Interarms Mark X Mauser

[gnostic]

I have a single shot version, I built into a heavy barreled 220 swift. The action was square out of the box and shoots 1/2" all day...

[tygar]

I like them. Have had a number of them, mostly boomers, but several smaller calibers, including currently 25-06 (tack driver), 375 H&H, a 450 Watts(I think), & I think something else. Gave one of my sons, in AK one in 375 & it was a awesome one holer.

[Texas by God]

One of my older brothers had one back in the 1970's in 7mm Rem mag that shot like a thoroughbred but kicked like a mule due to the stock design. They were really nice rifles-especially the Whitworth Express version. I'd say buy it. A double set trigger 7x57mm is classy. Best,Thomas.

[corbinace]

I too had one in 7mm Rem Mag, that I bought new in '75. I had a Timney installed by the seller and mounted a Leupold 3X9 scope. It was to be my moose harvester for a northern BC trip that never materialized.

It was as accurate as I could be in those days but it's recoil hurt me enough to make bad habits for a new shooter.

I finally sold it in about '98 to a guy that harvested a Buffalo on one of those Hunting ranches.

The rifle was nice enough and I did a lot of things to it to make it shoot better. The 7X57 should be much nicer to shoot than it's big brother.

It must have been pretty strong too as at that time I guess I thought if the primers were not flowing, I had not put enough powder in the case.

Yep, now I am just rambling about the "good ole days". Glad I lived through them.

[youngmman]

I bought 4 "Whitworth" rifles in the early 90's at a big discount after they had been on the shelf for a long time and they had Mark X Mauser barreled actions. They had been imported by Interarms. All shoot extremely well, they are: 7mm mag, 308, 243 and 22-250. The 243 is one of my favorite varmint rifles when the hunting includes a lot of walking as it does in the desert. It's sub 1" at 100 yards from a rest with my own load. I use the Sierra 85 gr. HPBT which is devastating.

[Four Fingers of Death]

They are a strong action I have a 270Win,3006, 9.3x62Mauser, 375H&H and a 458Win Mag. They seem to make most popular calibres apart from a 338Win Mag which was the one I really wanted, but no dice. I ended up with a Mossberg Patriot Walnut in 338. It is a bit of a ring in being in the middle of all of the Zastavas, haha.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

It is by a quality maker of one of the best rifle actions for general purposes. I can't answer for every barrel they have used, but otherwise I would be very surprised if one showed inaccuracy that couldn't be attributed to abuse or easily adjusted things like bedding.

There is just what some would consider one snag. 98 Mausers have an internal stop-ring, with the barrel screwed up tight against it, rather than the barrel shoulder against the front face of the action. This acts as a strengthening web, though against radial and circumferential stresses, rather than longitudinal ones. The MkX is an H-ring rather than C-ring Mauser, i.e. the left-hand rib of the bolt way passes through the internal stop-ring, just like the right-hand one with the extractor must. There is no reason beyond ease of production for this to be the case. But all it means is that if a case-head suffers drastic rupture, the receiver ring is slightly less likely to disintegrate. This mattered more in the days of brass produced under war emergency conditions, and nowadays about compares with the danger of being hit by space debris, unless you are doing something else you shouldn't. It remains safer than most rifles that don't have that stop-ring at all.

Some would say an advantage is that it doesn't have the thumb-notch in the left receiver wall to facilitate clip loading. Again it is no big thing, unless perhaps the action is badly bedded. But it does reduce the chance of the action being flexed by bedding screw tension.

It is undoubtedly an advantage that after-market accessories, such as triggers, safeties and scope bases, will fit with little or no effort. It isn't a big thing, but I do like a bolt-shroud safety rather than a trigger safety on a Mauser, and a sideways one rather than a flag type if the rifle is scoped. There are people who go to a lot of trouble building rifles on military actions, who could do just as well with one of these.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I don't know how it is there, but custom rifles on a MkX or Zastava action don't hold value compared to custom rifles built on selected Mauser actions. I'm not into the custom scene at all (I waste enough money as it is without going down that track)..

[Ballistics in Scotland]

I don't know how it is there, but custom rifles on a MkX or Zastava action don't hold value compared to custom rifles built on selected Mauser actions. I'm not into the custom scene at all (I waste enough money as it is without going down that track)..

That is a good point for anybody contemplating such work, and who won't be content to leave his heirs with that problem. As it is, though, it is why the OP can get the rifle for $550 or better.

I think if this rifle is inaccurate (which it might be), it would be for reasons which are no more or less likely to apply with any of those other selected Mausers.

[Four Fingers of Death]

They have been very popular over the last 30 years that I know of and I have never heard of a dud.

[kerreckt]

I have one in 7mm Rem. It is an accurate rifle. I like it quite a bit. I am a fool for a classic rifle. Most Mark X were made at the Zastava plant and are classic commercial Mauser actions. The bluing and finish on mine is very nice.

[izzyjoe]

I used to pick them up when I could find a deal, had one in 7mag that I wanted to rebarrel to 257 weatherby. It never happen, and I lost interest and sold it. It shot good, but kicked like the devil!

[Iron Whittler]

I got one. Put after market trigger. It shoots very well. I got it used, it is in a plastic stock. Have a custom Bishop stock for it, just haven't had time to fit up. For the asking price & cal., jump on it. If not happy, let me know and we'll work something out. Best wishes to you and yours. Iron

[Drm50]

I have had several of them, 30/06s, 7mag, 25/06. Just recently sold my 25/06. Found them to
be every bit as accurate as 700, 70, 77s now on the market, and better than the enconomy
stuff Rem has been putting out.

[Paul B]

If I saw that rifle I'd most likely be all over it like stink on poop. One I like Mausers. Two the 7x57 is one of my favorite cartridges and three I love rifles with the double set triggers.
I know some people are anal as hell about accuracy but how much is really needed from a big game rifle? I have a Ruger M77 RSI, the one with the full stock to the muzzle. Accuracy for the most part is 1.25 to 1.50" and it kills deer very nicely out to 250 yards. Longest shot I've had to take out here in the wide open spaces of the west. The 7x57 is neat cartridge that doesn't get a square deal from SAAMI because of older weak rifles and various throat lengths. What might work for a rifle with the original long throat would not work with a rifle that had a shorter throat for those that prefer 140/150 gr. bullets. I have three rifles in 7x57, a Ruger #1A, Winchester M70 FWT and a custom Mauser. All three rifles shoot sub MOA with most of my handloads. The Ruger is a one inch gun with Winchester factory ammo, the M70 about .75/.80" with the same ammo and the Mauser does .50 to .60" with that same ammo.
That's the good news. Finding ammo is something else. Federal is common in the bigger stores like Sportsman's Warehouse or Cabelas. Probably find it at midway as well. Winchester and Remington ammo and brass is scarce as hell. They only make it on a "seasonal" basis (DAMMIT!) and I haven't seen any for about five years. Norma, Nosler and Hornady make brass and I believe ammo. I got luck about six years ago. Guy had large batch of bagged Winchester and I bought the whole pile. Still have maybe 100 to 150 unfired cases left so will be looking hard for more. Yes, I do like the 7x57.
I've owned in the past two Mark X rifles, a .300 Win. Mag. and a .375 H&H. Both were a lot more accurate than I expected and even more with handholds. Naturally, YMMV.
Paul B.

[azrednek]

They have been very popular over the last 30 years that I know of and I have never heard of a dud.

A now deceased friend of mine got a dud in the mid-70's. His was the Interarms Mark X, 30/06, double trigger in a Manlicher type stock. The scope mount holes were like they had been drilled and tapped by a drunk. The holes were out of alignment and the screws went in at an angle.

Took several weeks with the dealer making a few hostile phone calls. Interarms eventually sent a replacement barreled receiver and bolt body. I can't vouch how well the replacement shot having never shot it. My friend took plenty of Utah Deer and Elk with it.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

Probably find it at midway as well. Winchester and Remington ammo and brass is scarce as hell. They only make it on a "seasonal" basis (DAMMIT!) and I haven't seen any for about five years.

One of the cartridges that made the modern sporting rifle! Peter Pan said that every time a child says "I don't believe in fairies", a fairy somewhere dies. Others have made it whenever a child tells a lie, which sounds even more dangerous to a threatened species.

Every time the manufacturers introduce some entirely pointless new cartridge, an old and valued one dies. I wish they would see that we need specific ammo or cases a lot less when we are thinking about which rifle to buy, than when we have got and cherish one.

[fjruple]

[QUOTE=Four Fingers of Death;3619381]It just occured to me that a lot of MkX Actions were built into long range target rifles and were very competitive until the Barnards and other fancy rifle got approved for use.

That's quite true. Interarms offered the action in a single shot for gunsmiths to build an long range and benchrest rifles. I had a custom single shot in a .300 Winchester Magnum for 1,000 yard shooting.

--fjruple

[fjruple]

[QUOTE=Four Fingers of Death;3619381]It just occured to me that a lot of MkX Actions were built into long range target rifles and were very competitive until the Barnards and other fancy rifle got approved for use.

That's quite true. Interarms offered the action in a single shot for gunsmiths to build an long range and benchrest rifles. I had a custom single shot in a .300 Winchester Magnum for 1,000 yard shooting.

--fjruple

I also own .458 Winchester Magnum that was built as a back-up gun for bear hunting. Lightweight with adjustable iron sights, fiberglass stock. Kicked like a mule but if it hit anythink at close range it was more than dead.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

[QUOTE=fjruple;3706470]

It just occured to me that a lot of MkX Actions were built into long range target rifles and were very competitive until the Barnards and other fancy rifle got approved for use.

That's quite true. Interarms offered the action in a single shot for gunsmiths to build an long range and benchrest rifles. I had a custom single shot in a .300 Winchester Magnum for 1,000 yard shooting.

--fjruple

That is similar to what happened in the UK, where Mauser and P14 Enfields were usually the most successful for many years, in a discipline where issue military ammunition had to be used. Only in years when the ammunition issue was inconsistent the Lee-Enfields, with their compensating properties at long range, came into their own. The only difference was that the purpose-made single shot target rifle that put an end to this was Swenson and Ingram's Swing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swing_rifle