I was in the local gun shop today and they had a Mauser 1898 in what looks like the standard military configuration for a very good price I guess. I've never thought about getting a rifle built until I started looking around this site. Can some of you give me an idea of if this would be suitable to start a custom rifle from and if so what calibers I could choose from? It is an 8mm now.

Next, I know what stocking one can run but how much should I expext to pay in labor for completing any other work...adding a barrel, finishing, etc. I don't even know what all gets done to one. In other workds if I buy this one for about $150 will the action be suitable and what do total costs run for htose of you that have done this. Just looking for ballpark figures like under $1000 or over $2500.....

There are some really big variables in this mix so getting a straight answer is difficult.

Little details like, bend or replace the bolt handle, trueing the reciever, cost of your barrel, surface grinding, blueing and polishing, trigger choice, and retain or replace the bottom metal, all drive costs.

PS Old mausers are neat, they are also very expensive toys. A more cost effective solution is to look at one that has gotten close to what you want. You can buy a much better semi customised mauser for $600, than you can building one.

High level military mauser conversions to my standards aren't cheap, I will cite Ray A estimates which I think are pretty fair, expect to have $2000 min tied up before stock. On a tight budget you might get that down by a 1/3, but I don't see you getting below that too much, possible yes but you need your own equipment and labor to make much impact.

there's only a million variables here so take this for what it's worth.

To have a fine custom rifle built from a '98 mauser will run a minimum of $1,000 and you won't get much for it.

More typical will be $2,500 and up depending an all the goodies you want and the grade of wood.....or maybe you want synthetic.....

If price is of interest I'll tell you right now that you can buy a used M-70 and tear the action out of it for less cost than modifying the mauser action. That is unless you're capable of doing the work yourself.

Before you start the project you should also lookat the Charles Daly yugoslavia Mauser actions. They will cost a lot less than the milsurp actions rebuilt to suit.

You'll get a lot of replies...read all carefully.

There's some good folks that post here that build rifles.

I have converted many 98's to sporters and at the time I began doing this (mid 60's) it was worth it. Today, if you have a 98 converted to any standard caliber that will not require extensive magazine and rail work, you will have as much more into it than a Model 70 Classic or a Model 700 BDL. My cost on any decent barrel, with a ground finish and sporter taper starts at $130. A Hogue Overmolded synthetic stock, $95. Any cartridge that generates over 46K PSI requires a re-heat treat, at least $30. Cut off and reweld a low swept bolt handle $50. Polish and blue $125. Add cut/crown and chamber the barrel, $165. Drill and tap minimum of three holes in the receiver for the mount at $10 per hole, $30. Add the cost of the action (you quoted $150) You wind up with a minimum of $770. Now, what kind of a new commercial rifle can you get for that price?

Don't necessarily want to discourage you, but!!!!

Custom guns are like hotrods. You can buy 3 times as much gun used as you can build new for the same money.

Even a do-it-youselfer like me has as much tied up in parts as a decent used finished rifle can cost. But like anything else, you have to educate yourself about what is value and what is not before you spend the first penny on either choice.

Sorry, I didn't add the cost of a decent Timney trigger, $40.00. Now you're over $800.

schromf is pretty much right. There are a lot of variables. I would go to some of the websites of smiths, both expensive and not, and look at some of their pricing. Another issue is whether or not you want all the work done by one person, or if you feel comfortable farming some of it around. I have done both with very nice results. For example, on my first, I went totally with Hill Country Rifles which is never a bad choice, and the cost was about $4,000. On the current one, I decided to do what I could and farm the rest out to people who did it much berrer than I. So far,
$100 - action
$150 - barrel and installation (I went cheap with an A&B barrel) I also found a newer gunsmith that does very fine work at very reasonable prices just to build a following. http://www.skaggsgunsmithing.com
$40 - bolt turndown and polish (different smith)
$650 - very nice walnut stock and inlet and bedding (third person)
$65 - bottom metal from internet
$105 - timney trigger and bolt shroud from internet and installation (fourth person)
$250 - rifle action and barrel finish(fifth person)
finally, I am doing the stock shaping and finishing myself. Total - $1360 and I still need the butt pad.

The benefit of doing it the second way is that this particular rifle has taken me a couple years to do, and that is fine with me. I use it a little, then work on it some. I think this is the absolute minimum one can expect for starting with the action and working from the ground up. In hindsite, I probably would have added an extra $90 and got the Douglas XX barrel, but we will see about this one first.

Last advice...talk to the gunsmiths! Don't do it during their shop time, but their advice and recommendations are invaluable.

There are several ways to approach this issue. If you want to build something from scratch and have a custom rifle to your specification, there are several gunmakers that will make you a fine custom rifle for about $3500.00. A full custom rifle for YOU. You could go to a good gun show and buy a used rifle to your liking for as little as $1000.00. It won't be specially built for you but no one but you and the maker will ever know that. I would be the rough equivalent of the full custom job you could commission. You could also buy a semi- custom rifle that can cost as little as $1500.00 in a Kimber Super America grade or as much as a full custom job by a named maker. Why are you making up the rifle. Is it to be cheaper or as cheap as a factory rifle? Do you want to be able to say "I have a custom rifle ." Why do you want to build one unless you can not find what you are looking for commercially?

Thanks guys. I'm not discouraged but instead feel I've gotten just what I was looking for, expecting no less from you fine folks on this site.

I did expect that a factory rifle would be much much cheaper and I have seen some custom finished or almost finished at a reasonable price. I had no idea how much work an action needs so that pretty much adds enough to the cost to keep me from doing it. I know there are a lot of custom builders work out there for sale that, if I had $2500 to spend, I would get it for the same or less and most likely be only slightly used. As it is my shooting is so poor that a $400 barrel won't help me. I'm thinking a nice used BDL and a m70 Featherweight rather than a custom....at least until I win the powerball.

Old Cane,

We really need more input from you to make an intelligble reply. Is the rifle you are looking at still in its military configuration? If so do you want to add a scope? Some details about the action would also be in order to determine which variation of Mauser it is.

There is a little NRA reprint about Mausers that is available which depicts a fairly simple Millsurp to sporter conversion into a nice little Manlicher carbine which can be done for very little $. There are other options as well like scout rifles and using services like E.R. Shaw (for affordable gunsmithing). It doesnt have to cost a fortune to sporterize a Mauser.

You can alter a good M-98 Mauser to accomodate nearly any rimless cartridge, but the larger belted Mags usually require considerably more machine work and cost. In my experiecne anything based on the 308, X57 mauser type case or a 30-06 case can usually be made to feed in a Mauser with relative ease.

If you just want a good rifle but dont want some major commitment of time and resources I would suggest looking for a good used Mauser that someone else has already sporterized. There are some real bargians like that around and you just dont get actions like that at Wal-Mart.

Here's a way to do it.....
Day-1 buy an 8 X 57 milsurp for $100 and use it as is. Hunt with it and have a ball with it in the original chambering.

day (year)-2 alter the bolt handle and continue hunting as is!!

year-3 have it drilled, and tapped, a buehler safety added, and add a cheap scope. Continue hunting as is

year-4 add an after market barrel and have the barreled action polished and blued. hunt with your new .270 (or whatever)

year-5 add a stock.....this hurts as a custom stock in fancy walnut will run at least a Grand.....but a synthetic will be only $100 or so.

Are you ready for this now???....Now you want to trade for something else and you discover that you can only get $200 in trade for your custom Mauser. The cost of education has now been satisfied.

I can hear the hounds howling at my heals for this minor hijack, But.

GO commercial, look at a old FN, Sears Model 50 ( cheaper FN), pre 64 Winnie, Whitworth, maybe a Husky, or select years of a Parker Hale.

I presume your interest is the CRF feature of the Mauser. All of the above get you that, you can buy a sporterised version from the get go. If your decide to customise it drop the last two if your looking at resell value. Depending on your choice above the only thing you really loose from the military mauser is the thumb groove, and I don't consider that a desirable feature on a full blown custom.

Benefit is you get a decent hunting rifle from day one, and the sky is the limit if and when you decide to upggrade.

I love old Mauser's and have more than a couple of full blown rifles, but they are black holes on dollars. It's going to be a long while before I jump into another, I have been using commercial Mausers or Winnies for all my lastest projects and it is just easier and cheaper to get a nice rifle.

You can't go wrong with a good commercial FN.

If your going to build a military action up be picky, look into G33/40's. 1909 Argentines (actually European manufactured South American mauser are all good ). Doesn't alter that they are bottomless pits for money to customise, but they are better ending points.

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:
Here's a way to do it.....
Day-1 buy an 8 X 57 milsurp for $100 and use it as is. Hunt with it and have a ball with it in the original chambering.

day (year)-2 alter the bolt handle and continue hunting as is!!

year-3 have it drilled, and tapped, a buehler safety added, and add a cheap scope. Continue hunting as is

year-4 add an after market barrel and have the barreled action polished and blued. hunt with your new .270 (or whatever)

year-5 add a stock.....this hurts as a custom stock in fancy walnut will run at least a Grand.....but a synthetic will be only $100 or so.

Are you ready for this now???....Now you want to trade for something else and you discover that you can only get $200 in trade for your custom Mauser. The cost of education has now been satisfied.

I was considering doing just that (except trading. I have regretted every gun I've ever sold so I decided last year no more of that) but I think with the money involved and my (read lousy) shooting ability I may just try to pick up a nice, slightly more modern rifle (700, 70....something with a 7 in it) and adding a nice stock that I can play with finishing myself. That should be enough custom for me.

The Mauser I had planned on leaving it an 8mm and using it until time for a new barrel and then nothing hotter than a 30-06 (probably a 25-06, my favorite). Shots around here are mostly under 150 yards. Even with a new barrel I might have kept it the same caliber. I think I'll wait for now and if I do get it, use it as is for a good while. That would tickle me, handloading and hunting with a 100 year old military rifle. Maybe find a nice '03 to go with it some time.

If you must "go custom" the most cost effective solution is to buy a rifle just the way you like it and rebarrel. You can change chambering and caliber at this time if you want just be sure you don't have to change the bolt face.

And... while you're at it have the action "trued"...

Thats about as far as I'll ever go. You'll only get a fraction of your "custom money" back if you ever sell it though.

Some people might also go with a custom stock but you should always remember that custom means custom to you and only you. To everyone else it's rarely worth much more than a production rifle.

$bob$

Old Cane,

I will try to give you a broad brush approach to your original question as to the metal work on the original Mauser 98. Hope I don't forget anything.

Gunsmith costs and items....... low est............High est.

Surface Grind action..................$60.............$120

Lap lugs..................................$25............$60

alter/change bolt.....................$50............$150

Change Safety.........................$45..............$225

Heat treat action ...................$35.............$85

Trigger .............................$0................$100

Install and chamber barrel....... $150...........$450

Drill and tap for scope.................$25................$45

Bottom metal ..................$0...................$350

Metal prep and blue...............$75..............$350

totals ball park sums...........$475........$2000

quote:

Originally posted by Customstox:
Old Cane,

I will try to give you a broad brush approach to your original question as to the metal work on the original Mauser 98. Hope I don't forget anything.

Gunsmith costs and items....... low est............High est.

Surface Grind action..................$60.............$120

Lap lugs..................................$25............$60

alter/change bolt.....................$50............$150

Change Safety.........................$45..............$225

Heat treat action ...................$35.............$85

Trigger .............................$0................$100

Install and chamber barrel....... $150...........$450

Drill and tap for scope.................$25................$45

Bottom metal ..................$0...................$350

Metal prep and blue...............$75..............$350

totals ball park sums...........$475........$2000

Nice job Customstox....you did forget one thing however....the cost of the milsurp action alone.

add to the minimum $475 another $100 and for this one can find a pre-64 M-70 action....or almost.

Even if one shelled out a little more for the M-70 action it's well worth it in the long run.

I'm not knocking the Mauser '98. It's a very fine action. However I can occasionally find M-70 push feed rifles in the "Gunlist" for $250 and that's an entire rifle. The Mausers are very difficult to justify over that.

Actually, I did not forget that. His question was "how much should I expext to pay in labor for completing any other work...adding a barrel, finishing, etc." It was relative to work on the action. He had one he was looking at and knew the price. I also left out scope bases and a scope but was concentrating on work on the action.

quote:

Originally posted by Customstox:
Actually, I did not forget that. His question was "how much should I expext to pay in labor for completing any other work...adding a barrel, finishing, etc." It was relative to work on the action. He had one he was looking at and knew the price. I also left out scope bases and a scope but was concentrating on work on the action.

Chic, you are correct....I stand corrected...thanks

Here's my experience so far.

.275 Rigby on a VZ-24 action, action trued and lugs lapped, B&C synthetic stock, action bedded, Douglas barrel free floated, Timney trigger, KG Gunkote finish. About $800 with the gunsmith providing everything. Shoots about 1" with handloads or the S&B 173 gr. load.

.458 Win. on a Charles Daly action, Douglas barrel, bedded in a Boyds JRS laminate stock, barrel band sling swivel and can't remember the brand of sights. $550, but the gunsmith had goten the barrels and actions for next to nothing. Unbelievably accurate for the price, shoots <1" with Factory 350 gr. Federal loads.

7x64 on a Husquavarna 98 barrelled action, bought used. Maybe this one shouldn't really count because I got such a great deal on the barrelled action with expensive bases and rings included. Stock by Jeffeosso, inletting finished and full length bedded by my regular gunsmith. Will have about $650 in it when I pay for the checkering. Don't know the accuracy yet, it's a really ultra light weight barrel that I'll be shooting over the next few weeks.

And you can only go up from there. My gunsmith does plenty fine work for what I can afford to pay. Some of the gunsmiths you'll find on AR charge a lot more, but their work is of the highest standard and usually worth every penny simply for the very fine fit and finish you get. My custom guns were built as working guns and they work fine for that.

My "finest" guns are actually factory guns, a Gr. IV BAR and a 50's vintage Mannlicher stocked Dumoulin. To be honest I just couldn't afford to have a new custom built to those standards. The checkering on the BAR would probably cost $500 or more by itself these days.

I bought a rifle for the action but found it was accurate and liked the 'patina' it had. Even without new stock, barrel and bluing it soon mounts up.

$500 30-06 BRNO ZG47
$100 Tally mounts
$230 Stock work (raise and lengthen comb, pad, fore end)
$105 2 position safety (J.Kobe)
$100 Trigger job and fit safety (estimate)

$1000 which becomes $1400 with a second hand Swaro and Butler Creeks (funny how we tend to omit those little details that still have to be paid for.

In UK the BIG cost is rebarreling - not available for under $900.....add a stock (even a Macmillan) and your near $1500 allready

My ZG will cost the same as a brand new Tikka T3 - I view this as good value.

Bite the bullet; buy a Nesika Bay and do it right the first time. Yeah, they cost a pretty penny but you get for what you pay. Add a Krieger barrel and a McMillan or H-S stock and go to town.

My MRC is going to be in my hands in about a week after a 2-1/2 year wait. I spent so-o-o-o much money on this thing, I'm almost afraid to shoot it. Will I build another rifle? Not very soon...

thanks for the info all but like I said I think I'll either let this slide or just use it as is. I just can't bring myself to pay 2-4k for a rifle and 1500 for a scope like some do. Hey, if that's what you like that's great. just not for me. those deer taste the same to me if shot with a $150 marlin with open sites as they do with my $250 model 700 with a Nikon scope and as they wood with a $4000 Sisk with a Swaro. You taste buds are probably different than mine. That's what makes this a great country. You'd probably think I'm crazy for having a couple of $15k horses.

quote:

You'd probably think I'm crazy for having a couple of $15k horses

Old Cane,

Your absolutly right on that, to me if I ever consider having more horses it will a couple of riding mules and a couple of pack animals, maybe even burro's they are sure footed and have always worked well when packing out meat. I have no use for a high dollar horse...different strokes for differennt folks.

Look in the used market for a rifle that has been already done, no it isn't made especially for you, if you are picky you can get a fine custom rifle that somebody else took the beating on, and only you, the dealer, and the smith know it wasn't built for you.

With some looking you can be in that market for $800-1200. Be picky and pass on what is overvalued and doesn't suit your tastes and you will end up with just about exactly what you wanted. Just takes some patience to look and discipline to pass on distractions along the way.

I just have to put my 2 cents in on this one .. .. in about 1965 I picked up an old 8mm mod 98 for $60 (or less- can't remember for sure).. the stock was cut off and whittled up (or down) by a young man .. nothing else had been done to it .. it was rusty on the outside .. deplorable .. but the bore was bright on the inside, bolt action a little rough .. I loaded up a few rounds and it seemed to shoot OK .. I put the gun in the closet for a future project.. well as life would have it, I dug it out two years ago. .. I gave it to a gunsmith friend of mine, told him to polish off the edges on the step barrel, cut it to 22" & blue... drill and tap for bases, jewel the bolt, alter the handle to a "Manlicker" style, and glass bed the action into a full length piece of nice figured walnut, Packmar solid rubber butt plate .. he installed a Timney trigger .. I cut the stock and worked the wood... gun with scope and sling is about 8 lbs .. total cost about $1000 (including Leupold scope at $200).. It is my "mountain hunting gun" .. "loaner" .. "bad weather" gun .. the 180gr Nosler bullets cut the same hole at 100 yards ..has turned out to be the first gun off the shelf come deer season who needs anything else ? .. moral of the story .. If you only spend $100 for a good action and caliber ..(with out being afraid of messing up that $2000 piece),you can
fix it the way you want .. and use it !! .. don't try to trade it .. pass it on to the kids, they'll love it, and it will most likely kill more game than any other .. ..mpb

Old Cane,

Go into various custom gunbuilders in your area and get their price lists for their services. Cost-out what you need/want done and then go back and pow-wow with the 'smith. I'm guessing a fine custom will cost easily $3500. To find yourself in the $5000 range, I should think that piece of wood was a bit much.

I bought my barrel, action and stock, then took it to my gunsmith to let him finish it as he and I discussed on February 1. I got the gun yesterday and shot it a little today. It's a 300WSM bench gun, weighs 18.2 pounds and kicks less than an AR-15.

quote:

Originally posted by Customstox:
Old Cane,

I will try to give you a broad brush approach to your original question as to the metal work on the original Mauser 98. Hope I don't forget anything.

Gunsmith costs and items....... low est............High est.

Surface Grind action..................$60.............$120

Lap lugs..................................$25............$60

alter/change bolt.....................$50............$150

Change Safety.........................$45..............$225

Heat treat action ...................$35.............$85

Trigger .............................$0................$100

Install and chamber barrel....... $150...........$450

Drill and tap for scope.................$25................$45

Bottom metal ..................$0...................$350

Metal prep and blue...............$75..............$350

totals ball park sums...........$475........$2000

ROFLMAO!!

Chic,
you forgot the stock!!!

You will be looking at anything and anyrange for the stock.. from "rasp the milsurp" 0$ to synth $60 to boyds, $75, to ebay special to $300+ .. and then you get to real super grades of wood and work.. 3500 and up.

a semi custom will run from 1500 to 3500 for the low end, if someone else does all the work.


jeffe

Oh the money pit of a custom mauser..........................I suppose all real gun nuts do it once maybe more, my project is drawing to a close a 1909 mauser done in .404 Jeffrey, it will have cost me a penny or two but it will be very nice................would I do it again, no, I would just buy a cz 550 in .404 J, not as nice but probably more practical.

I think though once I have it it will be something that I treasure for the rest of my days.
Specs
action-1909 mauser
new bottom metal
blackburn trigger
Rednackgel 3 pos saftey
custom talley Bases
3/4 rib & 1 standing + 3 folding leaves
Ramp front site and hhod
Barrel band
Lothar #1450 contour barrel cut to 23 1/2"
English Bolt handle
Engraving; action, bottom metal, rib & barrel band.
English walnut Blank
1"red old english pad
steel grip cap
18 carrot gold name plate in stock
Buff horn forend cap
Holland cheek piece.
Tru Oil Finish.

It has been very costly for someone on a beer wage.

Jeffe, have you and vapodog been hitting the same bottle?

He said he knew what the stock would cost, just wanted to know about the metal work.

How is the new beaver going? and what are you doing? I think it needs the Binford 4000 Turbo treatment.