I've wanted an old Mauser rifle for a long time, for the sake of having one to turn into a classic sporting rifle at some point and a reason to take some gunsmithing/machining classes.

I found a Brno Mauser 98/22 for sale nearby in what looks to be unmodified shape (based on fuzzy photos) for $225. The seller says he got the rifle a year ago and hasn't yet taken the barreled action out of the stock but will do so for me and take some additional photos. This is what I have seen of it:





Ultimately I'd want to build a "classic" early 20th-century English or Germanic style rifle in a standard round like a .30/06 for hunting big game in North America starting with this rifle. Any reasons why this wouldn't be an okay Mauser to start with, or special things I'll need to consider with a 98/22? It would be a face-to-face transaction so I wouldn't be buying it unseen.

Any advice is appreciated- thanks!

Now I've been offered a 1916 Amberg Gew.98, refurbished in 1920 and otherwise unmodified today. Looks to be in good shape and for a great price.

If it turns out the action is okay, is there any reason why it couldn't be used for a 9.3x62?

Personally I would favor the 98/22 for a build. Heat treatment on them is generaly better. Luckily, the 9,3x62 as factory loaded is fairly low pressure abd should do ok in the Amberg. If you are limiting your choices to these two actions, pick whichever action is in better shape.

Since most 98/22's came to the US via Turkey make sure to pull the metal from the stock if at all possible to look for rust below the woodline. Good advice with any milsurp really.

Both actions will be perfect. Given a choice, I would pick the chech as it is a later build with better heat treat, but nothing wrong with Gewehrs either.. Get both of them. Only thing to look out for is bad pitting below the woodline.
SOB, when I posted this, I noticed zlrs had come in saying the same thing.. Great minds follow the same paths.....
One more addition; if the GEW is complete, matching and at least VG; don't cut it up; but you can butcher up the VZ; it is not too collectable in that condition.

Thanks for the info fellas, I am hoping to check both below the woodline before buying. Word from the guy with the BRNO is the rear takedown screw is stuck, so we'll see. Maybe I will buy both, I mean there's much worse things to have than a pair of Mausers- say a 9.3x62 and 7x57? I realized I should get a 1903 for when I want to build a .30/06.

This is what I've seen of the GEW:

Yuck; that gew has already been chopped and blued and put into a 98k stock. Please put it out of it's misery and use the action. Unless it is a SS rebuild with death heads on it, in which case it is worth $2k or more.
Stuck guard screw ain't no problem and you certainly can build an 06 on a 98.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Yuck; that gew has already been chopped and blued and put into a 98k stock. Please put it out of it's misery and use the action. Unless it is a SS rebuild with death heads on it, in which case it is worth $2k or more.
Stuck guard screw ain't no problem and you certainly can build an 06 on a 98.

Sounds good, that's what I was planning on anyways. The stuck guard screw does not concern me much either, but I wonder if it may be a bad omen for the metal below the stock?

If the metal below the stock line is pitted, does it really matter? As long as it doesn't affect the strength of the action and doesn't show, it should be a non-issue, as long as you can live with the thought of it. Should give you good bargaining leverage. I'm much more of a form over function kind of guy though.

quote:

Originally posted by gzig5:
If the metal below the stock line is pitted, does it really matter? As long as it doesn't affect the strength of the action and doesn't show, it should be a non-issue, as long as you can live with the thought of it. Should give you good bargaining leverage. I'm much more of a form over function kind of guy though.

I'd just rather start with something in better shape than not, and what's below the stock line does concern me. Just my opinion.

I'm picking up the 1916 Amberg Gew this weekend and looking forward to it. Not bad for $100. Just committed to the 98/22 too, I will try to get $200 cash for it since a takedown screw is stuck. I appreciate the advice I got here- thanks!

You should be good; if it has pitting below the wood line you would be able to see it in that loose fitting stock.

I picked up both Mausers this weekend and got the Brno 98/22 out of the stock pretty easily. Here are some quick cell phone pics of the two:







There's some pitting on the 98/22 but it doesn't look too bad, and the Amberg Gew.shape. I can do a lot with this pair.

Sometimes I have a Mauser softened then taken back up to specs, its actually a good idea and the last one I had done cost me $55.00...

I would do that with the two you have..I would not have a rifle with pitting under the wood or anywhere else. You need to polished it out and if its two deep tac it with a weld of bailing wire. do all this before you have it rehardened.
then polish and you have an excellent action.

I also prefer to surface grind mauser actions.

A big +1 for the comments of DPCD here.

quote:

One more addition; if the GEW is complete, matching and at least VG; don't cut it up; but you can butcher up the VZ; it is not too collectable in that condition.

I'd also convert the Czech. The bolt handle is easier to work on as you have an "easier" bending option.

IMHO that double date and THEN used in WWII is actually if it has survived as all origibal pretty rare. You see a lot of WWI Mauser 98s here in UK. You see some double date but you don't see many WWII converted to 98K "spec" double date rifles.

They may be not unusual today, 2104, but I'd bet that in ten yars time if you do convert it you will have thrown away a packet of money.

IMHO it is CONSIDERABLY more desirable than the "part gun/bitser" Mitchell Russian Capture Mausers that you see.

Thanks for the replies. Neither have matching bolts, but the GEW is in pretty good shape. The seller of the GEW wanted to keep the stock, which was fine since he didn't have the original one anyways and was selling the barreled action with bottom metal for $100 so I didn't complain.

I'm not sure what the pits on the BRNO will need but it looks like some work. I got it for $200 and asked $25 off since the seller couldn't get the barreled action out of the stock to check it. I appreciate the advice Atkinson, I might have to take some better photos of the pits.

For the time being I'm planning on not drilling/tapping the receivers for scope bases, rather setting them up as iron-sight rifles. 7x57 for the GEW and 9.3x62 for the BRNO?

Here are some better pics of both. First the GEW.



It seems someone at some point in time covered it in black paint, which I can flake off with my fingernail.

Here's the BRNO. The receiver is stamped E3025 on the left side of the front ring so it was manufactured in 1925, correct?









You can see the mangled rear takedown screw, which the seller soaked in oil and still couldn't get unstuck. I put the rifle in a vise, gave the screw a couple good raps with an old screwdriver and mallet, then used the largest Magna-tip bit I have to ease it out. It broke free easily. The hollow ground bits just paid for themselves.

Interesting project that will produce two nice rifles. They will also eat a big hole in your wallet. Saw a SAKO FN commercial action on some site for $400 ready to be barreled, blued and stocked. If you have the tools and the skills building stuff is fun but if you have to sub it out time goes by and $ go out.
Bought this 50s FN deluxe "bringback" with the suitcase mounted Zeiss in 06' for a grand. Need to do something about the scope (it shoots tiny groups with a pillow on the comb)but after messing around with a lot of military rifles I have concluded they are best left as is for the sake of their history.

The FN:

quote:

Originally posted by metalbeater:
Interesting project that will produce two nice rifles. They will also eat a big hole in your wallet. Saw a SAKO FN commercial action on some site for $400 ready to be barreled, blued and stocked. If you have the tools and the skills building stuff is fun but if you have to sub it out time goes by and $ go out.
Bought this 50s FN deluxe "bringback" with the suitcase mounted Zeiss in 06' for a grand. Need to do something about the scope (it shoots tiny groups with a pillow on the comb)but after messing around with a lot of military rifles I have concluded they are best left as is for the sake of their history.

The FN:

Thanks Metalbeater, I like that FN rifle. A local gun shop has a nice FN that looks like it, but it's a push feed action. Since few parts are matching on these Mausers and they are painted or pitted, I won't feel so bad about working on them. A pristine specimen would be a very different story.

I'm estimating a budget of about $1.5-2K in additional hardware for each rifle (stock blank, barrel, etc. plus some labor), so it'll take me awhile to save up for them anyways.

I bought a Winchester Ranger .270 (basic post-'64 push feed) a few years ago from a cousin for $450 including the scope and a pile of ammo, and am working on a couple of custom stocks for it. Besides re-stocking I don't think it needs any further modifications to be a great rifle. I really like the M70 but want some projects that involve more metalworking; building up the entire rifle and not just the stock.

Here's my Winchester a couple hours before I shot a doe with it past November. It wears a stock Shane Thompson rough turned for me, and I started work on it during Steven Dodd Hughes' seminar this past September:



I think I'd like to put the BRNO in a similarly styled stock.

Handsome classic look, nice work. I'd dump the whiteline grip cap in favor of a steel one.

http://www.midwayusa.com/produ...182-x-132-steel-blue

but that's a matter of taste. Love the buttplate.

I think that FN action was over on 24 hr campfire.

Thanks! I haven't yet blued the stock hardware, hence why the cap looks white and the bottom metal and buttplate are in the white too. That's a Brownell steel grip cap on there and "original" Winchester-style buttplate from Treebone Carving.

White line spacers??? No sir, not for me!!!

Nice set of Mausers there.

If you are for 2 new calibres, could I suggest the 9.3x62 (Have one and love it).

Then for the second, I would go for a 7x64 or a 257 Roberts. To my mind, there is nothing lost by going 7x64 in terms of bullet choice and it shoots flatter (Your 9.3 will make an excellent thick cover rifle).

The Roberts is also flat and fast shooting.

I have a 7x64 as a complement to my 9.3x62 and think a 257 Roberts would be a great fox / roe deer rifle for a complete battery.

Whatever you decide, enjoy the build and shooting them after!

ATB,

Scrummy

Thanks Scrummy, I'm thinking of a 9.3x62 and a 7x57mm.

I thought you were talking about a miniature 98 in 22 rimfire. Those are very nice !

quote:

Originally posted by mete:
I thought you were talking about a miniature 98 in 22 rimfire. Those are very nice !

You have no idea how badly I'd like something along those lines, I am a fan of rimfires. Something like a .22 trainer or something with some visual Mauser features like a claw extractor worked over- I think there were photos of one on this site last year- would be very welcome in my collection. Some day...

On that note my favorite firearm I've ever had the pleasure to handle was this Heilmann & Hensley custom Model 52 .22lr: http://hallowellco.com/darwin_hensley%20win52.htm