Mauser action questions

[bdicki]

I have this Mauser action and am wondering if it anything special, is it a military or a non military action. Is it worth building a rifle out of?
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t182/bdicki/IMG_0773_zpsalm9c156.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t182/bdicki/IMG_0772_zpsdnrmooij.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t182/bdicki/IMG_0774_zpsqrdxhn5p.jpg

[RustyReel]

I'd say it is special, and certainly worthy of a build. Seems to be missing the extractor and has a bit of rust but.....Wanna part with it?

[lefty o]

not the prettiest thing, but its a perfectly useable large ring M98 action.

[OptimusPanda]

I happen to notice something in that picture. The circular notch cut out at the rear of the front receiver ring. The only times I've seen that is when a mauser was converted to 30-06 as the bullet tips interfere there.

[seaboltm]

I think it is a commercial action. Rough shape, looks like some pitting. The relief cut in the receiver ring could have been for any longish cartridge such as 8x64 Mauser.

[RustyReel]

Just curious, is the bolt face standard or magnum?

[Kraschenbirn]

Pear-shaped bolt knob and lever-style floorplate release would indicate a pre-WWII commercial action. It's been awhile but I can remember seeing one very similar chambered in 7x64 that was acquired in Germany by an Air Force Colonel during the Berlin Airlift. Haven't a clue what happened to that piece, though. When he passed away, several years ago, his guns weren't on the estate sale and all the auctioneer would say was that they had been removed by a 'family member'.

Bill

[bdicki]

The bolt face is the same as my 8mm-06, here is a picture of a 30-06 in the action.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t182/bdicki/IMG_0777_zpsexilhbk4.jpg

[LAGS]

That is a Pre War Mauser sold commercially.
The hinged floor plate and the side swing magazine release lever are the dead give away.
I convert Military Mausers to the same floorplate and Release to dress up my rifles.
I have to hand make the parts since you just cant find any originals.
It is a nice feature to have on the rifle being an Original.
The notch in the front ring was made for the longer cartridges, but I doubt if it was for an 06, but maybe a Metric of similar length like the 8x64 Brenke.
Nice Find.
I would build something out of it in a heartbeat.

[Yodogsandman]

IMO it looks like it's been semi customized already by the pear shaped bolt knob and lever release on the magazine. I would not expect a commercial action to have stripper clip slot. What date is stamped on the front receiver ring? Can you get a better photo of the writing on it?

From what I can see, I'd build something nice out of that!

[Geezer in NH]

What is at the front left of the action??? looks wrong IMHO

Need better pictures as these are ****.

[bdicki]

There is no date on the receiver ring and the number on the bolt matches the receiver.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t182/bdicki/IMG_0781_zpsdxj9zpmh.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t182/bdicki/IMG_0793_zpsl78kexho.jpg

[bdicki]

What is at the front left of the action??? looks wrong IMHO

Need better pictures as these are ****.

What looks wrong?
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t182/bdicki/IMG_0796_zps0vylstij.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t182/bdicki/IMG_0788_zpsmwci6umr.jpg

[Yodogsandman]

No extractor

[LAGS]

The Commercially Sold actions in the 30's were actually made from surplus parts from the first world war since Germany was prohibited from Manufacturing Military weapons .
But when they started producing the Commercial Actions, they did have the Stripper Guide ears removed and the Thumb Slot removed or not cut.
Most people refer to the Commercial Actions like the Parker Hale, and the FN actions made After WW2.
So there is a differance in the Commercial Actions, and the Commercially Sold actions.
And then there are the Military Actions that were built into Custom Sporting Rifles for export in the 30's and many custom riflemakers building their rifles out of what they could get at the time.

[Frank46]

Would make a nice iron sight rifle and with the hinged floor plate and lever release thats's just icing on the cake. Bead blast the receiver and magazine and polish the bolt would be the way I would go. Frank

[LAGS]

I believe the Commercially Produced Mausers produced between the wars, were what they called the Banner Mausers.
The Mauser Logo was like a Banner that said Mauser.
And some of those ended up being issued to troops durring the war, so you have them with millitary Proof marks and insignias also.

[seaboltm]

Pre WWII Mausers in commercial configuration had the stripper guides and thumb slot. I have a pre WWI JP Sauer Mauser. It has the stripper guides and the thumb slot. However it is milled and fitted with Suhler mounts, sometimes called "claw" mounts in the US. It is in 8x60J. It was obviously an 8x57J that was converted to 8x60J following WWI. Back to the point, German gun builders, including the great JP Sauer and Sohn, bought unbarreled actions straight from manufactures. The unbarreled actions had the military features, but no military markings. Following WWII commercial Mauser actions were very different. My Sauer has a half octagon half round barrel, double set triggers, and the same floor plate release shown. The Mauser in this thread is a commercial Mauser bought by some manufacturer to build completed rifles out of. Who knows which one. My Sauer is marked on the barrel, not on the receiver, as are all pre WWI Sauer Mauser rifles, to my knowledge.

[bdicki]

Would make a nice iron sight rifle and with the hinged floor plate and lever release thats's just icing on the cake. Bead blast the receiver and magazine and polish the bolt would be the way I would go. Frank
Funny story, I lost track of this action about 10 years ago and I had a three lief sight picked out for the build. I found the sight in my safe a couple of weeks ago and sold it here to Goodsteel. A week later the action shows up at my house. Oh well.

[Mk42gunner]

My guess is it was a commercially sold action that is begging to be built into a .35 Whelen or 9.3x62mm.

Polish and rust blue the action, jewel the bolt, and find a steel aperture sight for it. Add a barrel band front sight ramp with a Sourdough front sight and a nice piece of walnut, and you will have something to look at while sitting anywhere in the world.

Robert

[MBTcustom]

You could build a jaw dropping rifle out of that if you take your time and finish it correctly.
I still have your iron sight and I'll send it back your way if you like. No problem.

[gnoahhh]

That is definitely a commercial Mauser action, never made for the military. At the Mauser Werke they didn't recycle old WWI actions- all were commercial actions made fresh. The Versaille Treaty didn't apply to commercial rifle building. The giveaway is the uniquely shaped bolt handle that is obviously not altered in any way and which retains the matching serial number. As said before, that notch in the receiver ring was put there in actions destined for long-ish cartridges.

Too bad it has severe pitting, but it can be salvaged for building one very classy sporter. Just please don't do any drill and tapping that interferes with the lettering, and polish by hand to retain that crisp Mauser feel.

Research pre-war Mauser commercial sporters and get a feel for their stock designs. One would have to look far and wide to beat what those folks were doing 80-85 years ago.

[seaboltm]

Funny story, I lost track of this action about 10 years ago and I had a three lief sight picked out for the build. I found the sight in my safe a couple of weeks ago and sold it here to Goodsteel. A week later the action shows up at my house. Oh well.

Funnier story: I think the three leaf sight you sold to Goodsteel is on a piece of custom work he did for me. Just got it back late last week. Tim built the rear sight island and installed the sights. Awesome work.151442

Oops. See where Tim still has your sight. Still, gave me the chance to show some of his handy work.

[seaboltm]

The Versaille Treaty didn't apply to commercial rifle building.

I don't think that is correct. My JP Sauer was made in 1912. It is in 8x60J. The original marking was 8x57J. The 8x60 came about as a simple solution to converting rifles into non-military calibers.

[gnoahhh]

Building of new commercial rifles, not calibers. The 8x57 chambering was banned under the Treaty for a few years, and you're right- the 8x60 was the answer to that.

[bdicki]

You could build a jaw dropping rifle out of that if you take your time and finish it correctly.
I still have your iron sight and I'll send it back your way if you like. No problem.

No you keep, it I'm not sure if I'm up for another custom build. I have 3 custom Mausers now a 30-06, 8mm-06 and a 35 Whelen. The bottom one is the 30-06, top is a Model 70 270 that I just sold to the guy that built it for me.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t182/bdicki/DSCN0835.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t182/bdicki/DSCN0836.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t182/bdicki/DSCN0834.jpg

[lobogunleather]

There were several manufacturers of "Mauser" rifles during both wars, and since. DWM (Deutsche Waffen und Munitions Fabriken) generally claims the "Mauser" trade name (Mauser "banner" trademark). Oberndorff was another contract manufacturer. Polish, Czech, FN, and other national makers turned out Mauser rifles using both surplus parts and newly made receivers for about a hundred years or so.

Prior to WW1 the US government armory at Springfield Armory lost a patent infringement case regarding use of Mauser patent designs in the 1903 Springfield rifles, and payment of claims and royalties was interrupted only by WW1 (along about the same time that Bayer aspirin, a German company, was suing several US drug companies infringing on their patented formulas).

Lots of history, all of it interesting.