Who do you recommend for welding up square bridge type bases on a Mauser action?

Lots of 'smiths do a good job I know...who have you had experience with?

Cost?
Thanks,
Garrett

I presonally want to have Mark Stratton make a pair of square bridge type bases from the work I have seen here.

I've seen a number of rifles done where the bases were precision fit and silver soldered on. They don;t seem to let go this way, but I'd probably not build a .458 lott on a soldered receiver. Might work, but I wouldn't chance it personally.

I don't know anyone that'll weld on a set. Mark Stratton did a set of custom ones for a 1910 Mex M98 for me that I'm real happy with. The receiver is drilled and tapped to accept them.

Terry

IIRC, Jack Belk did double square bridges by first D/Ting the mounts and following it up by silver solder. My word is not the gospel though.

I don't see why they couldn't be TIG'd on - that's provided the action was properly gas carburised afterwards.

I'm NOT the expert on this, but if you TIG it, gas carburizing would be a minimum. I'd suggest follow-up with a full action heat treatment by a reputable provider - but that's just my uninformed opinion

I've looked into this topic several times over the years.

When it comes to Mauser actions, most gunsmiths won't do it because of the risk of ruining the customer's action. They will only attempt it on their own actions, so they are at liberty to toss any of them that don't come out properly. This is very labor intensive, and drives the cost up to the point where buying a new custom action or an original Oberndorf starts to make more sense.

Everyone knows that the action will have to be re-heat treated, but there is no guarantee that everything will be fine until after you sink several thousand dollars into assembling the complete rifle and shooting it extensively. That is not a good time to find out that your $50 1909 action has gone soft.

I think the best bet for a 98 is to have reproduction bases fitted and then soldered in place. Much like the Germans used to do with "saddle" style bases for claw mounts.

ForrestB, if you see this post, do you know how Duane Wiebe did the "square bridges" on your 1935 Oberndorfs? They are so precise as to appear integral.

quote:

Originally posted by KurtC:


I think the best bet for a 98 is to have reproduction bases fitted and then soldered in place. Much like the Germans used to do with "saddle" style bases for claw mounts.

If silver-soldered, the action needs to be re-heat treated, and the bases are off again.
If pewter-soldered, I would not trust it.

Precise fitting and screws is the way to go.
Welded, of course, but a bit risky, as mentioned above.

The reason I don't use the welding method is because of the possibilty of warping the receiver. The military Mauser actions sometimes can be a 100 years old and drilling and tapping 4 holes is a better way to go. You have a better chance of sucess. If you surface grind the receiver, making the bases is a easier affair. I hate to bring up my book, but it tells a method for machining scope bases to fit the receiver's geometry.

quote:

Originally posted by Mark_Stratton:
I hate to bring up my book, but it tells a method for machining scope bases to fit the receiver's geometry.

Shameless!

Mark, after that "shamless plug" I just had to go look at your web site.
Nice shop. I just moved into my new shop this winter so I'm still getting it organized. (I'll be trying to get organized for years, who am I kidding.)

You Know Rusty,

If you've been in the machine tool trade, and you've work for someone else for years, it's great to have your own shop. I think setting it up is one of the great pleasures in life, now I said ONE, there are others that rate higher...

You guys are right it was a shamless plug....

I have often wondered if, taking into account shrinkage, one could make up wax square bridges and then have them investment cast and then welded on.

quote:

Originally posted by 22WRF:
I have often wondered if, taking into account shrinkage, one could make up wax square bridges and then have them investment cast and then welded on.

You could but why? The whole idea behind machining them is to get a precise fit. If you go with investment case you might as well be using any one of the multitude of prefab bases already on the market. Yes, you could have them cast but ultimately you would be required to machine them to obtain the proper fit. Then of course, you would have to contend with the issue of heat treatment wherein the additional metal you've added now wants to warp the receiver during the process.

If they weren't machined onto the receiver in the first place, I think the best bet is an appropriately fitted base that is soldered and screwed on.

z1r,

Get the hell off of here and get my bolts done!!!



You know I’m kidding, brother. How’d the German typewriter work out? I’m going to try the steel number/letter stamps on the template paper and see how it works.

quote:

Originally posted by fla3006:
ForrestB, if you see this post, do you know how Duane Wiebe did the "square bridges" on your 1935 Oberndorfs? They are so precise as to appear integral.

He welds on a square of steel and then shapes it. I don't know if there are any "tricks of the trade". I have a picture somewhere that shows the action after the block is welded on and before shaping - it looks pretty awful. I'll try to find the picture tonight and post it here.

Here are the before and after pics. (This is not something I'd reccommend doing on the front ring.)

Before:



After:



And WAY after:

ForrestB - Nice looking work! I noticed that the front ring is opened up on the back...wondering what cartridge it was fitted for? Something fun I presume! Can you show us a picture of that barrel too - I have something similar on a .510" barrel I think.
Jeff P

This one is a 375 H&H. Here's a link to a photo album of this rifle and it's twin.

Wiebe Pair

ForrestB,

I know you have probably heard this numerous times and please forgive me for repeating anything but.......those are two of the most fantasic rifles I have seen past and present, by any Maker, bar none. Your taste in rifles is something to behold...

You and Mr. Wiebe have much to be proud of with these two......They will be hard to top but something tells me you guys will be working on it .............

Thanks Jim, but I can't take any credit. My next big project I'm calling "The Second Coming of 416s". It'll be a Martini/Satterlee/Wiebe collaboration.

Here are a few more pics I've found that show screw-on bases (in various stages of completion) that have the square bridge look.

A set being fitted for a 7X57 on a G.33/40 action.


On top is a set being fitted on a pre-war M70, below that is G.33/40 on it's way to becoming a 280 Rem.


Last is a 6.5X55 built on an intermediate Mauser of some vintage that has slipped my mind right now. I really like this look though - even better than the others.