Which Mauser action should I use? Do I get a military or go for the commercial Mauser action? I don't want to cheap it out, but hey, this is on a budget. What is the best value source for the Mauser action I need?

I seem to remember someone recommending a barrel and a particular reamer?

Thanks in advance for your insight and assistance!

Rusty
We band of brothers!

Rusty,

The 375 length Mark X makes a pretty good starting point if you don't mind it not being as traditional as a '98. It will require some feed rail work, but it will hold 3 in the mag without going to custom bottom metal.

Jim

Rustry,

There is quite a bit of history on AR, if you search the whole shebang for "404" you should get it all.

jim dodd

Rusty I would go with an original Mauser action. I do not know which variety is best. I would have the stock shaped like a British Rifle. I have handled a couple of 404,s and for bolt rifles they felt good.
As you have such a fine 450/400 double I am suprised you are not building a 9.3x62.

NE,
Since, I intend to own a 9.3X74R double someday, I thought I'd look into the 404 Jeffery. Ray and others have extolled it's virtues on the forum, so I guess I have what Andy Griffith called, "the bound to's which are worse than the can't help it's" .

Rusty
We band of brothers!

My new 404 will use a Montana Rifle Company M1999 Action. Modern metallurgy, reasonable price, slicks up nice. Lothar Walther barrel.

Rusty,
any GOOD mauser would be great...

but I would suggest a model 70 to start with... it'll be cheaper in the end to just go buy a new rifle (featherweight, even) and start from there...

jeffe

Rusty
With your 450/400 and a 9.3x74R double you will not need that bolt rifle trash.

Rusty and Copper Country,
I would go with a good milsurp Mauser, preferably a 1935 Chilean or Banner Mauser, but a good clean 1909 would suit me...I would x out a Whitworth or Mark 10 as they have been opened in front a good deal and that may be OK with the good metal they use, but I'm distrustfull of that...open the milsurp up in back as much as you can and the front as little as you can...

Be sure and use a Blackburn, Wisner, or Sunny Hill box made specifically for a 404 round, I know Ted makes a drop box for one and a regular box for one...the 404 box is wider and corrects the stack, absolutly required on a 404 DGR....

The 1999 Montana action is a poor choice for the 404 as you cannot get a 404 box for it, you would be much better off going with a 416 Rem. I bought a 1999 action for this specific purpose and it is now for sale or trade as I cannot locate a drop box 404 and I much prefer a drop box and an extra round or two in a 404....

I also like the Jefferys original barrel length of 27" but have settled on 26" as I can make that puppy cook and it makes me feel good, then I load it down to 2300 or 2400 to hunt, just one of those things, but I'd rather load one down to my required velocity than load one up to it...

Ray, Jeff, Jims, Tony, Cooper

Thanks for for your insights! As usual a wealth of information.

I'll be sure and keep y'all posted as this project progresses!

Rusty
We band of brothers!

Rusty, you may have seen them already but there is a "Hoffman 10.75x68 Mauser" on page 3 of the classified thread and a "404 Jeffery" on page 7.

One man's bolt rifle trash is still another man's bolt rifle trash.

The .404 on page 7 has a new owner, and will hopefully make it to Africa sometime in the future.

KurtC, that looked like a nice rifle.

[ 05-16-2003, 03:57: Message edited by: N E 450 No2 ]

A very nice looking rifle!

That rifle is on a magnum length 98, so obviously it didn't need any metal to be removed.

If I were going to build one on a standard length action, I would choose the gunsmith first and ask him which action he prefers to work with. Some like commercials, some prefer military.

That 404 Jeffery in the classifieds IS a very nice rifle, especially now that it is mine...

johnnyreb,
Jot down my email, tel. no. and address and then if you ever want to sell it give me a holler.

Dang, Ray, I have not even shot the thing yet and you are already trying to pry it out of my hands? Don't you already have two 404s to play with?

Johnnyreb,
I was going to buy that rifle but I had to wait on some funds and you slipped in and got it and I would have done the same, so no hard feelings, I did procrastenate on it also....The offer stands..Let me know how it shoots...I only have one 404, I'm working on another.

Well, I went and done it! After much searching and weighing what I wanted and could afford, I've ordered a Montana Rifle Co.'s new PH series action and a #5 contour 404 Jeffery barrel blank.

I was about to go with a Model 70 classic and strip it for the project when I saw Dan's post about their new PH action. For the price and the little amount of work that will be needed on the action, it was a deal I couldn't pass up.

I have retained the services of our own John Ricks to do the finishing work, polishing, sights,
barrel band, chambering, and matte bluing!

After talking with John I'm all keyed up!

Also ordered 100 rounds of 404 Jeffery brass from Mast Technologies and dies from Huntington's.
Yeeeeeehaaaaaaaw boys and girls!

Now just gotta find a throw down peice of presentation Walnut to set her in and I'm there!


Please don't tell NE 450that I fell off the wagon and I'm waller'n amongst the bolt trash crowd again!

Once again, I am deeply grateful to all who have shared with me their ideas!

[ 05-20-2003, 02:15: Message edited by: Rusty ]

Rusty,

Congratulations.

Have you asked John to make your dies? Is he going to do the chambering or will MRC do it? I know John is up on the "issues" with the .404 Jeff since we have been exchanging mails on the subject over the last month.

I don't know if MRC is read in.

jim

HunterJim, I too have been following the issues of the 404 chambrings. That's why John will be doing the chambering with his reamer!
I am only getting a barrel blank.
I will be sending him some examples of my Mast Technology brass at his request.
I got the RCBS 404 Jeffery dies upon John reccomendation.

Rusty
We band of brothers!

Rusty:
What's a .404 Jeffery?

Rusty, Rusty, Rusty.... 400 NITRO and I let you out of our sight for one minute....tsk...tsk...tsk
At least you should have got a bolt action Blaser R-93. That way when it is in a take down case, no one would know it was BRT.

Well at least it is a 404 JEFFERY, so it will kind of go with your 400 JEFFERY.

Next you need a 600 JEFFERY.

JudgeG,
I guess this means I have to start a Texas chapter of the GA 404 Society?

Norma - $1.36 ea
Mast - $1.53 ea.
?? Curious, what made you decide to go with Mast?
Have fun with the new toy!

I have used Mast for my 450/400 3 inch brass. After bad experience with HDS, I bought Mast BELL and have never regreted it. Their brass is awesome as far as I'm concerned and the folks are wonderful to deal with.

I am about to buy some 500 3 inch NE from Mast for my friend's new Merkel and if Mast made 475 #2 Jeffery brass I'b buy it.

I don't have anything against Norma, I have used their brass to fireform my 300 Apex brass. I just like Mast BELL that much!

And just an update on the 404 Jeffery project.
The MRC long action, Lothar barrel, and stock blank are now in the very capable hands of John Ricks. I am starting to get excited about having my first custom rifle next year!

[ 11-12-2003, 17:13: Message edited by: Rusty ]

Why cant you use Model 70 bottom metal with a MRC action(Blackburn,Sunny Hill)?? As these actions look very close to a model 70.

Congrats Rusty...continue to keep us posted. Mine is in a holding pattern awaiting bottom metal. Then my gunsmith says he'll get on it again. I picked up a cocking piece sight and NECG 3-leaf express sight for it a few weeks back. I will get the bolt handle cut and an Oberndorf sporter handle welded on - latest thinking.

Regards - Jeff P

I have a couple of cocking piece sights for Mausers if anyone is interrested...$350 each.

Where did the Hoffman 10.75 on the classified go. That interrest me.

Why not use Norma brass for the 404?? thats what I use, along with some RWS...I have had good luck with HDS, its made by Bell as we speak.