Mauser 98 and 404 Jeffery

[thumper15]

Ok guys just joined the forum and have a question. As I posted in the greetings page I have a Mark X with a magnum bolt face, a vz24, and a regular mauser 98 to which to build on. I know it's generally not advised to build a 404 on a non magnum action. However, my question is just how much work would be involved in converting the Mark X into a 404? My plan as it is now is to build the vz24 or the 98 into a 9.3x62, and without modifying the Mark X I'm leaning toward the 416 taylor just because. Any opinions or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[mdwest]

Calling @Shawn.54 !

Shawn is just about finished with his 404 jeff 98 Mauser project, and helped coach me through my 35 whelen mauser conversion (I took mine to the range today.. its shooting great)..

If you decide you ever want to sell off one of those non magnum actions, let me know.. I'm addicted at this point.. as soon as I finished the 35 whelen I started on a 7x57 mauser build from a bare action.. I'll be done with that one in a couple of weeks, and am now wanting to build a .458 win mag on a large ring action.. I was literally just looking at gunbroker 10 minutes ago for either a bare action or a barreled action at a decent price..)..

 

[Shawn.54]

Ok guys just joined the forum and have a question. As I posted in the greetings page I have a Mark X with a magnum bolt face, a vz24, and a regular mauser 98 to which to build on. I know it's generally not advised to build a 404 on a non magnum action. However, my question is just how much work would be involved in converting the Mark X into a 404? My plan as it is now is to build the vz24 or the 98 into a 9.3x62, and without modifying the Mark X I'm leaning toward the 416 taylor just because. Any opinions or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I say take the action with the magnum bolt face and go for the 404 Jeffery. If done right there is very little effect on the strength of the bolt lug.
If that action is already setup to feed a belted mag it will take very little work to feed 404J.
Shawn

 

[thumper15]

Shawn, that's what I'm so far uneducated about just how much and what needs modified to fit a 404 in the magnum action and be totally reliable. It's currently chambered in 7mm rem mag.

mdwest; I got lucky on the vz24 and 98 a old high school buddy owns a pawn shop and i got them really cheap.
Good luck on your search though

 

[Shawn.54]

Shawn, that's what I'm so far uneducated about just how much and what needs modified to fit a 404 in the magnum action and be totally reliable. It's currently chambered in 7mm rem mag.
I’ll look over my notes get you a plan and some pics together and send them your way.
Shawn

 

[thumper15]

Thanks Shawn I would appreciate it

 

[Shawn.54]

I actually made my project harder than it needed to be by building a box for the magazine the original rifles just used the wood of the stock for the sides. But being a metal worker I did it anyway.
Shawn

 

[Shootist43]

Thumper15, I'm happy to see you took my advice. Now you are getting input from a guy that has been there and done that. A while back I was looking for ways to acquire a 404 Jeffery working rifle (read not $10K) that included an option of building one from a "donor" action. I was all but positive that the Mark X action you have would work. The combined depth of knowledge of AH members and their willingness to share it never ceases to amaze me. You do realize however that you are now "obligated" to post progress photos etc. of your project rifle.

 

[thumper15]

LOL, yeah I know I'm about to embark on a journey of no return. Been looking at the parts needed to build it the way I want, so once a plan is finalized and start getting parts I'll post pics as progress allows.

 

[Ray B]

You have a predictable future: complete the 404, then a variety of steps, ending up with a double in .500NE. It's a great ride!!

 

[nztimb]

I built a 404 on a Colombian 98 ex mil action and while there was a reasonable ammount of gunsmith and my own handwork work involved it wasn't nearly as complicated a project as is often portrayed using a standard 98 action.

 

[sestoppelman]

Remember too that Harry Selby's .416 Rigby was also built on the std 98 action and not a magnum.

 

[Shawn.54]

I built a 404 on a Colombian 98 ex mil action and while there was a reasonable ammount of gunsmith and my own handwork work involved it wasn't nearly as complicated a project as is often portrayed using a standard 98 action.

The Colombian Mausers were chambered for 30-06 with 3.34 col while most 98s were set up for col of 3.228” so it would have been much closer to the 404 Jeffery col of 3.53”.
Shawn

 

[Shawn.54]

When I was a kid a local importer of military surplus had racks of the Colombian Mausers for $125.00 and I thought about getting one wish now I had gotten 10.
Shawn

 

[nztimb]

The Colombian Mausers were chambered for 30-06 with 3.34 col while most 98s were set up for col of 3.228” so it would have been much closer to the 404 Jeffery col of 3.53”.
Shawn

The mag box needed lengthening a little to get full length for the cartridge but that was not a difficult adjustment to make with very little lengthening being needed for the bolt stop

 

[thumper15]

One headache I've had has been to figure out what cartridge to chamber in these actions and which ones each. The ones I've always been been dreamed of having has been 404 jeffery, 300 H&H, 9.3x62, 375 H&H. Ok I actually have 4 actions if I include the Mark X whitworth in 25-06, but that one is in great shape as it is.

 

[Ray B]

One headache I've had has been to figure out what cartridge to chamber in these actions and which ones each. The ones I've always been been dreamed of having has been 404 jeffery, 300 H&H, 9.3x62, 375 H&H. Ok I actually have 4 actions if I include the Mark X whitworth in 25-06, but that one is in great shape as it is.

There was a discussion (that may have been on this site) a while back where a wildcat 404 Jeffery was discussed. The only change from the original was the shortening of the neck and the intended bullets were the 340-350 grain models that were shorter than the more standard 400 - 450 grain bullets. the results were that the OAL of the cartridge was short enough that no lengthening of the action was needed. so the shooter had a cartridge with the performance of the 404 J with the lighter end of the bullet spectrum without the action changes needed for the standard 404J.

 

[thumper15]

Yeah that though had entered my mind but there's already the 416 taylor I was thinking about.

 

[CTDolan]

When I was a kid a local importer of military surplus had racks of the Colombian Mausers for $125.00 and I thought about getting one wish now I had gotten 10.
Shawn

Back in the day my dad bought his .303 Enfield from Dayton’s department store (now Macy’s). He said that they had a pile of them, upside down, in a wooden barrel. He selected the best, paid the asking price (likely under $100), and took the rifle home. My how times have changed!

 

[Shawn.54]

The place I was at was called Springfield Sporters and had so many old Mausers and Endfields that they had stacks of crates outside under tarps they even roped off freshly planted grass with 93 Mausers barrels driven into the ground and rope run through the trigger guards.
You could buy a 98 action for $30-$50 they are still open but things are at a premium now.
Shawn