I have a chance to pick up an Interarms Mark X Mauser in .223. The action is tiny !!! The wood is pretty and nicely figured, and bluing is almost 100%. It really doesn't look used that much. What is this gun worth and how well do they shoot??? Is this a desirable model at all ??? Thanks for any input.

You will find them to be exceptionally fine firearms. I have seen a few on the auction sites and elsewhere, prices between $350-500.....
That said however, the latest newsletter from Chas. Daly states that the US Senate is about to finalize the trade agreements with the former Yugoslavia and new rifles should be arriving shortly thereafter. Daly is now the importer of these excellent firearms.
A few came in about 6-7 months ago and I was able to obtain 2 of the barreled actions--one in 22-250 and the other in 25-06. They are being stocked as we speak. When these start arriving the price on the KBI Mark X's will probably take a drop as you will be able to purchase new ones at a reasonable price. Good luck whichever way you go.

Ol' John

Mini Mausers are great rifles, very accurate (sub MOA), handy, etc. If the one you are looking at has a pretty stock, I'd definitely go for it. Prices range from about $350-$450. The top rifle in this pic is a 223 Mini Mauser customized to look like an express rifle. The stock is the factory stock, reshaped, recheckered, forend tip, grip cap, etc. (bottom rifle is a much larger, heavier Brno ZKK-601 also in 223)



[ 09-08-2003, 22:34: Message edited by: fla3006 ]

Fla3006, Those are some fine looking rifles! Who did the stock reshaping on the top one?

Thanks,
Terry

I've owned two of the Mini Mark X's. I like the little action as a less expensive alternative to the Sako L461. It's not as well finished, but then it's not as expensive, either. The first one I had seemed to have a weak firing pin spring that gave occasional misfires with military ammunition. I had an opportunity to trade it for something I wanted more, so never got around to correcting the apparent problem, but I'm sure it would be a simple fix.

The second one I owned seemed just fine in that department. I had some ammunition that turned out to be loaded in defective brass. I had a head seperation on firing (the fault of the brass and not the gun -- this same lot of brass cratered in two other .223's) but there was no detrimental escape of gas or brass particals as a result, so I believe the little action is pretty good in that respect.

Some people assume that this action is a CRF -- not true. It is a push feed, but in a varmint caliber which may be frequently single-loaded this is an advantage in my opinion.

Charles Daly is cataloging this action in a 7.62 x 39, which I would love to get my hands on.

TC1- I scaled down and reshaped most of the stock myself, glass bedded the barreled action to fill in the lousy factory inletting, added a steel grip cap, small pad, ebony forend tip, silver oval inlay. I also filed off most of the stampings on the receiver and hand polished the rough parts. I also reduced the magazine capacity down by one round (1/4") to give the rifle a slimmer appearance in the action area.
My friend who is a machinist and part-time gunsmith (damn good one) finished the finer points on the stock, checkered it, made the express sights, scope bases, barrel band and rust blued.
I'm now in the process of redoing the factory stock on the Brno. There was recently a thread on either the Big Bore or Gunsmithing forum called "JudgeG's New Toy" in which his honor's gunsmith did the same thing to a CZ-550.

[ 09-09-2003, 05:30: Message edited by: fla3006 ]

damn fine job. I like it!

Thanks for the replies !! My buddy wants to trade me for my rangefinder, I think I'll do the deal then sell the gun. Sound's like I'll be getting the better end of the deal.

bowhuntr