8mm Sporters at Cabela's

[nekshot]

I would rather buy a brno vz24 any day of the year over those. At least the vz have a smooth hand fit action.

[Kraschenbirn]

The 1903 was patterned after the 1893 Mausers and the Krag. Design work on the '03 started in 1899 and the Gov't had lots of 1893 Mausers in inventory after the Spanish American war. They probably had zero 1898 Mausers. The only thing on an '03 that was possibly copied from the '98 is the bolt sleeve lock and it is enough different that I doubt it is a patent infringement. The story that it was copied after the '98 Mauser is false but has been repeated for well over 100 years so it is taken as the truth.

The 'patent infringement' was over the Springfield Armory's use of stripper clips and, before WWI, in accordance with an out of court settlement, the U.S. paid Mauser $.75 for each Springfield produced. During the 'war to end all wars' the U.S. ceased payment and, afterwards, an international tribunal ruled in favor of Mauser's claim for the unpaid license fees...to the tune of $400,000 (around $5.3M in todays dollars.)

Bill

[bruce drake]

Rich,
Go back and buy one or even two if you can afford it and have plans to put a .308 caliber barrel on of the actions later. , Zastava Arms made the Long Action Mauser 98s that Remington sold from 2006-2008 as their Remington Model 798s and were either bolt faced for a .473" boltface or their Magnum rifles were chambered for the larger belted cases of the .375 H&H family cartridges.
Zastava hasn't officially rebuilt Mauser rifles since 1950 although many veterans of the Yugoslavian troubles in the early 90's believe the Zastava Army Factory rebuilt many Mod 98s to furnish arms for the newly created Serbian military.
Chances are, that the action if its marked as a "Zastava" it is a new-made action and barrel. If it has either Model 98/48 or Mod 98/40 or the Royal Crest of Yugoslavia anywhere on it, its a rebuild rifle from WWII stocks. Most Yugo pre-war Mauser rifles were made by FN and have 98/22 at times marked on them while WWII German captured firearms would have a complete range of arms factories producing the K98K model of the rifle in Intermediate and Long action designs.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remington_Model_798
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zastava_M_98/48

That said, if you find a Yugo 48 model rifle that has been sporterized, those are considered an Intermediate-Length action (bolt and receiver are a touch shorter than a Long Action. The Intermediates Yugo 48s where originally chambered for 8x57 but they can handle 308 Winchester length cartridges without having to modify any feed rails as well.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zastava_M_98/48

If it is a 8.75" long-action Mauser 98, you can use it for 30-06 length cartridges in addition to the 8x57mm-based family of cartridges., And after some bolt and feed-rail modifications, magnum cartridge cases

I also own a several long and intermediate length action Mauser 98s. (action length is 8.5") I currently have one of my Yugo 48s rechambered as a .22-6mm Remington (5.56x57mm) from a 22-250 Remington 1-14" barrel, one Yugo 48 was re-barreled in 308Win and one of my Long action 98s has been chambered from its original 8x57 to 8mm-06. I'd not recommend a Long Action for a 308 win though. The bolt throw and travel is excessive to a Model 98 designed for a 12mm longer cartridge. I do own a couple of Model 98 rifles in .308 Win on a Long-action 98 and I have committed to myself to conversions to be longer 8x57mm and 7x57 cartridges this summer.
You need to shoot heavy 190-200gr lead or jacketed bullets for the 8x57 to really come into its own as an accurate and deadly highpower cartridge. https://load-data.nosler.com/load-data/8mm-06/ the 8mm-06 doesn't malfunction in feeding or shooting and the wildcat lets me exceed 30-06 performances with those same heavy-weight bullets. with a .323" caliber bullet and the increase in maximum stabilized bullet weight in comparison to a 30-06 bullet which caps out effectively at 180gr, the 8mm-06 (https://load-data.nosler.com/load-data/8mm-06/) has long been called the poor man's 8mm Remington Magnum. (https://load-data.nosler.com/load-da...ington-magnum/) as its only 400fps lower than the 8mmRemMag book listed loads despite having a 10% volume advantage over the 8mm Rem Mag which a careful handloader can use to his advantage.

Have a good day doing some further research on that commercial Zastava Arms or Surplus Yugo rifle.

Bruce

[richhodg66]

I may have to do that, Bruce.

Another odd thing, I got on a 16 gauge kicks a while back and now have a couple, but was on the hunt for a double barrel in it and eventually found a nice old Stevens and just as soon as I did, I went to the Cabela's in Wichita and there were five or six old doubles which I believe were listed as Zastava also in 16 gauge. All the same. Then, the Cabela's in KC had three or four of the same thing, plus a few in 12 gauge too. Don't need one now, but if I still had, I would have looked them over and picked out the best one.

I have rarely bought much from Cabela's but I sure do like to go in there and look around.

[Earlwb]

The nice thing about Mauser 98's is that they sell pre-threaded and fitted barrels in many calibers for them. You only need a finishing reamer to get the head space just right. So if you decide you want a different caliber, no problem changing one out. If you wear out of the existing barrel is worn out you can replace the 8x57 barrel easily too. New stocks sold by several businesses too. Even some custom triggers as well. One of the benefits of the old surplus after war days.

[koger]

The ones I looked at were new commercial actions, did not have the thumb cut nor the cut in the receiver for stripper clips. They were in older, crudely finished stocks at the Cabelas store in Lexington, KY. These are the same guns Remington imported and sold under their name a few years back.

[Texas by God]

The 8x57S stood the military world on its ear with a 154gr fmj at 2900 fps in 1905. Everyone scrambled to keep up, including us, switching from the 30-03 to 30-06. The 8x57 works very well with light weight jacketed bullets. The discontinued Hornady 125 gr sp was one of the deadliest deer bullets I've ever seen at 3000 fps.

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[Earlwb]

I happened to drop by the Cabelas in Fort Worth again, and went by the gun racks. They had three or four of the Zastava Mausers left. They do look like they used a civilian receiver, and used a 8x57 military barrel on them. The stocks are typical sporter stocks with the raised cheekpiece. Nothing fancy about the wood or its finish though. The guns are all greased up, so no way to tell what the bores look like without cleaning them good first. They had about ten or so the last time I was in the store. The price now is $449 each. Some were missing the sling mounts though. I don't know if the sling mounts are in a box in the back or someone stole them.

They also still had some Schmidt Rubin military rifles as well as a bunch of Mosin-Nagants. The Mosins all had round receivers no octagon receiver versions.

[gnostic]

These Mauser actions appear to have a large portion of the receiver ground flat, I could be wrong. I'd wear a full face motorcycle helmet and welders gloves when firing.

[Earlwb]

The ones I saw were not ground flat on top. They did have Weaver groove scope bases installed. Anyway grinding on top of the receiver to make it flat should not affect the strength any.

[richhodg66]

The ones I saw weren't ground flat and did not have military stepped barrels either.

Beginning to think for $400 I oughta go back and get one, but I really need another basic deer rifle like a hole in my head.

[Earlwb]

yeah, that is my problem too. I need another deer rifle like a hole in the head too. Sort of darned if you do and darned if you don't kind of thing.

[Texas by God]

It's only money, you'll make more. Says the devil on your shoulder....
$400,blued steel & actual wood, 98 Mauser goodness.

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[oldblinddog]

Known forever as the Springfield, although it was also built by a number of other gun companies, the new bolt action rifle slavishly aped nearly all of the salient features of the latest and fully developed Mauser Model of 1898. These included an internal, machined magazine box incorporated into the bottom metal, the long one-piece extractor and dual front locking lugs with a 90-degree bolt lift.

https://www.chuckhawks.com/1903_springfield_rifle.htm


1903 Springfield and 1898 Mauser

[RogerDat]

Military headstamp 30-06 brass is ubiquitous and readily converted to 8mm brass. 2 inch Harbor Freight metal chop saw and/or the RCBS trim form die https://www.midwayusa.com/product/10...06-springfield Make a pile of brass that due to the military not putting the caliber on the head stamp doesn't read 30-06 to falsely label the finished brass. I guess one could be in a I have to buy store bought ammo situation but why? We all make ammo not buy it.

The caliber is good, the rifles are good, it's only a matter of will having one be something you enjoy? Or not? And if you decide to sell it will the price be likely to at least recover a fair amount if not all of the original purchase price. I don't consider buying for future profit. Crystal ball lies too darn often but a good 8mm should at least hold its value well. I guess I think it is more likely to be sold later for a different project or acquisition where a few dollar loss is considered the price of using and enjoying it for a few years. On the other hand if you really don't need a tool buying it can be a waste of money. Deer whackers you got? Then it only makes sense as a "good deal" and a fun project. You value that as you perceive it. Some one else may put a different value. Me I would be all over that like flies on fresh... you get my drift.

[EO1]

Regarding the Zastavas in question by the OP.
I have been looking at these for a few weeks at my local Cabelas.
What I have seen are a mix of all sorts of things. The receivers have all been M48A (intermediate length) with the stamped floorplate yet d&ted for scope bases, not ground, and in 8x57 but that is where the similarity ends. They can have sporter barrels w/sporter sights or military stepped with the issue sights. Stocks are the same, they can be sporter stocks or sporterized military with the butt sling slot plugged, or some cross between the two, all appear to be beech. Bores on the military stepped barrels can range from poor to almost new.
Being post 1945 made receivers, the metallurgy is better than pre 46.
If you are considering the purchase of one of these, check the bores.
These rifles appear to be made up from "leftovers" (so to speak) - either from the factory or the importer (ala Bannerman). For the money they are honest no frills mausers made with more modern metallurgy and have a "soul" to them instead of current production lower end rifles.
Ammo is cheap online with Privi 8x57, both SP & FMJ, for $12 a box and there is plenty of it.



.

[Uncle Grinch]

They were discussing these rifles in this thread here https://forums.gunboards.com/showthr...terized-rifles

Zastava apparently did a arsenal sporterizing on the rifles, bent the bolt handle down, drilled and tapped them for scope mounts. Cabelas apparently got a bunch of them to sell in their stores. if you want a nice hunting rifle, they would be pretty good. But with Remington Savage, Thomson Center, Ruger selling modern bolt action rifles for about the same price or less, it is a difficult choice to have to make. There is nothing wrong with the 8x57 round but the other rifle choices let you pick much more common cartridge calibers though. Easier to find in a store somewhere if you need a box of ammo while out in the field. The rifles I looked at seemed to be caked with old Cosmoline like stuff, but looked to be in nice condition with little use, unless they had polished and reblued them or something.

YMMV, but for the same money, I would much rather have a good Mauser 98 than any of the newer/cheaper plastic/fantastic economy rifles - AND, the 8x57 is no slouch in the game
field.


.

Well said!

[RED BEAR]

The 8mm is a darn fine round. Loading components can be had pretty easily as well as factory ammo. A lot of factory ammo is very light in case someone uses it in one of the old .318 bores. Surplus or some European ammo is pretty good and hand loader can really do the 8mm justice.

[1Hawkeye]

My local Cabela's (Gainesville)had some of these a while back but they were not priced that low and most of them looked like bubba found a hacksaw & a 12 pack. They had 6 or 8 of them some weren't drilled & tapped and a couple didn't even have the bolt handles bent. I guess they got the runts of the litter.

[EO1]

My local Cabela's (Gainesville)had some of these a while back but they were not priced that low and most of them looked like bubba found a hacksaw & a 12 pack. They had 6 or 8 of them some weren't drilled & tapped and a couple didn't even have the bolt handles bent. I guess they got the runts of the litter.

Yes, they certainly can be mixmasters (not necessarily a bad thing), some being more than others although I have not seen any that bad at my local Cabelas. D&T matters not to me as I use iron sights.
I'm thinking it's the last of the Zastava M48 (and possibly M70) models now that they are making their new M808, but I could be wrong.
No doubt about it, they certainly are head scratchers.