I am looking at buying this 8X60 Mauser rifle - It is inscribed as a SMITS RIFLE with German proof & bullet specs. The current owner unscrewed the barren (.318 grooves in good shape) to start a project but has changed his mind.

Hear are my option

[LIST]

Screw the original barrel back on & use it

rebarrel to a 404 Jeffery

Modify to a takedown 8X60 & 10.75X68 - with same bolt head.

I would appreciate your suggestions.

What would I need to do to make into a take down model?

"When the wind stops....start rowing. When the wind starts, get the sail up quick."

Based on ownership of original "Obie" sporters and custom pre-WWII German Mauser sporters, here is what I would do. I also base this on comments concerning New Zealand hunting opportunities made to me by "Kiwi" friends over some years.

I would check to see if there is a GOOD barrel maker in NZ or "OZ" and, should one live there, I would have him re-bore the existing tube to 9.3 and then have a GOOD smith carefully re-chamber and fit that barrel back to the rifle.

I would re-calibrate the existing sights, clearly mark the rifle as a "re-bore" and probably have it restocked or, do it myself with a good synthetic. I am into HUNTING rifles and am no longer interested in fine wooden custom stocks...and I have had them, just prefer "wilderness rifles", now.

I would have custom mounts and a good scope installed and load 286 NPs over 65ish Ramshot Big Game powder. I would, IF the action checks out, spend enough serious coin on this to get a serious and fine hunting rifle and forget about "take-downs" and obsolete rounds such as the 8x60 and 10.75x68, as they will do nothing for you that the above 9.3 load will not do better.

If, you WANT a .404J, I would get a CZ-550Mag. and have Wayne at American Hunting Rifles customize it for you and THEN, you will have two of the best worldwide hunting rigs one could ask for.

I have had five 9.3x62 rifles in the past five years and I wish I had started with this superb old round and I am pleased that it is so available now in Canada. It is probably the best working rifle/round for the wilderness worker in Grizzly country that anyone ever devised.

You do as you wish, but, this is what I would do.

Hey Nakihunter - been watching this one myself, but I only want the stock, so if you do go for it and want to part it out let me know.

Cheers - Foster

Thanks for your input Dewey. I already have a very nice Simson 9.3X62 with octagon to dound barrel with full lenght rib & twin set trigger in Oberndorf stock which I got duplicated with a straighter comb for hunting with scope. So this is purely a project rifle. The reason I thought of the 10.75X68 is firstly that my dad had one in India but sold it when I was about 11 years old. Secondly, it is easier to rebarrel with minimal metal / magazine work compared to a 404J.

The 8X60 is purely opportunistic - to keep it as it is. The take down option is to get 2 rifles out of it with the same bolt face....

Dreams are free.

Foster, I'll keep you posted on how I go. What action / barrel do you want to put in that stock?

Hello Nakihunter

I have a 7x57 1910 Obendorf Model B sporter, so its a standard 98, with the slim single step Model B barrel. The stock is pretty hopeless bt the metal is good.

It looks as if it has worn its aperature sight since about the 1950's so I was going to leave it with that and use a low comb.

Cheers