I have a friend that LOVES my CZ 527 in 17 Rem, one problem he's a southpaw and CZ doesn't make one in a LH version. Charles Daly makes a Mini Mauser action in a LH version that has a bolt face thats the right size. Are these actions good? As good as the CZ's? Any experience would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Chas Daly used to be TOP quality with guns from Lindner and others. Now they are from Turkey, etc. I would love to make up some mini-Mausers, but the current actions and guns are extremely low quality. They are really awful,

I have twi mini mausers...one in .223 and one in 6 X 45 they are right hand. I love them but they are from Interarms.....

The offering from Chas Daly (KBI) may work well for you....if it don't you're screwed.....

I did extewnsive work on one of mine from Interarms to get it to work well....but it was worth it.....

Thumpper470 hit it pretty good....there's nothing in the name Charles Daly that stands for quality......that includes service and warranty.

You could send one to Jim Kobe and get it completely trued up. Also, if you are bored over the winter you could get out the sandpaper, sanding blocks, stones and small files and polish it up to standards.

Worst case you will learn a lot.

lawndart

Well, I sure do love my .223 mini-mauser. Of course, it is an old early 1990s version.
LLS

The Interarms guns had Bohler steel barrels. God only knows what Daly uses.

The mini Mauser actions have a recessed bolt face with a Sako extractor and mechanical ejector. The bolt head looks like the old two lug SAKO action. I quite liked the old ones but I am not sure if the newer ones are finsihed as nice. Also, they do not have the long Mauser extractor or CRF feature like that found on the CZ.

quote:

Originally posted by 9.3 rifleman:
The mini Mauser actions have a recessed bolt face with a Sako extractor and mechanical ejector. The bolt head looks like the old two lug SAKO action. I quite liked the old ones but I am not sure if the newer ones are finsihed as nice. Also, they do not have the long Mauser extractor or CRF feature like that found on the CZ.

Absolutely everything you say here is right on.....correct.

However this is for the 223 family of cartridges and IMO is totally adequate for the task.

Even when Interarms imported them one I bought needed a lot of attention to function properly.....I doubt the design is changed at all under CD.....The manufacturing scrutiny however was not real good years ago and I doubt CD has helped it at all.

If I wanted a third one I'd not hesitate to buy one. But I'd be prepared to do a lot of work to make it a nicely functional action.

I asure you.....CD won't help if you don't like the way it works. Customer service at CD is almost nonexistant.

Vapodog,
I aree with you about the Mini Mauser being adequate for the .223 family of cartridges. I should have clarified that I haven't had a chance to handle and inspect any of the new ones being imported by Charles Daly (I have shot a few of the old ones from Interarms and I quite liked them - they weren't finished all that great but they functioned and shot well). What type of work did you have to do on the actions?

quote:

What type of work did you have to do on the actions?

The first one I bought was a barreled action .223 and it functioned "as is"...no problems and shot quite well too.

The next one I bought as an action only. It was to be a 6 X 45 and that wasn't available in barreled action.

That action actually would notfunction at all. The bolt slid in the action under such tension that I removed the bolt forcefully and honed with a very course hone for a very long time to free up the bolt. I believe I removed several thousandths from the bolt body to allow it to slide in the action.

I used a file to do some minor surgery on the floorplate to allow it to lock shut as it barely closed. This was under interarms and I don't believe CD has improved things at all.

If I wanted one today I'd order it from a dealer and when it arrived I'd inspect that the trigger worked, the safety worked, the bolt slid reasonably smoothly and closed completely, the floorplate functioned as it's supposed to. The bluing was good, the finish wasn't badly scarred and if there was any disappointment, I'd ask the dealer to get it fixed before I spent a dime for it. These are great little actions.....the only things that come close to the Sako L-461 and that's a compliment to them.

Maybe you'll get lucky.....but be on guard and don't shell out a nickel until you have the product in hand and it's thoroughly inspected.

Thanks fellas for all the info, I think my friend is going to bag the CD idea and just buy the CZ, hes shot right handed rifles before so he will get along. Thanks again

quote:

Originally posted by bearcat:
Thanks fellas for all the info, I think my friend is going to bag the CD idea and just buy the CZ, hes shot right handed rifles before so he will get along. Thanks again

May I suggest the Browning micro medallion in 223....and I believe it's left handed.....maybe.

I bought one a year ago. Charles Daly mini that I am making a 6BR for. Very rough action and poor workmanship to say the least. I am glad I am a machinist so I have the ability to do certain things. I just made a nice mandrel for truing up the face. Would I buy another one, NO Way I will try a Howa or Rem700.