I started to post this in response to the many great comments to my question about a custom gun maker, but decided it needed it's own post. Anyway, thank you so much for the tips and recommendations under that question.
My question now is about Mauser actions. Often I've read that they make best action available. I really don't know much about them. I've read that because they are so reliable they make great choices for dangerous game guns. I've also read that many actions are based upon the Mauser design. Are the "design" guns just as good as the older ones? Are new ones still being made?
And how does such an action compare with some of the modified production actions, such as Remington's 700, or actions that seems to be proprietary, such as the one that Kenny Jarrett now puts on his?

Spring. First off, I'm going to admit, I'm prejudiced. I like Mausers actions. If I were going to have a custom rifle built up, I think my first choice would be a J.C. Higgins Model 50. Neat rifle based on a genuine FN Mauser action made in Belgium. barrel and stock were made by High Standard and assembled by them for Sears. I buy every one I come across. Reasonable prices range from about $200 to $350 with the latter being more common. I've never seen a Higgins 51 or 51L but I think they may also use the FN action, but I could be wrong on that as I heard Sears had some rifles done on SAKO actions as well. (That might be the 51L)
Anyway, currently I have rifles in .270 on a commercial FN action, three 30-06s on the Higgins,one soon to be a .35 Whelen. Another Higgins has been made into a 7x57 Mauser. I have a .280 Rem. on a 1909 Argentine Mauser, a super ultralight .308 Win. (5 pounds with scope, sling and full magazine)on a 1912 Steyr Mauser action, an Oberndorf Mauser in .35 Whelen. I even have another 1912 Steyr action laying around that I haven't figured out what to make into.
(I told you I was predjudiced. )
FWIW, the Higgins are the same action as the early Browning safari and higher grades without all of Brownings bells and whistles.
As far as a dangerous game rifle, my thought is how dangerous? If you have to go to a .375 H&H length cartridge, then the action will have to be opened up and other work done to get reliable feeding. I had a Mark X Mauser in .375 H&H for a while that was a standard length action opened up. Worked just fine. from what I understand, Holland & Holland opened up standard Mauser actions all the time for the .375.
I guess my feeling is this. When Mauser finally completed the design and brought out the M98 Mauser, he built, what was for the time, the most "goof-proof" rifle he could design for the purpose of war. He wanted a rifle that the most scared recruit could work with the realization that his rifle was the most jam proof rifle that could be made and used under the stress of combat. Seems to me, I'd want that kind of reliablity if something with claws that scratch and teeth that bite had suddenly decided I was going to be the main course of his evening meal.
Paul B.

Paul,

Not my opinion, but I've heard this: A Mauser was made for reliability and not accuracy. If you put a premium on accuracy, you should try something else. In your opinion, Paul, is there any truth in that?

I have a fair number of centerfire rifles-33- and I have owned about 100 in the past 40 yrs. I have a variety of Mausers and Mauser types, Pre-64 Mod. 70s, Dakota 76 and so forth. A signifigant number of my unaltered Mauser type rifles will shoot heavy for caliber, hot Nosler PT. handloads into sub moa groups, consistently. I also spent many years working solo in Grizzly country and supervising large forestry crews in the same areas, I would not own a rifle that was not a Mauser or had the same features.

I completely agree with the comments concerning the Higgins rifles, they are no longer "sleepers" though, as many of us are after them! I would ask, how accurate must your rifle be?

Spring,

I have 2 rifles built on the SEARS FN actions. One is a 270 the other a 300WM. Both rifles will shoot .5 MOA 3 shot groups with NP's. They have Krieger and Lilja barrels respectively and were built by someone who knew how to do the work.

I kind of hate to say the above because I like to take the side of the M700 in the CRF debate but these mauser rifles shoot as well as any of the many M700's I have owned.

Regards,

Mark

Thanks, Mark. Just curious...If Mauser is as good as your experience says it is, why does it seem that most of the custom gun guys build their guns other actions?

Not all do, but then also you have to differentiate between "mauser designed" and "mauser built" actions. Many custom built guns are built on a mauser style action of one flavor or another.