G33/40 and the 1910 Mexican are highly sought after.

Drop a dime on Jerry Kuhnhausen's book on Mauser actions, it pretty well contains the straight poop on them.

However, for a layman's viewpoint, consider this:

Most all European manufactured 98 actions are basically the same metallurgically, excepting the Spanish made examples, which tend to be soft. Ludwig Lowe basically owned all the Mauser production facilities in Germany either outright or with heavy investment. The Czechs secured license rights to the 98 design and made them, some say, with superior materials. Superior or not, they are damned good. The Swede's stayed with the modified 93 design, called it a model 96 and from where I am looking from, used the very best of materials and workmanship in their products, fit and finish is superb. This action lacks the third safety lug and cocks on closing. Regardless what is told, I feel it's strength is well within the zone of most anything. The Swede's chambered many of their military target rifles in 308 and I haven't read of any catastrophic failures as a result.

The Argentine model 1909 was made with a hinged floorplate like a sporter action and is highly osught after because of this. My feelings are that the German made versions are top drawer but the Argentine produced ones are lacking....fit and finish is ho-hum. I have used 6 german versions of the 1909 for sporters and have been well served by them. I have also utilized several VZ24's (Czech) and they are excellent as well. On a whim, I even used a Chinese made action and it had a very deep case hardening and performed yeoman duty, no failures at all.

Any old Mauser action you buy is liable to exhibit varying degrees of wear and abuse. For the most part, if it looks good and is complete, it should work well. Look for a pitted bolt face, which is evidence of primer leakage using corrosive ammo....most will show some of this and a slight pitting can be cleaned up easily. However, heavy pitting should be avoided. Obviously, an action that shows heavy external pitting below the woodline should be avoided. South American Mausers used in that humid climate are noted for this. I have seen some actions yanked out of the stock that looked as if they had never been out of the wood since they were manufactured and almost perforated with rust. a matching bolt is a plus, but not necessary if you are rebarreling because headspace will be reestablished with the new barrel. In closing, I'll add one thing; when you boil the fat out of it, you're better off to buy a new Zastava or Charles Daly (same maker in Yugo) barreled action and be done with it. Everything is brand new, their barrels are excellent quality and it's blued and drilled/tapped and of course, has a hinged floorplate and sporter boilt handle already. These can generally be bought for less than $300 wholesale, if you have a friendly dealer to help you out. You'll sink a lot more than this in a military action bringing it up to the same specs.

I have seen some nice rifles made on the Mexican action with a knurled knob cocking piece like a 1903 Springfield, I think it is the 1936?

The Kuhnhausen book lists the different 98 models and tells which ones are "desireable for custom rifles". It doesn't IIRC rank them as best, second best, etc., as the original post asked. I am hoping that Mr. Burgess and other experienced metalsmiths weigh in on this one.

To keep things simple:

Your best bet is a 1930's model from Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria or Belgium. During this period these manufacturers were competing for contracts and were making top quality rifles.

Rifles made during wartime, or copies made in 3rd world countries, will certainly be of lesser quality. These will have been made under budget restraints.

Kuhnhausen's book lists "desireable" and "higly desireable" 98 actions for custom work.

Listed as "highly" are, M1924/30 Venezelan FN Belgian, M1908 Brazil DWM, VZ 24 Brno, G33-40 Brno, M24 Mexican FN.

Listed "desirabe" are, M1909 Argentine DWM, 1936 Mexican FN.

There are others on the list that are "not rated", so to speak. Footnote in book says "table data provided by John Vest and James L. Wisner"

I do believe both men are very well respected in the gunsmithing community.

Great information and opines on this thread.
Jumptrap, I would agree with you on the Daly or Zavasta actions.

If you are starting a project and want an action that you won't have to do a lot on to begin with that is the way to go!

Besides Daly What is a source of the Zavasta actions?

Best regards,

Some of the top riflesmiths I've known have been very partial to the 1909 Argentine Mauser, and it would probably be one of my top choices for a fine custom Mauser.

But the 1935 Chilean is superb, especially if you're out to build a 7X57, and I like the VZ-24 as well.

Of course the VZ-33 and G-33/40 are highly desirable for light rifles, but you really don't save THAT much weight by going with those, and you pay a premium for them.

Good, intelligent riflesmithing is the key to getting the most out of any of them.........

AD

I think you'd do well to avoid the Charles Daly or Zastava actions. Though essentially copies of the Mark X (they do come from the same plant) metalurgy is suspect and quality too. I was hopeful too that they might be source of actions for those that didn't want to go the traditional route of D&T'ing a milsurp, welding a handle on, etc.

But the samples I handled left much to be desired. Scope base holes were drilled off center. The bolt knob itself is not pleasing with the flat on the rear. Machining is about on par with the Yugo M48's; rough! And should you get a CD receiver with problems don't count on CD to make good, they won't!

You be way better off finding a used commercial FN or JC Higgings FN action instead of a Zastava.

Like Jack Belk once said, "If an action is marked DWM, CZ, Mauser Werkes, or FN, you can be sure it WAS a good action. Unfortunately many have since been ruined by various arsenals, shops and backyard hammer mechanics. There're are MANY more makes that *can* be good actions.....Steyr, Radom, and others made good actions but most have been destroyed by various arsenals after the war.
For best quality custom actions you have to judge actions by what they ARE, not by how they're marked. Matching numbers makes no difference what ever. The quality of the parts is what counts. A bright, sharply marked --Mauser-Werkes, Orbendorf a/n-- on the left rail is a definite bonus. "

I think this sentance is worth repeating: "For best quality custom actions you have to judge actions by what they ARE, not by how they're marked."

While you may have been criticizing Ackley, you were aslo endorsing the notion that mausers are suited to custominzing as-is. You seemed to be saying that just becuase your one example withstood these "proof" loads without any apparent ill effects that all will do so. That is simply not true. You seem to be ignoring the fact that plenty of other posters here have had setback, some on original rifles. Yet, your one experience somehow negates all the other's negative experiences.

And yet there have also been many who have not had "set back" Not all surplus Mausers are soft, and as the old saying goes, "if it ain't broke you can't fix it".

I currently own 5 M98s 3 are K98s of WWII vintage "42", "43" and "44" vintage. The "44" is an Obendorf, the "43" Sauer and I don't recall the "42"heritage. All three are of German issue with the Swastika/eagle markings. The other 2 are VZ500s (commercial 48 Yugo)

With the exception of the stamped bottom metal on the "43" and "44" action all exibited acceptable fit and finish although each sucessive year showed less attention to finish.

I have been shooting full power loads in all with no ill affects.

3 for 3 so far on the surplus actions. I must just be lucky I guess.

The problem I had with your post was not your opinion but your condescending tone.

Indeed I have gone back and checked some of your previous posts and you seem to seldom have anything positive to add, but you seem to delight in critsizing others.

Thanks to everyone for your input.

But, to me, it's just as confusing as before.

How do I tell a Chilean 35 from a Brazilian, etc??

Are they marked differently, or actually have different features, or what?

Sorry to keep asking, but I still don't "get it".

Maybe I just need to get the book....

If the crest is still there, you can tell from it. Also the mfg markings will help. A while back the NRA had a reprint titled "Mauser Rifles". It's a good reference, one of the reprinted articles "Identifying Mauser Markings" is very helpful. Then of course there is Olson's book and others on the subject.

Number one will always be DWM modelo 1909 Argentino.
But there is a big difference within the DWM actions too.
The early ones are by fare the best, from what I have seen.
All the actions have a number that starts with a "letter" A; B; C etc. A is 0-10,000 B is 10,001-20,000 etc, The old ones have a better finish in the metal work.
Now when Hartmann And Weiss makes rifles they use selected DWM 1909 actions only, for standard action only, naturally.
If you work one of these actions right you will get a super smooth mauser action.

I have a couple of DWM's and one of them is number 20. That action is by fare the best standard mauser action I have ever seen.
It came of a Argentine horseman's karabiner and have shoot very little due to the fact that it was a horseman's rifle and not a normal infantry rifle.

Here is a picture.

This action is almost 100 years old




Here is a couple of pictures of some other mauser action rifles all original army rifles

First one is DWM 1909 the a Mauser Obendorf, third is a Steyr and last but not least a VZ 24. all good actions.



PS the DWM 1909 will take 8x68s ammo from RWS without modifications to the magazine

Cheers,

Andr�

JefferyDenmark

If I may ask an unrelated question; do you happen to know the length to which RWS loads those 8x68's?

Thanks,

Tex

The cartridges that I have are 82,61mm long.
They might be an older batch

http://www.rws-munition.de/de/jagd_geschoss/geschoss_berater.htm

Cheers,

Andr�