Modern Mauser?

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  • noddaz

    bonehead
    Jan 9, 2014
    529
    Arnold
    Anyone on the board have a Modern Mauser? Looking around the internet I find that the M98 has been re-introduced. (Back in 2009) But it seems I am having problems finding these rifles in the US... So, one...
    Does anyone know where these rifles are sold? And Two, how do the modern versions compare to their ancestors?
     

    byf43

    SCSC Life/NRA Patron Life
    By "modern Mauser", do you mean the Remington 798???
    Winchester "pre-64" and the new "control feed" are Mauser actions.


    Zastava (I think that's right) are Mauser actions. If I'm not mistaken, they're the ones that actually built/build the Remington rifles w/ Mauser action.

    You'll not find a stronger action (IMNSHO) anywhere.

    IF you're worried about 'modern' rifles, get a war era Mauser and build it into what YOU want.

    I own three K98k rifles, and two of them, I'd never consider modernizing.
    The other (an ar 41) has a mediocre barrel and I could easily use that action to build on heckuva rifle.
    (All of my K98k rifles are RC [Russian Capture] rifles and don't have any 'true' collector value.)


    .338 WinMag comes to mind.

    On the other hand, I'm always looking for that one K98k that's on my 'list'.

    A bnz 43 w/ single rune, to fill that 'spot' in my '43 firearms.
     

    Threeband

    The M1 Does My Talking
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 30, 2006
    25,232
    Carroll County
    Don't know, but I'll bet the originals are better steel, of better manufacture. Plenty of them around, many "sporterized."

    Don't overlook the Ruger M77.
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,877
    The " commercial Mauser " is most frequently seen mfg by Zavasta ( more commonly known by Mark X ) , and occasionally see some mfg by Santa Barbera ( Spain) .

    Bfy43 name checked the Rem M798 , but a whole buncha well known rifles used Mark X actions , if not barrelled actions . Likewise , Interarms sold a metric boat load of actions / barrelled actions to small builders/ gunsmiths / hobbyists .


    But people into such thing will be tickled beyond belief to have a source for Magnum Mauser actions .
     

    Blacksmith101

    Grumpy Old Man
    Jun 22, 2012
    22,154
    Don't know, but I'll bet the originals are better steel, of better manufacture. Plenty of them around, many "sporterized."

    Don't overlook the Ruger M77.

    I would expect an modern Mauser to have better steel but the workmanship would not be as good because of advances in metallurgy and decline of skilled workers.
     

    noddaz

    bonehead
    Jan 9, 2014
    529
    Arnold
    It's a pretty rifle.

    csm_Mauser_M98_Expert-re_ea4ca6cb75.jpg
     

    Doco Overboard

    Ultimate Member
    There are some differences between modern and Mauser military actions. Ill leave this to the common non military offerings that were popular a number of years ago.
    The biggest difference is the way the inner ring is constructed, Mauser actions develop they're strength from the design rather than the materials they were produced with. The modern actions such as Zastava, Santa Barbara, FN, Herter J9 and even the Jap produced Ackley do not have a completely concentric ring for the barrel to breech up to. The inner ring is split like some of the earlier models.

    The second thing is, which is a plus, is that the thumb cut out on the modern versions has been omitted making the left receiver wall substantially stronger, permitted better heat treating and subsequent less receiver flex.
    Alloy steels are used in the modern actions supplanted the case hardening of the military types which usually equate to a 35 C Rockwell hardness. The case hardening has been detected from .004 to depths of .012 ala' Low number 03 heat treatment by being over-carburized.

    I guess because a famous ordinance officer never wrote a book about the deficiencies they are not well known. Unless you drop one one the shop floor and it breaks from being to hard. 8mm military Mausers were made with a long throat or leade to help reduce pressure, modern sporting cartridges develop more pressure and higher quality steels are engineered into the product to shore up potential inadequacies of the original design which was for low pressure cartridges. 8mm 7x57 or 275 Rigby if your from London.

    Even with that, because each successive action was made better and stronger than the one before it there is no doubt that whatever steel or heat treatments (1040 low carbon like rebar) were used they were entirely adequate to make the m98 the worlds most successful bolt action rifle beyond a shadow of a doubt.

    Receivers were made from a tough quality low carbon steel, case hardened and produced for the worlds armies into the gazillions. Bolts were formed from a higher quality steel.
    Modern actions(like the ones discussed above) also generally lack an important safety feature probably to save machining and manufacturing time that for at least one non safety feature required royalties be paid to Mauser by the USA.
    The clip loading slot, which has been omitted obviously for mounting optics.
    The other is the bolt safety interlock. Modern Mauser's have streamlined bolt shrouds which rely on a trigger safety rather than firing pin safety of the military models. Big thing in my book. Removing important safety features is a step backwards rather than forwards but a military two stage trigger is about as adjustable as a brick so that's the compromise.
    Two custom rifles that I built myself use modern adjustable triggers, one that I occasionally hunt with does not. ( no free lunch)

    Military actions of the most common type, 8.075 length usually need the magazine box adjusted for feeding cartridges over 3006 length and altering the feed ramp reducing the thickness of the bottom lug. I guess you could equate this to tasting anti freeze with your finger. You may drop right out from being poisoned if your unlucky or blast away for an eternity.

    I never heard or read of an action failing from that just like I never heard of anyone falling over dead from glycol poisoning from a taste. But, just like that is not a good idea (glycol) modern actions have taken that into account and are slightly longer eliminating a lot of extra gunsmithing.

    Professional gunsmiths prefer post 1920 manufacture (soft heat treat sometimes) and avoid 1943 and later due to questionable heat treating and manufacturing sabotage due to slave labor. Sometimes you'll see a plug welded and blended into the thumb slot to stiffen the receivers and add strength,HH Westley Richards, Griffin and Howe etc.

    Brevex and Doumoulin make magnum actions and are French made, Zastava actions are marked zcz in a circle (Yugo made) Santa Barbara and BSA have a Z prefix I think as does a Herters, FN is obvious. These actions also may or may not be investment cast like a Ruger and not entirely machined but I'm not sure.

    One other thing is, most military actions with the exception of the Spanish La Coruna have a bevel machined into the extractor claw slot. When the bolt is lifted the extractor engages the case rim with greater force exerted on the case head to help extraction with faulty/ dirty ammo. Commercial offerings do not offer this and have omitted the bolt sleeve flange for gas control and generally have smaller gas holes drilled in the bolt. Another Mauser hallmark.
     

    JDH146

    jdh146
    Dec 26, 2009
    593
    Sears marketed the J.C. Higgins Model 50 which has a commercial Mauser action manufactured by FN .
    Here is a write up: http://www.chuckhawks.com/j_c_higgins_50.htm

    Here are some GB listings.
    https://www.gunbroker.com/Bolt-Action-Rifles/search?Keywords=higgins+50

    This seller with the $625 Model 50 with Leupold Vari X II has some M98's too.
    https://www.gunbroker.com/All/search?IncludeSellers=1590330

    Montgomery Ward also marketed them under the Western Field name.
    Western Field 720A EHM Mauser (E. Heym) Mauser M-98
    Western Field 575EJN Mauser FN 98 Commercial
    https://www.gunbroker.com/Bolt-Action-Rifles/search?Keywords=western+field&Sort=13
     

    DENWA

    Active Member
    May 5, 2008
    272
    Ruger M77 tang safety and M77 MKII are both Mauser copy actions, having owned many of them i'd tell you to avoid them, at the time Ruger was NOT making quality(or even decent) rifles.

    Remington 798 is a good Mauser copy. I bought several .375 H&H's years ago when CDNN had them on clearance for $400.

    They are a little rough but some polishing compound on the bolt and lugs really smoothing things out nicely.

    I prefer the(used and abused) Surplus M98 rifles for my builds. Nice clean slate. Something really rewarding when these are built into a tack driving beauty.
     

    Jimbob2.0

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 20, 2008
    16,600
    Offtherails-1.jpg


    But that happens...

    I guess the question is what were you looking for? The 2 lug, claw extractor gun has been around for a while in various forms. Were you thinking military configuration? Frankly don't see the market given Yugo produced guns are still affordable.

    Ill second the above the Rem 798 is a better finished Zastava (also imported as Charles Daly and a few others) and the downsized 799 is awesome.
     

    Art3

    Eqinsu Ocha
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 30, 2015
    13,267
    Harford County
    I think he wants input on and an opportunity to buy a rifle made by Mauser in the 21st century. He doesn't want a Mauser-type action from an other modern manufacturer, or to sporterize a milsurp; he wants the rifle he linked and posted a picture of. It seems like the problem is that most of us (myself included) didn't know there was still a company called Mauser making rifles. That's what I got out of it :shrug:
     

    ted76

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 20, 2013
    3,151
    Frederick
    Anyone on the board have a Modern Mauser? Looking around the internet I find that the M98 has been re-introduced. (Back in 2009) But it seems I am having problems finding these rifles in the US... So, one...
    Does anyone know where these rifles are sold? And Two, how do the modern versions compare to their ancestors?

    I looked on their website and didn't see a single authorized! dealer in the United States, but there are plenty in Europe. You might try contacting their costumer service and try to order one through your FFL dealer.
     

    K-43

    West of Morning Side
    Oct 20, 2010
    1,881
    PG
    Voere in Austria still makes rifles on the 98 action.
    You can find new ones at Guns International and a few used ones at Simpsons Ltd.
    They have a line of true 98 Mauser reciever rifles and newer designs.
     

    JDH146

    jdh146
    Dec 26, 2009
    593
    I have found that these rifles are quite pricy. Which completly dashes my hopes of owning one.

    OP stated price is the issue. Same train but not off the rails, just a cheaper fare. This is why so many posted alternatives.
     

    CombatAK

    Hooligan #12
    Sep 1, 2015
    1,156
    Cresaptown
    From what I have read in G&A, the new Mausers are magnum actions. I have seen on the Mauser website, they make a few models. The M12, M18, M03, and the M98. I am thinking the M98 is to compete with H&H and Rigby since both use Mauser actions. It is a very nice looking rifle IMHO but, too pricey for me.
     

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