Modernizing a military Mauser

Woodsman

Woodsman

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
9   0   0
Location
Laval, Quebec
I am debating whether or not to attempt modernizing my 8mm Model 98 BRNO Mauser (or maybe my Swedish 6.5mm model 38) . Both are in near mint condition. My dilema is should I simply buy a new gun (like a Savage model 11) for my son or do I undertake modernizing one of these military rifles?

I figure I will need to:

-get it drilled and tapped for a scope by a gunsmith (or can I do this myself? Will I need a drill press?)


- have the bolt turned over by a gunsmith (It's a bent bolt model, but still not low enough to mount a scope low enough for accurate shooting.) or can I cut it off myself and use a bolt on type device like this:

http://www.combatstocks.com/Mauser_Bolt_Handle_by_ATI.cfm

- get a new safety (what easiest and best?)

- get a new sporterized stock (what is best buy?)

I'm just not sure if cost-wise this is a worthwhile venture once all is said and done.
 
You could put a few hundred in parts and gunsmithing into them and make decent hunting rifles, but you'd be farther ahead to sell them as collector guns, and use the proceeds to buy a hunting rifle.
 
Andy said:
You could put a few hundred in parts and gunsmithing into them and make decent hunting rifles, but you'd be farther ahead to sell them as collector guns, and use the proceeds to buy a hunting rifle.
Click to expand...

Please don't bubba a Milsurp.
Sell them to fund a different gun.
Plenty of buyers out there.


Cheers!
 
The only Mausers worth sporterizing are not the ones in mint condition. You'd be wiser selling them off to collectors.

You need to add up the cost for these actions. Barrel reworking, bluing, bent bolt, new safety, new stock, drill and tapping and trigger. It can sometimes be the cost of a new commercial rifle.

The cheapest way to go is to buy a used commercial sporting rifle.
 
You can buy a scoped sporting rifle from SIR in the $300- $500 range. You can sell the K98 for $400 just the way it is. The Swede sells for less but not much. Sporterise either and the value is down by 50%. Simple economics. Sell one and buy a sporter. You'll be ahead and won't have wasted your money on "customising". Ask me how I know!
 
If you bubba a perfectly good milsurp Mauser the ghosts of gunmaker past will haunt you for the rest of your life.

The Mauser brothers, Hiram Maxim, John M. Browning.... they'll all put you under a drill press as they slooooooowly push downwards. Then they'll cut off your arms in order to make you "lighter" and more sporty looking.

Oh yeah that and we'll all egg your house and play keepaway with your range gear.

Seriously, don't do it.
 
A Savage package gun is about $429 from SIR or Wholesale Sport - scope, base and rings, detachable magazine, synthetic stock and all the favourite cartridges too. There is an even cheaper Stevens for about $350. The Savage gun is extremely good, and I watched one in 300 Win Mag hit the visible 4" of a deer's forehead at 150yds.

Getting back to your "conversions"; can you buy the parts and services you need to convert a perfectly good rifle into a POS for that kind of money?
 
It's your rifle, do what you want with it. I tried talking a guy out of doing this last year to a Model 38 Swede, but he said he wanted to do it as it was his Dad's rifle and he wanted to use it for hunting, just not in the "shape" it was in.
Drill/ tap, new stock, bent bolt handle, base, rings, scope, trigger with safety and it was a brand new used bubba'd rifle for a little over $400.
Sell it and buy a new hunting rifle.
 
Heck, I've got a pefectly good sporter for sale I'll let you have forn a lot cheaper than you can do yourself!
PM me....
6-13.jpg

6-14.jpg

1.jpg

Cat
 
Thanks for the offer. My dad sporterized a .308 Israel used Mauser using the see thru mounts and I just find the scope is too high for comfortable shooting.
 
Woodsman,You just do what you want and forget these Milsurp mainiacs!! There are a million of these rifles out there and let them rant away. I personally "made" a great number of various calibers on 98 actions and don't regret a one , in fact I 've sold a lot of them for many times the original cost.JITC
 
First things first - talk to one of the Milsurp guys and determine exactly what you have. Original 98 with Nazi markings on it? Original M38 carbine? We could be talking about $500-$1,000 rifles here. It only takes a few photos and description.

Since you'll be eliminating just about everything but the bolt and receiver anyway, why not just look for those parts?

Those rifles in their original configuration can still take deer, bear, or moose. There's no need to 'sporterize' them just to take them hunting.
 
Grouse Man said:
Since you'll be eliminating just about everything but the bolt and receiver anyway, why not just look for those parts?
Click to expand...

I couldn't have said it better myself!
Having done what you are contemplating on a number of rifles.....back when you could buy an excellent Brazilian 1908 for under $200 and tearing it apart to build from the action up, but at todays values of Milsurp in good shape I would sell what you have and buy an action to start on.
Even better at just about any gunshow I have seen at least one that someone else has already started. Look for one of these and you will usually save on some of the costs in sportizing.

JMHO
 
Grousman, sure it kills as is. My uncle had taken a few caribou with it. However, if I compare this rifle to my scoped Ruger M77 and it's no contest! I can place my shots much better with my scoped rifle and find it far easier to carry for hunting deer, moose, and caribou. I'm looking at a scoped bolt gun for my son who now hunts deer with me with a model 94 .30-30 top eject.

I'm was looking at this from a pure cost alternative. Right now I think a Savage model 11 with scope package to be a better choice. Altering just doesn't seem to be a cheap way to get what I want.
 
Interesting discusion here last week.

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=130667

In the 1950s and 1960s they were darn near giving surplus rifles away, and the guy with an itch for a new hunting rifle and a basement shop could cut away the extra wood and have himself a brand new iron sighted hunting rifle for under $20.00.

With a bit of skill, he could shorten the barrel and put on a new front sight, or depending on his metalworking skills and tools, maybe drill and tap the reciever, bend the bolt and put a scope on.

But as has been mentioned, those $9.95 milsurps are now worth $400 or more, no longer a source of cheap gunsmithing practice or an economical alternative to a new rifle.
 
Been there, done that. In the days when I bought an even dozen minty M38 Swedish Mausers, I took the least minty one and sportrized it. Of course then I paid $59.00 for each from, I believe, Century Arms. I sold the other 10 over the years and made a handsome profit on them :cool: Would I sporterize one again? Not on your life. These little beauties, although not really scarce, should be preserved for our future generation of shooters. That said, I still have one original and the sporterized one. They are both fantastic shooters :D

M38_sporter_and_MilSurp.jpg
 
Yup.

I got an M96 from SIR for $49.95 and still have it.

Still regret not getting an M38 from them when they had 'em for $69.99 the next year, but I already had one rifle and that was a lot of money right?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom