Gunsmithing custom mauser builds

Re: custom mauser builds

Funny you should be asking this. I bought the contents from an old gunsmith's basement. It had 27 mauser receivers. I just finished one that I built on the cheap. I took an lijia barrel and chambered it for .243, 21" long. Bell and Carson stock with the beaver tall forearm. Kept the military trigger, although I added set screws. I heated the bolt handle and turned it down, took a 5/16 x 24 die threaded it and made a custom bolt handle. Used brownells sight base. Duracoated the barreled action OD and the stock the digital pattern with 5 of the tactical colors. It turned out real nice. Maybe $500 invested. I still need to get the side swing safety installed. I would of rathered used a different stock, because I don't like the grip of the B&C, it is too small for my hands. I can easily keep groups of 5 shoots under .5" Overall I am happy. Not sure how to post pics, but if you tell me I will but some up.
 
Re: custom mauser builds

I have been sporterizing Mausers for 44 years.
The one last month is:
A) Brazilian 7mm Mauser VZ24 action
B) Lothar Walther CM 1300 taper 7mm 26" Barrel blank
C) Standard 7mmRemMag reamer, .45" drill, .47" boring bar in 4 step chambering
D) High Tech Specialties [Bansner] 20 ounce stock
E) Weaver #45 and #46 steel matte scope mounts
F) Limbsaver large recoil pad untrimmed
G) Oxpho Blue Cold Blue
H) TIG welded bolt handle
I) PAWS Aluminum bottom metal for Mausers weighs 3.5 ounces
J) Rear hump of trigger ground down and reduced trigger spring installed
K) Feed lips milled .51" Wide and 3.5" long
L) Bolt face opened to .532" with carbide tools on lathe and mill
M) Extractor claw relieved
N) Wooden plug epoxied into hollow cut off stock butt
O) Headspaced to .215", not SAAMI .220"
P) 3.25" wide sticky stretchy Vero Vennini strap
Q) Leupold VXII 2x7x33 scope
R) Stoney Point Target Knob
S) 34mm DVORAK INSTRUMENTS soft eye scope lens shade
T) Eagle Industries Shooter's Stock Pack [cheek pad]
U) Weaver quad lock 1" scope rings
V) Devcon steel putty expoxy under 1" of barrel, behind recoil lug, below tang, above bottom metal, under scope mounts.
W) Loctite 242 blue on scope mount threads
X) Rust-Oleum camouflage paint 1919 deep forest green on stock
Y) Stoney point objective lens cover

9 pounds without ammo.

65.5 gr H4350 162 gr Hornady SST moly 3.34", 3050 fps
0.75" group at 100 yards [1" high]
6.0" group at 440 yards [6.25 moa elevation adjustment]5mph wind
 
Re: custom mauser builds

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: justmatt</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Funny you should be asking this. I bought the contents from an old gunsmith's basement. It had 27 mauser receivers. I just finished one that I built on the cheap. I took an lijia barrel and chambered it for .243, 21" long. Bell and Carson stock with the beaver tall forearm. Kept the military trigger, although I added set screws. I heated the bolt handle and turned it down, took a 5/16 x 24 die threaded it and made a custom bolt handle. Used brownells sight base. Duracoated the barreled action OD and the stock the digital pattern with 5 of the tactical colors. It turned out real nice. Maybe $500 invested. I still need to get the side swing safety installed. I would of rathered used a different stock, because I don't like the grip of the B&C, it is too small for my hands. I can easily keep groups of 5 shoots under .5" Overall I am happy. Not sure how to post pics, but if you tell me I will but some up. </div></div>

lucky sob i dont know how to post pictures but will try and find out n let you know.

im looking for a decent match grade barrel blank i just cant find any longer ones, can anyone suggest a good one
 
Re: custom mauser builds

I just pick this one from the smith. It's my buddys rifle. Yugo Mauser, #4 Hart, Richard Microfit stock. Chambered for 257 Weatherby Magnum.

Noslerdata006.jpg

Noslerdata007.jpg

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Noslerdata009.jpg
 
Re: custom mauser builds

Here is my 24/47 yugo in .308win. It has an A&B barrel, Timney trigger, Boyds stock, Millet scope, and M-14 mag conversion. My best group with it was 1.1in at 300yrds but most of the time it shoots .7 MOA.

Nov22009077.jpg
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Re: custom mauser builds

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hyugo</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It has ... an M-14 mag conversion. </div></div>

Interesting! Got any details on that?
 
Re: custom mauser builds

I cut and welded the stock bottom metal and added a few pieces to it. Then opened up the bottom of the receiver so the mag could reach the bolt. It took a while to get it to feed 100%. I use unmodified CMI M1A/M14 10 rnd mags and can run 2.85 OAL with them.
 
Re: custom mauser builds

I've got many. I'll give you four of my better ones.

24mf5p3.jpg


.280 Ackley glass bedded in a light walnut stock topped with an IOR 10x56 Ill. The barrel is a Shilen, as are a bunch of them. The trigger is a Timney sportsman adjusted as light as I could get it.

2utrnt3.jpg


.257 roberts on a 1909 Argentine action. Dropped into a fajen fiberglass stock. Glass bedded and topped by a Zeiss 6.5-20x50 Conquest.

29ghb9z.jpg


This is my most used long range rifle. 7x57 w/27" Lilja barrel. It's super thick because I didn't want to pay to turn it down. But no matter. It is the most accurate long range rifle I have. It has shot .5" groups @ 500. (it was a good day). Glass bedded in a Bishop thumbhole stock. Topped by a Leupold VariX III 6.5-20x40. Timney target trigger set @ 1 lb.

I suggest: a good fiberglass stock. However, my older wooden stocks haven't moved that much. But, they don't spend time in the rain. I'll go along with Clark in that a good bolt job is cut and re-welded using TIG. Using TIG you go hot-hot on the weld joints. Arc is cold-hot Gas is hot-hot, but with the composition of the metal and the flame you have to use, it's harder to control heat than TIG. Tig is way cleaner.

Anyhow, I've got:

.243
.6mm Rem
6-.284
another 7x57 (1933 Mexican)
30-06 (Mark X)
9.3x62

Let me know if you have any questions.
Several 8mm's
 
Re: custom mauser builds

Nice rifles. My gunsmith makes a lot of custom hunting rifles from 1909 Argentine Mauser actions and now I'm thinking about getting one put into a piece of walnut and using it as a beater, go to gun. In .30-06 of course.
 
Re: custom mauser builds

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Head_Shot</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Now that is art work in the finest form!!!</div></div>

I like Arctic lights lower left. That's what circassian walnut looks like. It might be claro, but the long black veins are what says it to me. Circassian walnut is grown very dry in Turkey and that's what gives it the tight grain and black veins. Claro is great too with the grain that looks like it was poured into a mold.

That said the silver(?) inlaid engraving on the upper left adds a touch like nothing else.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Falar</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Nice rifles. My gunsmith makes a lot of custom hunting rifles from 1909 Argentine Mauser actions and now I'm thinking about getting one put into a piece of walnut and using it as a beater, go to gun. In .30-06 of course.</div></div>

If your going to go with a beater I would suggest a less expensive composit. The Fajen my .257 sits in wasn't even $100. It was a temp stock to get the rifle shooting. It can take all the abuse that rifle may need to go hunting. Of course if you need to buttstroke whatever you're shooting then I'd go with walnut.

edit:

Here's today's Mauser (sold here again BTW) and the stocks and options available.

http://www.mauserwaffen.de/M-03-Extras.380.0.html?&L=1
 
Re: custom mauser builds

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthre...rue#Post1337888

That's an Ankara mauser in 30-06
Timney trigger
Fajen Vented Varminter stock
Adams and Benett barrel 1:10t @ 26"
TIG welded bolt
Accurized of course

It throws 1/2 MOA groups with Amax's out to 600y, I sent a 2nd round hit with it at ~ 1500y on a bulldozer blade at an abandoned stip mine a couple years ago. That was very very exciting.

My dad and I did the accurizing and build work. I completely refinished the rifle, polished the parts, and bedded the action myself. It has about 20 hours of cosmetics in it.

P5175442.JPG
 
Re: custom mauser builds

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sandwarrior</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
I like Arctic lights lower left. </div></div>

Your lower left may differ from mine, but are you talking about the springfield 100 year anniversary rifle?
<span style="font-weight: bold">
Stockmaker Bruce Farman, Bremerton, WA, chose a quarter-sawn piece of California English walnut with fiddleback from end to end. The lines of the stock are “softer” than today’s stocks tend to be but are typical of stocks from the pre-war period. The cheekpiece carries the English style of rounded ends and has a beaded shadow line following the circumference, one at the top and another at the bottom, with a convex area between the cheekpiece and stock. Bruce fashioned light fluting along each side of the comb nose. The buttstock ends with a steel buttplate typical of pre-war sporters. The forend is tipped with Ebony. The grip cap is steel and is of a style used by Wesley Richards during this era. The rear sling swivel is a two-screw style inletted into the toe line and compliments the barrel band front swivel. Bruce finished the stock with traditional hand rubbed tung oil and checkered it 24 lines per inch in a point pattern with a fine-line border to accent the points.

</span>
 
Re: custom mauser builds

I hate to trouble you but can we get more pics of the mag conversion from different angles i have a few usgi mags from my uncle that served in nam. Im thinking of just getting a 308 remmy 700 barrel and having it turned down since my mauser is a small shank to use for a fun 300-600 yd plinker. maybe if its threaded and chambered well itll shoot moa
 
Re: custom mauser builds

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: huntingohio</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I hate to trouble you but can we get more pics of the mag conversion from different angles i have a few usgi mags from my uncle that served in nam. Im thinking of just getting a 308 remmy 700 barrel and having it turned down since my mauser is a small shank to use for a fun 300-600 yd plinker. maybe if its threaded and chambered well itll shoot moa</div></div>

I like the conversion too. But I would think that even with a small ring Mauser you won't ahve enough barrel to start a new tenon and still have room for a .308 Chamber. Unless it was a varmint or heavy barrel?
 
Re: custom mauser builds

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ArcticLight</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sandwarrior</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
I like Arctic lights lower left. </div></div>

Your lower left may differ from mine, but are you talking about the springfield 100 year anniversary rifle?
<span style="font-weight: bold">
Stockmaker Bruce Farman, Bremerton, WA, chose a quarter-sawn piece of California English walnut with fiddleback from end to end. The lines of the stock are “softer” than today’s stocks tend to be but are typical of stocks from the pre-war period. The cheekpiece carries the English style of rounded ends and has a beaded shadow line following the circumference, one at the top and another at the bottom, with a convex area between the cheekpiece and stock. Bruce fashioned light fluting along each side of the comb nose. The buttstock ends with a steel buttplate typical of pre-war sporters. The forend is tipped with Ebony. The grip cap is steel and is of a style used by Wesley Richards during this era. The rear sling swivel is a two-screw style inletted into the toe line and compliments the barrel band front swivel. Bruce finished the stock with traditional hand rubbed tung oil and checkered it 24 lines per inch in a point pattern with a fine-line border to accent the points.

</span></div></div>

The Springfield 100 year Commemorative shows as the upper left of the ones you posted. The one I'm looking at is a Mauser (no hand cocking knob on the firing pin). It has the purple background, is facing left and slightly up, has fold down rear iron sights.
 
Re: custom mauser builds

its going to be the same no matter what the shank is going to be the same regaurdless. ive actually seen it done before and with all the take offs laying around here it would be cheap what you would do is turn down the actual threads ane rethread there
 
Re: custom mauser builds

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: huntingohio</div><div class="ubbcode-body">its going to be the same no matter what the shank is going to be the same regaurdless. ive actually seen it done before and with all the take offs laying around here it would be cheap</div></div>

I'm not following you. The tenon for the Rem and Mauser are the same diameter. But the Rem tenon is already threaded @ 16 TPI That's why you have to cut it off and cut a new tenon so you can thread it to 12 TPI. You then, obviously, have to re-cut the chamber. On standard weight Rem barrels they taper down too fast to run a long cartridge chamber in there. I know, I bought a 7 Rem Mag barrel to cut a 7 BR. No can do. I could but it's pretty thin at the forward end of the chamber. This is safe to shoot, don't get me wrong, it's just not real good at holding down vibration from the discharge of shooting. Meaning: Your harmonics go nuts without a good bit of steel in front of your chamber area.
 
Re: custom mauser builds

huntinginohio,

I just checked and Small ring Mauser barrels have threads that are 0.980 inches in diameter. So, yup, that should work. I need to find another small ring Mauser.
 
Re: custom mauser builds

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sandwarrior</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Head_Shot</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Now that is art work in the finest form!!!</div></div>

I like Arctic lights lower left. That's what circassian walnut looks like. It might be claro, but the long black veins are what says it to me. Circassian walnut is grown very dry in Turkey and that's what gives it the tight grain and black veins. Claro is great too with the grain that looks like it was poured into a mold.

That said the silver(?) inlaid engraving on the upper left adds a touch like nothing else.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Falar</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Nice rifles. My gunsmith makes a lot of custom hunting rifles from 1909 Argentine Mauser actions and now I'm thinking about getting one put into a piece of walnut and using it as a beater, go to gun. In .30-06 of course.</div></div>

If your going to go with a beater I would suggest a less expensive composit. The Fajen my .257 sits in wasn't even $100. It was a temp stock to get the rifle shooting. It can take all the abuse that rifle may need to go hunting. Of course if you need to buttstroke whatever you're shooting then I'd go with walnut.

edit:

Here's today's Mauser (sold here again BTW) and the stocks and options available.

http://www.mauserwaffen.de/M-03-Extras.380.0.html?&L=1 </div></div>

I've never ordered from this guy before, but it looks like I can get into a piece of Claro for under $100:

http://www.rifle-stocks.com/montecarlo.htm

I know the lower grades won't be pretty, but I'm sure they'll be strong and functional.
 
Re: custom mauser builds

I have one made with a Charles Daly/Interarms Mark X action.

Specs:
Shilen short chambered, #5 contour .30-06 barrel
Houge stock with full length bedding block
Bold Optima trigger
EGW FN Mauser 20 MOA base
Nikon Monarch 3-12x42 scope with BDC reticle
Richards Microfit Modern Classid laminated stock with 2 1/4" forearm(not fitted yet)

I had it built almost two years ago and haven't shot it yet. The gunsmith said it shot sub MOA when he shot it.

Just started getting the stuff for another one. It specs are:

Definite
FN Mauser Supreme action
Bell & Carlson Mauser 98 Varmint/Tactical stock
Nikon Monarch 2.5-10x42 mil-dot scope

Undecided/Unknown
Brux or Pac Nor #7 or Remington Varmint contour barrel chambered in either 6.5 Creedmoor or .308 Winchester
Trigger currently on action or aftermarket
Farrell or EGW base

Justmatt, yo got any plans for some of those actions?
 
Re: custom mauser builds

Mausers243asTested-1small.jpg


I have been building custom Mausers for myself for 44 years, since I was 14.

But in May and June of 2008 I offered to build a 243 Mauser rifle for the 14 year old daughter of a US GI in Iraq. Her grandfather has a farm here in WA state where she could shoot coyotes.

I worked on it every night, took pictures, and sent and email showing the progress on her rifle.

I used crummy Mauser parts I had lying around:
1) Addams and Bennett barrel bull blank
2) Take off stock
3) 1903 Turkish [Oberndorf] Mauser action with TIG welded bolt handle

The father in Iraq forwarded the emails to his daughter in the US. She was looking forward to getting a rifle, but the rifle weight was too heavy.

I used up MORE crummy Mauser parts I had lying around to make a lighter rifle:
1) Addams and Bennett stainless sporter barrel blank
2) Take off stock
3) 1903 Turkish [Oberndorf] Mauser action with TIG welded bolt handle
4) Chapman M70 type safety
5) Leupold 4X scope

I got the rifle down to 8 pounds with scope and sling.

I took both rifles to the range, and the heavy one shot .7" 3 shots at 50y, and the light one shot .93" 3 shots at 50y.

The GI came back from Iraq and on a trip to Grandpa's house, he and his daughter stopped at my house, introduced themselves and collected the light weight rifle.

I have built much better Mausers for myself, but the one I built out of spare parts for someone else was the most satisfying in a long time.
 
Re: custom mauser builds

Better late than never. Here's a pic of my custom Mauser build.

Specs
BCD action
18" A&B barrel
Fajen Ace Varminter stock (with Krylon camo)
Badger bolt knob
EGW rail
cheap Simmons scope (has old Bushnell scope in pic)
Burris rings

100_0876.jpg


Here's a recent target after testing out a new load at 100yds - 155 gr. Sierra HPBT, 44 gr RE-15, CCI 200 primer

100_2404.jpg
 
Re: custom mauser builds

Lola, you probably want to be careful of "sprucing up" a russian captured mauser. Some of them are worth a solid chunk of money in all original form to collectors, if you want to change it up, you might try finding out what it's worth and selling it to fund something that's not a collectors item.