Best Mauser 98 Receiver
- Thread starter conor_90
- Start date
- Location
- Western Manitoba
I have never used those. Are shown in at least a couple of my older "how-to-do" books - how to make them, but I never did. Too many memories of mostly frozen hands / fingers when getting back at the truck when deer hunting - and having a part that completely separates from the rifle to unload, besides the loose shells, seems a bit much to handle. My own preference on hunting rifles is the hinged floor plate - have never had one "spring open" unexpectedly yet; but have had a detachable box magazine (Parker Hale in 30-06) fall out of rifle, upon firing it. A worn latch, a worn "lump" on the magazine - was all repaired, but that experience of "one", turned me toward the hinged type.
My Dad always wanted a hinged floor plate on his M1917 that he bought in 1948 - he never did anything about it - it would have been hundreds, if not thousands of times that he would cycle the bolt to unload the magazine - bolt about 2/3 forward, then back - grab that shell, then repeat. Did not have to close the bolt or even chamber a cartridge - the beauty of "controlled round feed". That deep belly "goose neck" bottom metal held six 30-06 rounds in the magazine.
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Referring to this style of fixed floorplate with the extended release instead of the button you push with a bullet etc
Those extended buttons are common on the commercial HVA's, have a couple of them with that, wouldn't be hard for a Smith to make.
I’m talking about converting one of those to a hinge floorplate. I don’t think either would be difficult for a good smith, especially one who learned from the generation that specialized in sporting mausers.
Might be less cost to just buy one or a parts rifle
Might be less cost to just buy one or a parts rifle
- Location
- Western Manitoba
Converting to hinge - is covered in many older "how-to-do" gunsmithing type books. Making the hinge is fairly straight forward to file, shape, weld/solder and drill - install cross pin. The level of the fitting of the hinge into its slot pretty much up to the skill of the maker. However that prevents the floor-plate from sliding to rear to unlatch, so have to invent a latch. Gets a bit more involved to do that part - older Euro was an external lever along floor plate, can also drill / file, use small coil spring to make like a Winchester Model 70 latch, or an "Oberndorf" / Parker Hale style within front on trigger guard loop. I never tried but similar can be done on Enfields (P14 or M1917) as with a Mauser. Why, I suspect, that 1909 Argentine were so popular to cut up into sporters - one of the few factory Mauser military with a hinged floor plate, release, etc. already done.
Parker Hale rifles had hinged floor plates if they did not have detachable magazines. A moulding into side wall of magazine says part number was 98 / 124. I have two styles that I know of:
Can see lower one has the trigger guard is slimmed and tapered - is a wider band at front than at the rear. The mechanics of the latch seem to be similar.
The one with the scroll "engraved" sheep head came loose in a purchase (I think). The smooth floor plate one is from a Parker Hale 1200 TX. Appears identical to what is on what I think is a Parker Hale 1200 in 308 Norma Mag - I have great deal of difficulty to ID the various models of Parker Hale once they stopped engraving the model designation on left side of receiver.
These assemblies are very light weight - metal of some sort - they do not attract a magnet, so not steel. Is possible they are Zamac or similar die cast stuff - a "mystery metal", perhaps - almost impossible to weld that I know of, and I only know to paint them - no clue at all how to restore that anodize-like finish.
A view of what you get if the stock does not get some clearance for the hinge part to swing up - forward of the hinge pin - and then apparently pry or force the floor plate open anyways - is also possible that one side of this magazine was also epoxied to the wood stock when a "bedding" was attempted, at the same time. Beyond repair, so far as I know - the front of the "tongue" with the part for the front action screw, was not with this, when I received it.
Parker Hale rifles had hinged floor plates if they did not have detachable magazines. A moulding into side wall of magazine says part number was 98 / 124. I have two styles that I know of:
Can see lower one has the trigger guard is slimmed and tapered - is a wider band at front than at the rear. The mechanics of the latch seem to be similar.
The one with the scroll "engraved" sheep head came loose in a purchase (I think). The smooth floor plate one is from a Parker Hale 1200 TX. Appears identical to what is on what I think is a Parker Hale 1200 in 308 Norma Mag - I have great deal of difficulty to ID the various models of Parker Hale once they stopped engraving the model designation on left side of receiver.
These assemblies are very light weight - metal of some sort - they do not attract a magnet, so not steel. Is possible they are Zamac or similar die cast stuff - a "mystery metal", perhaps - almost impossible to weld that I know of, and I only know to paint them - no clue at all how to restore that anodize-like finish.
A view of what you get if the stock does not get some clearance for the hinge part to swing up - forward of the hinge pin - and then apparently pry or force the floor plate open anyways - is also possible that one side of this magazine was also epoxied to the wood stock when a "bedding" was attempted, at the same time. Beyond repair, so far as I know - the front of the "tongue" with the part for the front action screw, was not with this, when I received it.
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- Location
- Steel Town
Personally, I like the engraving. PH made a nice light bottom metal. They are a paint only affair.
- Location
- Steel Town
My guess is that the engraving is part of the casting.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
I agree about the "engraving" - does not appear to be cut into the floor plate, so much as added onto the surface of the floor plate - I had considered to file / emory that off, but could not come up with a durable finish idea, beyond painting it.
The tradex ones are all blued steel, no alloy or pot metal, different from the ones found on the 1100 lightweight rifles, they are the alloy/paint types.
I have 3 types here, the LW alloy, the all steel tradex type, and basically the same as the tradex type but plain no decoration, just smooth polished blue. All have the same type mag release.
- Location
- Steel Town
I stand corrected. If that is the case, the PH bottom metal from Tradex is a very good deal.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
I went digging in box of "stuff" - found these three - all different. Likely what Hitzy is talking about, or similar:
Left one (in the white) attracts magnet - middle and right do not. Left one is significantly heavier - it was this one that I was considering to file and emory to make smooth - appears to have been "cut" into the finished surface. Middle one is unknown maker. Right one is a Parker Hale 98/124 embossed on side of the magazine box.
Can see the word "SPAIN" on the steel one - consistent with Hitzy suggesting they were made by Santa Barbara - possibly for Parker Hale or for other purposes.
Left one (in the white) attracts magnet - middle and right do not. Left one is significantly heavier - it was this one that I was considering to file and emory to make smooth - appears to have been "cut" into the finished surface. Middle one is unknown maker. Right one is a Parker Hale 98/124 embossed on side of the magazine box.
Can see the word "SPAIN" on the steel one - consistent with Hitzy suggesting they were made by Santa Barbara - possibly for Parker Hale or for other purposes.
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It’s not even that the engraving is poorly done, there is just a lot of it. Not my style either, resembles a pineapple
With all the old parts guns around it shouldn’t be too hard to find a hinged bottom metal that is not a 450 usd cnc machined one.
With all the old parts guns around it shouldn’t be too hard to find a hinged bottom metal that is not a 450 usd cnc machined one.
The steel one is still being offered by Tradex, If you try to remove the engraving, the floor plate will be to thin. It's easy to replace the floor plate with just about any standard length 98 take off.
The middle unit is cast aluminum and International flooded the market with them appx 30 years ago. You could buy them assembled/anodized and as a rough kit.
The third unit came in a few different configurations and it's also cast aluminum, they were sold by Brownelle's and a few other outlets.
Some of them have brass plated floor plates if you like bling.
All three require a bit of fitting but are quite functional.
Mausers - what an amazing design. One of my favorite ever was a Husky with an FN commercial action (our friends at Tradex have 'em at reasonable prices). Very slick, very reliable, elegant design. And strong.
Just to get some controversy going, how about the Enfield M1917 and P14 actions? Yep, they are a very close copy of the original M98. Yep, they are a bit clunky and nowhere near as slick as the original M98. BUT....talk about strong and reliable!
Just to get some controversy going, how about the Enfield M1917 and P14 actions? Yep, they are a very close copy of the original M98. Yep, they are a bit clunky and nowhere near as slick as the original M98. BUT....talk about strong and reliable!
