All these at one time were military Mausers......

From left to right

!909 Argentine 338 Win mag
1909 Argentine 220 swift
BRNO VZ24 9.3X62
BRNO VZ24 458 Win. Mag
BRNO VZ24 270 Win.
G33/40 7X57
1908 Brazilian 220 swift
1909 Argentine 240 Wby

And the bottom rifle is a Turk in 338-06

I have scrounged military Mauser actions over the last 12 years and built these rifles..... they have all been posted individually but thought a group shoot of the girls would be fun

Really sharp collection, great picture.

Osky

Nice collection.

A little jealous here, I have about that many after scrounging but not in a finished state such as yours, very nice.

As to those military actions, did you go so far as to have them re-heat treated during the build or not worry about?

Love the 1909 action. I have several and they make excellent custom rifles.

Of course, you put some coin into them these days to slick them up. D&T, new trigger, alter bolt handle, new barrel, new stock, blue etc.but in the end you have the best.

My friend gave me his pride and joy, "Sweet Thing", just before he passed. It's on a second Douglas barrel. It was put together by a local gunsmith. The original owner's son head [bleep] a groundhog at just over 600 yards on a called shot. I had a swing safety installed.

Very nice.

details on the 270 and the g33/40 if you have time. Wonderful collection of custom Mausers. That's really cool you have not one but two 220 Swifts.

Thanks for the compliments guys.

The 270 is BRNO VZ24 action, Douglas featherweight contour barrel cut to 22" . 1909 Argentine bottom metal, Timney trigger, Wisner safety, S&K scope mounts. Leupold 6x36 with CDS.
English walnut stock, Niedner butt plate, checkered in Fleur De Lis pattern.

The G33/40 is a McGowen featherweight barrel cut to 21" , Timney trigger, Dakota 3 pos. safety. It is stocked in English walnut and has a blind magazine with a Sunny Hill trigger guard. S&K mounts Leupold 2-7x33. Weights as pictured 7lbs.

One 220 swift has a 24" #3 contour1/8 twist barrel and the other is a 22" , #1 , 1/7.7 twist. So one is short and light , the other is standard size.... I like the 220 swift

Also I have not re-heat treated the Argentines and so far so good.

Absolutely great collection; how many had their actions heat treated.

I've built a few, still have a couple of 1909 & 2-3 VZ-24 actions that I likely will never build out that I've already put new bolt handles on.......................just too much work & too much money to build today.

MM

You really have a bunch of 75 dollar rifles.

They look like they will get it done.

Tell me you did not steal Cactus Jack's 270. nice

Just the side question re "Argentines", ever done a Rockwell hardness test? I don't believe these were "surfaced hardened" (double heat treated). So it would seem such a telling test short of 'full monte' heat treatment.
Inquiring mind...
Best & Happy New Year!
John

WOW!

What will it take to get into your will?

No military or Commercial Oberndorf Mausers were "double heat treated!" They were what is collectively referred to as case hardened. The methods used to case harden them varied by time period and country/factory of manufacture. The 1909's were case hardened by a method called pack hardening. A material, like clay containing carbon, was packed onto the surfaces that were to be hardened. New material was used on critical surfaces like the lug seats, cocking and extraction cams, etc. Used material was packed onto surfaces that didn't require as much hardness or depth of case. Then they were heated in a controlled environment at a specified temperature for a specific amount of time until those surfaces absorbed the required amount of carbon. The receivers were then quenched to impart hardness and then they were drawn. So, exterior surfaces on 1909's can be easily cut with a file yet interior surfaces like the lug seats will be or were supposed to be hardened.

You have to remember that the powder used in the 7.65x53 ammo had a much different burn rate than today's powders. Those receivers were hardened accordingly for the powders used in the military ammo they were designed to fire.

So 75 bucks or so Mike to heat treat a 1909 seems like a small price to pay as part of a full customization project.

That's how I looked at it. Especially when using pre and WWI era actions. Later actions benefited from newer technologies and methods and are typically fine for your average build. But again, for full custom builds, I even had those actions heat treated. I looked at it as cheap insurance.

Wonderful to see all that good and honest solidness lined up. You are wealthy in the best kind of precious metal.

We've been here before, but while I've heard periodically about "lug setback" in the 1909 Argentines, never heard such concerning other SA mausers or the multitude of German/Axis military rifles in WWI. With high probability of same generic era steels used, seems strange "if to intentionally" subject Argies to differing heat treating results! German rifles of the Great War, many reflecting heavy duty battle years & appearance, 'vet' status without the "soft" phenomenon speak or 'rep'. Contrast some quite nice 1909 rifles & carbines, apparently with such situation! No appearance of thousands of rounds fired! Within recent months, didn't Jon Speed make some comment in GB Mauser Forum about "un-heat treated" receivers from DWM furnished to Argentina per that govt order...? I have both DWM and local Argentine mfg Engineer carbines which do headspace properly! Due to ammo situation, never fired under my watch!
A conundrum seeking enigma... Or reverse!
Best & stay safe!
John

Beautiful collection

Remember, that each contract to supply battle rifles was initiated by the Country that was making the purchase. Those countries in turn provided specifications for their rifles. Among other specifications, this often included the steel used and other considerations.

All receivers of this era were heat treated using similar methods but the actual specifications were dependent upon both the caliber and contract specifications.

The 1908 Brazilian produced in the same factory but for the 7x57 cartridge. The receivers being equal to the 1909 in fit and finish however subjected to less exacting care than the 1909's thus finding themselves used for custom builds less often due to condition. Nonetheless, the 1908 also exhibiting setback in some examples.

Never heard of any other SA receivers with setback? Well, I guess that's where having had the benefit of rebarreling hundreds of Mausers, I have seen it in various models, SA other than Argentine included. The worst was a Steyr 1912 that exhibited pocketing of .012". Now John, this will blow your mind, it passed a headspaace check with a nogo gage. I remachined the lug seats, had the action hardened, installed a take off Husqvarna M146 barrel rechambered in 9,3x62 and that sweet little rifle would drive tacks!