an automatic or spring loaded center punch, ping the bottom of the barrel near where it meets the receiver. In a straight line, ping the receiver bottom. When you reassemble, make sure these marks line up!!

Most of the tools above can be rented or borrowed.

Might want to peruse the website of Mark Skaggs, a gunsmith in Oregon. He shows his prices for work. Been a few years since I sent a mauser from Texas to him for work, but he did good work for me at reasonable prices. Guess he worked on four or five mausers for me. His website is work a look.

Two words to solve your problem, and do what you want, it will be done right and as economically as it can be done right (that result has nothing to do with low cost but is the cheapest in the long run), not to mention the man is in the state of Washington and not "local":

ED LAPOUR

Do you really think you will change the H-S if your mark is a bit off? Silly boy! If you snug it up correctly it ain't gonna change. Old wive's tale really.

It's always been my belief the purpose of a witness mark is to clock barrel mounted sights back to their proper position.

Asphalt,
I have never had that problem.

How do you know if the barrel was "snugged" up correctly before you take it off. Some people think that snugged up means using a 3' cheater bar!

Because you won't change the headspace. If you want to "clock" the sights correctly, why not use a level.