JC's Mauser 98 Adventure....
- Thread starter jcchartboy
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Nice clean up
Nice clean up job....you may want to consider quitting your day job.
Greg
My brother did the same project...it put a m-70 wing safety on his bolt. The bad news was it took 6 months of back-orders from MIDWAY to get the safety.
Nice clean up job....you may want to consider quitting your day job.
Greg
My brother did the same project...it put a m-70 wing safety on his bolt. The bad news was it took 6 months of back-orders from MIDWAY to get the safety.
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Removing the Charging Hump?
Next on my list of things to do was to remove the Charging Hump...
One of the identifying features of a military mauser is the distinct ?Charger Hump? that is located on the back portion of the receiver. While these were very useful to soldiers that needed to quickly load their rifles during battle, they are useless to a sport hunter. For this reason most custom Mauser builders will remove these humps in order to streamline the actions and to allow the scope bases to be mounted easier.
After my relative success with polishing of the sides and front ring of the receiver I decide to go to work with a set of files in order to remove the Hump. After the charger was removed I then finished rough polishing the remainder of the receiver?
Below the "Charging Hump" is visible on the top right of the receiver...
After Removing the "Charging Hump"...
Next on my list of things to do was to remove the Charging Hump...
One of the identifying features of a military mauser is the distinct ?Charger Hump? that is located on the back portion of the receiver. While these were very useful to soldiers that needed to quickly load their rifles during battle, they are useless to a sport hunter. For this reason most custom Mauser builders will remove these humps in order to streamline the actions and to allow the scope bases to be mounted easier.
After my relative success with polishing of the sides and front ring of the receiver I decide to go to work with a set of files in order to remove the Hump. After the charger was removed I then finished rough polishing the remainder of the receiver?
Below the "Charging Hump" is visible on the top right of the receiver...
After Removing the "Charging Hump"...
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Bottom Metal?
Now that I had purchased my action, and cleaned and rough polished the receiver, the next task was to acquire the appropriate bottom metal, (i.e., the triggerguard and floorplate) for my gun.
While it is certainly acceptable to use the standard military K-98 Mauser bottom metal for a custom Mauser most builders tend to shy away from their use. This is due to the fact that the floorplate release buttons on the K-98 type gaurds are difficult to use, and more importantly the floorplates are not physically attached to the triggergaurd once the release is sprung. Therefore most custom builders prefer to use one of a number of ?hinged floorplate? type triggergaurds which are available from a variety of different sources.
(For those that may not aware the most desirable hinged floorplates are those that have the floorplate release located in the triggergaurd itself. While there are numerous other versions available, all things considered, the triggergaurds with the release in the bow of the guard are consistently considered the most desirable and will usually demand the highest price.)
As I mentioned earlier, when I began this project I was attempting doing so with a frugal approach. As a result of that fact I began looking at my options based primarily on cost.
Hinged Triggergaurd #1?
After searching for a few weeks I finally found a hinged triggergaurd for the great price of 60$. The most interesting thing about this piece was the fact that it had an engraved pronghorn head on the floorplate. Unfortunately, shortly after I purchased the piece I quickly realized that the reason the price was so low was that it was completely made of aluminum! (Definitely not desirable: the finnish on Aluminum parts is extremely easy to scratch and the parts themselves provide very little stability to the action they are mated to.)
Fortunately, after explaining my mistake to the seller, the gentleman was kind enough to simply cancel my purchase.
JC
An example of the Aluminum "pronghead" guards...
Now that I had purchased my action, and cleaned and rough polished the receiver, the next task was to acquire the appropriate bottom metal, (i.e., the triggerguard and floorplate) for my gun.
While it is certainly acceptable to use the standard military K-98 Mauser bottom metal for a custom Mauser most builders tend to shy away from their use. This is due to the fact that the floorplate release buttons on the K-98 type gaurds are difficult to use, and more importantly the floorplates are not physically attached to the triggergaurd once the release is sprung. Therefore most custom builders prefer to use one of a number of ?hinged floorplate? type triggergaurds which are available from a variety of different sources.
(For those that may not aware the most desirable hinged floorplates are those that have the floorplate release located in the triggergaurd itself. While there are numerous other versions available, all things considered, the triggergaurds with the release in the bow of the guard are consistently considered the most desirable and will usually demand the highest price.)
As I mentioned earlier, when I began this project I was attempting doing so with a frugal approach. As a result of that fact I began looking at my options based primarily on cost.
Hinged Triggergaurd #1?
After searching for a few weeks I finally found a hinged triggergaurd for the great price of 60$. The most interesting thing about this piece was the fact that it had an engraved pronghorn head on the floorplate. Unfortunately, shortly after I purchased the piece I quickly realized that the reason the price was so low was that it was completely made of aluminum! (Definitely not desirable: the finnish on Aluminum parts is extremely easy to scratch and the parts themselves provide very little stability to the action they are mated to.)
Fortunately, after explaining my mistake to the seller, the gentleman was kind enough to simply cancel my purchase.
JC
An example of the Aluminum "pronghead" guards...
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Hinged Triggergaurd #2?
Thinking I had already learned my lessons, I returned to my search for a decent hinged triggergaurd...
About two weeks later, I finally located what was being advertised as a Parker-Hale type hinged floorplate from the parts supplier Numerich. (Parker-Hale was one of the few producers that manufactured commercial steel hinged floorplates.)
Once again thinking I had found a decent deal I quickly ordered up the 75$ part and eagerly awaited it?s arrival?Well, not surprisingly; I was once again disappointed with my purchase. While the part was in fact a ?Parker-Hale type?, and it was in fact milled, it was produced using the ?cast?method. (As opposed to the much more desirable ?Milled? method.) (Without going into great detail, when possible ?cast? triggergaurds are best avoided when building custom Mausers unless cost is an absolutely critical concern. Ideally, all parts should milled. )
Having already decided I wanted a milled part, back to the drawing board I went. (I later sold that Numerich part on Ebay for 87$, covering my purchase, shipping and listing fees.)
?Cast? Parker-Hale type hinged triggergaurd?
(Notice the prevalent centerline left as a result of the ?casting? process?
)
Thinking I had already learned my lessons, I returned to my search for a decent hinged triggergaurd...
About two weeks later, I finally located what was being advertised as a Parker-Hale type hinged floorplate from the parts supplier Numerich. (Parker-Hale was one of the few producers that manufactured commercial steel hinged floorplates.)
Once again thinking I had found a decent deal I quickly ordered up the 75$ part and eagerly awaited it?s arrival?Well, not surprisingly; I was once again disappointed with my purchase. While the part was in fact a ?Parker-Hale type?, and it was in fact milled, it was produced using the ?cast?method. (As opposed to the much more desirable ?Milled? method.) (Without going into great detail, when possible ?cast? triggergaurds are best avoided when building custom Mausers unless cost is an absolutely critical concern. Ideally, all parts should milled. )
Having already decided I wanted a milled part, back to the drawing board I went. (I later sold that Numerich part on Ebay for 87$, covering my purchase, shipping and listing fees.)
?Cast? Parker-Hale type hinged triggergaurd?
(Notice the prevalent centerline left as a result of the ?casting? process?
)
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Hinged Triggergaurd #3?
Having now had two bad experiences trying to buy triggergaurds at discount prices I finally decided to pay up for what I had known all along was the cr?me? de la cr?me? of hinged triggergaurds?an Argentine 1909 Military Hinged Triggergaurd.
Of course the problem with this approach was not only the fact that the Argentine?s cost even more, (Notice the theme of rising costs/expectations already), but also the fact that the Argentine?s can be hard to find.
Fortunately, I was able to find what was advertised as an original condition 09?, that had recently been polished and reblued. This triggergaurd cost about 100$.
Well, you guessed it, while the guard was close to advertised, (it was in fact a reblued 1909), it actually had a lot of alterations made to it?More importantly, the floorplate appeared as if it had been re-welded at some point.
After all was said and done, I decided that the part would require enough additional fitting work to make it function properly that it would be easier to just try buy another!
(This Argie was eventually sold, including disclaimers of condition, for 120$ on Ebay.)
Argie?
While it looks great at first glance, there were simply too many problems to fix in order to meet my expectations. (Notice the expecations rising as well..)
Yes, Virginia?.that is a the top of hex-head screw welded on the release, (that in itself is a whole nother story)(Also note the holes in the side of the mag well...a sure sign that this box was at one time "blocked off" for a short action caliber conversion)
Having now had two bad experiences trying to buy triggergaurds at discount prices I finally decided to pay up for what I had known all along was the cr?me? de la cr?me? of hinged triggergaurds?an Argentine 1909 Military Hinged Triggergaurd.
Of course the problem with this approach was not only the fact that the Argentine?s cost even more, (Notice the theme of rising costs/expectations already), but also the fact that the Argentine?s can be hard to find.
Fortunately, I was able to find what was advertised as an original condition 09?, that had recently been polished and reblued. This triggergaurd cost about 100$.
Well, you guessed it, while the guard was close to advertised, (it was in fact a reblued 1909), it actually had a lot of alterations made to it?More importantly, the floorplate appeared as if it had been re-welded at some point.
After all was said and done, I decided that the part would require enough additional fitting work to make it function properly that it would be easier to just try buy another!
(This Argie was eventually sold, including disclaimers of condition, for 120$ on Ebay.)
Argie?
While it looks great at first glance, there were simply too many problems to fix in order to meet my expectations. (Notice the expecations rising as well..)
Yes, Virginia?.that is a the top of hex-head screw welded on the release, (that in itself is a whole nother story)(Also note the holes in the side of the mag well...a sure sign that this box was at one time "blocked off" for a short action caliber conversion)
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Hinged Triggergaurd #4?
Finally, I get what I looking for?.(more later)
Hinged Triggergaurd #5?
Five?yes?I did in fact buy one other triggergaurd after finding what I was looking for. The simple reason was the fact that I paid only 75$, and more importantly, it featured a ?Winchester? type floorplate release. I personally thought I'd like this type of release. When these types of triggergaurds are crafted well they seem to be a very nice addition to a custom gun. (Basically I was also interested in checking out alternatives to the traditional bow release.)
Of course once again I was greatly disappointed! While the triggergaurd did in fact look OK and function properly there was no way I would ever spend any money to put it on a custom gun.
(After spending 3hours refitting and hand polishing this triggergaurd to reasonable standards I eventually resold this triggergaurd on Ebay for 95$.)
Finally, I get what I looking for?.(more later)
Hinged Triggergaurd #5?
Five?yes?I did in fact buy one other triggergaurd after finding what I was looking for. The simple reason was the fact that I paid only 75$, and more importantly, it featured a ?Winchester? type floorplate release. I personally thought I'd like this type of release. When these types of triggergaurds are crafted well they seem to be a very nice addition to a custom gun. (Basically I was also interested in checking out alternatives to the traditional bow release.)
Of course once again I was greatly disappointed! While the triggergaurd did in fact look OK and function properly there was no way I would ever spend any money to put it on a custom gun.
(After spending 3hours refitting and hand polishing this triggergaurd to reasonable standards I eventually resold this triggergaurd on Ebay for 95$.)
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jims said:
Jim,
Despite selling most of these parts for more than I paid for them after shipping, and listing fee's, there is rarely any money left over to speak of. My point in showing buying/selling prices is only to show the varying market prices for the parts, and to show that a good purchase price will allow the buyer to avoid losing money even when buying mistakes are made. (All the while educating the builder essentially for free..)
JC
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Trigger?
Deciding on a Mauser trigger is perhaps one of the easiest choices a custom builder has to make. While there are a great number of triggers available for the K98 Mauser, IMHO the only way to go is to purchase a either a custom Ted Blackburn trigger for @100$ , or if cost is a concern a Timney Featherweight trigger for @50$.
The reason for these choices is simple, both utilize the standard K98 safeties, (neither have an attached safety), and both are extremely smooth and reliable.
(While a trigger with an attached safety is an often used cost saving measure their use on a custom Mauser is best avoided for a number of reasons. 1) The action no longer operates like a true Mauser 2) They are visually unappealing in the fact that the action takes on the appearance of a Mauser clone similar to a Zavasta Mark X action. 3). Most importantly, trigger mounted safeties require irreversible inletting of the tang area of the stock greatly reducing the overall appeal and resale value of the entire gun.
All the above being stated, when I first began building this gun I purchased a Timney Featherweight Deluxe trigger with side mounted safety for 38$. However, quickly realizing the error of my ways I am reselling that trigger on ebay and will be fortunate enough to turn a profit on that part as well.
(In the meantime I have gotten a Blackburn trigger...)
Timney Featherweight w/side mt safety (Deluxe)....
As a point of reference...here is what the parts mentioned so far looked liked like when they were put together in the earlier phases of the project...
Deciding on a Mauser trigger is perhaps one of the easiest choices a custom builder has to make. While there are a great number of triggers available for the K98 Mauser, IMHO the only way to go is to purchase a either a custom Ted Blackburn trigger for @100$ , or if cost is a concern a Timney Featherweight trigger for @50$.
The reason for these choices is simple, both utilize the standard K98 safeties, (neither have an attached safety), and both are extremely smooth and reliable.
(While a trigger with an attached safety is an often used cost saving measure their use on a custom Mauser is best avoided for a number of reasons. 1) The action no longer operates like a true Mauser 2) They are visually unappealing in the fact that the action takes on the appearance of a Mauser clone similar to a Zavasta Mark X action. 3). Most importantly, trigger mounted safeties require irreversible inletting of the tang area of the stock greatly reducing the overall appeal and resale value of the entire gun.
All the above being stated, when I first began building this gun I purchased a Timney Featherweight Deluxe trigger with side mounted safety for 38$. However, quickly realizing the error of my ways I am reselling that trigger on ebay and will be fortunate enough to turn a profit on that part as well.
(In the meantime I have gotten a Blackburn trigger...)
Timney Featherweight w/side mt safety (Deluxe)....
As a point of reference...here is what the parts mentioned so far looked liked like when they were put together in the earlier phases of the project...
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The Reassessment?.
As many of you may have imagined, by this point in the project it was already becoming increasingly clear that this work was taking on a life of it?s own. The amount of time and resources I was putting into this gun had already surpassing my expectations and it was clear that I still a great deal of work ahead of myself.
When I began this project I had anticipated being able to put together a relatively inexpensive firearm, in a short amount of time that would meet my minimum expectations of what I believed was an honest ?custom Mauser?. (As opposed to a Bubba?d hack job.)
Therefore I decided to take a step a back and to decide where I was going with the mission, and how to best achieve my goal of owning a true custom Mauser. This meant reviewing my work to date and deciding if the materials that I currently had on hand were honestly compatible with the final quality I was coming to expect. (The more I worked on the project the more educated I became concerning quality custom Mausers builds. Of course the more educated I became, the higher my expectations rose!)
Up to this point I was extremely happy with my work/materials with only a few exceptions. My primary concern was the fact that the action was not quite as smooth/tight as I would want/expect from a finished custom gun. Therefore my next step was to begin reassessing the action by stoning the bolt and action rails in order to determine how much this particular VZ ultimately could be slicked up. (Note: At this point in the project I had still not found the hinged floorplate I was looking for?(this fact will later come play a part in my reassessment as well.)
This picture shows ?flat spots? as soon as I started stoning the bolt. These ?spots? indicate areas where the bolt lines do not run perpendicular front to back. Through the stoning process most if not all of these spots should be removed leaving a smooth, straight bolt to mate with the action.
As many of you may have imagined, by this point in the project it was already becoming increasingly clear that this work was taking on a life of it?s own. The amount of time and resources I was putting into this gun had already surpassing my expectations and it was clear that I still a great deal of work ahead of myself.
When I began this project I had anticipated being able to put together a relatively inexpensive firearm, in a short amount of time that would meet my minimum expectations of what I believed was an honest ?custom Mauser?. (As opposed to a Bubba?d hack job.)
Therefore I decided to take a step a back and to decide where I was going with the mission, and how to best achieve my goal of owning a true custom Mauser. This meant reviewing my work to date and deciding if the materials that I currently had on hand were honestly compatible with the final quality I was coming to expect. (The more I worked on the project the more educated I became concerning quality custom Mausers builds. Of course the more educated I became, the higher my expectations rose!)
Up to this point I was extremely happy with my work/materials with only a few exceptions. My primary concern was the fact that the action was not quite as smooth/tight as I would want/expect from a finished custom gun. Therefore my next step was to begin reassessing the action by stoning the bolt and action rails in order to determine how much this particular VZ ultimately could be slicked up. (Note: At this point in the project I had still not found the hinged floorplate I was looking for?(this fact will later come play a part in my reassessment as well.)
This picture shows ?flat spots? as soon as I started stoning the bolt. These ?spots? indicate areas where the bolt lines do not run perpendicular front to back. Through the stoning process most if not all of these spots should be removed leaving a smooth, straight bolt to mate with the action.
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Jeff I see a small piece of lint on a diagnonal line from the Mauser bolt face in picture number 2. Please vacuum. 
oke:
oke:
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VENISONEATR said:Jeff I see a small piece of lint on a diagnonal line from the Mauser bolt face in picture number 2. Please vacuum.
Not worry Jim,
I have already contact Graf's and order a new set of Lint Calipers. I was also able to pick up a new set of custom resizing Die's for the nozzle necks on my vaccum....All should be right in the world in a few days once they arrive... 8)
JC
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Action Upgrade....
Up to this point in my Mauser adventures I had already learned a great deal about building a custom Mauser. Needless to say my expectations for the quality of the final product were quickly rising. Fortunately, despite having purchased 500$+ in parts over the months I only had about 150$+ left invested in the project after taking into consideration the parts I was able to resell.
At that point I decided to reconsider my decision to base this gun on the VZ-24 action. While the action was sound and would be perfect for a simple ?working? rifle I felt that I would be better served if I could find an action in truly top shape. This meant the action needed be as smooth as possible even before I began any work on the action. Of course my search quickly pointed to the Argentine 1909 actions as the top choice for finding an action in the type of condition I was expecting?.(Not to mention that the 1909 actions also feature the true hinged floorplates I had been searching so hard for.)
After a month of searching I was able to find a good deal on previously sporterized 1909 Action. Not only did this result in a great upgrade in terms of the action, it also concluded my search for hinged floorplate all in one shot..
I purchased this converted/sporterized 1909 for 250$....despite the "sporterizing" the action itself remained in 100% original condition...(yes, that is the original military stock that had been "sporterized" by one crafty builder)
Up to this point in my Mauser adventures I had already learned a great deal about building a custom Mauser. Needless to say my expectations for the quality of the final product were quickly rising. Fortunately, despite having purchased 500$+ in parts over the months I only had about 150$+ left invested in the project after taking into consideration the parts I was able to resell.
At that point I decided to reconsider my decision to base this gun on the VZ-24 action. While the action was sound and would be perfect for a simple ?working? rifle I felt that I would be better served if I could find an action in truly top shape. This meant the action needed be as smooth as possible even before I began any work on the action. Of course my search quickly pointed to the Argentine 1909 actions as the top choice for finding an action in the type of condition I was expecting?.(Not to mention that the 1909 actions also feature the true hinged floorplates I had been searching so hard for.)
After a month of searching I was able to find a good deal on previously sporterized 1909 Action. Not only did this result in a great upgrade in terms of the action, it also concluded my search for hinged floorplate all in one shot..
I purchased this converted/sporterized 1909 for 250$....despite the "sporterizing" the action itself remained in 100% original condition...(yes, that is the original military stock that had been "sporterized" by one crafty builder)
