What rifles in current production have actions faithful to Mauser's design, with at least a controlled round feed and a fixed blade ejector (no plunger)? Not looking for custom, military rifles, or discontinued older production ones. Talking strictly of current factory production rifles under $2500. Information are appreciated.

A few that come to mind....

Zastava (Intermarms Mark X; Charles Daly, Rem 798), Win M70 Classic, CZ550's, Kimber, Granite Mountain Arms, Montana, Dakota (I'm not sure of pricing on the last few).

If I think for a bit I'm sure I'll come up with more.

Heym and Kilimanjaro also build on a Mauser action, but I figure they price out of the range you requested.

True commercial copies currently made, although not exact replicas or copies are:
Ruger MKII.
Win Model 70.
CZ 550.
Montana.
Kimber 84/8400.
Zastava.
I'm sure that's not all of them, but that's all I can think of right now.

Cheers.

quote:

Originally posted by 416RigbyHunter:
Ruger MKII.

Thanks a lot both of you for the extensive list. But doesn't the Ruger have a plunger ejector, or am I mistaken?

Tang safety Rugers have a plunger ejector.

The MKII and Hawkeye use a blade very similar to a Winchester.

Jeremy

For current production rifles I don't think there is anything closer to original than the Mitchell's Mausers M63. It's an intermediate length Zastavia action that's pretty darn close to the originals from operation to esthetics. Correct safety, bolt, bolt shroud, bottom metal and it even has the stripper clip guide and thumb cutout.






I found this used one recently and snapped it up for $350. I don't think it's ever been shot! I'm amazed at the build quality. It has a smooth operation, everything fits like it should, it's all metal and the bluing looks nice. It has a little 17 1/2" barrel on it and seems very handy. About the same size as a Winchester 94.

Probably not what you had in mind but it's the most "faithful" one I've seen.

I could use one of those.

quote:

Originally posted by TC1:
than the Mitchell's Mausers M63.

Wouldn't buy anything from them as a matter of principal. Search the web and you'll find stories of cleaning up used guns and selling them as new, counterfeiting serial numbers on parts to make them match, and several ill practices.

quote:

Originally posted by farbedo:
Tang safety Rugers have a plunger ejector.

The MKII and Hawkeye use a blade very similar to a Winchester.

Jeremy

Thank you and everyone for the input. Much valued and happy new year!

quote:

Originally posted by adrian4444:

quote:

Originally posted by TC1:
than the Mitchell's Mausers M63.

Wouldn't buy anything from them as a matter of principal. Search the web and you'll find stories of cleaning up used guns and selling them as new, counterfeiting serial numbers on parts to make them match, and several ill practices.

There is alway's Ruger, but Bill supported the assualt weapons ban. I guess there is something to not like about everybody if you look hard enough. You ask about rifles, not ethics.

Enjoy which ever rifle you pick and I hope the company meets your approval.

quote:

There is alway's Ruger, but Bill supported the assualt weapons ban.

Not bothered by anyone's right to freedom of speech. Kinda different than selling reconditioned and fraudulently stamped Yugo Mausers as never used German K98 though.

quote:

You ask about rifles, not ethics.

My question doesn't need a disclaimer that I won't deal with people who rip shooters off. There is no reason for you to be ticked off and take it personally, but if you must, have a blast.

quote:

Enjoy which ever rifle you pick and I hope the company meets your approval.

Sarcasm at its finest! Thanks. I will, and naturally the company will meet my approval or I won't buy.

Wow,,,, just wow.

Wow x 2!

Wow x 3

Take a look at a new/OM 70. Very nice rifles in most calibers for about $1500 retail.

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
Take a look at a new/OM 70. Very nice rifles in most calibers for about $1500 retail.

Actually the more I read and compare the more I lean towards it. Will be one of the newer rifles since they went back to controlled feed design. Thanks

There are so many features about the Mauser that are not mentioned in today’s advertizing, primarily because the features add cost and are unseen.

A nice little feature is the undercut on the Mauser extractor. The bolt head has a corresponding cam cut and these inclined surfaces will keep the extractor on the rim of a difficult to extract cartridge. The inferior claw extractor, as shown by the M70 and M1903, these extractors will pop off the rim of a sticky case.





A Mauser bolt stop is buffered and there is a lot of surface contact between a Mauser bolt stop and the bolt lug. The buffering and large contact area protects the bolt lug from damage. I don’t have pictures of sheared M1903 bolt lugs, because I traded the bolt away, but only the left bolt lug tip engages the bolt stop on a M1903. The end result is gouged bolt stops and gouged left bolt lug. I had one bolt where the left lug tip had almost been sheared off. The Japanese Arisaka did them one better by having a lug whose only purpose was to engage the bolt stop.

The safety lug on a Mauser bolt acts as a gas block for gases trying to go under the bolt. The bolt shroud is particularly effective in blocking gases going down the left receiver rail. And I want to point out some hidden features that the firing pin has. Notice the flanged area on the front of the firing pin. This is the firing pin interlock.



There are recesses cut into the bolt interior. If the bolt is in battery the recesses are in line with the shoulders cut on the firing pin and the firing pin is able to go fully forward and hit the primer. You can see the firing pin through the gas port, this is the correct orientation:



If the firing pin were to break before the lugs are in battery, this interlock prevents the firing pin from going forward. As you can see, no firing pin tip sticking through the bolt face.



The flats on the firing pin do a couple of things. It prevents the firing pin from being blown out of the bolt. This is an actual safety issue. P.O. Ackley performed blowup tests on M1903’s, and escaping gases blew the firing pin completely out of the rifle with enough force that it would likely have gone through a human head.



The Mauser pin will positively bottom out and not go any further. This also blocks gas from going down the firing pin shaft into your eye. An inferior action, such as the M1903 or M70, that gas is going straight into your eye!



I also want to mention that a true Mauser safety positively holds the firing pin back. It is not a sear blocking or trigger blocking safety. Both of those types have been known to fail through insufficient sear engagement or shock.

This Ruger M77 safety positively cams the cocking piece back and holds it back.



So does the M70 safety.



It is sad to say that even my Dumoulin Mauser no longer has a complete inner collar. It was cut through on the left side, just as the commerical FN Mauser actions. Military Mauser actions had a "C" inner collar. A complete “C” inner collar shrouds the case head better and blocks gas better, but it is too expensive to make.

Dumoulin inner collar.


A feature that I like, that is common to all the old military bolt actions, is milled feed lips. The receivers of these actions have contours milled into the receivers which are timed for cartridge release. These are feed lips and the actual orientation of the cartridge at release is extremely important for reliable feeding. Unlike modern actions with cheap stamped metal boxes, these feed lips don’t move, don’t bend, are extremely hard to wear out, and thus, provide the most reliable means of feed of any system. Anyone who has shot enough rounds through an AR15 knows what happens when those cheap aluminum magazine feed lips wear: You get jams!






Of course milled receiver feed lips are specific to the class of cartridge being used, but they last the life of the receiver.

This a P14 Enfield action and a modern FN PBR M70 action. The Enfield action is clearly milled for a rimmed cartridge. The M70 requires that magazine box, of three rounds, while the Enfield can have five or six rounds (30-06) in the magazine.


Here you can clearly see the feed lips cut into the P14 Enfield and a M1903 Springfield receiver.



The Dumoulin Mauser action has milled feed lips.

That was a great review Slamfire! Thank you for that..

This Ruger M77 safety positively cams the cocking piece back and holds it back.

[/QUOTE]

The M77 MKII (as shown) safety only blocks trigger movement.

My choice today would be the Ruger Hawkeye African model, Its basically a Mauser with the correct improvements, short of it I'd opt for a custom 98 Mauser, but they are costly even if you skimp, Trigger or trigger job, mod 70 type safety or perhaps a Timney trigger, just for starters.

quote:

quote:

This Ruger M77 safety positively cams the cocking piece back and holds it back.

The M77 MKII (as shown) safety only blocks trigger movement.

[/quote]

Ruger has used several different safeties, this one, the wing safety positive locks into the cocking piece.

I would just buy a VZ-24 and have a true "bespoke" rifle. I have one in 404 Jefferys, and I cannot imagine wanting a cartridge longer/fatter than that.

The gunsmith that did the metalwork on mine made it into a DSB Magnum shape.
Jim Kobe rescued a seriously butchered OM 70 the same fashion.

Thank you Slamfire.

Made me even more glad that I have a very nice, original Oberndorf Model B in the safe. I also have a new Ruger 77 on the way. It will be dissected and compared to the Mausers.

Slamfire:

How right you are about the M70 extractor. Also happens with Savage actions as well. Ironically, this never happens with a Rem 700 - either the case comes out, the extractor tears a chunk out of the rim, or the extractor breaks.

With respect to Mark X's, I honestly don't know why it gets so many accolades, unless it is purely for price. The actions are rough as hell and the lock times are horrendous. Back in the 80s when I was in my early 20's I bought barreled actions (you sure could get them cheap from Shotgun News back then) and mate them with a fiberglass stock that I bedded and finished and then sold.

quote:

Originally posted by Wstrnhuntr:
That was a great review Slamfire! Thank you for that..

Yes, I would like to endorse that sentiment. Great pics, too. It is contributions like this that make the reviews in so many magazines so transparently self-serving rubbish.