Mauser 98 bottom metal conversion question

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Freyr_255

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So a friend of mine has what appears to be a custom bench rifle based on a m98 action he got off an old timer. It's a M98 action and chambered in 22-250 with I believe just an after market monte carlo/ bench rest looking stock that has been inletted for traditional bottom metal as far as I can tell. If I had to guess it was put together sometime in the 80's based on what I've been told. Now, he's asked me about converting it to a magazine feed from the single shot set up it currently has. It appears to just be a machined aluminum block that has been put in where the magazine would normally be, but doesn't have a floor plate or anything. So my questions are as follows, is it possible to get an off the shelf magazine system that will feed 22-250? If so, who/what/where? Would any traditional magazine work well or be easy to convert to feed 22-250?

Cheers! :cheers:
 
You may have a bit more going on there. You said "traditional bottom metal". Standard m98 "bottom metal" included a magazine box - trigger guard loop, perimeter around mag well, front action screw, magazine box were all one piece. If so, probably still has the slots and bits to install the standard follower, spring and floor plate. You may have something else though - depending what you mean by "traditional bottom metal". I am aware of a type of detachable box magazine - made by Gibbs, I believe - that was direct replacement - remove military floor plate, spring and follower, and the Gibbs detachable magazine was supposed to snap in and work. I have had no experience with that system, nor do I know if they are still offered for sale.
 
Was thinking some more. Parker Hale used to make rifles that ended in "C" - like 1000C and 1200C - these were mauser 98 actions that they had made trigger loop, front action screw base, etc. that accepted a Parker Hale detachable magazine - seems to be the "C" was for "clip". Most of those rifles had sister versions with hinged floor plates. On the "C" series, they had soldered on a spacer under the action - the spacer was threaded for a BA series screw - 4BA, I think, that held the front of the trigger loop and the rear of the detachable magazine apparatus. You have to remove the magazine release lever from the trigger loop to access that attaching screw. So, finding an old "C" series Parker Hale would also be an option to convert your rifle to a detachable magazine. I know they were made in calibers like 243, 308, 30-06, 300 Win Mag, so I imagine one of the magazines was appropriately sized for 22-250. So far as I know, only Parker Hale magazines would work in those rifles.
 
I don’t know if this is useful information or not but,
I have a M98 large ring, intermediate length Yugoslavian made rifle that used to be a .308 Win.
I rebarrelled it to .22-250 and the original hinged floorplate spring loaded follower thingy loads the .22-250 cartridges just fine without any modifications.
So maybe if you find a magazine or bottom metal with hinged floorplate for .243/.308 it would work out ok.
 
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Israeli 98's originally in 8x57 had to have blocks installed in the mag well when re-barrelled to 7.62x51
 
The rifle would feed decent without anything but to feed really well would require about a half inch spacer in front of the follower. Could be bent and spot welded steel or a block of hdpe or teflon or aluminum or something, I think hdpe would be easiest to work with. Cutting board material.
 
Appreciate the input guys. I'll try and get some pictures next time I'm over and get a better look at it now that I have a bit more information on what I should be looking for.

:cheers:
 
CDI was making new Tactical look bottom metal for a M98 that takes AICS or Accurate Mags. It fit and functioned decent, but I heard that he has passed, so not sure on availability now.
 
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