Curious where people are finding Mauser actions to start gun projects? Mainly interested in 98 actions (or similar) but would consider any good Mauser action. I notice SARCO has Mauser 98 actions for about $90. Is that the best place? Would prefer finding actions only, not complete guns.

What about Remington 700 and Winchester 70 actions...any good places/prices to find them at?

Try MRC

Look on GunBroker.com There are a lot over there. I would stay away from anything "sporterized". Chances are very good these have been ruined by someone that didn't know what they were doing.

Years ago Kimber slapped some Milsurp Mausers together and tried to sell them. I don't think it went over too well though. I see a lot of those actions for sale over there right now. They aren't pretty, but I think that matters less every day.

Don't discount buying a whole rifle and having a smith pull the barrel. Sometimes these are cheaper than just buying the action.

You can buy Remington actions at MidwayUSA. They cost as much as a whole rifle once you buy all the parts though.

Terry

Not sure if they did 98's but Kimber did do conversions of 96 Swedes. I have one in the original 6.5x55, nice accurate gun for $220 back in 1996.

They rebarreled some of the 96's to the .308 family, including the .243, 7-08 & .308. It was reported here by one of our resident gunsmiths that he had seen some that experienced set back issues.

But if you keep the 96 action loaded for what it was designed, it's a nice action. It'll never have the cachet of a 98 but nice shooters nonetheless. Some of the nicest finished Mausers ever made.

Hi Rob, I don't know the 1st thing about these but the seller claims they are Kimbers. L/R m98's.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=90690566

There are a lot of them F/S over there right now.

Terry

I bought a Kimber sported 96 from this guy and it is consistent with the other Kimber 96's that have come through my shop.

Before you bid on those 98's (vz24's) of his, take a look at the rear hole placement on the front ring.

Then take a look at this action he is selling:

96 action

His description makes it sound like it is a piece of cake to salvage that action. BS. Blatant BS like that in order to sell a sketchy receiver make me suspect of him.

There was nothing wrong with the 96 I got but those 98's are crap as are the "salvageable" receivers. If the hole placement were correct then these 98's would be a decent platform for a budget sporter.

Like Terry says, I generally stay away from "sported" rifles. Unless of course, all they did was cut down the stock and maybe barrel. If they were D&T'd I pass, same if they forge the bolt.

quote:

Originally posted by z1r:


Then take a look at this action he is selling:

96 action

His description makes it sound like it is a piece of cake to salvage that action. BS. Blatant BS like that in order to sell a sketchy receiver make me suspect of him.

I could fix that. All you need is the right size hammer



Terry

You're a bad man Terry!

We have a very popular large lake in the Western Suburbs of Minneapolis called Lake Minnetonka. Everyone wants to own property on that Lake, but even though its quite large, most of the property has already been built upon, and even small houses are very expensive if they have lakeshore with them.

So what do people do. They buy those small very expensive houses that have real estate and bulldoze them down to clear the land in order to BUILD WHAT THEY WANT.

What kind of a Mauser Rifle DO YOU WANT to build? Do you want a pickup gun, or do you want a custom sporter made by a top maker with lots of engraving and beautiful french walnut?

If I wanted a truck gun I might go for one of those cheap actions sold by sarco or some of those other places. You can't lose too much buying one for $100 or so. But if I wanted a truly nice custom sporter I would start looking for one on an already nice rifle, that hasn't been bubba'd. Or, I would go to gun shows and examine actions before buying them rather than buying them sight unseen. Or, I would advertize on here in the classifieds for what I was looking for. You would be surprised what people on this board have.

Choose the type of gun you want to end up with, and then go looking in the right place for a the action you need. And don't try to get something really good for nothing. Most folks know what they have and what its worth.

YEP! I saw those. That Guy selling all those Kimber worked m96 and m98 actions must have got all those out of Kimbers Junk trash can.

Everyone of those VZ24 m98 actions are ruined(junk), drilled and tapped wrong, for one thing

He has a lot of junk and is VERY proud of it. A year ago I needed some PH 2100 parts and he was the only source. One part was WELL used and the other was pure garbage. Check out what he wants for the 2 PH 2100's he as on GB. These were the PH cheap rifles in the early - mid 90's. $950 & $1300. Hell, you could get a pre 64 70 for that. Stay away from this dude.

I would rather start with a JC Higgins (Sears) model 50 or an Interarms Mark X in a complete rifle. Both of these are about as Mauser as you can get and will make a nice rifle. If you buy them complete you will pay $350 - $450.

I have done this many times. If you sell everything you don't want to use you can end up with less than $100 in your action.

If you buy just the action you will pay about the same as you would for a complete rifle.

M98's that are considered desirable to build on (vz-24's Argie 1909's etc.) are bringing in the $150 to $250 and up range. Then you will need to do work to them to clean them up and add options to them (trigger, bottom metal, safety, heat treat etc.) Yes you may want to do this to a Mark X also but the pieces you take off of a Mark X is worth considerably more than the pieces off of a milsurp. Take for instance the bottom metal, a Mark X trigger guard assembly with a hinged floor plate (regardless of where the release is) will bring $100. The same off of a VZ (if it is not pitted all the hell) will bring $25.

Now if you want a milsurp action to make a custom rifle I will be the last person here to try and stop you. I think they make the finest looking rifles and it is quite rewarding whether you do the work yourself or commission it. However IMHO the end price makes it unattractive. It comes down to what YOU want.

If you posted a WTB in the classifieds I'll bet you could find a nice action.

quote:

Originally posted by z1r:
Before you bid on those 98's (vz24's) of his, take a look at the rear hole placement on the front ring.

From experience of the same kind, that hole likely goes through the chunk of ring that comprises the front face of the bolt lug mating surface (i.e. bearing surface of locking lug recess). I have heard folks say that it doesn't matter, since the top lug is the one with the ejector split in the middle of it.

Then again, I like my face and forehead the way they are...

quote:

Originally posted by TC1:

quote:

Originally posted by z1r:


Then take a look at this action he is selling:

96 action

His description makes it sound like it is a piece of cake to salvage that action. BS. Blatant BS like that in order to sell a sketchy receiver make me suspect of him.

I could fix that. All you need is the right size hammer



Terry

I would just use it as a single shot.

quote:

Originally posted by TMG:

quote:

Originally posted by TC1:

quote:

Originally posted by z1r:


Then take a look at this action he is selling:

96 action

His description makes it sound like it is a piece of cake to salvage that action. BS. Blatant BS like that in order to sell a sketchy receiver make me suspect of him.

I could fix that. All you need is the right size hammer



Terry

I would just use it as a single shot.

I think what Terry really meant was that it might make a good hammer.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by 22WRF:
... Do you want a pickup gun, or do you want a custom sporter made by a top maker with lots of engraving and beautiful french walnut?...
[QUOTE]
To some folk I know, a top name fancy walnut custom sporter is their truck gun.