From the Vault: Steve's Custom Mauser Hunting Rifle

[@noahcount7132]

Elegant and tasteful and affordable. Spot on, Steve!

[@BobJury-lf6bb]

Mine is Zasatava. I made a 9.3x62 stainless barrel cerrocoted it. Richard’s microfit stock. The stock is a learning experience as I’m a barrel maker not a woodworker.Very happy with it!

[@merlinnorris817]

When I heard 257 Roberts I was impressed love the round myself Don't own one currently but I used to love to hunt with 1

[@mikek8089]

That's a nice looking classic bolt rifle.👍

[@alistair8915]

My pop's is a gunsmith who specializes in custom hunting rifles. He has made a lot of Mauser sporting rifles like this. Every one of them is beautifully simple.

[@mitchelperkins6723]

Beautiful in it's simplicity Gotta love Blued steel and wood! Nicely executed build Steve

[@DeerHunter308]

Yup, Steel and Wood. Sad to say I think the plastic is taking over. Some synthetic stocks are nice if done tastefully though.

[@badmoon7549]

That's what I prefer. Just a basic, solid and simple build. That's what i grew up shooting

[@nathanadrian7797]

I love everything except the floorplate release, beautiful rifle!

[@gabriellindig]

I have a BRNO Mauser in 35 Whelen that I built myself with a timney trigger and Leupold base and scope. It used to be in a Boyd's laminated stock but I wasn't happy with how it looked and it was pretty distracting, so I'm in the process of bedding and finishing a claro xx walnut stock for it. I'm hoping it'll be my elk and black bear rifle.

[@davewinter2688]

Wow! 01/05/24. Just discovered this now year old video. I have seven rifles built on ‘98 Mauser actions. None extra fancy. Some nicer than others. Classic 7x57 probably built 1950’s or 60’s on early (1914) Kar. 98 small ring, builder unknown. 308 Winchester, WWII era large ring. Well bedded with excellent trigger, another unknown builder, came to me with a Lyman peep sight. Guy sold it to me dirt cheap because he thought it kicked too much. Of course he’s an AR and nothing else shooter.😂 Kar. 98 in 8x57. That I got dirt cheap because the barrel was in poor condition. It has what I’m told is a “graft line” walnut stock. I’m having that re-barreled into a BOB. 338-06 also on a large ring 98, built by Iver Henricksen. Not one of his super fancy rifles, but one of my nicest. Previous owner really didn’t know what he had. 358 Winchester, another WWII era 98 built by well known Kansas gunsmith Bill Meyer. Got that one at an estate auction. 35 Whelen 98 with super nice Mesquite wood stock. Started by California gun smith. Previous owner got transferred to here so he brought it with him in the white. Local gunsmith finished it, then sold to me at a good price when first owner decided he didn’t need it. My big bore is a custom 45-70 Siamese Mauser. I had to have Bill Meyer do a little work on it after I got it as a gun show special. It wouldn’t feed right. Bill fixed that and cut the barrel down to 24” and replaced the front sight. The original looked something like the “shark fin” front sight on a 600 Remington. I also have one of the “Sporterized by Kimber of Oregon” Carl Gustaf M96 6.5x55. Not a true custom rifle, but a nice shooter. Other than my Colt Light Sporter AR it’s the only thing I own with a synthetic stock. The thing about all of these rifles is I got them all at prices well below the market at that time which was before the pandemic. For some I was just in the right place at the right time with a motivated seller. For the Iver Henricksen 338-06 the owner was a Savage 99 collector. I had a 99 that he liked. Had very little in it and traded straight across for the Henricksen. Buying previously owned custom rifles is like buying hot rods. The original owners spend huge amounts on them then end up selling them for half of what they invested because most folks just don’t have that kind of money to spend or loose. Their loss is my gain. I know I won’t loose any money on any of these. Happy hunting boys and girls!😊

[@johndilday1846]

Beautiful rifle. If I was to have a custom Mauser done, I would probably go for 6.5 Swede and put fancy express iron sights on it just because. I love old custom sporter rifles. Thanks for showing it to us. You have great taste.

[@tays8306]

Old comment i know, but funny you say that. Picked up a custom one similar to this sporter in the video. 1943 98 action. Brand new zastava 6.5x55 swede barrel in a similarly nice stock with the same style cheek rest. Glass bedded. Timney trigger. Fixed 4 power old school redfield. Its my favorite coyote and hopefully deer rifle. 129 grain sst hornady at 2850fps and it stacks them at 50 yards. Likes Sierra 100 grain sp at 3100 fps too.

[@AndyCigars]

Very nice rifle, Steve. Something that you build yourself with the little bits and pieces the way you want it always means more. Cheers!

[@docholliday3273]

Hey Steve, First of all, BEAUTIFUL rifle!!!! And, great hearing the details on your build. 257 Roberts is a dynamite cartridge

[@Goldenwithaleash]

I have a 03 Springfield that my grandfather and dad modified sometime in the 40’s. I’ve seen some real bad hack job modifications but this one was very well done. Grandfather was a master machinist so I’m sure that’s a big reason.

[@mmpatriot2170]

Beautiful rifle. I’m a big fan of the Mauser action. I have a couple, inherited from my father in law. And I love that Weaver K4 scope. So classic. I’ve got one on the Savage model 99, in 250-3000, I inherited from my grandpa.

[@stanallen1072]

Nice rifle Steve. Good work. Thanks for showing it to us.

[@ed5042]

a beautiful rifle, just WOW!

[@scottwilson1258]

Nice Handy Little Rifle Steve! You almost make it look like a 22lr. !!!

[@matthewnewman7187]

Beautiful workmanship !

[@clintonlayne9253]

Steve just seeing this today 2/22/24. That's a nice looking Mauser. I recently bought a Mauser 98 with a commercial action. In 3006 I also bought a pic rail for it. After thoughts were maybe I should put a Weaver scope on it with Weaver bases to keep it time appropriate.

[@WalnutandSteel]

Nice gun steve! Those weaver scopes were/are excellent

[@H.R.6688]

Love the classic stuff, this is cool.

[@jmartin9059]

*Steve, for a practical use rifle... as you already know... Checkering might be pleasing to the eye and is un-necessary. Rather than checkering for the better grip... have you considered Swedish Pine Tar ? The Finns did it with some of their Mosin Nagant Russian style rifles... and, it works. Pine tar is a waterproofing agent that soaks into the wood and provides a protective layer that is not just on the surface...and, it is just tacky enough to provide a better grip without checkering. Huberd's Shoe Grease is a blend of pine tar and bee's wax. Putting Huberd's shoe grease over the top of a linseed oil finish onto and into the the wood and applying the same Huberd's Shoe Grease to thin deer hide or elk hide leather gloves provides an excellent grip... all without checkering. Obviously the choice of high quality and durable "thin and snug fitting" leather gloves made of elk, deer, seal skin, sheep skin, goat hide, or maybe horse hide.... for better trigger feel...or to keep the sensation of touch, even with gloves on. I have used tig welder pig-skin gloves, that happened to fit well, as shooting gloves. Thin and snug fitting high quality leather gloves treated with Pine tar or Huberd's shoe grease...can be very useful for getting a grip and feeling the trigger and other controls. If you have not tried it... maybe you should. If skeptical, consider trying it on the gloves...first. And, after trying it... you might want the stuff on all of your wooden tool handles.*

[@timkraft4583]

I didn't even notice it wasn't checkered. I don't think a lack of checkering detracts from it. Nice sleek design.

[@bisleyblackhawk1288]

I love the Weaver K-4…I still have a K-4W that I purchased around 1975-76 and it’s now on a Savage Axis .308 and is as clear as the day I bought it 👍👍👍

[@sturisa]

Enjoyed watching Steve, very nice rifle!

[@sha6mm]

Nice Rifle was wondering if when carrying on a sling if the magazine opens by accident ? Scope looks a little high to me and I too like two piece scope mounts but dual dovetail Leupold and Burris Signature rings dual dovetail. Now .257 Robert’s very nice. Well done

[@silvergrizzly316]

Nothing fancy but still beautiful, I love it Steve, NICE!!! 👍👍

[@DeerHunter308]

Man, you have very fine taste. This rifle is indicative of the heights gunsmiths achieved a few decades ago.

[@cervus-venator]

Thanks Steve. I have several Mauser Action rifles. A 25-06 on a Czech vz.24; it too has the 4x Weaver scope, a 6mm Rem. on a 98 action, then I had a .270 built by a local gun smith using an Interarms Mark X and a Bell & Carlson stock. The last two that I have are rifle's that I've put together. I found another Interarms Mark X at a pawn shop and made a long range 7mm Rem. Mag with it and the last is a 1904 Mauser 98 that was also picked up at a pawn shop. It has the double trigger setup and I made a 7mm-08 out of that one. The two that I made are synthetic stocks and stainless barrels. The two my uncle made are on stocks that he made and also follow the traditional Monte Carlo design. I noticed your wood grain and that too is how my 6mm is carved out. I have a video of the .270 shooting it at 300 yards and I'll be posting a video this coming week on the 25-06. Check them out if you get a chance.

[@joeblow4566]

All the old guys love 257 Roberts that says a lot nice rifle I have a Steyr 1939 Nazi Mauser action 660 Factory code I had it built up master gunsmith Larry Connley Snohomish Washington 24in shilen super match Barrel timney trigger with safety Boyd's forest green laminated stock took me years to get that action out of my friends hands if only I could get the action to talk I must say I love the 6.5 x55 Swede she is a sweetheart with multiple neck surgeries and shoulder surgeries very soft shooting thanks for letting me share

[@scottthorning3963]

Well done!

[@shopdog2]

Beautiful! I love the clean lines of the Weaver K 4 to top it off.

[@jwc00789]

Very Nice Custom 98 Mauser Sporter you have there!!! My Gunsmith Grandfather built me a Custom 98 Mauser with a Douglas Barrel chambered in 7x57mm Mauser with a Classic Fajen Stock that has feathered grain and checkering.

[@timalexander7758]

Very nice!

[@billday7599]

Thanks for letting us take a look. I have similarly sportered Mausers and a Springfield 1903. It’s also nice that no one is on here griping about how you “bubbaed” a historic artifact😅

[@larryeddings3185]

Understated elegance. Beautifully crafted rifle, sir.

[@project86xero]

Hunting style wood furniture bolt guns aren't my thing. But making things is. I'd love to sporterize a 8mm mauser just to do it.

[@eashby22]

My 6.5-06 built on a commercial 98 action by my uncle. He gave it to my father, I inherited it when he passed. I've done a little work to it, free floated and re crowned the barrel. It shoots about .5 to .75 moa

[@blue_ridge_shooting762]

Based grandpappy's rifle in an obscure cartridge you won't find on the shelf anywhere rifle.

[@nk-dw2hm]

Who cares if it's on the shelf? It's not hard to reload

[@fixerupperer]

Finding commercial ammo isnt much of an issue when you reload. I dont/yet but once youve got even 60 brass you could likely be set for life, especially when its for deer and such where youd likely only shoot a few every year.

[@carsonbyram8117]

Obscure cartridge?

[@stonebay2111]

Remington, Norma, Nosler, Hornaday and a few others all make production 257Rob ammunition. About as easy to find as anything else right now.

[@mattfleming86]

Lol... The Bob is alive and well. There are many 257R firearms out there, and with the right load it is still extremely effective.

[@Perfer-gw6ir]

Great Mauser sporter Steve. I love it. Great rifle.

[@bosse641]

Very nice.

[@Tht1guy63]

Grew up with a sporterized brazilian mauser in 30-06. Was not the most accurate past 100-150yds but man that action was amazing.

[@stonebay2111]

Built a American Safari rifle. Very early savage 110 LH rebarreled to 7mmRemMag custom stock with a flip up ladder sight from an old mauser, added a barrel band with sling loop fitted the barrel band so that has good tight retention but still free floating barrel that does not contact barrel. Always wanted a turn of the century Teddy Roosevelt, Earnest Hemingway style safari rifle..but I'm a lefty. Found a junk old model savage with no ejector and a scope mount hole drilled clean into the chamber where you could see the round chambered. Only gave $60 for it so it made for a good project. Then took 2 years to find a barrel. As this is an early model it was only made for a few years, then the bolt face was redesigned with the extractor and ejector on the bolt head. This has the ejector mounted behind the internal magazine. I plan on building another stock of a better grade of walnut, this stock was a trial run just to see if it were possible.

[@henryware9440]

That is a beautiful rifle. Love the stock.

[@davidhayes7596]

Great job. That level of simplicity has not been replaced by technology or optics. No nonsense simplicity. I guess manufacturing economics determines what we have access to. Even sporterizing a swedish Mauser makes sense to me. Leave the barrel on it . Weld the bolt to accommodate a scope. That of course is several levels down from what you have here , but the deer can't tell the difference. Find a nice walnut stock for the Mauser. Float the barrel and glass bed it. Crown the barrel if needed. Work up a safe hand load keeping head space in mind. You might be surprised just how accurate the Mauser is. It's a Endless possibilities thing.

[@hoosierplowboy5299]

Sweet build, Steve; well done...

[@S1L3NTG4M3R]

THANKS

[@ryanbroyles7487]

I picked up a 98k Turkish Mauser a few years back for $75 with a broke rear sight. I fixed the sight, drilled and tapped the receiver for Leupold scope bases and rings. Had a local gunsmith change out the bolt handle, found an older Bushnell Sport view scope that is blued and mounted it. Cleaned the heck out of the barrel and shoot it for fun. It's my cheapo ww2 sniper wannabe but I still like and is a blast to shoot.

[@douglasbattjes3991]

Great looking weapon, had a .33/40 that was custom built by Joe Fisher from Michigan , had a 3 way safety he invented, can have it on and also lock it so the bolt won't open or open it with the safety on. It burnt in a fire but have built another one like it in 7mmX 08, also have several of his safety's that are unused . Yours is one find looking Mauser, now get it checkered.

[@mountainquail4354]

I would have preferred seeing a Mauser in it's original caliber and original components (bolt, barrel, and action).

[@stephenwhittier6439]

Nice, my favorite cartridge too !

[@jimdavenport8020]

My story: Found online a Pre-64 Winchester receiver and bolt re-barreled to .25/06. Bolt, Receiver and Barrel only, no other pieces. Bought it and built it up in an original Winchester stock, Timney Trigger, Leupold Dual-Dovetail Mounts and Rings and a VX-2 3x9 scope. It shoots 1/4 MOA. If I wasn't going to be toasted, I'd have them put it in the box with me! Only thing I can figure is that the previous owner was in the process of building or re-building his rifle when he assumed room temperature then his heirs just sold the barreled action. No manufacturer's name on the new barrel, just the caliber. Wish I knew who!

[@roykiefer7713]

Really enjoyable, thank you.

[@phprofYT]

I saw several 'sporterized this and that at a local gun show and sale this last weekend. A Mauser was there but not converted this much.

[@theol3199]

I have a 22-250 built on a yugo m48. Absolute tack driver of a barrel.

[@richardkramer1094]

Every one of my bolt guns are custom built, by me. There are large and small ring Mausers, 1903’s, 1917’s, Arisaka type 99’s, 38’s and even a type 30. There isn’t a single factory bolt rifle in my collection…and it is an extensive collection of hunting rifles in a myriad of calibers. My favorites are my 7x64 Brenneke and my 2 .256 Newton rifles.

[@SnipeU696]

Beautiful

[@novicereloader]

There's definitely a right way to sporterize an old military gun. That's beautiful.

[@VikingNorway-pb5tm829]

My M98k 1941? hehe.. its a custom made wood in green and brown oil on grips.. scope in first clas. ;)

[@JMac-md3vj]

Nice looking rifle, never heard of that caliber though.

[@clutchcargo1239]

Pretty gun.

[@williamfeldner9356]

Steve. PLEASE CHECKER that rifle!!!

[@AIRS0FT02]

Beautiful rifle. Would you guys do a video on the marlin 45/9 camp models I was wanting to pick one up and wanted to see a review video on one

[@ProthoPectore]

would make for a decent video of you guys checkering the stock. tips, tricks, what tools you use, etc. if you still want to checker it that is.

[@olhemi1]

Nice 👌 🙂☕

[@PhilHewkin]

1935 oberndorfen brazil mauser in 7x57. not as fancy as yours, has original mil stock but. is. very. interesting. 3/8 " @ 100 yds, 140 sierra spiter boat tail 2850 fps 24" original barrel, timney fied.

[@danliberty734]

I inherited my father’s JC Higgins (Sears) Model 51 in .30-06. It has an FN Mauser action and a High Standard chrome lined barrel. It has the original 4x scope, but I want to upgrade to a more modern optic. I’ve purchased Warne mounts to give it weaver rails, but I haven’t picked out the optic. I would like to use it for remote paper punching out to 600 yards and eventually use it for hunting. Any suggestions?

[@mmpatriot2170]

I’ve got a JC Higgins Mauser in .30-06 as well. Inherited that one from my father-in-law. Such a sweet rifle.

[@brucelewis1017]

I just bought the same rifle but mine is in 25-06. Only problem I have with it is the bolt is hard to slide back and forth in the receiver

[@larrypesek8818]

Lazy? LOL! I have a similar '03 project that has been waiting for some more attention to finish , for 30 years!!!🙃

[@tomwinegar1371]

Steve, is there a video on checkering in our near future?

[@billhatcher2984]

I did almost the same thing only with a 96 mouSer with a Douglas barrel with a 1 in 9 twist that ended up being about 1 in 8and a fourth in .twist number 2 taper clock on open kit tim trigger with a side safty and the rear shield that they sell and a bell and Carlson stock and also in 257 rob loved it had a lot of luck while using it but it was stolen along with 13 other guns

[@ed5042]

may I ask what is the CUP rating? of a 1943 husqvarna M38 and the Tikka T3x please.

[@yankeefist9146]

I remember going into the old school gun shop and a person could pick one or 50 Mausers from a barrel for like 90 bucks. Not me, dumb dumb dumb....

[@chipsterb4946]

Did you glass bed the recoil lug in the stock?

[@giddogd5308]

Anyone else notice the AT4 in the safe behind Steve

[@ArkansasBadBoy]

❤

[@knifelover73]

And while you’ve made an absolutely gorgeous rifle. Here come the “my grand daddy sporterized” comments about butchering surplus rifles lol

[@G19Jeeper]

I’d like to build one in 7x64 and one in 9.3x66 (.370 Sako).

[@waxfactory7582]

My current project ... finnish mosin

[@ed5042]

also, I took my new Tikka T3x in 6.5x55 to the range and i found that the ammunition with a MV 2600 and above offered sub moa groups. Four factory loads tested, 120-142gr. Three factory loads tested of 2500 ish Remington, Winchester and PPU ammo averaged 2 inches or more. BUT, my sporterized M38 with original step mauser barrel with the PPU 139 fmj and sp offered 1/2 moa groups at 200 yards. anyone care to try to logically explain why? 1.78 swede m38, 1.8 for the tikka?

[@ed5042]

the 142 fiocchi offered a shocking 1/2 or less moa at 100 yds

[@brucelewis1017]

Where can I get a new bolt with bent handle for a mauser 98 sporter chambered in a 25-06

[@clintonlayne9253]

Willing to bet that Brownells has them.

[@andyd2960]

I was literally just thinking about doing a build just like this one. The prices for decent parts and components kinda kills it for me. Starting with a decent Mauser is getting expensive.

[@kanaanherron8738]

you also destroy a mauser

[@andyd2960]

@@kanaanherron8738 ya, but I don't know if it's worth doing to a nagant

[@ericschulze5641]

What brand safety is that ?

[@memorylanehotrods]

What scope mounts were used?

[@tommcqueen3145]

👍

[@charlesmckown2213]

What kind of a barrel do it have

[@YellowHammer26]

👍👍

[@strartur]

Nice, yet iron sights missed

[@christopherrobin8134]

Don’t fuck with milsurps

[@mattstewart4971]

8 mm mauser. Think it's a 1941

[@jasonjoslyn4294]

Very nice