Suggestion requested - economical FN mauser action to build on

[ftothfadd]

Hi guys,

I am looking for a (FN) mauser action to build on. I am not looking for a super expensive action but would like to have the wing safety like it is on an M70. Frankly, I am still deciding on the cartridge, but will likely be a standard length (magnum?).
Any advice is welcome.
Thank you.

 

[93marlin]

Look for a Husqvarna M-98.
A good many were made by FN

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Get a Series 300 FN Mauser action, if you can find one. They are superior to the later Series 400 FN Mauser actions.

 

[ftothfadd]

Thank you for the advice, can you point me somewhere where I can come by these items. Please forgive my ignorance what is a series 300 vs. 400 FN Mauser?

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I built my 404 Jeffery on an 8mm standard action Czech military vz.24 98 Mauser clone. These are about the best of Mauser clones. Made by Brno. Cycles slick and shoots very well. 404 did not require cutting into locking ring (like 375 or 416 on standard action). Look for a sporterized rifle you can rebuild. I think I paid $300 Canadian for this action with 30-06 barrel. The 3-position Model 70 style safety was from Parkwest @ $200 in the white. Bottom metal was from Swift-Blackburn ~$400. Barrel from Lidja was just over $400 + $600 to get it cut, crowned, threaded, reamed, and mounted. I paid a local machinist $100 to open the bolt face. A moose outfitter in New Brunswick did the bluing for $150. Everything else was done by me.

 

[ftothfadd]

I built my 404 Jeffery on an 8mm standard action Czech military vz.24 98 Mauser clone. These are about the best of Mauser clones. Made by Brno. Cycles slick and shoots very well. 404 did not require cutting into locking ring (like 375 or 416 on standard action). Look for a sporterized rifle you can rebuild. I think I paid $300 Canadian for this action with 30-06 barrel. The 3-position Model 70 style safety was from Parkwest @ $200 in the white. Bottom metal was from Swift-Blackburn ~$400. Barrel from Lidja was just over $400 + $600 to get it cut, crowned, threaded, reamed, and mounted. I paid a local machinist $100 to open the bolt face. A moose outfitter in New Brunswick did the bluing for $150. Everything else was done by me.
View attachment 728468

Wow, that rifle turned out super nice. Did you do all the stock work?

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Wow, that rifle turned out super nice. Did you do all the stock work?

Yes ... and no.

The first stock was in the rough purchased from a guy who bought it years ago for a project that never got off the ground. It came with forward crossbolt and I added a second internal crossbolt behind the magazine box. I made the fore end tip from scratch. It's zebrawood. Here is the same rifle in first configuration.

Turned out well enough but the second stock, a used one with AAA walnut and checkering, came up on Gunbroker and I picked it up very reasonably. It was obviously for a big African gun (large barrel trough and no forward sling swivel = African barrel band sling). Strangely, it had no reinforcing crossbolts and the wrist was thinned considerably. Due to lack of reinforcement, some cracks had already started internally. I bedded it with JB Weld and added Winchester crossbolts. Also added a reinforcing steel rod down through the wrist from end of tang. I was able to pull the action together with thin stock wrist by shortening the rear action screw and shaving a bit of metal from aft end sides of magazine box. Then I stripped the old finish, steamed out the few dings in wood, and refinished with Linspeed oil. I still need to change the recoil pad.

 

[Pirkan]

If you were in Sweden I could give you one for free. I have an old Husqvarna 640 from 51 collecting dust at a dealer friend and it's not really worth anything here.

 

[ftothfadd]

If you were in Sweden I could give you one for free. I have an old Husqvarna 640 from 51 collecting dust at a dealer friend and it's not really worth anything here.

Darn. I wish I was in Sweden. Thank you for the gesture regardless.
Ferenc

 

[HunterX]

Check Simpsons LTD. Lots of Husqvarna FN actions. Model 640 and 648 Had FN actions. Great point to start with. Sie. Already have good barrels and stocks that you can refinish.

 

[ftothfadd]

Thank you. Very helpful. Now that my ignorance is becoming ever more obvious. Can somebody school me on what the difference is between a large and small ring mauser actions? Thank you for your help!

 

[HunterX]

The large ring Mausers are the Mauser 98’s and have a larger ring on the front of the receiver. They are stronger, so you will want one of those if you are using a heavy round. The small ring was made for 6.5x55 Swede and 7x57. The older Husqvarna 46 is a small ring, usually in 8x57. Those are built on the Mauser 96 actions, which are cock on close vs the cock on open M98’s. The FN’s are Mauser 98 Type.

 

[ftothfadd]

Thank you. Very informative.

 

[KJE81]

My custom rifle was built on a DWM Mauser M98 action, I believe they could be bought relatively cheap (at least in Europe) and then just add a new bolt shroud with a wing safety.

I like that the old engraving of the firm name is still visable on the action (most likely sharpened/improved by the engraver) it makes it look like more like a rifle from the classical era (sans the riflescope of course).

 

[ftothfadd]

My custom rifle was built on a DWM Mauser M98 action, I believe they could be bought relatively cheap (at least in Europe) and then just add a new bolt shroud with a wing safety.

I like that the old engraving of the firm name is still visable on the action (most likely sharpened/improved by the engraver) it makes it look like more like a rifle from the classical era (sans the riflescope of course).

View attachment 728587

Well, this rifle is simply gorgeous. I would take an action like that in a heartbeat.

 

[Northview902]

This is a fantastic project. Take your time finding the right action—it's the heart of the rifle. Good luck