Best Mauser 98 Receiver
- Thread starter conor_90
- Start date
- Location
- Western Manitoba
I have a number of both here - so I will "bite" - major "pro" that I found is both were designed from begining to both single feed into chamber and close bolt, or were "controlled round feed" from the magazine - an original mauser needs fussy grinding on the front face of the extractor to do that. Most common "con" that I hear is that they are ####-on-closing, like a Lee Enfield No. 4, or the earlier Mausers - most modern shooters want a ####-on-opening action, like the Mauser 98. I think my Dad liked the magazine capacity on his M1917 - six 30-06 in mag, and a 7th round in the chamber. I hunted, often with him, for 20 plus years with a single shot Ruger #1, so different preferences, I guess?? Some might be taken with the "helical breeching" of the P14, M1917 and Lee Enfield No.1 and No.4, versus the "square breeching" of the Mausers, but many are not aware of the difference, or advantages.
If my Dad was typical - in 1948 - they were CHEAP TO BUY and were readily available in rural small towns - that made up for a LOT of so-called "issues".
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They look to me like 2 solid options for more projects
They are project grade. To bring them back with a complete polish and blue would take a lot of time and work. I have brought back worse. For utility rifles, a blast and park would do the job. Certainly less work than starting with a military action. They have good adjustable triggers, low scope bolt handles and safeties. Some folks dislike the simplified ejector/bolt stop compared with the original Mauser.
I'd like to set one up in 6.5x55. Didn't have the sense to buy one of the 6.5 Zastava barrels when TradeEx still had stock.
Speaking of project grade, here is a Mauser factory sporter in 8mm that has seen better days:
It shoots quite well, at least as well as I can shoot open sights. I have a vintage Lyman cocking piece peep sight that I would like to install on it, to enhance the sighting. Installing a scope would involve significant alterations.
I'd like to set one up in 6.5x55. Didn't have the sense to buy one of the 6.5 Zastava barrels when TradeEx still had stock.
Speaking of project grade, here is a Mauser factory sporter in 8mm that has seen better days:
It shoots quite well, at least as well as I can shoot open sights. I have a vintage Lyman cocking piece peep sight that I would like to install on it, to enhance the sighting. Installing a scope would involve significant alterations.
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I have a decocking voere safety, timney trigger and wildcat stock on order.
The real question is still “ what reciever?” I have an FN husqvarna in mind as well as a BRNO 21 H. BRNO will need a new bolt handle to work with a scope I’m guessing. Looks like it also has a non hinged floorplate with the button to release it?
The real question is still “ what reciever?” I have an FN husqvarna in mind as well as a BRNO 21 H. BRNO will need a new bolt handle to work with a scope I’m guessing. Looks like it also has a non hinged floorplate with the button to release it?
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- Location
- Western Manitoba
Once you receive it, I would be interested to see or hear how that "de-cocking" safety would work - so far as I know, to "####" a Mauser requires the main spring to be compressed - to "de-####" would require disconnecting the sear and lowering that firing pin, but not far enough to strike the primer. Then would have to have a way to "re-####" that firing pin by compressing that main spring and put the cocking piece back onto the trigger sear. I would not put it past the German or Austrian engineer / gun guys to figure out such a thing - why I would be curious to see / hear what it is??
I’m just inheriting a 8mm from my dad that is marked as follow; Gewehrfabrik Danzig, made in Prussia, with a 4 digits serial number matching on the bolt and receiver! He bought it when he was 16( now he is 80 year old). The stock is great in its form and quality. I’m thinking of sending it to G.E.Flach for a rebarrel in 9.3x62 with some sights and maybe a few other things….
- Location
- Western Manitoba
Connor_90 - Yes, I was just looking at it, on the Voere website - still trying to figure out how it works, regarding the firing pin spring for Mausers, that I am familiar with. I suspect to design to "de-####" is easy, compared to a design for normal strength people to "re-####" in order to fire.
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- Location
- Western Manitoba
^ the mailmen of Danzig attempted to hold their post office against Nazi occupation using those Mausers. Crazy story
For a lot of its history Danzig was a “Free City” and international Trading post ethnically German like Kalingrad
For a lot of its history Danzig was a “Free City” and international Trading post ethnically German like Kalingrad
- Location
- Western Manitoba
Is hard to say - as good as any other Mauser that is approaching 100 years old?? So far as I know, they were Mauser - I did not look up who owned Gewehrfabrik Danzig - I do not speak German, but I think that translates to Rifle Maker Danzig - very much would stand to be corrected on that!!! I believe that tooling that made those rifles moved about more than once - might or might not have even started in Danzig / Gdansk - I think was part of some war reparations, at one point - not real sure who had it versus who got it.
I have a SMALL ring, Mauser 98 sporter - no markings left at all except proofing stampings - I suspected that was built on the tooling that ended up in Danzig - not just a real common arrangement any more - most Mauser 98 are LARGE ring - I think there was also a G33/40 or something like that from WWII of similar design.
That Mauser deserves some tlc. It has the long cocking piece so you could fit one of the reproduction Rigby peeps without too much trouble.
The Lyman peep requires two holes to be drilled and tapped in the face of the cocking piece. I am going to try doing this to a spare cocking piece. I expect annealing will be necessary. Don't want to alter the original.
The rifle, which was made in the mid-20s, was brought into Canada by Century Arms along with a load of military surplus from Bangladesh. That is why it looks the way it does. In the same load was an Anschutz Model 54 Super Match. Ever see an Anschutz target rifle that looks like third world surplus?
The rifle, which was made in the mid-20s, was brought into Canada by Century Arms along with a load of military surplus from Bangladesh. That is why it looks the way it does. In the same load was an Anschutz Model 54 Super Match. Ever see an Anschutz target rifle that looks like third world surplus?
Good call. I have owned several sporters of these models, most were the BSA-sporterized M1917 30-06s, a 270, and P14s in 303B. BSA did a very good job sporterizing them> If there are any downsides, it would be the ####-on-close design (for some people, I kinda like it), the weight, and they are not super smooth. I always had a soft spot for them. The other benefit is that they are generally very inexpensive. I picked up a sporter P14 303B with a cracked stock and pretty poor cosmetics for $100. After re-stocking it, it genuinely shot a 1" 5-shot group at 100 yds with handloads (150 gr Sierra sp and 39 gr of IMR4064) my first day on the range with it. They seem to last a long time, I have come across mention of high-Ni Jessops steel in the receivers and barrels. May or may not be true, but they do seem to stand up. Thanks for the response, sometimes I think I'm a bit nuts to fall prey to most that go for sale in my area!
Cheers.
It has a little silver shield on the stock. I suspect it went to the sub-continent in the days of the Raj. Probably wound up as a game keeper's rifle.
As far as P'14 and M1917s go, the BSA sported ones can be outstanding buys. I bought one at auction because it was going begging. Weaver bases and a Scope Chief dropped right on. Excellent shooter. If someone wanted an action for a custom project, these BSAs already have the receiver contoured and are drilled and tapped for scope bases and an aperture sight. The hard receiver work is already done.
