I just bought an Argentine Mauser. It has a really nice finish on it. The thing is I wanted an action to customize, I never paid attention to the serial numbers on it until I got it home, they all match.

The action is smooth as silk. The problem is now that I am not sure that I want to customize it, because of the sheer beauty of the gun. I just want some suggestions, if I do customize it, I will turn it into a 308 Win. Give me some opinions please. I am not a collector so that doesn't factor into my line of thinking, are these type of guns hard to find with matching serial numbers on them? My moral dilema is that I would hate to destroy this gun because I want a customized one. Are these rifles historically valuable?

You can buy a barrelled action, without the stock, or there are lots of "cracked stock" Mausers out there.

The Argentine with matching numbers is not necessarily "rare" these days. But if Bubba and the boys keep cutting them up for parts they will be.

Are you talking a Mauser 98 with the hinged floorplate? I would disagree that these are not uncommon as all-matching guns. Condition of the gun is a big factor too; it sounds like it's in very nice shape.

Is the receiver blued or 'in the white?' It should be in the white, as it came originally from Germany. Also, is it a DWM (Deutsche Waffenfabriks Munition-something, Berlin) or an FMAP Argentino (made in a plant in Argentina)? The former are reported to be better made and more valuable.

Bottom line: I would consider keeping it as a collectors item -- you may not be interested in collecting it now, but fool around with Mausers long enough and you will come to appreciate them as 'collectors' -- or sell it, and use the money to buy a cheaper barrelled action and some extra parts for the new custom.

A picture or two are worth a thousand words.

Good luck,
Todd

It was made in Germany. Yes it is in the white. I wish that I couldpost a picture but I am not set up for that yet. It is a beautiful gun. Yes it does have the hinged floor plate. I picked it up from an older gentleman that was selling off his collection, it only set me back $220 I felt like it was worth it.

Leave it the way it is and find another donor that is either mis-matched or has already been carved on. - Dan

Keep it as it is. I have a 8x57 98K w/matching numbers my father brought back from the war. Many friends wanted me to convert to another cal. that is more common. The 8x57, 7x57.7.65 etc. are no slouches in ballistics when properly loaded. They were king in their day, so to speak. If you want a more common caliber buy a .308 from elsewhere or another mauser and have it converted. Good luck and good shooting.

Britt the stock was sporterized & the bolt handle was bent down its & its 7.65 chamber recut to 30-06. There is no collector value in this one it's a doner 1909.

[ 02-10-2003, 03:39: Message edited by: D Humbarger ]

Thanks Doug and Todd, that pretty much answers my question. I didn't want to butcher something that might be valuable.

DON'T CHANGE IT!! I have an M1909 Argentine from DWM. IT IS EXTREMELY ACCURATE (1/2" 5-shot groups @ 100 meters with .308" Sierra 200-grain PSPBT bullets, MV 2680 FPS from a 29" bbl, using IMR 4350)!! It is already chambered for a cartridge that is ballistically superior to the .308!! Grafs now has new-made 7.65X53mm brass, I believe made by Hornady. If you do make a sporting rifle from it, this action is just about the best there is for an exceptionally high-quality conversion.