Any old Mauser experts here?

[Megastink]

I was just given an older Mauser M98 (civilian model) in 8mm-06. It’s got a beautiful walnut stock and a thin barrel. I’d like to put a heavy sporter barrel on it. I’ve owned savages up until now and I don’t know the procedure for a Mauser barrel swap. Of anyone is experienced with older Mauser, I’d appreciate some help.

Updated: I’ve attached some photos of the rifle. There’s is a Swastica engraved on the action. I’m guessing this is a “sporterized” captured Mauser?

 

[rgg_7]

Do you want to maintain the same caliber? Your local gunsmith will be able to rebarrel and adjust your stock to the new barrel profile.

Ron (Canada)

 

[RTH1800]

Most 8mm /06’s are rechambered mil rifles.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Post a picture... If you are thinking about turning it into a precision rifle, you may be better off leaving it alone as an original civilian sporter... which is not a rifle to sneeze at! Beautiful rifles and quite spendy when new.

You can get all manner of 'sporterized' Mausers to rebarrel and build some amazing target or heavier-barreled rifles on... and they are cheap! Especially the ones that are in need of some TLC or had crude conversions done on them. $300 can get you a project piece that has no historic or collector value left.

Post some pictures! Would love to see your rifle!

Sirhr

 

[jd138]

I had the same thought as the OP when I inherited my dad's M98 deer rifle. It was a sporterized version as mentioned above that included a rechambering to 30-06. After some research I reconsidered and decided it would honor my dad better to also use it as my deer rifle. I removed the scratched blueing, fixed stock cracks and dents, sanded/sealed/oiled the stock and bedded it from tang to tip. I use wax on the steel to keep rust away. I added flush cups last week as getting up/in/down from ladder tree stands one-handed is dicey for someone as clumsy as myself.

One additional note to the OP: if your bolt handle is like mine, it will not clear most (at least the few I tried) scopes. Options include, cutting/adding a different handle and heating/repositioning the current. I prefer to keep mine original.

Before the cups:

20180701_110956.jpg

• jd138
• Apr 4, 2020

20180701_110949.jpg

• jd138
• Apr 4, 2020

20180701_110801.jpg

• jd138
• Apr 4, 2020

 

[sandwarrior]

I was just given an older Mauser M98 (civilian model) in 8mm-06. It’s got a beautiful walnut stock and a thin barrel. I’d like to put a heavy sporter barrel on it. I’ve owned savages up until now and I don’t know the procedure for a Mauser barrel swap. Of anyone is experienced with older Mauser, I’d appreciate some help.

Pics? A lot of these old Mausers have been done in a great way. As @jd138 shows.

A ton of great cartridges you can make this into. The 8-06 is a pretty tough round to beat though. There are some pretty good bullets to choose from. 7mm would be better, 6.5 and 6mm great as well. .30 Cal has the most bullets, but not the BEST. Keep that in mind.

 

[Jscb1b]

The 8mm mauser has two different barrel diameters. .318 and .323. If there's any doubt, slugs the barrel.

 

[Megastink]

Post a picture... If you are thinking about turning it into a precision rifle, you may be better off leaving it alone as an original civilian sporter... which is not a rifle to sneeze at! Beautiful rifles and quite spendy when new.

You can get all manner of 'sporterized' Mausers to rebarrel and build some amazing target or heavier-barreled rifles on... and they are cheap! Especially the ones that are in need of some TLC or had crude conversions done on them. $300 can get you a project piece that has no historic or collector value left.

Post some pictures! Would love to see your rifle!

Sirhr

just posted.

 

[Megastink]

Pics? A lot of these old Mausers have been done in a great way. As @jd138 shows.

A ton of great cartridges you can make this into. The 8-06 is a pretty tough round to beat though. There are some pretty good bullets to choose from. 7mm would be better, 6.5 and 6mm great as well. .30 Cal has the most bullets, but not the BEST. Keep that in mind.

I just posted the photos.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

I am pretty sure that is a converted 98 military action. In which case, barrel swap, etc is not going to hurt anything.

Neat rifle, but not a collector or something you can’t play with. Was hoping to see prewar commercial sporter. Even if that is a commercial from the get-go, post war is not extremely valuable.

However great basis for a project!

Sirhr

 

[Lange Carabine]

Reciever is from an early Nazi era K98k built by Berlin-Lubecker (waffenampt WaA 214).
Date of mfg. and manufacturer code (S/237)will be stamped on reciever ring under scope base, since it still has the Weimar eagle proofs i'll hazzard a guess and say that its 1936-1937.

 

[3-0-hate]

Any competent gunsmith should be able to re-barrel it for you.

I just "finished" up a Mauser 98 (VZ.24) project. Its not sporting a 7mm magnum tube. It shoots really, really well for what it is and the next planned upgrade is a PTG Detachable Bottom Metal.

 

[Wannashootit]

You could rebarrel yourself, if you're so inclined (you need a minimum of the barrel vise and action wrench)
Brownell's carries a line of short-chambered, pre-fit barrels from Shilen in quite a few popular chamberings (8mm/.06 not one of them...)

FITTED BARRELS FOR LARGE RING MAUSER 98 | Brownells

A "no lathe" way to turn a surplus Large Ring 98 into a sporter. Already threaded with the chamber left slightly short. After installation, use a hand-turned finish reamer to deepen until headspace is perfect. (Reamer and Headspace Gauges required...

www.brownells.com

You could rent some or all of the required tooling (reamer, T-handle, gages) from 4D.

Just an option if you're the DIY type.

 

[sandwarrior]

You could rebarrel yourself, if you're so inclined (you need a minimum of the barrel vise and action wrench)
Brownell's carries a line of short-chambered, pre-fit barrels from Shilen in quite a few popular chamberings (8mm/.06 not one of them...)

FITTED BARRELS FOR LARGE RING MAUSER 98 | Brownells

A "no lathe" way to turn a surplus Large Ring 98 into a sporter. Already threaded with the chamber left slightly short. After installation, use a hand-turned finish reamer to deepen until headspace is perfect. (Reamer and Headspace Gauges required...

www.brownells.com

You could rent some or all of the required tooling (reamer, T-handle, gages) from 4D.

Just an option if you're the DIY type.

T-handle and gauges aren't expensive. Unless you want the reamer for later, rent it.

 

[spitfire_er]

Any gunsmith should be able to rebarrel it. These old Mauser used 55 degree threads and not the standard 60 degree v thread of today.

 

[skl1]

There was an article in American Rifleman (I think by Bryce Towsley) that talked through barreling a Mauser with a short-chambered, pre-threaded barrel. I can't locate it online (I think it's part of his gunsmithing book). But you might be able to find it in old issues. If not, folks here can help you. As previous posters have indicated, not too hard, and a pretty neat project. I wouldn't let it scare you off, but the 8mm-06 is great.

 

[spitfire_er]

This was the second rifle I ever built quite a few years ago. 6mm-06 Imp. Still one of my go to coyote and deer rifles. Rock Creek Barrel.