Ideas for a LH mauser based .404J build?

[Albert GRANT]

Due to my fellow LH AHer's rudely not buying this before I could, I have sent payment in for an unused, never barreled LH mauser action! It is an Oberndorf mauser 8000 long magnum action which I will be building/ have built into a .404 Jeffery. It will take some time as I didn't really have the money for this, but when the seller dropped the price it was more than I could take, so I will have to do what I can as I can afford it. Planning on have Pac-nor build the barrel and fit it to the action as they have said they will be operational again in June. One question I have, as I'm not all that familiar with mausers being a lefty, is the 8000 the same as the 98 action? Was thinking to get the highest grade walnut stock offered by boyds but they only list the 98. If it will work, they have about 4 reasonable styles to pic from but I'm not sure what would be closest to a classic african style stock in the offerings. I'd love to have a fully custom made stock, but I just don't see that in the cards based on US high grade wood price alone- at least not in the near future anyway. Any thoughts or ideas from those who have been there and done that, on the built as a whole, please chime in!

 

[Royal27]

I will say I thought about it but didn't pull the trigger!

Glad you got it.

 

[Albert GRANT]

I will say I thought about it but didn't pull the trigger!

Glad you got it.

Once he dropped the price, the safety failed and it just fired on me!

 

[Bearbait1]

I was at Pac-Nor’s place a week or 2 back and they were standing up the first steel for their new building.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Albert: you might try Richards Microfit stocks: http://www.rifle-stocks.com/actions_available.htm

Call them up and see what they can do for a lefty.

 

[Albert GRANT]

Albert: you might try Richards Microfit stocks: http://www.rifle-stocks.com/actions_available.htm

Call them up and see what they can do for a lefty.

Funny you should say that, I came across them last night after not hearing good things about boyd's xx grade stuff and have been discussing it with Garry today. It looks like if I go the pre made route (which is likely due to cost) they are in the running. I need to call them tomorrow, but it looks like a pretty good deal through them if they can do it! On a side note, I finally talked with a custom gunsmith a couple hrs upstate from me who does custom safari rifles AND doubles and seems to do really good work. His name is Judson Bailey from St. Albans Maine. He doesn't advertise that I know of and has regular work. Curious if anyone here has worked with him?

 

[Nkawu]

I may be wrong but that receiver looks to be the Mauser 3000 which is a push-feed design that was made by Heym for Mauser.

 

[Albert GRANT]

It certainly appears to be stamped 8000, although I have found very little on the 8000, either way it is a sako style extractor rather than the CRF claw, but lefties can't be too picky about long magnum actions. Any decent LH action at all is a rare thing. In any event if done correctly it will function properly with never an issue

 

[Albert GRANT]

It does indeed appear to be a mis labeled 3000l, since the action is identical to this:
https://www.gunsinternational.com/g...-375-h-h-magnum--r19778-.cfm?gun_id=101364434
If that is the case, I'm happy because to me that appears to be a good but not great build. For that price I'm thinking the cost of the action for a .404 is pretty darn good!

 

[sierraone]

I may be wrong but that receiver looks to be the Mauser 3000 which is a push-feed design that was made by Heym for Mauser.

I agree with you. This is definitely not a 98 action.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Just a couple of comments, I believe Ruger made or makes a left handed magnum action that could be converted. The next comment is, between my wife and I we have four .404J, two are converted CZ550s, one is an original Jefferies, the other started life as a Rigby in .350R using a single square bridge intermediate size action and was rebored and chambered. The rails on the Jefferies and the Rigby and the mag followers are almost identical, the mag followers seem to play a bigger role than the .375H&H mag followers on the CZs. The CZ rails on the left side are "contoured" while the original Jefferies and the converted Rigby are both "straight" left and right rails. I am not sure which is supposed to be the correct method, so far all 4 have been 100% dependable. Which one do I have the most confidence in probably the Rigby. Looking forward to comments?

 

[Nkawu]

Just a couple of comments, I believe Ruger made or makes a left handed magnum action that could be converted. The next comment is, between my wife and I we have four .404J, two are converted CZ550s, one is an original Jefferies, the other started life as a Rigby in .350R using a single square bridge intermediate size action and was rebored and chambered. The rails on the Jefferies and the Rigby and the mag followers are almost identical, the mag followers seem to play a bigger role than the .375H&H mag followers on the CZs. The CZ rails on the left side are "contoured" while the original Jefferies and the converted Rigby are both "straight" left and right rails. I am not sure which is supposed to be the correct method, so far all 4 have been 100% dependable. Which one do I have the most confidence in probably the Rigby. Looking forward to comments?

What were the CZ’s before you converted them? I have a second left handed CZ 375 that I want to convert into either a 404J or 458L.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

What were the CZ’s before you converted them? I have a second left handed CZ 375 that I want to convert into either a 404J or 458L.

Both were .375H&H. I know that there were some CZs in .404J. I am not sure if they were made by CZ or converted by CZs custom shop (3 Rivers)? If I was you I would do as much research as possible on proper magazine and rails dimensions, also magazine follower. My original Jefferies used a military Mauser 98 action and has a tight 3 round capacity. For me function is everything, but I feel on a bolt rifle a 4 round magazine capacity is minimum. Somewhere on the form you will find those dimensions. Or contact Gary at "von gruff" knives, he knows his stuff!

If I was building a custom 404j. for myself it would be controlled feed, 4 or 5rd. magazine, express sights, Warn/Weaver style scope mounts, Bell & Carlson stock, Kick-eez pad. The reason for the Warn/Weaver style mounts? You have the option of Express sights-reflex sight-or scope of your choice, even a ghost ring.

During our 21 day shutdown, I will get the CZ, Rigby and Jefferies out and get the rail measurements and maybe some other .404j owners can compare with theirs?

 

[nztimb]

This is the piece that Lon @Tokoloshe Safaris mentions

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/proper-magazine-layout.35015/