Building on a Mauser Action

[Sir Buckwheat]

Thanks for the replies guys. I didn't realize the PH's in Africa carried mausers. Someday I'll make it there....hopefully sooner than later. Doubt I'll be able to afford any dangerous game but Kudu, Impala, Waterbuck, and Duiker have been in my dreams since I was 8 years old, along with getting to hunt the African plains.

 

So I shot my gun the other day and once I got it sighted in things looked pretty good. I was shooting Federals Fusion Ammo in 120 grain. My last 3 shot group was pretty impressive. Friday I got to a town with more ammo. I bought another box of Fusions and a box of Hornady 117 grain GMX. My first shot didn't even hit paper. I finally got it zero'd in and had 2 shots pretty tight. The next shot was 8 inches high and left. Then I had a shot way right. I thought it might be me so I did a couple dry fires to make sure I was staying steady, then shot again. This one was 6 inches low.

 

I wondered if it was the new ammo so I put the Fusions back in and got the same result. Shots all over. I could dial it in then within 2-3 shots it was all over the place. I'm thinking it might be my scope mounts. They came with the gun but I wasn't crazy about them They have set screws on the back that move the scope left to right. I'm thinking they are allowing the scope to move. I can't think of anything else that would make it zero in for 2 shots then jump around like it is. Any thoughts?

 

I'm shooting a Bushnell Trophy that I bought 15 years or so ago and used it on a .300 Mag that I had. It never gave me a bit of trouble then so I don't imagine it would now. It hasn't been used in 10 years.

 

With that much variance, I suspect you have a loose reticle inside your scope. It could be your mounts, but I doubt it. Try mounting another scope and see what happens.

 

Bill Quimby

 

 

I'll have to try that too. Thanks.

[.270]

ebb, if you had a mauser in '06 that still had the stepped miltary barrel, i'd bet it was originally in 7.65mm (.312") either argentine or belgian mauser. they probably reamed the chamber to '06 specs so they could shoot easy to find '06 ammo. but .30 cal is 7.62mm. the bullet ain't gonna be quite big enough to go down the barrel right. when the barrel cold it's gonna fit a lot tighter. after the first shot, it mighta warmed it up enough to expand a little and not grab the rifles right. especially if it was a barrel that had a lot of rounds through it. i've seen a couple rifles like that over the years. also seen guys shoot .308 win. ammo through argentines too. shoots ok, if you can get it to chamber, just not real good. but it's a lot easier to find .308 ammo that argentine. i wouldn't recommend it tho. a lotta guys used to take the 8x57 and ream the chamber to 8mm/'06 specs and shoot a buncha cheap military '06 ammo through it to fire form the cases into 8mm/'06 then reload the cases. pretty cool round really.

 

bill, i've read some of capstick's stuff. he lived an exciting life. wasn't he the one that declared war on the baboons and killed the whole herd in once place because they kept killin' folks and stealin' kids?

 

as far the thread talking about controlled round feed and africa, it is about mausers and mausers are controlled round feed and they are used a bunch in africa, to this day. Lark.

[billrquimby]

bill, i've read some of capstick's stuff. he lived an exciting life. wasn't he the one that declared war on the baboons and killed the whole herd in once place because they kept killin' folks and stealin' kids? as far the thread talking about controlled round feed and africa, it is about mausers and mausers are controlled round feed and they are used a bunch in africa, to this day. Lark.

 

Lark:

 

Yes, that was Capstick at his best. That story was included in one of the books where they reprinted many of his magazine columns. I've forgotten its title. Death in the Long Grass was his first book, and it remains my favorite. Peter lived a full life, drank too much, and died way too young.

 

Bill Quimby

 

[CouesWhitetail]

Thanks for the replies guys. I didn't realize the PH's in Africa carried mausers. Someday I'll make it there....hopefully sooner than later. Doubt I'll be able to afford any dangerous game but Kudu, Impala, Waterbuck, and Duiker have been in my dreams since I was 8 years old, along with getting to hunt the African plains.

 

So I shot my gun the other day and once I got it sighted in things looked pretty good. I was shooting Federals Fusion Ammo in 120 grain. My last 3 shot group was pretty impressive. Friday I got to a town with more ammo. I bought another box of Fusions and a box of Hornady 117 grain GMX. My first shot didn't even hit paper. I finally got it zero'd in and had 2 shots pretty tight. The next shot was 8 inches high and left. Then I had a shot way right. I thought it might be me so I did a couple dry fires to make sure I was staying steady, then shot again. This one was 6 inches low.

 

I wondered if it was the new ammo so I put the Fusions back in and got the same result. Shots all over. I could dial it in then within 2-3 shots it was all over the place. I'm thinking it might be my scope mounts. They came with the gun but I wasn't crazy about them They have set screws on the back that move the scope left to right. I'm thinking they are allowing the scope to move. I can't think of anything else that would make it zero in for 2 shots then jump around like it is. Any thoughts?

 

I'm shooting a Bushnell Trophy that I bought 15 years or so ago and used it on a .300 Mag that I had. It never gave me a bit of trouble then so I don't imagine it would now. It hasn't been used in 10 years.

 

With that much variance, I suspect you have a loose reticle inside your scope. It could be your mounts, but I doubt it. Try mounting another scope and see what happens.

 

Bill Quimby

 

 

 

+1

 

I had an old Bushnell scope do the same thing on my .270. Drove me crazy until I finally decided it was the scope and put a different one on. Shot fine after that.

 

[Sir Buckwheat]

This one's supposed to have a lifetime warranty just like the Leapolds, unfortunately I don't think it would be here by next weekend. Probably have to bite the bullet and go buy one...

[EBB]

ebb, if you had a mauser in '06 that still had the stepped miltary barrel, i'd bet it was originally in 7.65mm (.312") either argentine or belgian mauser. they probably reamed the chamber to '06 specs so they could shoot easy to find '06 ammo. but .30 cal is 7.62mm. the bullet ain't gonna be quite big enough to go down the barrel right. when the barrel cold it's gonna fit a lot tighter. after the first shot, it mighta warmed it up enough to expand a little and not grab the rifles right. especially if it was a barrel that had a lot of rounds through it. i've seen a couple rifles like that over the years. also seen guys shoot .308 win. ammo through argentines too. shoots ok, if you can get it to chamber, just not real good. but it's a lot easier to find .308 ammo that argentine. i wouldn't recommend it tho. a lotta guys used to take the 8x57 and ream the chamber to 8mm/'06 specs and shoot a buncha cheap military '06 ammo through it to fire form the cases into 8mm/'06 then reload the cases. pretty cool round really.

 

bill, i've read some of capstick's stuff. he lived an exciting life. wasn't he the one that declared war on the baboons and killed the whole herd in once place because they kept killin' folks and stealin' kids?

 

as far the thread talking about controlled round feed and africa, it is about mausers and mausers are controlled round feed and they are used a bunch in africa, to this day. Lark.

Lark, The action was a 98. I know the 91 was 7.65 Argentine and that action has the military cocking where it cocks going forward like the 6.5 X 55 Swedes. There was a note about an armory rebarrelling them to 30-06 in 1954 that was with the rifle (maybe in Israel). I do have one with a stepped 308 which is an Israeli barrel. Perhaps they rechambered some of the 308 barrels to shoot 06's in Israel. When I first got the rifle it shot pretty good but over time that changed. One thing for sure though, I'll never regret making it a 270!

EBB

[.270]

they made the 98 in a buncha different caibers, mostly in the 57mm length. after wwII there were so many 98's around and so many guys wildcattin' and such, there ain't no tellin' what it was. they made a 7.65 belgian too. them ol' mausers are fine actions for sure. and you're right, you can't beat a .270. Lark.

[Sir Buckwheat]

Friday I went to town and bought a cheap walmart special scope to see if they was my problem. Unfortunately that was the only scope that was in the budget for right now. It made a world of difference. Even with the Tasco on it I had 4/5 rounds touching at 100 yards and 3/5 touching at 200, shooting the Hornady Superformance with the 117 grain GMX. you could cover my 100 yard group with a nickel and 4/5 shots on my 200 yard group with a quarter. I think the flyer was my fault but it was still only an inch and a half off of the others. I know one thing for sure though, I'm going to have to invest in a sissy pad for this gun. For a 25-06 it stomps you! I may go ahead and put a new stock on it anyway since this one is pretty short. That ought to help.

 

Looks like whoever built this gun did a fine job of it. I'll put some better glass on it by next year but hopefully this tasco will hold up until I get my elk tag filled...

[GodIsGood]

As a kid I my dad had a friend/gunsmith that swore by the Mauser actions. He had a few guns built that were tackdrivers! I guess those memories stuck. Last month I saw a 25-06 for sale that was built on a Mauser action for a pretty good price so I grabbed it. My dad's friend is now gone, so I can't hit him up for ideas so I thought I'd ask around. I'm mainly a traditional bowhunter but have been wanting to get into long range shooting. I know, both extreems! I either want to be close enough to touch them or be able to really reach out and touch them...

 

So where would you start? Or is there a good gunsmith that you know of that could be of help. I'll be on a budget but want to have a reliable gun I can reach out to 800-1000 yards to knock over the local coyotes as well as trying some out of state rifle hunts for deer and elk.

 

I've been looking at the Shepard scopes, as well as various turret scopes trying to figure out which would be the best route. I know two guys who shoot the Shepards and swear by them.

 

 

My son just harvested his first cow elk with 25-06 built on an old FN Mauser action AND a Shepard scope matched to the 25-06 ballistics. I LOVE the rifle... actually had it re-barrelled a few years ago from a wildcat 25-270. Call me some time if you want to see it or possibly meet up at Ben Avery to shoot it.

 

 

 

Regards,

Kurt 602-524-2332