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Alf: I'm still unsure about the maker of this rifle, It has no serial numbers on bolt or reciever and no makers mark on left side of reciever as in DWM etc. In fact the only identifying marks on it are on the barrel, Now this is supposed to be for a rimmed cartridge and the bolt is cut for it and the extractor seems to work for a rimmed cartridge but has a number stamped on it and is polished. Now why would a partial serial number be on the extractor and not the bolt or receiver? Obviously it could be a replacement but the follower also has a number which does not match the extractor but has the crown proof. Also, the safety and striker are the only numbers that match. The bluing looks original and the barrelled action is very tightly inletted to the stock leading me to believe it is not a rebarrel job. One thing i did notice is that this is a standard length 98 but a bolt from another 98 will not quite fit, Bolt will close only part way. That is when i discovered that the bolt is ground slightly on the two "points" of the left lug where it is split for the ejector to make room against the barrel face for the extractor cutout. The extractor is set up like a M70 without the coned breech, Is this something you have seen? It looks like they were going for complete case support in breeching. I did just find a faint crown proof on right side of receiver ring that i missed before. But the mixture of numbers on the small parts and no BUG proofs on the receiver confuse me. By the way, There is a small marking behind the recoil lug on the right side, 3e7 with a large "O" or "Q" after it if that helps any. I guess after all this is, Do i have a commercial mauser action rifle intended for a rimmed cartridge or a rework. The magazine is standard 98 not slanted so can it smoothly feed rimmed cartridges? Thanks for your help, Swede96.

Swede,

Call up Chris at Autumn Gun Works and see if North West Sportmans has a class where that sporter will fit in. They shoot cast bullets there for score and group from rests and offhand. That is just about a perfect cast bullet cartridge.