I am somewhat confused, (not at all a new condition), I see square bridge Mausers on custom rifles listed from time to time. Are these machined as one piece or are/can the bridges added to an action after? Is there any advantage to having a square bridge other than a handy place to put scope mounts.

Hi

Here's a thread I started.

Gary

Square bridge mausers

Good metalsmiths can squarebridge any bolt action for you-Mauser, Remington, whatever. It is all a custom proposition, and priced accordingly. You can wind up with scope bases cut in line with the center of the raceway. They look really classy and are are bulletproof, but as far as a "need," no, not really

I assume then that the bridges are welded on and machined to the desired conture? If not what is the process or is there something written that I could find?

Yes, you profile a piece of steel to fit the bridge, then TIG it on. The only place I have seen it written up was in some notes from an American Custom Gunmakers Guild Mondat session after their annual show in Reno sometime back in the '90's.

THe front bridge is pretty self explanatory. THe rear bridge can be done one of two ways.

Some folks mill off the top of the entire rear bridge. If you look at the back of an action-just take a Mauser for an example- and look at the place where the lugs come through the rear bridge. You can see where there is a semi-circle for the top of the round bolt body to clear the bridge. You can mill everything off down to the top of the opening for the lug. You then mill a piece of steel to have that same profie and then weld it on.

The other way is to make a piece of steel fit the top of the rear bridge and weld it on. I make some cuts to true up some of the action surfaces just to make it a little easier.

Both methods work beautimously. I prefer the second method, as it seems faster for how I do things.

Marc
Thanks that pretty much answers my question.

I am not sure that these square bridges are utilitarian in any way. You sure don't need them to mount a scope! IMO, although they may LOOK nice, all they do is to increase the weight of the action!

I agree the added square bridge is superfluous. Had utility before WWII for attaching Oberndorf factory scope mounts, but not any more. The high roller custom gun buyers - and makers - are fascinated by the mythology of the Oberndorf sporters, which were admittedly very decent rifles and I think that is why the square bridges are popular.