Good find today

[richhodg66]

This isn't tecnically a factory rifle, but I found a really nicely sporterized Chech '98 Mauser in .30-06 in a shop today for $349.99. Has a nice Leupold 2x7 mounted in good Leupold mounts and a very nice piece of wood on it. The sporterizer put on some kind of after market trigger too, breaks very light and crisp. Blueing is deep and nice.

I really wasn't in the market for another rifle, though a good .30-06 is the kind of thing I can usually find room for, I've been perusing racks hoping to turn up a Savage '99 or two since I'm on a 99 kick. It was obviously put together by someone who knew what he was doing and I suspect it'll shoot real well, though it's gonna be a while before I get it to a range. Not sure what I'll do with it yet, but worst case, I think I can get my money out of it, rebarrel it to something else if it doesn't shoot, or give it to my son when he gets settled and has a place he can keep it.

There seems to be a move among the manufacturers to make some really cheap, bottom rung bolt rifles lately, The Savage Axis, Remington 710/770, etc. When I find deals like this on a rifle, I really have to wonder who is buying these super cheapies when used rifles like this can be had for about the same money, often less. Not criticizing anybody's choices, I like Remington 788s and Savage 340s which were cheapies in their day, but between this Mauser and the plastic fantastic mass production stuff nowadays, there just doesn't seem to be any real comparison to me.

[bruce drake]

Rich,

As we get older, we appreciate the finer things in life. Younger shooters more often are focused on the immediate needs and the new poly rifles are designed that way.

That rifle should be a treat if she shoots cast as well as you describe it.

Bruce

[richhodg66]

You know, I couldn't pass it up for what the price was. I have plenty of rifles including good .30-06 hunting rifles, but if nothing else, #1 son is headed to his first duty station and will need a few guns I'm willing to let go of and a .30-06 is so easy to find ammo for, he won't need to get a reloading set up right away. Truthfully, the green box Remington factory stuff is cheap enough at Walmart that I almost couldn't reload it any cheaper, with jacketed bullets anyway.

Deals are out there, and this was a pawn shop where I'd never bought anything before. Their bread and butter there seems to be newer auto pistols, which is fine, but the rifles and shotguns seem to be just a side show for them.

[bruce drake]

side shows normally mean good deals :)

[BruceB]

There truly are some real bargains out there.

Your new rifle is a prime example... great action, solid wood, real steel, wonderful cartridge, high-quality scope.... PERFECT, and the price is very attractive. A shooter could use that rifle all his life, for almost anything in North America, and never find himself at any disadvantage at all. You did very well indeed!

Such rifles as this appear with some regularity at the Big Reno Show, and I often marvel at just how easily a new hunter could equip himself for the foreseeable future for very modest cost..... with NO compromise in quality or reliability. An '06 fits North America to a "T" , and except for maybe bison and the big bears, needs no apologies from anyone.

It even makes a danged good cast-bullet rifle.

What a fine rifle you found!

[fatelk]

It came with the 2-7 Leupold for that price? That's a steal for a well done sporter, especially if the barrel is good and shoots straight.


As we get older, we appreciate the finer things in life.

Well said. That and we learn to recognize what those finer things really are.

To really do a sporter right, it takes either a lot of time and know-how, or a lot of money. To find one already done right, at a good price, is a gift.

[Ben]

what no pics?

[richhodg66]

I should get some pics up.

The stock, while nice, isn't really my taste for looks, but is comfortable to me. This one is no lightweight, which I like. Seems a bit of heft make for an easier shooting rifle and I've grown rather averse to being kicked the past few years it seems.

Oddly, the son and I were in another shop in another town and found another very nicely sporterized Mauser for the same price. The scope wasn't a Leupold and I don't think it had an after market trigger like this one, but it was marked FN Belgian Mauser and I liked the stocking job a little better. This one was a .270 which I have never had and haven't loaded for, so I kinda lost interest, but if I were getting started, no way I'd buy a Remington 710 or Savage Axis with rifles like this around. Of course, if just getting started, I probably wouldn't know any better.

I may go back and get that .270. Got a rebarreling project in mind that would go great on that rifle and a lot of the work is done already. That same shop had a real nice Pre War Savage 99 takedown I got distracted by, but I'll go have another look at the Mauser. The general deer season is over now, so that rifle will sit a while, I think. Maybe they'd be willing to haggle a bit.