Please don't think I am trying to imply anything, I am just curious because of my own ignorance, Its not any kind of criticism. What is it about this action that makes it worth $700? If you go out on gun broker, complete Argentine mausers can range from $300 to $1500. I am just looking for a little education. This seems like one of those things that allot of people are scratching their head over, me being one of them, while maybe there is someone out there who would flip out over it and jump on it if they knew it was here. I have limited knowledge about mausers and their value. That and I bought 3 complete actions from an estate sale and have no idea of their worth. I bought them to do builds, not resale. Just curious.
1909 Argentines were made to very high standards of fit and finish and have a well deserved reputation for being smooth. They are also in demand due to the nice hinged bottom metal. This one has had gobs of work done on it to boot: Rear bridge contoured in FN Mauser style, drilled and tapped for two piece bases, scope friendly bolt handle welded on, 2 postion model 70 Style safety added, and lastly a finger tab added to the bolt stop housing. The thing that most have overlooked is the fact that this action has been color case hardened. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing, it addresses the "hardness" question Theo Gallus brought up.
Its a screaming bargain when you consider an action alone can go for $350
Safety $125
Bolt Handle $150
Drill and Tap $100
That alone brings us to $725. You are getting the Color Case Hardening for $25. That's a few dollars more than a bottle of cold blue!