Gentlemen

I am a certified rifle nut with a dozen or so factory and semi-custom rifles in the safe. I have a few nice pieces and they serve me well...Some were gifts from my bride,my brother and my kids (5,8 and 13) so they have sentimental value to me and have taken some game for the table and the wall over the years BUT I have a WANT and as we know....Well these wants can be buggers.



On to the task and reason for my post. Ive decided that I want a "Once in a Lifetime" mauser build. This is to be a Walnut,Richly Blued, Barrel Banded, Square Bridged, Express Sighted Beauty with parts from Dakota,Blackburn,NECG,Lilja etc.....

The fly in the ointment is cash....I have time but the 3 mentioned above take quite a bit of the cash....The advantage that I have is time...Im on 42 so my "Plan" is to take several years to build this beauty.

So on to my questions....Given the limitation of spending $1500-$2000 per year Where would you start? WHO would you engage? WHAT would you use?

1) Action-Needs to be capable of handling up to a 375 H&H as that is one of my final 3 possible chamberings. The other 2 being the 300 H&H and the 9.3 x 62. I want a Square Bridged classic action with a nice liw profile 3 position safety.

Budget Cost:

Type:

Gunsmith:

Time:

2) !Stock-This is where I want most of my money. I am an admirer of burky ink lined Walnut,shadow line cheek rests,open wrists and fine checkering.

Budget Cost:

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Gunsmith:

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3) Barrel -I am leaning towards a # 3 or #4 contour Octagon barrel with the noted Express Sights and Barrel Band in a 23" length.

Budget Cost:

Type:

Gunsmith:

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4) Bottom Metal- I need suggestions here.

Budget Cost:

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Gunsmith:

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5) Trigger....Again suggestions are welcome.

Budget Cost:

Type:

Gunsmith:

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Thank you for any and all input. I know this will require planning and careful choices so those of you who have used the best or are the best to advise me ....Please chime in.

Regards,

Robert

TC1 and Butch Lambert will set you straight.

Great post and tittilating to boot...I have my own notions but those guys are pro's.Can't wait for the responses.

Not one to say a man shouldn't make himself happy. That said, unless I planned on hunting Africa a few times I can't say as my one time, all in, full out custom would be chambered for a cartridge I'd have little use for on a 'daily' basis.

Can't imagine a little Kurz in say 250 Savage not getting the [bleep] shot out of it.

Your dime though.

Scott has it right. My only close to custom is this Kampfeld 250AI mountain rifle 33/40 mauser cuts.

I use it every year!

My 375HH has been shot three times in 3 years with ragged hole results.

I agree. I think I would lean towards a "Plains game cartridge", something that I could use for mule deer hunts of what ever. Of course the natural choice would be 30-06, but could just as well be 270, 7mmRM or, 300WM or 338WM.

I'm with Steelhead on this one. If the project is to be spread out over several years with cost not an issue, then why not add the cost of shortening a good 98 action to Kurtz length and chambering it for .250-3000? You'll fire it 20 times for every one firing in a large magnum chambering, not to mention the ego-boosting 'wow' factor when other cognizant people see it. Unless of course there are dangerous game safaris in your future too. Just a thought.

Gents...I have SS RSI's in 257 Roberts and 6.5x55. I have a custom 338/06 with McMilla,Shilen,Timney etc... I have a custom Rem 700 300WM with Cerakote, McMillan,Jewell etc...I have a 350RM SS with Synthetic..... I have a Model 70 Classic Stainless FWT with AAA Wood in 243....A 450 Marlin GG...A 308MX Marlin....etc....

I've got a lot of coverage in the mid bore and small bore areas...I don't really have a serious large bore but I'm open to chamberings of interest.

Bruz

Here's my once in a lifetime Mauser, a .505 Gibbs, built by Lon Paul, using a Granite Mountain double square bridge Mauser action with Model 70 three position safety and a stock built to my exact dimensions. The metal is still in the white in these pictures, but the finished rifle featured a Leupold Vari-X III 1.5-5X scope in Smithson mounts and a Smithson receiver sight.





For more photos of the finished rifle, go to: http://www.granitemountainarms.com/lon_paul.html

Lon is a real artist in wood and metal and I am looking forward to working with him for years to come.

Likely a reason you don't have one, because you've never needed one. Again, I don't follow the reasoning in dropping $5-10K on a rifle I don't need nor will seldom shoot.

YMMV

The above is perfect, I'd roll a 505 Gibbs also. Go big or go home.

Having pondered the same trail as you, would start by sourcing a sq. bridge Oberndorf action or conversely on the other end or the spectrum with one of these:

Satterlee mag

decisions....

Beautiful rifle but I will never have a need or use for a 505 Gibbs and if I ever get to take an African or Alaska trip my 338/06 and a 375 would do well...Correct?

I have never owned a 375 but my understanding is that they can be loaded down for what I will get to hunt a lot....Whitetail,Hogs and Black Bear and werent unpleasant to shoot.....Is this not the case?

I dont want to argue about chamberings or whether I need the rifle. I know I have that covered with my current inventory aside from Elephants which I will never hunt.

Thanks for your input

Robert

9.3x62 is big enough for me--Steelhead lets stuff get a lot closer...

I don't tolerate safe queens, so the nicest wood stocks guns I have on are on trap & skeet shotguns. Have tried AAA wood on hard hunted guns and pre-determined it won't bother me, but it bothers me.

So to be satisfied with spending really big bucks on rifle I have to see it frequently between my hands in the field--the action and the metal work have to "talk" to me just like exhibition wood does on shotguns.

For me, that's a Oberndorf or a small ring like a g33 thru the hands of metalsmith --has to have a thumb slot...:)

A 375 in a 8.5-9 lb rifle is not the most fun on the bench, but for field use it is fine. I love the inherit accuracy that the 375 seems to bleed. I think a fine 375 is a great choice, and one of the few caliber choices that will possibly recover most of your costs should you choose to bail.

Buy a P64/70 winchester in .375HH and go hunting with the rest of the $$
that don't answer the question,but I did it years ago and been happy.
Custom rifles are cool,but never return any money,they seem to get little use,therefore in my mind not a "full investment"...

A campfire and a Castle beer after a long days stalking in Africa is etched in stone....

I didn't post my .505 because I recommended the caliber for everyone. It just illustrates a "once in a lifetime Mauser" which meets all the specifications originally laid down. As far as original Oberndorfs are concerned, I have them, too, but none is big enough to handle that particular caliber adequately. If a double square bridge Mauser is what you want, Granite Mountain or Gottfried Prechtl (www.golmatic.de) is the way to go, in my opinion. No need to shop for safeties and bottom metal. It's all there to start with.

I'd find a smith that I wanted to do the work and was comfortable with, then I'd let the pieces fall into place.

every Lon Paul mauser that I have seen so far would illustrate it for me...

I am just finishing up my once in a lifetime Mauser. I used a small ring Mexican 98 in 7x57 using the same reasoning as others. I have lots of smallbores that I am happy with, but wanted THE RIFLE that'd fit me and reflect my tastes perfectly.

That having been said, you'll likely have little choice but to go Granite Mountain if you want a double squarebridge magnum mauser.

What you might consider doing is what I've often flirted with; buy a CZ in 375 H&H and a great stick of wood. Have a model 70-style 3-position, more egronomic (checkered) handle installed, and have the chamber recut to 375 Weatherby mag (or in your case the barrel replaced altogether). Send the new blank to a great 'smith, visit him to get measured and discuss the details of my vision for it, then let him have at it.

The last details I'd consider are rust bluing & a set of NECG/Recknagel sights.

Mike McCabe does FANTASIC work; check him out!

I'd have Ralf Martini or Duane Wiebe do such a build.

Action - Hartmann & Weiss in whatever configuration best fit the chambering. This would come with a fantastic bottom metal unit.

Barrel - If Martini was doing the work, I'd go with one of his over-sized blanks so that he could integrally machine a quarter rib, front sight, barrel band, and additional recoil lug.

Stock - Nicest English walnut blank you could find and have it shaped to your specs.

Accessories - EAW Claw Mounts and rings, skeletonized grip-cap, Blackburn (Swift) or NECG steel trigger, NECG 3-pos. safety, and the cherry-on-top: leather-covered recoil pad.

The first thing I would do is start shopping for the wood. That can take a long time, if you are holding out for just the right piece. If you want a large caliber gun, you could look for Bastogne if that strikes your fancy. I have a piece of it that I am holding on to for a 9.3x62 project.....





The nice thing about Bastogne is that it is dense/strong enough that it can be shaped quite thin and still be adequate for larger caliber rifles. But if you are going for a smaller caliber, then a piece of English with figure that takes your breath away is the way to go...



Now do not get fixated on figure alone--the rest of the layout needs to be there as well. I see pieces of wood on websites that look to me to be laid out entirely wrong. But you need to realize you are looking at $500 and up for anything interesting enough for a project the phrase "once in a lifetime" means to me. The stock can just sit around and wait while you are acquiring parts/funds for the rest.

I would not do anything over a 9.3x62. A 375 H&H kicks enough that few of us enjoy shooting them in our 60's and 70's. A smaller gun that you would enjoy for more years might make some sense. 6.5x55 or 7x57 would seem like grand choices for a Mauser project.

If you want it to work at all with open sights, you need to think about having more drop to the stock than is typical these days (designed for scope use only). This Mauser I built is not unlike what you have in mind (albeit the low budget version) but it is so straight at to make the open sights less than comfortable to use...

Bruzer,

I, too, have a few thoughts on a once-in-a-lifetime Mauser. 1st and foremost, is that; at least for me, I have to do something wrong about three times before I know what RIGHT is...

AFAIC, there are two primary concerns: Function and Asthetics

Concerning the former: I don't think I'd want a Mauser in either of the H&H offerings. Yes, I know that there has been a lot of them built. BUT, personally, I don't like the fact that much metal must be milled out to allow the long case to function in the magazine. And 2ndly, I'd want it in a traditional continental chambering. i.e: Something that Mauser originally made. My choice: Not any larger than 9.3x62...

Concerning the latter: Asthetics being important, Unlike TC1, I just don't like the thumb cut on the left receiver wall. NOR the clip slot on the rear bridge. I do realize that a good 'smith can overcome these obstacles, but it's expensive.. . Thus: I'd start with a commercial action. Which narrows down the selection a whole bunch. I think I'd look for a commercial FN or Browning Safari action. Or perhaps a BRNO, but I don't know if the BRNO has a solid left receiver wall or not. (Never fondled one...) The other concern is: I'd want a smooooooothe action. One that works like soft butter. (Like a pre '64 M-70) That, in itself, may make the selection process a bit harder. (I once owned a military VZ-24 that had the smoothest action I've ever seen on a military rifle... I rue the day that I let myself get talked out of it...) Another good commercial action is the 50's and 60's vintage Husqvarna...

Once the above has been solved, any other option can be easily added. I'd want a top quality 'smith. So it would be best to get in line soon. I'd first buy my action, and then get in line with my choice of smith. And then start amassing the other parts... Bottom metal, safety & shroud, trigger, etc... Depending on who you choose, I'd figure 5-8 years from beginning to completion.... or perhaps more.

I hope you are lucky enough to "do it right" the first time... Good luck!

GH

That is a rifle to do the big stuff with XAUSA but for my blood I would have thought you could have been better of putting up your 350 Rigby as shown on NE and also the work of the estemed Lon Paul.


Surely one of the most clasic of rifles and if not in 350 Rigby then equally in 9.3x62 and it would get a heck of a lot of use for many of the US hunting situations and still be a rifle to take to the Dark Continent. Lets assume that if this is to be a multi year project then the funds to hunt Africa may be also a long term gathering so it may be safe to think that a rifle such as your 505 that is suited almost soley to ele may never get a true outing on the target species while the 350 Rigby or 9.3x62 in same style would certainly be apropriate for all else.

Von Gruff.

Then again if you were inclined to go for the lighter cartridge a Mini Mauser can be tricked out very nicely as well as shown by TCI with his rendition in 223.


See more here.http://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/7971019521/m/3251015831

Von Gruff.

GH,

If you start with one of the modern Mauser 98 actions (Hartmann, Recknagel, Prechtl, GMA, or Satterlee), there won't be nearly as much fine-tuning needed. These are all commercial-style M98's (no thumb cut, no stripper clip groove, or hump) and are offered in several sizes to accommodate various cartridge families. Corresponding bottom metal and follower are also included. Fitting one of the full-length H&H based cases in any of these is an easy deal, as all of these brands offer a model designed for this group of cartridges. These all use modern steels and heat-treating methods and the fit and finish are smooth as silk.

I agree with you on a more European chambering. Something like 8x68S or 9.3x64 Brenneke would be great in one of these platforms.

Well I won't try to talk you out of your 375H&H. I'm having another big bore being built at this time. I don't like to throw money away, but I want it to my taste. Wife said the only taste that I have is in my mouth. I will show you a pic of my 9.3X62 Banner Mauser that David Christman installed double square bridges on. I did most of the metal work. James Kobe did the barrel band front and rear iron sights and the front sling swivel. Jim carved the stock from a piece of walnut from Roger Vardy. It has a Blackburn trigger and floor metal. The 3 pos safety is one of Ed LaPour's and I like my Shilen barrels.
Build what you want! I also have a 458 Lott and a 450-500 Express. Do I need them, I think so and that is what's important.

I'm not kidding myself by calling it a "once in a lifetime", but I'm having Duane Wiebe build me a .300 H&H on a 1909 Argentine so I can identify with your plight.

If I were building one "on time" I would start with the action- once you decide on a maker I would consult with him for input on which action he prefers for your cartridge. Granite Mountain Arms or Saterlee would both be good choices if you want to buy new rather than converting a military action or spending the cash on a vintage magnum Mauser.

The other big money component that you could buy now to spread out the pain would be the stock blank. Again, I would consult the maker/stockmaker when choosing a blank. Luxus, Dressel's, etc. are good places to buy, your maker may also have blanks available.

The other components: barrel, sights, etc. are less expensive and are better chosen once you get into the weeds on the details of the build. My experience is that your plans may change a bit over the time it takes you to finish this project and if you buy too many parts at this point you may regret it.

A plane ticket to Dallas for the 2013 DSC/ACGG show would be a good investment- talk to the best gunmakers in the country, handle their wares, and decide on who you'd like to build your dream rifle.

Some mighty fine gunmakers have been named so far. The only problem is, given your budget you're about 9-10 years out I don't mean this to discourage you, just say'n that builders like Martini, Weibe etc. start at about $15K and that's with you suppling the blank.

My advice would be to read and research right now. Here is a great place to start: http://www.finegunmaking.com/

When you're set in stone about what you want I'd go ahead and put an action on order if you had a commercial square bridge in mind. Most of the people that make them have back orders that stretch over a year or two.

Another big expense might be a stock blank. Good wood can be found at a good price from time to time but you usually pay a premium for excellent wood. When I say excellent wood I'm not saying more figure is better, but fine layout with good figure can be hard to find and you'll pay a premium for it. It might be a good time to start shopping for it.

Terry

Utah, I have to say that is one spectacular rifle....Very nice...

Woodhits, I agree with most of what you are saying. GMA actions are not ready as purchased. Unfortunately they need a little work. Satterlee's are excellent, but you may have a long wait. I would prefer a Satterlee if I could depend on delivery. Mine was an excellent receiver.




If you figure the cost of a quality 3 pos safety, custom receiver, custom bottom metal,double sq. bridges, and custom trigger the Satterlee ain't that expensive. It is manufactured by CNC and does not need accurizing.

I've got the custom wants bug as well...I had my sights set on a custom Al Biesen built mauser 7mm rem mag but was too late to the dance again .......Good luck with your build OP.....

Hubba, Hubba, Hubba I like that!

I just wish someone would make one of these in lefty!!

"a rifle such as your 505 that is suited almost soley to ele"
I have to say that although I did account for three elephants with my wildcat .505, I also used it on five Cape buffalo and a black rhino, so the caliber is not as circumscribed as all that.

As far as the .350 Rigby is concerned, the stock is an original Rigby, and although it fits well enough, it's not the same as a real custom stock made to my specifications. That said, I think stock fit on a real dangerous game rifle is more important than is is for a non-DG outfit. There are occasions when instinctive shooting is all important and a DG rifle should be built with that in mind.

Wow! This has it all....

No argument there.

That right there is a STUNNING work of art!

I'd contact Roger Ferrell in Fayetteville, GA and discuss with him what you are wanting to do.

I've seen many of his projects and he has contributed to one Custom Gunmakers Guild project.

It's your project, build what YOU want!

Mike

Here's a very nice custom Mauser by Dave Norin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA74gU_lBIU

I am with the others on caliber choice. Rarely seen on a custom, the M96 Swede as the basis for the build works well. My 7x57 built by Jim Wisner on a G33/40'd Swede makes for a lean and tidy package in a very useful chambering. Short of the square bridges it is what you describe WRT bells and whistles.

That Norin Mauser is very nice!

bsa1917hunter

This is a 7X57, not the 7mm Remington Magnum you were yearning for, but it's a pre-War Model 70 by Al Biesen and is one of the pride and joys of my gun room:

That sounds like a fun project, Bruzer.

If I was going to spend years and many, many thousands of dollars building a mauser that wouldn't be ready until I was in my 50's, I'd expect it to be not only beautiful but fun to shoot - a lot of fun. So likely I'd be in 7x75, .257 Roberts, or .223/AI mode.

TC1's .223 is gorgeous and I expect it's a heck of lot of fun to shoot - that's bang for his (considerable) bucks. You didn't list a .223 in your holdings, so a .223 would merit consideration.

Another thought is maybe spend the money on hunts. Go after that bighorn or moose or bear you've always wanted, or take the kids on an antelope hunt. As much as I enjoy rifles, the memories are made in the field.

Good luck! I hope you'll keep us posted.

Dean Zollinger lives just a few miles from me. He does nice Mauser work.

Bb

I'd do a Satterlee. He did my Mex Mauser in 338 Fed. Great work, he is slow though. He could do the whole thing, and depending on wood, come in at about 15k.

I'll soon be starting on one that will be very similar using a 1912 Chilean Steyr action.

Craigster sounds nice! Seems he makes a nice rifle.He even built some Mausers from scratch.

A one time custom is like a one time trip to hunt Africa...unlikely. Have done this many times and plan on 10-15K. Use a single builder not many. Call Steve Heilman.

Wow! Al Beisen fan here too. Nice rig xausa

There have been a lot of excellent suggestions made so far regarding actions and gun builders. But I have a few suggestions that may be of help to you. I have done a custom rifle exactly as you are planning. It took me a few years to make it happen but i was able to use a similar budget of yours and it worked great for me

Action - Being that you are looking at a budget i would set aside the custom mauser actions that have been mentioned. They are beautiful but would use up at least 2 years worth of your budget. There are a lot of really good options for you that are in your budget. A Winchester M70 Classic would be a good place to start and would require the least amount of work since so much of the work is already done. (donor cost $600-1000 depending on what caliber and variation you buy) But a custom mauser is hard to beat. If you choose a 98 Mauser I suggest sticking with either a DWM or Oberndorf action since they are the most sought after and are as a rule very nicely finished. (donor action plan on $300-400) They do require the most work but the finished product is well worth it. Another option would be to use a CZ 550 action. The donor rifles are readily available (donor cost $800-1000) and the safety/shroud, bolt handle, and trigger are easily swapped out by a competent builder - and you then have a very nice double square bridge when done. i have a CZ 550 in 458 WM that I had the action surface ground to get rid of the massive CZ markins, Oberndorf bolt handle welded on, LaPour safety, and Timney trigger installed. When completed the metal work looked amazing. You mentioned wanting a square bridge receiver - a good builder can make you custom square bridge scope bases that look amazing and are easier and cheaper than welding up a square bridge. Zollinger has made me 3 sets of bases with 2 of them being "square bridge" bases and they look awesome. Any good builder can do the same but each one tends to have their own style they like to use. Regarding your safety - I am a huge fan of the Satterlee. it closely resembles the factory 98 but is a bit pricey at $250. A dakota is nice and run around $150. In the middle you have LaPour and Gentry. NECG is also available but not sure of their pricing.

Builder - Going with any of the top well known top shelf builders like Wiebe, Hielman, Martini, etc... will cost you 15k and up. A good alternative is going with a lesser known builders but who have excellent skills and reputations. I am a huge fan of Dean Zollingers work and he has done a stock for me as well as having a couple in progress right now. His prices are outstanding and his work is top shelf. Take a look at some of my other threads and you will several examples of his work. James Anderson is another favorite of mine and his work is second to none. He did all the metal work on my custom M70 and i have to say it is perfection. Tip Burns in TX is another one that jumps to mind as having excellent work and reasonable prices. Depending on what all you have done you should plan on a budget of $2000 plus parts.


Stock blank - start shopping around now. It can take a while to find just the right blank for the rifle you have envisioned. Being that you are interested in rifles that generate a bit more recoil - all 3 of which i am a big fan of - I suggest you stick with the this shell walnut species. English and turkish are the most common and easiest to find. I have picked up some amazing blanks off of Ebay for bargain prices in the past but that can be risky. Takl to your builder as he may have a blank you will like on hand or know of one that fits your tastes and may be able to save you a few bucks on the blank. Luxus happens to have some amazing blanks on sale right now with massive discounts. If you do not see on on their listings that you like call and talk to Adam and tell him what you are looking for and odds are he can take care of you very well. I would budget $500-1000 for a top end blank. but with some shopping around you should be able to find a bargain out there.

Stock - I like my stocks just like you mentioned - open grips, slim profile, and made from fine walnut. As I mentioned with the blank I would stick with the thin shelled species since they allow the finer checkering and are generally preferred by the stock makers for a variety of reasons. I am very partial to Dean Zollingers stocks and he is reasonably priced. Another option that may suit your budget is a lesser known stock maker. One I think is excellent is Canyon Creek. They have done a couple for a buddy of mine and come in a fraction of a prominent builder. If using someone like Zollinger i would plan on $2500+. And for a builder like Canyon Creek you can get a beautiful stock in the $1500 range. Those prices would be plus wood costs also. The price can go a lot higher if you start adding elaborate checkering patterns, leather covered recoil pads, skeleton grip caps and butt plates, etc....

barrel - there are a lot of great barrels out there. Shilen, Krieger, Lilja, etc... are all top shelf. The barrel is the heart of your rifle - dont try and skimp on the barrel to save a few bucks by using a bargain basement barrel. Stick with a top name and you will never regret it. James Anderson did my octagon barrel and it is a very graceful contour. he could do an amazing job on one with integral sights, rib, etc.. - but it wont be cheap. you can easily drop 1k into a barrel like you are describing. But to be honest - by the time time you pay for a quarter rib, banded front sight and banded swivel base you are probably sixes on the cost.

trigger - just depends on what you are using for the donor action. If using a M70 - stick with the factory and have the smith tune it up. 98 mauser - no contest - nothing but a Blackburn. They are available through Swift Bullets now. CZ 550 - you are pretty much locked into a Timney, but it is a huge improvement over the factory.

Bottom metal - A lot depends on what exactly what you want to build. Wiebe, Blackburn (now available through swift bullets), Sunnyhill all offer super nice bottom metal in standard and drop box configurations for the 98's and M70. Wiebe also makes beautiful metal for the CZ 550. The Williams Oberndorf pattern for the M70 is also very nice. Depending on what you buy the cost will run $180 for the Williams to $500 for the Sunnyhill. I have used all of the above and can find zero fault with any of them.

i hope my comments have been of some help to you.

One final comment - A lot of suggestions have been made to buy a factory gun and spend the money on a hunt. While that has some merit - they are really missing out on what a custom rifle is all about. It is a rifle built just for you to your tastes and specs. And the feeling of enjoyment that comes with hunting with your dream rifle makes it all worth it. A lot of suggestions have been made and I hope they offer you some good advice. but in the end dont cave in to the nay sayers. build the rifle that YOU want and enjoy every step of the process from the build to the hunt.

Difficult to get overly mushy over another person's work and being 'proud' of a thing that all you did was hand over greenbacks for.

Now if you are the builder of said rifle I can understand the feeling.

So a guy who likes nice cars should not enjoy his Mercedes just because he did not build it? Or Michael Angelo's David should not be admired because I did not carve it? And so a guy who knows exactly what he wants should not enjoy a custom rifle because he does not have the skills or machinery to build said rifle? What a load of crap. Fine craftsmanship in all its forms is meant to be admired and enjoyed. just because it is commissioned to fulfill a persons specifications and tastes rather than built by ones self does diminish its enjoyment at all.

Pride comes from doing for me, not from handing over money.

I guess some consider themselves playboys because they banged a couple $500 hookers.

You are correct M1Tanker! We know Buttheads only function on the forum is being a troll. He loves doing it.

how many of those 99s did you build yourself??? You sure seem proud of them based on how many time you post pictures of them (and often not with some dead critter)...

For me a custom such as the OP desires really should start out with an old Mauser action that allows the builder to execute his fine work transforming it to perfection. Starting with the fine GM, Satterly and such kind of takes away from the whole concept to me.

No pride over the ship building you managed? I'll bet you did not do all the welding or pulled all the wiring.

To get this back on track...

My first "Mauser of a lifetime" was a BRNO 21H by Dennis Erhardt. I had it chambered in .30-06 cuz I figured I'd only ever do one, and there's not much one can't get done with the old ought six...if I had that one to do over it would be a 9.3x62

My next (and latest) was a 7x57 on a Mexican Mauser (I just cannot chamber a 7x57 in a long action) by David Christman.

My next will be a G33/40, most likely a .280 Remington or a 7x64.

I love the look of a mauser barreled action,especially when their mine,the start of a dream.

Satterlee magnum mausers with .750 diameter bolts chambered in 416 & 450 Rigby,with Krieger 26 inch barrels,with intergral rib,recoil lug,front and rear sights.
I have a matching 505 Gibbs also in process.

I am just going to drop a "sleeper" name of an excellent Mauser metalsmith. His name is Craig Click.

Absolutely gorgeous rifle you have there. We need a video of you shooting it as well as some close up pics.