Building a custom 09 argentine mauser on a budget

[TroyF]

hello,

My lgs has a sporter 09 Argentine I'm looking to pickup when I've got the money, it's a simple sporter, stock cut, chambered to 3006 and t hats if. I've been wanting to build a companion rifle for my 7x57ackley that John van Patten built me before he passed, he was a gunsmith from Milford Pennsylvania he was shop Forman for p.o Ackley and worked with him at the school.

The 7x57ai is on a 09 Argentine action and I've always had a fondness for them, if I get this rifle I'd like to build a 9.3x62, no need for one in N.Y. But will make a nice bear or for close up in thick cover.

As the title says I'd like to try this on a budget, most work I can do myself but some stuff I just can't do. My dad has a old 9" south bend lathe I can do some things with but not much. I think it's wise to have this action recasehardend or dlc. So that will be some money and need to look into that.

I have some mauser specifically tools, like a bolt forging jig, barrel vise/action wrench, think I can borrow the jig to hold the action in the lathe. Believe my dads friend has the thing to profile the top of the action for bases.

A quick list of what I was looking to use on this build.
Looking at a shaw barrel, cm maybe 22" about $ 200 long chambered in 9.3x62
Stock I'll probably use one from Richards micro fits. $100 and up.
I have Talley qd rings and bases that should work.
Trigger either tune or a timney $100
Looking at the gentry customs safety m70 type $180 or one of the kits
Do what I need for the floor plate and triggerguard.
I'd like some sights to, have to look more, the necg ones are nice
Forge the bolt handle and shape

There's a bunch of other things I'm forgetting. Any info or tips would be very helpful. Here's a few really poor pictures of my 7x57ai. Thanks. Troy.

 

[rdog]

Lother Walther do a pre fit M98 barrel in 9.3x62 in a couple of profiles, a better product than Shaw i n my opinion, i have used them in 7x57, 8x57 & have a 9.3 x62 on order.

 

[TroyF]

Lother Walther do a pre fit M98 barrel in 9.3x62 in a couple of profiles, a better product than Shaw i n my opinion, i have used them in 7x57, 8x57 & have a 9.3 x62 on order.

I'll take a look thanks

 

[Wyatt Smith]

The beauty of a controlled round feed action is being able to unload it from the top without fully chambering a round. Just run the bolt back and forth. So the military bottom metal will work fine.
You might consider JES re-bore, I haven’t used them but several on here have. I think it’s pretty reasonable
On a 9.3 iron sights would be nice with QD rings, but the can come later.

 

[TroyF]

The beauty of a controlled round feed action is being able to unload it from the top without fully chambering a round. Just run the bolt back and forth. So the military bottom metal will work fine.
You might consider JES re-bore, I haven’t used them but several on here have. I think it’s pretty reasonable
On a 9.3 iron sights would be nice with QD rings, but the can come later.

I don't think jes recommends boring military barrels, it can be done I had John van Patten bore a Springfield barrel for a 358 Norma mag. For the price now I can get a new barrel. The Argentine has one of the best military bottom metals and floorplate but it needs some metal removed to be better.

 

[TroyF]

Anyone know of any books or available information on 98 mauser action work.

 

[browningbbr]

There's a series of videos on MidwayUSA that will help with some of the work you want to do.

The beauty of your Argentine is the hinged floor plate. I soldered a button onto the release lever of one of mine to make it open more easily like a commercial model.

Don't "half do it" when it comes to barrel and action work. You'll be unhappy with the outcome. If you cannot do it yourself, spend some money on that part and do the rest yourself. Ahlmans in Morristown MN does excellent work at a reasonable price and can even do blueprinting on a model 98. I had them do one for me once with a Douglas barrel and it's excellent. I've done several others myself.

I'm not sure if it's still here on AH, but there were photos of the last Mauser I completed.

My $0.02....

browningbbr

 

[TroyF]

There's a series of videos on MidwayUSA that will help with some of the work you want to do.

The beauty of your Argentine is the hinged floor plate. I soldered a button onto the release lever of one of mine to make it open more easily like a commercial model.

Don't "half do it" when it comes to barrel and action work. You'll be unhappy with the outcome. If you cannot do it yourself, spend some money on that part and do the rest yourself. Ahlmans in Morristown MN does excellent work at a reasonable price and can even do blueprinting on a model 98. I had them do one for me once with a Douglas barrel and it's excellent. I've done several others myself.

I'm not sure if it's still here on AH, but there were photos of the last Mauser I completed.

My $0.02....

browningbbr

yea I remember watching those videos a few years ago, some good info. I'll get a price from Douglas barrels, last price I got was around $500 installed. The barrel on my 7x57ai is a Douglas air gauged and shoots extremely well. I don't know how there are these days tho.

 

[TroyF]

Anyone here have a action recasehardend or DLC recently, I'd like it get a idea on price. Maybe the action will pass the Rockwell test and he fine but just in case.

 

[ducmarc]

I've got a commercial fn Mauser in 06 that I've carried to a few gunshows.its real clean.and reasonable pm me if ur interested

 

[browningbbr]

Anyone here have a action recasehardend or DLC recently, I'd like it get a idea on price. Maybe the action will pass the Rockwell test and he fine but just in case.

Having a used action Rockwell-tested is a very good idea. Having a magnaflux (spelling?) test for cracks is equally good. I have had this done on all actions that I purchased "used".

If I didn't say it before, good luck with your project!

 

[TroyF]

Having a used action Rockwell-tested is a very good idea. Having a magnaflux (spelling?) test for cracks is equally good. I have had this done on all actions that I purchased "used".

If I didn't say it before, good luck with your project!

Thanks, were did you have that work done, I see a few places online. I wonder if a local machine shop near me will have a Rockwell tester, don't know if they test the lug area of not. I'd like to get one of those hardness file sets one of these days.

 

[browningbbr]

TroyF - I managed multiple food processing plants and we had the testing ability in-house. Cutting and chopping knives undergo a lot of stress and have to be tested before resharpening.

That being said, I ran "rockwell metal testing service" through a search engine and got lots of sites that do it. Ditto for "magnaflux metal testing service".

browningbbr

 

[TroyF]

Anyone have a preference on sight style of make. I'd like to have a banded front and the rear with at least one flip down.

 

[TroyF]

Well I maybe getting that 09 of its still there tomorrow, or at least on layaway. They had a sks for $395 I've very tempted to get.

 

[TroyF]

I put the gun on layaway today, I'll have the money after the weekend to pick it up. He nice if it shoots the way it is, I've got some 3006 ammo around. I'll probably start working on it in the spring or have the money to slowly build it.

 

[Aaron N]

Did this project gain any traction?