The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Guns, Politics, Gunsmithing & Reloading Gunsmithing Picked up a British Magnum length mauser stock, need some helpGo | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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Hey guys, I just bought a great old British Stock for a Mauser 98 that turns out to be a magnum mauser. After measuring it the stock is cut for a british length magnum mauser action. What was my options for a build to fit it? Are Granite Mountain arms magnum mauser actions the same specs as the British magnum mausers? Are there any new commercial magnum mausers of this length? Is having a std M98 lengthened an option?       Thanks Geoff | ||
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Looks really nice, but I think you put the cart before the horse. | |||
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If I owned the stock and really liked the style I would probably just use it as a pattern. I would build the rifle I wanted and fit the stock to it, then have it duplicated. Terry -------------------------------------------- Well, other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play? | |||
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Terry me too! | |||
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i have a rifle that could be shoehorned into that... GREAT pattern that is a magnum mauser pattern, british style. there's lots of things that can be made there. Can I have it? opinions vary band of bubbas and STC hunting Club Information on Ammoguide about the416AR, 458AR, 470AR, 500AR What is an AR round? Case Drawings 416-458-470AR and 500AR. 476AR, http://www.weaponsmith.com | |||
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This my seem wrong (like REALLY BUBBA), but what about a cz magnum in like 404 or rigby? | |||
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I just won't fit!...cut your losses and move on | |||
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Some mighty fine termite food there. | |||
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Well I can at least go with a Prechtl but at $5,300 for the action that is pretty steep. I'm looking into stretching a std mauser right now an that looks like the route I'm going to take. It isn't cheap but it isn't $5,300 either. It is pretty easy to spend $3,000 having a stock made and checkered so the savings from the stock will help offset the metal work. I looked into GMA but their actions are too long. I sure wish there was an easier way. | |||
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Do you have the butt plate and grip cap? It's your $ but I think you'd be way ahead fitting a barreled action and then sending it to a good duplicator. It can be done for well under 3k including a nice blank. Getting a action to fit is one thing matching the barrel contour for a nice fit is another. ______________________ Always remember you're unique, just like everyone else. | |||
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I just wonder if you could pick up a Whitworth Mag Action and use it??? Don't blame you one bit for getting the stock but as has been said here, "It's putting the cart before the horse". It's doable for nostalgic reasons but....I think you'll end up with a rifle that's worth less than you've got into it. | |||
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I can assure you, it's a lot easier to contour a barrel than to stretch an action. | |||
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The Whitworth is just a standard Mauser opened up on the inside for the longer cartridges, it isn't a longer action like the magnum mauser. The way I'm looking at it a true rigby magnum mauser is a $15K+ rifle. A complete "new" magnum mauser rifle is in the $9K+ range. If you bought an original Rigby magnum mauser drilling and tapping for a scope is a big no-no and you might be afraid to take it out. Say all the metal work, barrel, sights, and action cost me $3,000-$4,000 I'd be into the project for somewhere in the 4-5K range. Now lets say I got the stock duplicated and finished and bought a soild piece of walnut for $200. That stock work from the blank is going to cost me over $3,000 by the time it is finished fitted and checkered. I can buy a magnum mauser action for $2,500-$3,500. Add in barrel, sights, a quarter rib, blueing etc. I'm at $7,000-$8,000 real fast. So the way I'm looking at it plan B does have some advantages ie new action and new stock but costs as much as 3-4K more. | |||
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In fact you wont end up with a 'true' Rigby as it's gone someplace else. You'll have a remodelled Rigby and without the maker's name I think your value is more than a bit high. So the Whitworth action used for magnum calibers like the .375 is a standard length action opened up....humph. OK. If you can do the stock work yourself, recut the checkering and refinish the stock, you'll still not have the genuine artifact.  | |||
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I'm not saying value I'm saying cost. I'm just talking about building a nice 416 rigby on a mauser action that has the look and feel and not the price or value. It certainly won't be worth 15-20K like a real rigby but it will cost a third as much. I could have a 416 Rigby made by Rigby (but on a CZ action) on the way from Westley Richards today if I wanted to spend $16K. What I'm saying is you can't build a new magnum mauser 416 rigby for less then 7-8,000. Even if you did all the work yourself and had 0 labor costs you are still looking at: Granite Mountain Arms action = $3,250 Barrel = $250 NECG Sights = $150 Blank = $200-$1000 Recoil pad = $30 Grip cap = $30 Swivels = $40 Blueing = $150 Bases =$40 Quarter rib matarial = ? Various tools sandpaper etc. = $50 So the fixed costs are $4,360+ alone and I don't have the skills, tools, or know how to do 90% of the work. So my thought process is this Real deal = 15-20K Modern Magnum Mauser used = 9K+ Mine = 5ishK | |||
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Of course there are a lot of 'things' that are worth more to some than to others.....that being said; if you think you'd end up with a rig that you could sell for 5ish, then do whatever's your pleasure. You look at the Gun Rooms at Bass Pro Shop,et.al., and you prolly could sell it for what it cost. I just like to not ever get more into anything than what I could flip it for.  | |||
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Ya think? You missed my point. ______________________ Always remember you're unique, just like everyone else. | |||
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GeoffM24. I imagine you bought it thinking it was a for a standard length action which is a reasonable assmumption. Now that it's not, you're bound and determined to make it work! Set it aside for a month and then decide how to proceed. ______________________ Always remember you're unique, just like everyone else. | |||
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I agree, I don't like to throw money out the window either. It seems like the days of custom rifles selling for 50% of what they cost are long gone. Between the auction houses, Cabelas and Bass pro most sell for every penny they cost to make and many for more then the actual cost. Of course you don't have to wait 1-5 years to have the rifle made. I think the passing of some of the high end smiths, the difficulties in getting any of the high end actions delivared and the interest in high end guns are all factors. American Hunting rifles seems to have the absolute cheapest custom big bore and those are $4,500 plus if you don't mind CZ actions. They were $3,500 a couple years ago. Looking at posts about Prechtl actions from 2 years ago shows a price of $3,500 they are now $5,300 from NECG. Inflation is really rearing its head in the gun world, guns that were $4,000 4 years ago are like $8,000 today! | |||
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You are correct. I really want a 416 Rigby and this has rekindled that for me. Any way I slice it the costs are high unless I go the CZ route. | |||
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Perhaps a 375 length Whitworth could be made to work. If so you're miles ahead in your start towards your goal going that route. I had a CZ Rigby, nice rifle but not as nifty and sorta clunky IMO compared to some others. Maybe the Ruger? ______________________ Always remember you're unique, just like everyone else. | |||
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I always find it interesting when a person asks a question and then get unanimous agreement from all who answer the question saying it is a bad idea. The question asker will keep asking until one poor soul agrees, and then he feels validated. 100% of the people who answered your question told you the same thing-you are proposing something that cannot be done; i.e. use the stock as a basis for a sorta economical .416 Rigby project. You will wind up with a rifle that cost you close to, if not over, $10,000 to build. You most certainly will not be able to recoup that money if you decide to sell it. “It seems like the days of custom rifles selling for 50% of what they cost are long gone. Between the auction houses, Cabelas and Bass pro most sell for every penny they cost to make and many for more then the actual cost. Of course you don't have to wait 1-5 years to have the rifle made. I think the passing of some of the high end smiths, the difficulties in getting any of the high end actions delivered and the interest in high end guns are all factors.†I do not know where folks are selling used custom rifles for more than they cost to build. Sure isn’t happening anywhere I know of. I know a lot of folks who are happy to get 60-75% of what they paid out of a used custom. Oh sure, you will see the odd rifle from the very top end people selling for more, but those rifles are costing $50k+ to begin with and are way over the league of ANY of the rifles you say you would like to have. Put a Rigby (a REAL Rigby from the UK, NOT the Mexican Rigby’s from CA-they don’t even deserve a mention) net to a Heilmann rifle and you will laugh at the vaunted Rigby. It will be instantly apparent that one pays a great deal for the name and address engraved on the barrel for the UK gun, whereas all of the dollars on the Heilmann (or other maker near his level) went into making the finest that can be made today. The bastard rifle you are proposing will cost you $10k to build and you will be doing good to get $6k for it in 5 years. You screwed up. Every person reading your thread has screwed up before. I have done far, FAR, more than my fair share of screwing up. Cut your losses and move on. BTW-a lot of the price inflation has to do with the exchange rate | |||
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What is really interesting is the number of emails and PMs I've gotten offering to buy this stock. You incorrectly assume that all responses to my question appear here. Also, there is no way on earth it is going to cost $10,000, worst case scenario. A prechtl is an exact replica of Mauser Magnum 20. My guy certainly doesn't charge $4,200 to barrel, fit sights, blue and adjust. All in it is done right at $7,000. Let's call it an English style stock to avoid the whole bastard thing, I'm not pretending this rifle would be a Rigby. Is there a place that has a top quality prechtl type action, quarter rib, NECG sights, slow rust blue and an English style stock for less then this? If so I agree with you 100%. Would you build me a rifle for this amount? No you wouldn't considering the materials alone cost $6,000. I'm sure yours would be even nicer but how much nicer, and how much more $. $1,000? $2,000? $5,000? $10,000? | |||
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Who makes the trapdoor buttplate and gripcap? Don't know? Well, if you can't find the exact replacements you're going to lose your stock finish and checkering. If they're NEGC, these 2 pieces alone will run you about $550. Lots'a'luck to ya. (you're gonna need it) I bet this is one project we'll never see completed. Terry -------------------------------------------- Well, other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play? | |||
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Geoff, Duane Weibe is one of the top Metalsmith/stockmakers who has ever walked on this planet. I would suggest you go back and read what he said. You can rely on what he says. You are going to spend a ton of money trying to get something to fit the inletting. Granted it can be a skosh oversize but you are throwing dollars at a dime. Great looking stock shape. Now email back the guy who offered you the money or use this as a pattern. | |||
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Geoff, Personally, I admire your ambition. My advice is to hang onto the stock and keep your eyes open. Eventually, you might find a magnum Mauser action or complete rifle with "issues" and you'll be able to assemble a real masterpiece. Prepare yourself to wait years but be ready to pounce when the right metalwork comes around. Chic, Duane, Marc and the other naysayers are too level-headed to be real rifle cranks. Don't let them intrude on your dreams. ______________________________ "Truth is the daughter of time." Francis Bacon | |||
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This is nothing! I once had the chance to pick up some odd ammo once... ... then I had to buy a rifle to shoot it in!  If you enjoy this sort of thing, go for it. Trying to be logical about a hobby is something I have never had plague me!  John | |||
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I built a rifle around a piece of double set trigger bottom metal once. I refered to the bottom metal as my 57 Chevy hub cap that I built a car around (which I didn't). So don't call me level headed.  | |||
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Love the pattern, thats why you have gotten so many PM's, not because so many of us have a Mauser Mag laying around. If you want to get rid of it I know a couple of stockmakers that would love it for a pattern. Ed DRSS Member | |||
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Chic, I have a set of double set triggers and bottom metal from a BRNO 21 if you feel the urge again. It's yours for the asking. ______________________________ "Truth is the daughter of time." Francis Bacon | |||
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That's what I would do. If you trade and tinker with guns enough, you can probably eventually find something. A couple months ago someone sold a Brevex barreled action on the classified forum for $2600. It would have worked. NRA Life Member, Band of Bubbas Charter Member, PGCA, DRSS. Shoot & hunt with vintage classics. | |||
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I'm stocking a Mauser now and reshaping the forend, adding new checkering on pistol grip and forend. How long is the forarm on your classic? Would you mind measuring the distance from the end to the point where the cut out is for ejecting spent rounds? I can shape the pistol grip OK. Like the shape above the trigger guard as well. | |||
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That just proves that the "next greatest fool" marketing theory is still at work and I would seriously consider taking advantage of it unless you can afford to have the stock sitting around for admiration/conversation piece purposes. Having said that, I have dreamt up and had built custom rifles (by ACGG members) with mothing more than bottom metal or a rear sight as a starting point! No different than buying a set of pre war magnas and then looking for a RM or HD to go with them. Forrest NRA Life Member GOA Life Member Distinguished Rifleman President's Hundred | |||
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Thanks for the tips guys. I think deep down we all know we are way past anything practical and cost effective. If that was really the case we'd buy a 30-06 and .375 in stainless and fiberglass and never look at a gun board ever again. Over the years I have found that finding a complete gun and just buying it is great for immediate gratification but not nearly as fun as planning and building guns. I'm going to let this project simmer since I already have 3 guns being built right now and to see if I can turn up a suitable action as the next step. | |||
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It is exactly 9 1/4" | |||
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Scheeech, looks are deceiving....I would have missed that measurement by a bunch. In the last year I've run across two mag. commercial FN actions at the Gun Show in Boise so I'll keep you in mind. Thanks again. | |||
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 NRA Life Member, Band of Bubbas Charter Member, PGCA, DRSS. Shoot & hunt with vintage classics. | |||
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Someone said,"If it floats on water or has tits, it's going to cost men money". I'd have to add to that.....I'm sure you'd agree.  | |||
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I was wondering if I might could trouble you for a ocuple more pics. Could you please shoot a shot of the comb nose and top line of the stock, taken from over the fore arm and angling down slightly? Also, could you take a shot of the toe line up through the grip? The angle I am talking about would have the stock upside down and the camera would be behind the butt, shooting forward, and angling down. Who made the stock? Was it from an old Rigby? You might could turn this into a money making situation if you wanted to sell soem patterns. You could have a couple made for the magnum action and have soemone use it to make a pattern for a regular M98 action. Would not be that hard to do. If oyu have had the intrest in the stock that you mention then use it as a way to get the rifle you really wanted to begin with | |||
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I think Marc_Stokeld has made the best suggestion yet. That stock has great lines and is well worth copying. John | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Guns, Politics, Gunsmithing & Reloading Gunsmithing Picked up a British Magnum length mauser stock, need some help
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