Fellow Campfire Members;
This is a rundown on the latest project coming out of my shop.

I started with a parts gun Mauser 98, this one actually made by Mauser and added a Parker Hale .270 Featherweight contour barrel.

At some point last fall, I decided it might be an interesting experiment to see how light I could make this rifle, without rebarreling with a fluted barrel.

This is the starting weight with a walnut stock, Parker Hale trigger, Timney Buehler-type safety,Pachmayr recoil pad, Leupold M8 4X sitting in steel Redfield type rings and bases, a leather sling, reworked steel military magazine box and trigger guard and 4 rounds of 140gr. ammo. It�s a long story, but that magazine only holds 4.


This is the Wildcat Composites blank I started with. I was impressed with a number of things on this stock and would buy another in a heartbeat.


I was surprised that the aluminum magazine/trigger guard weighed this much.


This is a commercial steel magazine/trigger guard before I drilled it full of holes, which cut less than 1 oz. off of it. Poor return for an hour�s work I felt.


These Bushnell rings had the dubious distinction of being both the lightest and the ugliest rings I could find in my parts bins. Including bases, they would see-saw pretty close with Talley Lightweights that I�ve weighed.


This is the finished weight including a Pachmayr Decelerator, 6X Leupold Compact, ugly Bushnell rings, Weaver bases, Boonie Packer Safari Sling and 5 rounds of 140gr. ammo.


This is one view outside today.
[img:center]http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x83/BC30cal/finishedleft.jpg[/img]

This is the other side.
[img:center]http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x83/BC30cal/rightclose.jpg[/img]

I'll just rust blue the magazine/trigger guard now and start to play with some loads for this fall.

Thanks for looking in to my latest project.

Regards,
Dwayne

Nicely done. Hard to get a Mauser down under 8lbs as you found out.

Very Nice

Cool Dwayne, I like projects.

Next time just start with a small ring 98 HVA action and you will be below that number without doing anything......

I recently handled a Mauser that appeared to have a McMillan ADL-style stock with an AL trigger guard. It felt VERY much lighter than a normal Mauser sporter. The barrel was a standard contour shank, not Win. featherwieght style.

BC30cal, is that stock 18.0oz or 1lb, 8.0oz"

Bruce

Scott;
I didn't know that, thanks.

I can't recall ever playing with a small ring 98. Are they more or less the diameter of a 96 but the length of a 98 then?

Up until a few years ago regular 98's were cheap up here. I can't recall paying more than $50 for one, but then some folks figure that's about what they're worth!

This one was $35 for the action, and I got the barrel for doing some pruning for a friend who wouldn't let me do it for nothing like I wanted to.

In retrospect, I likely should have quit spending money then.

Ah well, keeps me out of mischief and the economy going I guess.

Have a good weekend Scott and thanks again for the HVA info, I'll have to keep an eye out for one.

Dwayne

bcp;
The stock is 18oz. without the Decelerator on it.

The Decelerator added just over 5oz.

Dwayne

BC30cal,

Thanks for posting this, I've got a Mark X in 7X57, IIRC it goes 8lb - 1 oz bare except weaver bases, if I keep it I definetly wan't to put it on a diet.

"The Decelerator added just over 5oz." Dwayne

MPI stocks (in Portland, OR) carrys (at least they used to) a pachmayr decelerator pad that had no steel in it, which you don't need if you are gluing (superglue) the pad to the stock (vs screwing it on).

You only lose a little over an ounce, so I wouldn't bother unless putting one on anyway, priced about the same.

Also there is the flip flop pad, which I haven't tried yet, so can't comment on the weight savings/functionality.

Steelhead or anyone else,

What do the HVA small ring actions weigh vs the large ring Mauser action? I saw a HVA model 51L{think this was the model #} (J.C.Higgins 30-06) that the owner CLAIMED weighed about? 6 pounds ...in a wood stock (no ammo or sling). Even though the bottom metal was aluminum, the stock rather trim and the action a small ring...I find that rather hard to believe!

Jerry

I put a 98 on a diet too. Started with a Husky 9.3x62, that big hole in the barrel will give you some weight savings. On my 9.3 I went with a limbsaver and it added about the same weight (Bansner)

I have done the flip-flop pad on lighter recoiling rifles. It will give you a lot less then 5 ounces, like in the neighborhood of an ounce if I recall correctly, maybe two, and the recoil handling is fine for me with the lighter kicking guns.

I can't tell if yours has one or not, but I had the stripper clip hump milled off mine which saved a little, and a model 70 two position, which I think shaved just a touch.

IIRC, 40oz on the Husky with alloy bottom metal. A g33 type small ring is about the same with steel.

Alloy bottom metal will save you 4oz. So if the guy was using a small ring with a pencil barrel like the vintage Browning's (2#) and alloy bottom metal, then his stock could weigh up to 26oz all up to meet the 6# mark (without a scope).

I have a sporter I put together using a Swede M38 (96) action. Long story short, it comes in just under 7.5 lbs, scoped, loaded and slung. And that's with a wood stock and an 18" barrel.

That "aluminum" mag box and guard isn't really aluminum. It's actually an aluminum/zinc alloy (aluminum bronze) which is quite heavy. It is a similar material to that used for the Parker-Hale trigger housing.
It is pretty hard to make a mauser real light but seven and a half pounds all up is a pretty light rifle so you did pretty good. Looks pretty good too.
I've used a couple of those stocks and didn't mind them at all. GD

Nice looking rifle, Dwayne.

toltecgriz;
Thanks for the opinion on the rifle.

I figured I should try a .270 out a bit more since members like you, Mark Doberenski and BobinNH seem to think they work OK!

Someday I'll tell you the whole story about the fellow that gave me the barrel. To say he loved .270's and absolutely hated anything .30 cal would give a rough start to the tale.

Thanks again and have a good week toltec.

Dwayne

greydog;
Thanks for the input, I hope you know that I always value your opinion very highly.

It was because of you and RickF that I heard of Wildcat Composites and gave them a whirl on both of your recomendations.

The only downside at present is that I just put a longer stock on our youngest daughter's .250AI and now she really, really thinks she needs a Wildcat stock on her Remington instead of the lightened laminated one I put on.

Thanks for the clarification on the floorplate/mag box material. I bought 2 of these unfinished from the chap in Vernon who ended up with a bunch of Parker Hale stuff and was in fact told these were Parker Hale units.

The whole project went quite well until my wife bought that ----scale and offered to let me use it.

There is nothing like actually weighing things and knowing the truth instead of guessing.

When I think about it, she bought me the chronograph all those years ago and made me throw out all my - up to that time - perfectly good ballistics theories.

I hope you and yours are doing well sir. Perhaps I'll make it to the Kamloops show this year. I'd love to meet you in person and buy you a meal or at least a coffee.

Thanks again for all the help you give me.

Dwayne

greydog:

The bottom metal I was comparing to is out of the FN's Browning "small rings". They weigh .24# as opposed to the half a pound range for mausers.

I was assuming the Browning alloy bottom metal and the FN from the same era were the same.

I have never purchased an aftermarket one like those Paws to weigh. I do have a FN bottom metal assembly that has greyish finish on it but weighs as much as the stock mauser ones. Didn't realize it wasn't steel.

This is my Peruvian that is now a small ring, small thread with the G33/40 cuts on it. It weighs 12oz.


This will become a 250-3000.
Butch

No doubt it will be a beauty.

How many ounces did you whittle off that action, Butch?

Unfortunately, I did not weigh it before the machine work.
Butch

Fellow Campfire members;
I thought I'd throw this up for a quick update on what can be done with a lighter recoil pad.

Thanks to fellow Campfire member stocker, I was able to find a source here in BC for lighter recoil pad material from Corlane Sports in Dawson Creek who use it on their in-house made mountain rifles.

As one can see from the photo, by replacing the Decelerator with the new material, it shaved an even 3oz off the total.



I just ground it this evening and haven't had a chance to shoot it yet, but it ground very easily and looks and feels about the same as a Decelerator.

Anyway, for those who are interested in such things there it is.

Thanks for looking and have a good week everyone.

Regards,
Dwayne

That looks nice Dwayne. I ordered an Edge stock for my Husqvarna small ring 1640 in 7x57 today. I'll let you know what it comes in at all done up.

Scott;
Thanks I look forward to seeing it.

I do know a 98 is not the best place to start when one really wants light, but this one has been sort of like the Cadillac in the Johnny Cash song, you know - one piece at a time!

Again I look forward to seeing the finished small ring.

Dwayne

I'm pretty sure the blue tape takes at least 2 ounces off.

Dwayne, FWIW, I used a 3/8" drill bit to "swiss cheese" both sidewalls of the magazine well/box, also - which I noticed was lacking in your bottom metal.



I've also drilled a series of shallow 3/8" holes all along both sides of the lower action body, below the stock line, ala the lightwieght Mauser 33/40, because I don't have a milling machine to machine a slot there ILO the line of blind holes.

If a side-safety type trigger is used, at a negligible weight gain, then a smaller/lighter safety-less FN-type bolt sleeve may be used, at a much better weight savings.

.

Nice looking rig BC!

I ordered a McM with Edge fill for my G33/40 and without ammo or sling and in Leo rings/bases and a 6x36 Leo it weighs 6 lbs 15 oz if I recall right. I used a Sunny Hill trigger guard, that darn thing was 6 oz! And I have a Gentry 3 posi on it.

It feels nice but I'm still really fond of my old Brown so I'm not sure if I'll keep it or not (the Edge). Guess I've been toting it so long it's kind of hard to move on.

Pretty sure I could lighten it up a bit by changing the rings/bases (would like to go Gentry) and perhaps doing something to the trigger guard but then I'd just make up for it by sticking on a new tube with some more weight to it.

I'm not a big fan of buggy whip tubes (Lilja #1 cut to 23")

But, you did a right nice job with it, and thx for sharing.

Dober

Dwayne,

7 2/3 pounds all up with five rounds of ammo and sling is nothing to worry about.

Ted

Mark, if you decide to rid yourself of the Edge let me know, I have another HVA coming and suspect that a G33/40 and HVA inlet are very similar.

It looks like 7 pounds 3.7 ounce

Rangr44:
Thanks for the note on drilling the holes. I also "Swiss Cheesed" the whole thing after I took the photo, but neglected to take an "after" photo. According to the scale, one hour on the drill press yielded just under 1oz reduction in weight.

I know a fellow with a mill and considered having him attack the action along the lines of a G33/44, but somehow when I added up what I'd spent so far in money and time on it I lost my appetite!

Knowing me, I'll likely have him do it in a year or two when I forget how much I've spent so far.

The 98 project was a fun challenge for me to fool with is all. I emphatically know that starting with a Remington action or just buying a Kimber off the shelf is the way to go when one is really serious about losing pounds.

That said not counting the scope or any of my time, as far as I can recall I'm into this for $736 thus far, which would buy me just over half a Kimber here in Canada.

Thanks again and have a good weekend.

Regards,
Dwayne

You bet! And I would take that 7 2/3's pounds in a minute over something lighter,just to have that good, tough 98 action working for me........

BC 30,nice rifle! Good job....that rifle smacks of "rugged" which is a very good thing......no comment on the chambering

interesting project BC30cal.

Are the Wildcat stocks molded then machine inletted? or is the inletting molded in?

that steel bottom metal you have pictured is from an early HVA 1600 btw.

For those interested in putting a Decellerator on a diet, I recently helped a buddy re-do one

the new pad



ground flat on a belt sander, so 1/32" - 1/16" of the hard rubber is left



find the edge of the insert with an xacto knife and cut around one side



metal insert pulled out and ready to glue on



On a postal scale, the pad lost almost 2 ounces. Actual loss will be less since you then grind away some of the outside. Still, for 5 minutes and no cost, it beats fluting a bolt for a 1-1/2 ounce reduction.

The weight loos (in my estimation) is as much in getting rid of some of the hard rubber as it is in getting rid of the steel insert

free miner;
Thanks for the photos and info on putting a Decelerator on a diet. I believe I will try that on one in the near future.

The Wildcat stock had the inletting molded in, or so it appeared to me. The owner, Stuart, was great to work with and I'm sure he'd be able to answer any questions you had.

He can be reached at: http://wildcatcomposites.com/

I liked the fit and finish of the blank I got and would buy another one today without hesitation. There were a few other things I liked, in particular I thought the aluminum blocks molded in to hold the swivel studs were a
good idea.

Thanks as well for letting me know what the bottom metal came from. I believe someone else told me it was off a Husqvarna as well. The rifle went through a fire and the bottom metal although somewhat rust pitted, was the only salvageable part on it apparently.

Thanks again for the Decelerator idea, I like it!

Have a good weekend.

Regards,
Dwayne

Fellow Campfire Members;
Should anyone be interested in this sort of project I thought I'd give a quick update.

On the 'Fire here in the gunsmithing section another member made me aware that a lightweight aluminum bottom metal unit for a 98 was available from Brownells.

Hopefully this link works OK:
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=9718/psize=48/Product/MAUSER-98-TRIGGERGUARD-FLOORPLATE

The only proverbial sticky wicket for my Canadian brethren here is that it can't be imported directly into Canada from Brownells.

After a wee bit of thinking outside the box, I was able to get a used one sent up here and that appears to be OK with all parties. Well it's here now anyway.

Brownells says it's 3.7oz, but our scale read 3.6oz.


The installation of the aluminum bottom metal brought the total weight down to 7lbs even, which includes 5 rounds of 130gr GMX's and the sling.



Anyway, should any of my fellow 'Fire members want to go down the path of putting a 98 on a diet, this seems to be a fairly easy result to obtain.

Thanks for looking and all the best to you all in 2012.

Regards,
Dwayne

One has to wonder if the Germans knew something that we don't...

My M-98 "Guild Gun" in 8mm/06 has a 23 5/8" barrel, iron sights, steel military trigger guard, wooden stock, and steel butplate, and a Leupold Pioneer Scope. The entire package tips my Fed/Ex scales at a mere 6.7 lbs.

Trust me, this is waaaayyy too light for an 8mm/06! Which explains why I've never fired it... But it's on the list for load work-up this next summer...

GH

Cool rifle Dwayne!

Dwayne,

Looks like you have been productively busy--and ended up with a VERY nice rifle!

Thought you might be interested to know that Eileen's latest favorite big game rifle is one of the small-ring Husqvarnas mentioned earlier in the thread. I bought it for a very reasonable price on the Campfire classifieds. The original barrel had been replaced with a very slim contour 22" barrel in .243 Winchester (dunno the make) just enough smaller than the original barrel channel to be free-floated. It has the aluminum/zinc bottom metal mentioned by Greydog.

The rifle turned out to be quite accurate, and with a 6x36 Leupold in Weaver mounts (the bases came with the rifle) it weighed exactly 7 pounds--with the original wood stock.

Eileen killed a big whitetail with it and I am in the process of remodeling the stock (including installing a recoil pad and checkering) and it will weigh about the same as your rifle when done.

I've done some light Mauser 98's over the years, but very few large-rings end up as light as yours. Congrats on a nice rifle!

John;
Thank you for the information on Eileen's rifle, as you surmised correctly I am always interested in those sort of details.

Hey that's part of what makes us Loonies, correct?

It sounds like a wonderful project and as I believe I've said before, a reasonable fellow would have started with a small ring Husky to begin with.

I worked on a logging truck driver's Husky in .308 this fall and it was a beautiful handling rifle with an exceptionally smooth action. The Swedes surely didn't take a back seat to the Germans when they wanted to make something well - or so I've come to believe anyway.

I wouldn't have been able to reach that weight without the help of several folks here on the 'Fire who put me onto the stock maker out of Edmonton, the folks with the light recoil pads in Dawson Creek and finally the lighter bottom metal as mentioned above.

If you are so inclined when you are done the project rifle John, why don't you put up a photo or two on your rotating photo album? I'm certain I'm not the only one who would like to see the finished product.

All the best to you and Eileen in 2012 John and thanks for the input and information.

Dwayne

Really sweet. Diggin the paint job especially.

Slick project. I would think that the M96 Swede would be a good place to start depending upon desired caliber. My walnut and steel one in 7x57 with 22" barel, quarter rib, banded front sight, banded sling swivel base, steel buttplate, steel quick detachable rings and Leupold VX-II scoped weighs 7# 10 oz empty. I have to believe that one worked up with the goal of being a lightweight can get well below 7#.

I'm down to about 7lb 5oz on a large ring 30-06. I used a bansner stock and a decelerator. The trigger guard hoop on the original aluminum bottom metal had broken, so I shaved off the triggerguard and floorplate, left the front recoil screw boss (filed it into a round ADL-style protrusion), and glassed this into the stock. I then took a fire-damaged steel bottom metal set from Sitka Deer, whacked off the triggerguard, filed a front tang tab on the triggerguard that catches the glasswork I did (kinda like a kimber), and created an ADL mauser. I like it. Barrel measures 0.64" at the muzzle.

Excellent work, won't be long before the kids steal it! I've got a lightweight on a Husqvarna next up on my to-do list. Most of the work is done, just need to finish with the bedding and stock work. Should be done with the Remington 700 Ti today, should be able to get the Husky finished up next week. I'll get you all some photos then.

Interesting post. I've got a custom 98 that runs 7 lbs., 4 ozs. empty with 6X42 Leupold.
MPI Kevlar stock which goes just over 18 ozs. ready to bolt up. 1/2 inch rubber recoil pad, not a foam pad.
Steel, Remington FP&TG, lightend as is the action. Steel Leupold QR mounts and rings.
24 inch Pac-Nor #1 contour barrel, .600 muzzle, with shank reduced.
With Ching sling and five rounds, I'm at 7 lbs. 13 ozs.
Can go lighter. Talley Lt. Wt. mounts will cut 5+ ozs. A couple of inches off the barrel and I'm down 2-3 ozs. as well. Lighter 6X35 Leupold will reduce it's weight 2 ozs. more.
I'm not going to do it. I like it just as is. E

very nice....I've got a Santa Barbara action in 6mm in a crappy wood stock I want to give the treatment to, while making it a Roberts. hoping to get down to 7.5 with a bansner stock, talleys and a light scope.

The trick is to weigh, or know the real weight of every component for the rifle. 98 Mausers often run 45 ozs. or more, so they can be harder to do.
My rifle maker told me he could get the action alone down to 40 ozs., so that helps. Another 3-4 ozs. off of the barrel, etc. The real weight savings was on the stock, 18-19 ozs., ready to bolt up. After that, it's scopes, and scope mounts. E

Dwayne,

I appreciate you posting all of this up as it is something I've been interested in for quite a while.

One thing I'll caution you on is the PAWS BM unit. I had one and the "anodizing" appeared to be pretty poor, as it rubbed off rather easily.

The easy solution was to pick up a can of Wheeler Engineering's Cerama-Coat and spray/bake it on.

Cool project. I call 'em "winter sanity projects," though this one was a bit too early to fit the bill completely .

Grace and peace to you and your family this New Year!

efw;
Thanks for the kind comments to you sir and to the rest who did, I appreciate the feedback and hope some out there can benefit from the information I provided.

Thank you as well for the heads up on the finish on the bottom metal.

If I can make a small confession here, I really, really didn't like the antelope relief on the floor plate. So for the first time in my life and I'm somewhat reluctant to admit this, but I stuck the bottom metal in the stock and applied a coat of Krylon fusion to the whole works.

Here's a photo that shows it a bit better perhaps?


Like a lot of project rifles I've done, the fun with this one was what I learned while doing it, though I must admit that dragging a 7lb rifle around the local mountains agrees with me more than I ever dreamed it would. I'm sure it has nothing to do with me aging though....

Thanks as well for the link on the spray on Cerama-Coat. I'll have to do a bit of digging and see if they can either send it up across the medicine line or if someone stocks it up here.

As I mentioned a bit earlier, the PAWS unit wasn't available from Brownell's for export up here to us Canucks, but eventually I was able to figure out a way to get one up here and as far as I'm aware no laws were broken.

Lastly, thanks for the good wishes for 2012. May I return it to you and wish you and your family the best of the Lord's blessings in the New Year.

Regards,
Dwayne

Don't feel bad, Dwayne... I felt EXACTLY the same way about that relief, and ended up going w/ a reshaped military unit instead.