Oberndorf Mauser bottom metal question (pics added)

F

farshot

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
187   0   0
I picked up an Oberndorf (stamped on the rail) Mauser large ring sporter in 30-06 (.30 US stamped) with the original delicate sporter stock. (pictures to follow)

It had/has peep sight on it, great condition but for the bottom metal had been changed to an aluminum drop plate of some design.

The aluminum bottom metal leaves a 1/8 inch or so between the stock and at the forward "shoulder" of the mag well housing. I tried a couple of other K98 type bottom metal and they have that same slight but distinct gap between the wood and the metal. It is like the mag well should be a bit longer to the front.

In each case, the bolt holes both line up and the metal fits into the wood inletting perfectly.

What would the original bottom metal have been sized like? Was there some different mag well size for a 98 large ring with the hole spacing remaining the same?

I would like to get it back to steel bottom metal as original as possible.













 
Last edited:
For the commercial 98 sporting rifles, the magazine box was dimensioned to fit the specific cartridge the rifle was chambered for. The .30-06 magazine was somewhat longer than that of an 8x57 or a military rifle for instance. There should also be a notch in the top of the receiver ring designed for bullet nose clearance when stripper clips were used.

It would be best, if possible to track down the original bottom metal. The .30-06 floorplate release button was mounted in the trigger gaurd bow, unlike military mausers that required a bullet nose to detach the floorplate.

The next best option would be to get a replacement. Swift bullet company now markets the Blackburn trigger gaurds, and Duane Wiebe sells replacement bottom metal as well. Both are supplied semi-finished, meaning the require fitting, polishing and blueing, and are very expensive.
 
Trade Ex have some in-the-white M/98 trigger guards right now, not the "real thing" for an Oberndorf, but rather all steel assembly from Spain. While it won't be original, it may fill the purpose until (if) you find an orignal one.
Also, a lot of aluminium trigger guards / floorplates are slightly larger than the steel ones, so it may look like the embedding is oversized.

I will differ a bit from 9.3Mauser (sorry Bro!) as for the trigger guard / floorplate assembly on original Oberndorf, but depending on the model and date of manufacture, the commercial Mausers had different trigger guard / floorplates assemblies and without pics, it's very hard to find out what you really have in hands.
 
I suspect your original bottom metal had the additional small lock bolts that held the action screws from turning, I have a sporterised Obendorf 308 and the metal is slightly longer than my other 98s but the action screw spacing is the same.
 
I have posted some pictures. I have tried the metal with double trigger (Zastava) from Tradeex and it fits the same as what is in there now ( a bit snug width wise through the mag well area tho).

hmmm, now that I look at the pictures, perhaps I can use a TIG to build up that front should portion of the Zastava metal to have it fill the wood space.

And I need to pull off the stock to check the bottom date stamps as well.
 
Last edited:
The double triggers and guards from Trade Ex are from La Coruna arsenal, Spain, not Zastava. Zastava have a round release bottom, which you push aside to open while the Spanish ones are same as Parher-Hale, at the bottom of the the trigger guard. If you are skilled in welding, you will be able to build up and then file the missing spots to fit.
 
Nice old rifle, the serial on the receiver dates it at about mid 1924 - 1925. To get an exact fir may be a reach
however replacing it with a steel unit even military / not, tig modified / not would be step in the right direction.
IMHO --- John
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom