Guys,

Was at the local shooting emporium and they have a military Mauser on the rack. Has DOW and 43 stamped on the forward part of the reciever. Looks like somone took the original stock and cut her down to a sporter (bad schnabel on the front - uneven side to side). It also has the Reichmark on it but they are small and subdued. 4 digit serial number on it 71xx.

It's in the original 8mm and the action is butter smooth - probably from being cycled a coupla thousand times. No rust or pitting issues.

Question is @ 199 for the rifle - is it worth anything? Would a guy be better off with a vz24 or some other thing?

If purchased - plan would be project - get some of those Mauser videos from AGI and do a nice little 7mm or 270 or 35 whelen.

I've sold quite a number of VZ-24 actions only for less than that.......and would sell complete vz-24 rifles for less than that. (add shipping)

Be your own judge.

IMO $199 is too much

Given the place this is for sale, I was sure it's a premium price - but being Mauser ignorant I was wondering if the action - not taking price into consideration - was worth building on from a strength, desirability, ease of smithing perspective?

To be honest - I have a desire to turn something old into something nice and new. The article on the Springfield done for the 100th birthday of the 30-06 in this month's RIFLE planted that seed.

Can honestly say that round here- Springfields aren't plentiful - seen maybe 3 in the last 15 years. Mausers neither - I would put it at 15 or so.

FWIW....when it's all done you'll have a lot of money in that mauser rifle.....up to a grand in the action alone.....depending on what you decide to do with it.

It sounds like the action you're looking at will make a fine sporter....if it's a german or czech action made in 1943 it's likely a fine action worthy of investing a lot of cash. Many others are as well.....

If you want a VZ-24 action I can get you one.... but rest assured.....no matter how cheap you get them they're a darned expensive way to build a rifle.....one can actually find a pre-64 M-70 for less than the cost of a tricked out milsurp mauser. I just happen to like the darn things however...Mausers that is!

For what it's worth, DOW is a Czech-made mauser.

S40