I have a waffenfabrik 98 action with a straight bolt and wish to make a rifle for my son. I asked a guy in town (not my BR gunsmith) and he qouted something like $400 for a new bolt handle, removal of charging hump, install timney, add scope safety, drill and tap, lapp lugs and bedding into a mcmillan. is this right in line or not?? I am not trying for benchrest groups but would like to make this thing a good rifle. I have a new 19 1/2 in stainless barrel already threaded and chambered as well as all the parts. Who knows someone who can turn this thing around and what am I looking at for a labor price???? I am a rem700 guy so this is new territory to me.

Thanks to anyone who can lend info.

Actually, other than wanting to know the details on how that bolt handle is being changed, and is he milling or grinding the hump as you say, that is a reasonable price, break that down.

Now the big part is this somebody you worked with before or do you know of his work? That cn be the best or worst $400.00 you ever spent, based on the answer to the above. If the references check, thats a pretty reasonable price for all the work your having done.

I agree with shromf but think the $400 is a little high.

The difference is in the safety...there's a lot of differences in the safety alteration. If it's for a M-70 2-pos it's ok...if it's buehler style up/down it's too much.
Both safeties work fine BTW but the M-70 style is a far better looking addition.

quote:

it's buehler style up/down it's too much.

Yup that was my concern. If its a well done 2 position and the hump is surface ground it's definatly a fair price including trueing and lapping the lugs. I would get him hooked for the rail work also.

Vapodog depending on where you go just the trueing and lapping and installing the barrel can run as high as $300, if the guy is reputable thats a fair price, I don't trust budget prices in machining, always works out wrong for me, especially on unknowns.

Another question comes to mind, what are you chambering this in, and how is the Mcillian being bedded? Glass bedding or is he pillar bedding this, whats going on there?

You have not mentioned what caliber you are doing the rifle in. If it is a magnum, there is more work involved opening up the rear of the action.

The removal of the hump is strickly a cosmetic alteration. Bases for a M98 are built to accommodate the hump. Turning it off adds significantly to the work involved.

Most of the smith I know would rather work with their barrel than yours because they will be ultimately responsible for the overall accuracy of the job.

Walt Sherman specializes in M98s, and although he is not cheap, he is really good. He is located in Tallahassee and his number is 850 878 9563. His basic rifle with him supplying all the parts (lock stock trigger and barrel) with labor runs around $2K. So your $400 figure is probably a bird's nest on the ground. Kudude

You may want to give Mark Skaggs a call. His price list is on this page.

http://www.skaggsgunsmithing.com/index.shtml

Nice guy to talk to. I have used him once and was wll pleased. His turn around time (8 days) was amazing.

Weagle

don't lap the lugs..

is the guy providing the stock, and bases as well?

$150 for installing the barrel
$100 for bedding
$50 for bolt handle (assuming bend or 6 buck brownells)
$50 for safety and trigger
$50 for bases and hump (this is high)

what about bluing?

seems fair to me... a "cheap" mauser aint

jeffe

quote:

don't lap the lugs..

?????????

I would check there bearing contact first, but if its out why not? I am not following you on this one Jeffe please explain, I know you didn't toss this out for no reason.

Lap them too much and you *may* cut through the case hardening and *may* lead to set back. Or so I have been told by several Mauser builders far more experienced than myself.

I am figuring thats his thought. If your not at around 80% bearing surface or so I figure do it and recarbarise if need be. Year of manufacturer makes a big differnce and waffenfabrik 98 isn't desciptive enough I suppose. I was thinking newer production.

Waffenfabrik Mauser A.-G.- definately a lug issue

Waffenfabrik Mauser- the later version which has better heating treating methods.

Just curious, me I like good lug engagement, and the extra bucks it costs to send it to Blanchards is of lesser concern to me.

quote:

have a new 19 1/2 in stainless barrel

I bet it's not stainless, but just in the white!

I'd check it for contact and for set back. Some are already set back from fireing their original calibers.If so, get the action anealed remachine the lug seats, just a very light cut .005 to .010 will clean them up do the rest of your clean up work and get it recarborized. 40 rc on the action 42/44 rc on the bolt.

what caliber are we talking about here? with a 19.5 barrel it sounds like one of these SARCO 6.5-55 shorties. as far as the lugs, check contact with some black felt pen to see if they are in contact. and if not it won't usually take too much to get them at least 75% there. if you want to have it re-hardned at Blanchard in Salt Lake figure $80 and at least $5 each way for shipping and the last one i sent an 03-A3 that was never hardned numbered or issued (left through the back door at springfield) before that was done. took 2 weeks. but remember when it get's back it will need some serious polishing. i also have the barrel off that un-numbered Springfield in the white never fired no sights and get this!!!! (6 groove) i asked Old C.P. Donnelly the barrel maker about it and he figured it was made either by High Standard or P.O. Ackley and he is 75 years old and has seen or heard about only 1. other one in his life time.

That 19.5" bbl is probably a FN made 7x57 that was originaly made for the Brazilian 1908 Mauser.

OK,..lets see if I can answer all of these questions here (By the way, Thanks guys, I appreciate your mauser help). The action is a costa rican mauser contract 98 with the straight handle. The barrel was one of those sportsmans guide deals and it was advertised as stainless 19 1/2" stepped 7x57 barrels already chambered (sloppy I would bet). I don't wish to throw the money at pillar bedding as this will be a deer rifle when the boy gets old enough. It is a waffenfabrik mauser A/G action, or so it sais on the side. This rifle was in military configuration but had some pits and a bore that obviously has seen corrosive ammo. It is and will be a 7x57 just for the sake of history. I figure I will have it done in flat black dura-cote to cover any imperfections and for hunting purposes.

I have talked to my benchrest gunsmith who is very fond of this action but he is a very busy person so I figured I would check into faster alternatives. not that I need it next week mind you,..but you know how it is, you want her back in the stable

I was thinking a timney trigger, a beuler style safety to clear the scope, have it bedded, headpsaced, drilled and tapped, etc. I am NOT trying to use this imperfect action to make a full custom mauser, I am looking for a good accurate hunting rifle to train the boy on when he gets ole enough, and something to carry into the woods and afield in the mean time.

Thanks for any help you mauser guys can lend in the mean time.

Interesting, neat old action.

Me I would tig weld all the bad pits, surface grind or finish, and heat treat it. Then I would do the rest as you are planning.

A little extra cost but I bet that action is soft, so heat treating is the must have, and if your going to get tied up into for that a little clean up work is merited. It wouldn't take a whole lot to tig it and then draw file it yourself if you have to, then off to the treater.

Jeffe.....lapping those lugs could get tricky, without a Blanchards trip.

How much would someone charge for tig welding the pits? How much and who can surface grind the action? How much for the heat treating? Can you tell this is my first one

Thanks