I have a 1910 small ring 98 mexican mauser bolt, receiver, trigger and floor plate. It is undrilled and numbers matching. It is the carbine version with a bent bolt.

What would it cost to build this into a scoped hunting rifle?

Assuming you want a functional rifle, not a full-out custom, I'd suggest you check the E.R. Shaw site's pricelist for rebarreling, bolt forging and drilling and tapping and maybe fitting a Timney trigger with safety. Then find a stock from Boyd's or Bell & Carlson. Add it up and there you have it. Another place that'll do it all is the Williams Gunsight Company.

What you'll probably discover is that you can buy a very nice new rifle for less money and far less trouble and time. It won't be a unique piece built on your nifty little Mauser however, so if that's what you really want and are willing to pay and wait, have at it.

If it's just a nice Mauser sporter you want, Gunbroker has nice commercial ones all the time for decent prices; from basic models originally sold by department stores like Sears to very nice Brownings, FNs, and Husqvarnas, to name a few of the better ones. You can also find good buys on customs built for other people, but really nice ones are going to be pricey, just not as pricey as having one built yourself.

Well done Pappy.

Is Pappy into K-Drama or is that your daughter?

Pappy got it right. If you can't do the work yourself, a custom gun is expensive and not practical.
If unique and custom is what you want then it's worth what you're willing to pay for it.
A custom on a Mexican is desirable though. Best of the 98 features and a pre-98 size. Shoot it and pass it down in the family.

SR 98 military Mausers are always going to command a good price because they are a little lighter than the LRs, much less common, and desirable for custom rifle builders who want to build on a Mauser action. I have a couple of SR Mexican Mauser builds and like them, but having a rifle built on a recycled military action isn't an inexpensive process if you want it done right.

If I was going to have it done, I'd talk to I,T,& D and see when I could get on their queue for when they get back up and running. I'm thinking that full build with stock, barrel, and action work would run at least $1K.

Pappy and 260R nailed it pretty well.

I'm finishing a full blown custom on a Mexican SR98 and will have about $5k into it when completely finished.

If you're looking for "just" a hunting rifle I'd sell it and buy a Kimber and you'll get a lot more rifle for the money. If you're looking to go full blown custom the action you have there can't really be beat, except perhaps a Husquvarna SR.

Great rifle ya got and now you know what you're getting into!

Actually, I'm more a fan of Korean movies than their tv shows, which in general are just about as silly as American ones. My Chinese wife claims they are generally better than Chinese shows and are very popular in China, with Chinese subtitles, of course.

I'm a big fan of Asian women in general and Chinese and Korean ones in particular. The lady featured currently on my avatar is Liu Shi Shi (aka Cecilia Liu), a major Chinese star largely due to her starring role in Scarlet Heart a popular time-travel drama. She's an actress, model, and ballerina of all things, and just a stunner. This picture is far from being her best, by the way.

I do have a beautiful Chinese stepdaughter, but you won't see her picture here, unless she kills a big deer after she comes here.

Thanks for the advice.

Here is what I'm thinking. Getting a green mountain 7x57 mauser barrel which sells for under 90 bucks or find an NOS swedish mauser small ring barrel. I would need to have a smith fit the barrel, check headspace and add iron sights. I could not do any machine work. I would use iron sights no drilling for a scope. For a stock I would purchase a used mauser stock off ebay or some other gun site. There seams to be many. I would use the original bolt and trigger group. I've read these have good triggers. The receiver, bolt and trigger I'm in for almost nothing... it came in a package deal. I also have some barrel blanks that I could trade with a smith for the work perhaps. A part of me does not want to drill the receiver. I really like the eagle holding the snake on the crest.

Your thoughts?


Something like this would be amazing. But I think this may be in the 5K range. I would like to build something that would be ok to get scratched but still shoots well.

IMO, don't do an "econo" build on a nice Mex small ring. Trust me when I tell you that an ebay stock and $90 barrel will not result in a rifle that looks anything like what you've pictured.

Save that action for a nice build! They are getting sort of rare these day's.

Having discussed custom Mausers extensively with TC1, I can tell you he knows what he is talking about on this topic.

Listen to this guy.

For the price of the minimal work you describe, maybe less, you could find one of the commercial models I mentioned earlier and have a fine hunting rifle that you can scope or not, as your notions dictate. Believe me, these rifles are a joy to own and use, and with the hard work done at the factory, you can upgrade stuff like triggers and stocks incrementally, over time.

Someday you can spend the bucks for turning your little Mexican into the rifle of your dreams (which may turn out to be somewhat different from your current ideas).

Poor fellow! I feel your pain and delight.
My late wife was Korean and my stepdaughter tells me she is the prettiest girl. LOL Been bossing me around for 25 years now.
My Korean Aunt-in-law forces me to watch K-drama with her once a week. Oh Yeon-soo is my favorite actress.

Back OT:
Wazzabie,
Don't waste a Mexican action on an economy build. They're getting pretty rare now days. They're too desirable to throw into a Boyds or plastic stock. Used Mexican stock on eBay? Not bloody common. You can cobble up a Swede 94/96 or 93/95 stock to fit, but decent used sporter stocks aren't common for them either.

^ absolutely this.

I've done a fair number of builds and can promise you that TC1 is spot-on here. My first "custom build," a Czech-Mauser actioned .257 AI, is just a sporterized military rifle and was, until I recognized it as such, quite a disappointment to me even though it really kills $hit DEAD. Still, for the amount of money I have into it I could have gotten a Kimber 84M Classic Super America and had the barrel turned back, chamber re-cut to .257 AI, and the feed ramps slicked up for the sharper shoulder.

Took a few times to learn this though... I wouldn't deny you the experience, but I'll honestly answer since you asked!

Good luck,

efw

I have a "money pit" Swedish Mauser build. It started as a minty M38 that was going to just have a peep sight installed. Then it morphed multiple times such that it is a heck of a nice Swedish Mauser, but I have about $1K into it and will never see that out of it. If I wasn't going to have my remains cremated and scattered, I'd ask my Wife to put it into the coffin with me, Viking style.

Here is one that I had built in 2000: Full custom .257 AI, Krieger barrel, Rimrock stock, Buehler rings and bases, side-swing safety. I took the time to dig the receipt for all of the work including the 2-7x32 Nikon variable: $1,088. Probably half again that much today.

Nice looking build there Mudhen what's it weigh?

How you like the rimrock stock? Is it similar to the high tech specialties/Bansner construction-wise?

Right now it is just a paper weight.

I would like for it to be a truck hunting rifle. Some thing that I'm not afraid to use and scratch.

I'm ok with an economy build if it is under $500 for parts and labor. I'm ok with iron sites. I have many barrel blanks to give to a gunsmith in hopes for exchange of labor. I got this in a trade so I'm in it currently for next to nothing. The guy was a retired gunsmith who downsized. I have many barreled action receivers in the deal also. I just finshed a 1903 sporter with the parts he had. I put $100 into it and it maybe is a $300 rifle. Really nice blueing and vintage rear site. Like new HS barrel that has been polished and blued. It just needed to be put together.

Keep it classy, though. 7x57 or a round on that case. I have a '95 Chilean in .257R that feeds like corn through a goose, as Paul Mauser intended.

The Rimrock was my choice for several builds and I wish that Jim Borden had not quit making and selling them. As far as the weight, it's not super light, but it carries much lighter than the scale would make you think:

I've used Mark Skaggs to do a couple of sporter hunting rifles for me. A .257 roberts and .35 Whelen. Both were on VZ 24 Mauser actions and I've been quite happy with them.

Turnaround was fast and prices reasonable.

http://www.markskaggsgunsmithing.com/priceList.shtml

Mark Skaggs is a straight up guy. No nonsense about holding your rifle for months with no results.
He did a Bolt for me about 12 years ago. I'd recommend him.
D

Mark Skaggs.....had him rebarrel about 4 mauser actions, but its been about 5 years since I last used him. Always satisfied with his work and his turn around time was pretty good.

Last time I did business with him was because I'd called him to check if a barreled mauser action I'd shipped him had arrived. During our conversation, casually mentioned a local gunsmith was selling off his personal collection of mauser actions, because he didn't want to do mauser work anymore. Described a pair of his actions, being Mexican and had a Springfield type knob on cocking piece. Chuckle, he got excited about them.....so, I went back to gunsmith next day and bought them for $145 each. Seems the gunsmith forgot what he used to sell them for and didn't realize his mistake till I was leaving....he commented, "just remembered what I usually sold those Model 36 Mexicans for...you got a great deal." Anyway, sent both to Mark, he kept one in return for furnishing any new parts, such as the barrel, timney trigger and no charges for labor on one he returned to me. We were both happy.

One thing about the Mex is the barrel shank is small enough to take almost any take off barrel, rethread it and screw it into the action. I have done this a few times, they weren't things of real beauty but they shot well. You should be able to get the bolt work done, drilled and tapped and the barrel threaded and chambered for less than 300 bucks. If you want to make a real jewel out of it that's a different story.

I saw a custom Mexican 1936 with a barrel from a pre64 M70 FWT 243 installed on it.

Jericho, wasn't it you that sold me a nice 1910 Mexican sporter in 243?

Wazzabie, check your PMs....

I have one chambered in 243 AI, right now it's my favorite.

No expert, but the rifle you posted is above the $5K range. The stock alone might push close to $5K. Then throw in an octagonal barrel and the other metal work... your bill is beyond $5k.

IMHO

Scott

Some how missed a few pages of this thread, already discussed my point

I have had several Mausers rebarreled, put into both wood and synthetic,a 35 Whelen, 7x57 and a 308 not built for pretty that I have used to take game with for many years. If I build a rifle for pretty it is going to start out with a Springfield action, mine is a 280AI and the other Springfield is a workhorse in 30-06 which is my most used rifle next to my 7x57. I keep the preetty ones in a glass fronted gun case and the hunting rifles in soft cases ready to hunt.

I've never understood the idea of not hunting a pretty rifle much less building one for the purpose of being pretty and never hunted.

I hunt all my rifles; the gorgeously finished customs, the factory rifles, as well as the "truck guns".

Rifles are made to hunt no matter their looks.

I will hunt a rough looking gun harder and in much worse weather than a pretty one. Alaska and western Washington put me on the right path.

The last build I did was a 1909 Argentine Mauser in .280 Remington. Just about as pretty as the one shown. Cost me $3,500 to build. Shoots very nicely and gets hunted. It's gotten a few scars, all small so far but every one is a remembrance of a hunt, good or bad. A pretty rifle sitting in the safe is a waste. Sitting in my hands on a stand or stalking some deer or elk is a treasure that was built to do a job, not hiding out of sight in my gun safe.
Paul B.