Is this price outragously high or am I just cheap?

G 33/40

Rusty, that one would fit your name. Given the condition it is overpriced but would require a closer look. Surface grinding may take the pits out and then it may not. That cost to repair should be factored in the final cost.

The last one I bought was $450 but it was 10 years ago.

Here is one on GB. say's no rust or pitting for $100 more. Of course you'll need to de-bubba-fy (made up word ) it. That could get expensive too. The stock and the barrel would fetch a good price on ebay.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=43333205

You could just save yourself the trouble and get this one if your pockets are deep.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=43254557

Terry

The last ones I ran across were $600, the 6mm Rem makes that a reasonable deal when factored against it.

They are expensive actions in this day and age.

well I am obviously woefully ignorant.

What is so special about the G33/40? I see another mil-spec '98. Not much differant than any other... What am I missing?

Small ring, but full length and scarce pretty much covers it. A lot of people like these because they have metal removed from the bottom which makes them a little lighter.

Terry

the thing is, becasue they are a relatively rare action they deserve to be done right when you do find one. So $600 for an action is going to be a small percentage of the total you will spend to make a real nice rifle out of one.

Go to the Biesen website and take a look at what Roger has for sale. He currently has a couple of real nice G.33/40s he has done up that are in the $4500 range, which is probably the minimum you would spend to make one really really nice.

And of course ForrestB has shown us his trio of G.33/40s that he had done up properly by various artists. I don't know what he spent for them (and I don't really need to know) but in looking at the photos of those rifles one can tell that he respected the action for what it is by having them done right.

Save yourself a lot of time and trouble and just buy this one. If it is as represented, it has to be a deal at $3600. http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=43254557

No, it is not mine, I just stumbled upon the ad.

John

ahso. Thank you for the education gentlemen.

I think I'll stick to fooling with vz24's and JC Higgins mausers at this stage in my dubbing; I won't stain them with tears if (when) I run a foul.
Now that I know what they are, I'll leave them for those that appriciate them more than I can right now.

Has anybody made a commercial version of the G33/40?

Gasgunner: I saw that one earlier today. Very nice indeed.

Rusty

A few years back Pete Grizel made a commercial version of a small ring mauser. It fell by the wayside when Pete teemed up with Don Allen at Dakota Arms.

I have one in a 7x57, yeah a lot of custom, but I have been huntiing it almost 18 years. It was love at first shot and I have been packing it ever since.

If I ever find another, when I am in a buying mode, I am going to build a 6.5x55, maybe even a Mannicher stock, its a thought I have been having for a while.

What is the weight difference between a G33/40 and an ordinary large ring military 98? And is a G33/40 to be considered superior to, for instance, a Husqvarna small ring 98 action? the rifles we have been shown on this forum are quite beautiful but I wonder about the G33/40 mystique and whether it is really justified.

Vigillinus,

Mystique I am not sure about, there are very few actions to replace a G 33/40 they were a pretty unique action.. Weight savings is some an ounce or so, that isn't my big concern with them. The contemporaries of the G33/40 action would be one model of Mexican actions. Bottom line this sized actions who ever made them are not common. The real plus in my mind on these actions is they are the perfect size, not too big, not too small. The mag box on these is perfect for a 7x57 or a 6.5x55, you can load your ammo long on the COL, and these actions are just perfect for that.

I must confess I bought mine many moons ago, and I didn't pay near that for mine. I seldom see G 33/40's any more, usually when I do they are one a full custom like the Biesen rifle above. Its not often you run across one in the shape of that 6mm Rem, that lends itself to a donor action. If I wasn't up to my eyebrows in actions and projects currently I would seriously be looking at that rifle, its a pretty reasonable deal, sell the barrel and the stock on that and you would have the action for somewhwre around 5 bills, not a bad deal nowdays for one.

Back on how desirable they are, I will compare it to a 09 Argentine, which is another desirable action for custom rifles. In a spec to spec runoff between the two, I would rather have the G33/40. I think the 09 has better stock bottom metal, if your replacing the floorplate though that becomes a wash. As far as parts compatability the are the same, neither has any advantages over the other, both need aftermarket triggers, surface grinding and bolt hand changes. One advantage to the G33/40 is the heat treating, 09's are soft and need heat treating, G33/40's were done right from the factory, so this saves a few dollars and a lot of potential headache, too me its worth it. One other item I plus on the G33/40's side is if you build a decent rifle on them, they hold their value well, better than most milsurp mausers. Most complete rifles on them nowdays go for over $1000 easy, and getting $1500 for a custom G33/40 is not a hard stretch, from that perspective they are one of the best milsurp actions to build on.

Over a Husky small ring, well those are not exactly common actions either, there were a whole lot more 96's than 98's built by Husky, and when you find them no they aren't as expensive as the G33's are, I would need to eyeball one up close, but I see no reason these couldn't be built into something nice, with time and effort.

I can appreciate your sticker shock on them though, I went through it a couple of years back when I started toying with the idea of building up another one. One thing I am certain of, both myself and my boys think my G33/40 7x57 is the favorite rifle in my safe, I have a lot of other rifles to pick from, my G33/40 is "the" favorite rifle, and really the yardstick the other rifles are held to. Even my pre 64 model 70's and my 09 are compared to that old BRNO. My older son criticises me for how many rifles I build on occasion ( seems there is always one in the building ), if I told him I was building up another G33/40 I am sure I would get a positive reaction to that, and a can I have one of them answer. He is not overly knowledgable in rifle actions, but he knows he likes my 7x57.

For value a VZ-24 is a better buy, no agruement, but they don't hold value near like the G33/40's, and they are a tad bigger, really ideal for a 06 length case, definately easier on the pocketbook though. My thoughts on mauser builds are spend more on the actions though, the money is in the build, a few hundred dollars more in the action is a small portion of the total cost of building up a custom rifle, and a few hundred additinal dollars into the right action doesn't bother me, my mind is on the finished product so to speak.

I have lost a lot of enthusiasm in the last few years on building military rifle actions, and prefer commercial in general terms, the G33/40's are one of the few military actions I deem worth the amount of effort anymore. ( this from a mauser nut building up VZ-24's as I type ).

Anyway these make nice rifles, and I know mine has been my favorite rifle for many years.





I chocked when I saw current pricing on them also, its the only reason I haven't jumped out and bought another.

Schromf, I am still a bit puzzled. Did a search of the forum back to 2001 and read all the G33/40 posts, and still can't tell whether the action (bolt, receiver) are shorter than a standard K98. Some references say the magazine is a bit shorter but do not describe the bolt and receiver. Some said it would hold a .30'06. I did find one poster who had weighed two actions, the G33/40 was 5 ounces lighter than a VZ24, but that could be explained by the small receiver ring and all the lightening cuts.

Vigillinus: IIRC the g33 is a 40 oz action as is the Husky. I don't have a Husky but imagine they may be friendlier to mounting with shorter scopes as there is no stripper clip flange to bridge netting less distance between front and rear. The g33 is the same length as a standard 98.

How much would you have to pay for a good Husky action?

Tomk, IMO a HUsky action by itself would be hard to find, most of them were imported as complete sporting rifles altho as I vaguely recall the importer did offer the actions and even perhaps barreled actions. Also some Husqvarna marked rifles were made on FN large ring actions. The small ring actions could be found with two kinds of magazine/guard assemblies. There was the usual steel job with removable floorplate, and, later, a dural or aluminum magazine/guard assembly with hinged floorplate and in-guard release like an Oberndorf sporter. There is the usual argument whether this cheapened the action or improved it. Somewhere along the line I think these actions were used by Smith & Wesson for a line of rifles. I am not sure whether they just brought in the rifles and put their name on them or built the rifles up on the Swedish action. I think also that some were in 7mm RemMag, so magnum bolt faces were made. These various Husqvarna models are not rare, they show up at gun shows and at the net auctions from time to time, and they are not particularly valuable. I would guess the price range is $250-500 for a complete rifle. But there are people who contribute to the forum who know more than I do about all this. I do like the Huskies for the quality of their materials and workmanship.

Tomk, check out www.kailuacustomguns.com

they have a Husky small ring for $300. Do not say which bottom metal it has.

Vigillinus,

Yes lighter and lightening cuts, your correct on that. I am on the road right now and away from mine, I would need to get out the micrometers and check center to center hole spacing and the length of the bolt. It wouldn't suprise me the C to C is slightly smaller.

The deal on why this are not common is total production mumbers of these the Czechs made for a few years only then switch production in the plant to K98's. THe estimates are 40,000 to 50,000 were actually manufactured, then because the were light they were given to mountain and special troops, which scattered them arcoss Europe. Between surviving the war, an 60+ years they are just a lot of them left.

Anyway here is a good link to them:

http://www.cagedlion.com/g3340.htm
There is a picture there of an original, and I would have no trouble slipping that into my gun rack.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=43548743

Now he has it relisted with a buy it now price of $3500. Someone please tell me why this rifle is worth $2000 less than a new dakota and at least $15000 less than Miller or Echols rifle. Biesen has similar rifles for around $4500 on his site. Am I missing something?

John

Gasgunner

I think the only reason that rifle has lasted this long without selling is becasue of the caliber. I bet if it were a .280 or .270 it would be long gone.

quote:

Originally posted by 22WRF:
Gasgunner

I think the only reason that rifle has lasted this long without selling is becasue of the caliber. I bet if it were a .280 or .270 it would be long gone.

Actually the caliber is not a negative in my mind on this rifle, perfect match of action and cartridge. What is bad is the pic just sucks. Dark no detail, and unless your familar with the Biesens it has little to exhibite the price tag. Personally if a gun is over a $1000-1200 and I get only one picture I keep looking, if I am spending a large chunk of change on the internet I want pics, lots of them, top, left side, bottom metal. If I was interested I would e-mail and ask for them.

Gasgunner: If I was in a buying mode at the moment, I would certainly buy that before I would get a NEW Dakota, no brainer. The Biesens are local smiths and well known in my next of the woods, Al built rifles for Jack O Conner, which is pretty good references in my book. Further I have seen and handled several rifles from their shop, very good work.

I also don't think the price is way out of line, I am a skinflint at heart sometimes, and the buy now is a little steep, but if that went for under 3K it would be a reasonable deal I think. If I was real serious I think I would just go see it the Palouse is just 25 min away, and I would feel more comfortable looking at it in person.

The 7mm Biesen Mauser is worth every bit of $3500 and much more desireable to me than a new Dakota. There are a few, mostly cosmetic, issues with the Biesen rifle that don't appeal to me, but that doesn't mean it's not a great buy.

Go query 6 or 8 top gunmakers and see what it would cost to replicate this rifle. You'll be putting in a bid on Gunbroker before you get all the quotes back.

quote:

Go query 6 or 8 top gunmakers and see what it would cost to replicate this rifle. You'll be putting in a bid on Gunbroker before you get all the quotes back.

True statement.

quote:

Originally posted by tomk:
How much would you have to pay for a good Husky action?

$300 to $400 depending on condition, caliber, and trigger guard material.

quote:

Originally posted by vigillinus:
What is the weight difference between a G33/40 and an ordinary large ring military 98? And is a G33/40 to be considered superior to, for instance, a Husqvarna small ring 98 action? the rifles we have been shown on this forum are quite beautiful but I wonder about the G33/40 mystique and whether it is really justified.

If by Husqvarna small ring 98 action your mean the commercial "HVA" or "1640" action, then no. I would consider the Husqvarna superior since it does not have the bolt lug split for the ejector. It is also factory drilled and tapped for scope mounts and for a receiver mounted peep. This action is very strong with factory chamberings including .358 Norma Mag.

Complete rifles are readily available for $400. Actions go for $300 to $400.

There was a final version of the Husqvarna which was not a true 98. It had pie slice, i.e., dovetail, shaped locking lugs that slid in female grooves in the receiver, extremely slick action, like a Krag in smoothness. In his book on bolt actions Otteson calls it the highest development of the Mauser. It uses the light metal magazine and hinged floorplate assembly from the previous Husky. It was, I think, sold as the Husqvarna 8000 and 9000, also sold as the Viking, used by S&W, later made in Italy. I do not know if it is available now. I have one in 6.5x55 and also amazingly found an extra new barrel for it at a gun show which I will probably never need but is good to have in reserve. A fine action that is little known but, alas, has no charisma !!!