hi,
can anyone tell me the correct way to measure a mauser action to determine if it is a standard or magnum size?

where do you measure from ..... and to ?

can a standard mauser action be "opened up" to take a 375 h&h magnum ?

if this has been done, what to look for , how to tell ?

your help appreciated. tom


you can also reply to :

crownpress@alltel.net

Mauser action lengths (measure from center to center of the action screws, front receiver/floor plate to rear of trigger guard/tang):

Rare true short action commercial "Kurz":
7.225" with box length 2.725"

M48/K98 Yugo length:
7.620" with box length 3.232"

Standard and Intermediate M98's:
7.835" with 3.115", 3.315", and 3.400" boxes

British type M98 Long actions:
7.835" with boxes 3.640" and 3.840" (standard M98's opened up)

French Brevex, True Magnum Mauser 98:
8.207" with box length 3.900"

See the Gunsmith forum reference material thread at top of the forum, by jeffeosso.

The British opened up the standard M98 Mauser as big as Harry Selby's .416 Rigby.
Those should be limited to low pressures, even if expertly done with minimal under cutting (weakening) of the locking lug recess adjacent to the feed ramp, and most of the "opening-up" being to the rear of the action to enlarge the box length.

Ladies and Gentlemen! A true wealth of Mauser information.......applause please for Dr. RIP!!! Has anyone ever done a truly comprehensive study of mauser action varieties? Would make an interesting read no doubt. Any ideas about the size of the NEW M98 Magnum Mauser currently offered by Mauser.

Damn, I never actually measured mine, but I suspect it is of the Brevex dimensions. Will do.
Post number 9999. The next will be 10,000 and I can retire.

Ok I'm waiting to be the recipient of post #10,000!

The #10,000 question is.........what are the dimensions of the latest authentic Mauser Aciton by whom else but.......Mauser!


And the answer IS?????

From the Gunsmithing Forum:

Originally posted by ForrestB:
I happened across this informative post on another site:

http://p223.ezboard.com/fcurioandrelicfirearmsforumfrm4...sage?topicID=1.topic


M98 STANDARD LENGTH ACTIONS

I am going to group different actions by length, ring diameter, and barrel shank diameter. The first group will be Type I, these are the "most standard" Mausers. Probably 75% or more of all Mausers produced after 1898 will fall into this category. I am not going to list every model, that would take a book of it's own, but if your particular model is not listed, comparing the dimensions will place it into the correct category. So here are the dimensions for

Type I:
Action OAL: 8.750
Recvr screws, center to center: 7.835
Bolt body length: 6.370
Magazine length: 3.315
Recvr ring dia: 1.410 large ring
Barrel shank dia: 1.100 large shank

Some of the models that fall into Type I are:
Chilean M1912, Steyr
GEW 98, various mfr's
Brazilian M1908/34, Brno
VZ24, 98/22, 98/29, Brno
M1908 Brazilian, DWM
M1909 Argentine, DWM
M24/30 Venezuelan, FN
M1935 Peruvian, FN
Standard Modell, Mauser Oberndorf
K98k, various mfr's

Remember that the above list is not all-inclusive, the truth is, MOST M98 Mausers fall into this category.


Type II, standard length, small ring, small shank
Action OAL: 8.750
Recvr screws, center to center: 7.835
Bolt body length: 6.370
Magazine length: 3.315
Recvr ring dia: 1.300 small ring
Barrel shank dia: .980 small shank

This is pretty much a Czechoslovakian design, the main members of this group are the VZ33 and the G33-40, a commercial version is the VZ47.


Type III, standard length, small ring, large shank
Action OAL: 8.750
Recvr screws, center to center: 7,835
Bolt body length: 6.370
Magazine length: 3.315
Recvr ring dia: 1.300 small ring
Barrel shank dia: 1.100 large shank

As you can see by comparing the receiver ring diameter and the barrel shank diameter, there is not a lot of meat left in this receiver! The main example is the Kar98, and for obvious reasons, it is not wise to rechamber these to a high pressure cartridge.


Type IV, standard length, small ring, small shank, long magazine.
Action OAL: 8.750
Recvr screws, center to center: 7.835
Bolt body length: 6.370
Magazine length: 3.400
Recvr ring dia: 1.300 small ring
Barrel shank dia: .980 small shank

These are mainly commercial models, they are identical to Type II, with the exception of a longer magazine to handle 30-06 length cartridges. Main examples are the Husqvarna commercial action, and the Brno ZG47.


Type V, standard length, large ring, large shank, long magazine.
Action OAL: 8.750
Recvr screws, center to center: 7.835
Bolt body length: 6.370
Magazine length: 3.400
Recvr ring dia: 1.410 large ring
Barrel shank dia: 1.100 large shank

This is a beefier version of the Type IV. It is typified by the late FN commercial actions.


M98 INTERMEDIATE LENGTH ACTIONS

This is actually a fairly small group of models, the amount of headaches these cause (when trying to find a part or stock) is way out of proportion to the number of models. Most of these will have some part of the action shortened to save weight. Starting off with Type VI:

Type VI, Oberndorf intermediate action
Action OAL: 8.750
Recvr screws, center to center: 7.835
Bolt body length: 6.165
Magazine length: 3.115
Receiver ring dia: 1.410, large ring
Barrel shank dia: .980, small shank

I call this the Oberndorf intermediate action, as they are the only ones who produced it. Commonly encountered models include:
1903 Turk
1909 Peruvian
1935 Argentine
Oberndorf Commercial

The 1903 Turk and the 1909 Peruvian also share some other qualities. They both have a very high clip bridge, and a long curved arm on the ejector box that puts pressure on a stripper clip loaded into the receiver, holding it in place. The 1935 Argentine and the Oberndorf commercial action do not have this.
This type has a longer than normal receiver ring, and a longer than normal cocking piece, with a shorter than normal bolt body, hard to figure where the weight savings come in!
The Oberndorf commercial action was also available in a small ring version, all other dimensions identical.


Type VII, FN24 and Yugo actions
Action OAL: 8.500
Recvr screws, center to center: 7.620
Bolt body length: 6.115
Magazine length: 3.232
Recvr ring dia: 1.410, large ring
Barrel shank dia: 1.100, large shank

This is the FN M24 action, and the Yugoslavian M48 series. I call this group the Yugoslavian intermediate action. There is also a Type VIIA, FN24 Mexican, see below.


Type VIIA, FN24 Mexican
Action OAL: 8.500
Recvr screws, center to center: 7.620
Bolt body length: 6.165
Magazine length: 3.232
Recvr ring dia: 1.410, large ring
Barrel shank dia: 1.100, large shank

I call the Type VIIA the Mexican large ring action. The only difference between the Type VII and VIIA is the length of the bolt body (0.050 difference).


Type VIII, small ring Mexican
Action OAL: 8.500
Recvr screws, center to center: 7.620
Bolt body length: 6.080
Magazine length: 3.118
Recvr ring dia: 1.300, small ring
Barrel shank dia: .980, small shank

The Type VIII has the shortest bolt body in this group. Common models are the Mexican M1910, and M1936. Either one can be found manufactured by FN or Fabrica de Armas in Mexico City.

LONG AND SHORT ACTIONS

Now we are into the expensive stuff! The long actions and short actions are commercial only. The long actions are divided into 2 types, the "British" type and the French type. The British type are not necessarily made in England, but are usually chambered for British cartridges, such as the .416 Rigby or .404 Jeffery. The French type is even longer than the British type, but the French type is actually made in France.

Type IX, British Type, aka M98 long, aka Commercial Magnum
Action OAL: 9.150
Recvr screws, center to center: 7.835
Bolt body length: 6.770
Magazine length: 3.640/3.840
Recvr ring dia: 1.410, large ring
Barrel shank dia: 1.100, large shank


Type X, French Type, aka French Magnum, aka Brevex Magnum
Action OAL: 9.240
Recvr screws, center to center: 8.207
Bolt body length: 6.740
Magazine length: 3.900
Recvr ring dia: 1.500, X-large ring
Barrel shank dia: 1.141, X-large shank.

Notice that the French magnum is larger in every dimension than the British magnum, but the French bolt is shorter by .030"



Type XI, "True" short action, aka Commercial Kurz
Action OAL: 8.125
Recvr screws, center to center: 7.225
Bolt body length: 5.760
Magazine length: 2.725
Recvr ring dia: 1.300, small ring
Barrel shank dia: .980, small shank

quote:

Macifej: Has anyone ever done a truly comprehensive study of mauser action varieties? Would make an interesting read no doubt. Any ideas about the size of the NEW M98 Magnum Mauser currently offered by Mauser.

Mauser Bolt Rifles- Lugwig Olson
Original Oberndorf Sporting Rifles- Jon Speed
Bolt Action Rifles- Frank de Haas

The "NEW" 98 magnum Mauser offered by Mauser is made by Prechtl, a copy of the original #20 action manufactured in Oberndorf years ago: www.golmatic.de

I just reposted info that ForrestB posted, not my work, just a post to put into a single thread...

take your calipers...
turn the screws into the action
measure the diameter of both screws
(if different, figure the average)
measure from outside to outside of the screws
subtract 1 average diameter

Tom, you've asked the question alot, are you pondering buying a bolt gun?

I think others ahve done a great job of covering all the characteristics of Mauser actions. Let me answer the other part. Yes suitable M98's can be opened up to .375 H&H. The only varient that I am certain will work is the VZ24. The back of the action should be opened up as far as possible, bolt stop modified and as little metal as possible removed from under the front locking lugs. The mag box will need to be lengthened appropriately to fit the cartridge and you'll need a new follower.
Most early Mausers were case hardened and designed for 40KPSI cartridges. Don't grind through or lap out the case hardened steel which is only about .002 thick. Many people talk about rehardening mausers after modifying them. Unless you get a metal analysis done and consult a metal hardening expert with real Mauser experience, I think you actually have absolutely no idea what your getting with respect to hardening. I don't do it anymore.
Personally, if you absolutely have to have a Magnum M98 use a VZ24. So far I've never seen one set back the locking lugs even on a 500 Jeffery conversion.-Rob

quote:

Originally posted by fla3006:

Mauser Bolt Rifles- Lugwig Olson
Original Oberndorf Sporting Rifles- Jon Speed
Bolt Action Rifles- Frank de Haas

The "NEW" 98 magnum Mauser offered by Mauser is made by Prechtl, a copy of the original #20 action manufactured in Oberndorf years ago: www.golmatic.de

fla3006,
Add:
Robert WD Ball,
_Mauser Military Rifles of the World_,
4th Edition (>>400 pages and lots of color now),
plus
Ottesen's 2-volume set on Bolt Actions,
and you have completed my Mauser reference section.

Macifej,
I'll go measure when I get the chance ... I squandered post #10,000 on another thread.