My two pennies worth is that the M98 Mauser is the very best of the best of any hunting rifle ever designed, any place any time, in the history of the entire world.
The only real "improvement" to the M98 is the Model 70 style "safety" tab because it allows for a low mounted scope.
All descendants of the M98 and all other improvements except the above M70 "safety" tab, only came into being for the purpose of either lowering manufacturing costs ("cutting corners") or, for the purpose of trying to avoid being sued by Mauser for patent infringement.
If I was to have only one hunting rifle for the rest of my ever shortening life, it would be a Model 98 Mauser in .375 H&H, 4 or 5 shot magazine, with Austro-German 4x scope, set down low over the bore in best quality German style claw mounts, 24" medium weight/taper barrel and stout open sight rear / large white bead front sight.
(Promise you I would never bury it in sand or sink it in a swamp though, at least not on purpose anyway).