Sporterized Mausers: Doing it Right

For most collectors the idea of sporterizing a military rifle is anathema. However, when surplus was abundant (and cheap), they were a perfect way to obtain a reliable design to convert into sporting rifle.
We've all seen the crude versions of these conversions and wished ill on whoever ruined such a perfectly good service rifle. However, there are also those sporterized rifles which have been done with care and attention, resulting in a superb sporting rifle that can be cherished for decades to come.
RIAC's Matt Omerza shows us several examples of the latter which can be found in February Sporting & Collector Auction.
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[@leskrug9266]

What are the calibers?

[@RockIslandAuctionCompany]

1st (Amberg) is likely 7x57mm, but is unmarked. 2nd (Lancaster) is in .280 Eley Rimless 3rd has no caliber markings, but it measures as .30 caliber in diameter. 4th has a replacement barrel with only a single marking: "270" So, likely .270 Winchester 5th (maple stock) is .243 Winchester

[@leskrug9266]

Thank you I had one made A Mauser 98 which I'm not sure what model 98 it is but it is a 8 X 57 JS. I left the barrel as is with the steps in it and had a mannlicher stock put on it with the steps cut out inside the stock Channel. put a new trigger timney trigger in it. I put in Leupold rings and bases and a Leupold 100th anniversary 3 x 9 x 40 Leupold scope I shoot 200 grain accubond out of that gun and get three quarters of an inch group. Also the action and complete barrel was glass bedded. I only paid $50.00 for the original gun.!

[@johngeddes7894]

No

[@daveybass655]

Such a sweet piece of history. I had me a mauser 98, sporterized, chambered for 30-06. I loved that rifle, shoulda never traded it.

[@AIRRAID2]

My dear father's favorite set up bless him

[@landonhall9915]

I have m48 Mauser I could never sporterize it

[@ulacylon-timetrio9664]

Why the fuck would you sporterize it?? Shits as disgusting a crime as rape

[@Cryptkeeper0311]

@@landonhall9915 Don't. It's a shame these guys do this to beautiful rifles. If you want a hunting rifle, buy a hunting rifle... Don't ruin a beautiful 1903, Mauser, etc.

[@dannystratton7712]

I just bought one, weaver scope an all. Was 30-06 and he changed it to 25-06 beautiful condition for $500. After the war it was a hunting rifle in Wyoming. Now it's in the Midwest.

[@franksparks1126]

In the early 90s we bought our teens a sporterised 98 Mauser each and they are nice shooting and looking guns.

[@jamesvandemark2086]

My favorite- a sporterized Swede Mauser in 6.55 mm. Never failed.......

[@edwardnigma6568]

The third gun you showed with 2 triggers has not been sporterized. That is an original wartrime production sporting rifle from Mauser. Civilian models were the only ones equipped with double set triggers at the time.

[@JaredAF]

Any Mauser can be fit for any number of double set triggers. If they modified the rest of the rifle so extensively, what was stopping them from putting in a different trigger?

[@billbest9483]

Any civilian double set trigger Mauser fetches big buck$

[@AustrianJager]

Cutting in the frontbridge for a scope mount is a real cxrime!

[@saltcreekammo]

We have a few sporterized Mausers in the family. The finest being a tiger striped blonde maple 30-06 with a dark rose wood cap on the foregrip. Has a palm swell and nice check comb too boot. It and its other Mauser siblings have taken many mule deer in their lifetime.

[@RockIslandAuctionCompany]

I'm a sucker for rosewood. Good choice.

[@beestoe993]

I have several sporterized Mausers. Just finished one in 257 Roberts. They make exceptionally good hunting rifles. I could tell the first one had double set triggers and a hinged floorplate. Very nice.

[@jeanninewolf497]

Very informative video. Might have to check out the next auction

[@lars277]

My Dad's brother brought back a Mauser Sporter Model B 8x57 after WW2 for my Dad. That was such a sweet rifle. The Model B models were so well made. No engraving, just a checkered little slim stock with a cheekpiece. The wood was great. It had Lyman peep sights. My Dad shot many whitetail deer and antelope with that rifle. Someone broke in my Dad's house and stole it. That was one gun I wanted to inherit.

[@johnweller3987]

I love to watch the videos put out by Rock Island Auction Company. But I would like to make a suggestion that they give the caliber of their guns they are displaying. Often times they show gorgeous antique firearms, such as Monarch Savage 99's, etc and talk about all kinds of special features of the firearm but leave out the caliber. I wish they would name them. Thank you.

[@GeorgeSemel]

For a second I thought the last one was a South Gate, CA Weatherby on an FN action. Its a dead ringer to the pre-Mark V rifles Roy Made for the well-heeled and well-connected. There were a lot of good gunsmiths that worked between the wars taking surplus bolt rifles and turning them into real works of art, not the gaudy engraved stuff but guns made to go shoot big game. A friend of mine took a pretty ratty surpluses Swede and over the course of about two years crafted it into a nice hunting rifle for his granddaughter. A real functional work of art, and that girl has shot a lot of deer with it too. My holy grail is a Springfield M-1903 30-06 that has been worked over by Griffin and Howe- the same the Ernest Hemingway took to Africa- I never had the spare cash when one would show up.

[@RockIslandAuctionCompany]

Those Griffin & Howe boys do some FINE work.

[@johngeddes7894]

Side mount sucks though

[@LOUDcarBOMB]

Interesting to see that the first rifle has a recocker and espeically is left-handed (cheekrest).

[@benjidowning2609]

I think that’s just a safety

[@outinthesticks1035]

Friend had a Mauser , not sure you could call it "sporterized " as he bought it new in a hardware store back in the 70s . I didn't know much about rifles as a teen but looking back it was a conundrum. I remember it was marked "oberndorf" but don't recall a Mauser crest , for sure it was a 98 , chambered in 303 British , and had a lee Enfield magazine. Stamped Churchill London

[@lostandfound3588]

watching pretty boy floyd getting smoked in that movie got my attention on this rifle looked into it more and fell in love wish could get one

[@christianjones4624]

i have a sporterized Gewehr 98 chambered in 22-250. it’s a tac driver.

[@hristoapostolovski5407]

Had a M98 mauser in cal 6.5 × 55 , it had a light varmint barrel from Shultz & Larsen , it had a target stock , it had a trigger that broke clean at 0.5 kilo

[@thecheapshot1065]

I would love a quality sportsrized Mauser set up for left shoulder. It's so hard to find a quality rifle built for me that isn't of charged by having a left-handed action. Cross eye dominant with right hand being my dominant shooting in for pistols but I shoulder left long guns

[@MASK_SKULL]

My last name is Lancaster and I do have a sporterized K98 from my grandfather with his initials engraved on it

[@briankerr4512]

I have an Enfield no 1 mk3 1913 BSA (unfortunately sportified) missing extractor spring but retaining cool old back sight which has windage and finely adjustable elevation. The gun was given to me as a bag of parts the gun works fine except for the extraction issue but I don't shoot it as I have an Irish Contract no 4 mk2 f and a no 5 mk1 f that I can shoot ... I think the Enfield Rifles are some of the most visual appealing military rifles.

[@3ducs]

I have a decent Sporterized G-98, it is in a birdseye maple stock, not my favorite wood though. The Weaver K4 is a good scope.

[@bigbadjohn8207]

Harvey Rodgers, Alvin Linden, Adolf Neidner, Tom Shelhamer. Some names you should know!!!

[@portugal5698]

What kind of scope mount is the side mounted one in the beginning (first one shown)? I love the old school concept of the side mount!!

[@ronkruchten5867]

I think it's a Griffin and Howe mount. At least it closely resembles others I've seen for sale that were thus identified. HTH...

[@fredkingery3318]

How do I get notified in time for your auctions?

[@billrea66]

I'm looking at a Franz Sodia custom M-98 in 7x57. Double trigger with Austrian scope .

[@tylerreed9485]

How much did the first 2 go for?

[@Lorenzo-fw3gx]

I have my uncles sporterized mauser, it has the same stock as the first one he showed, with a Jaeger (sp) trigger.

[@johngeddes7894]

Jb weld

[@mannequinfukr]

I have one that has a stock similar to the last one (just plain). Such a shame a good half inch crack formed in the stock. Replaced it with a klinsky stock

[@brandonbentley5453]

I have a pewar Model B. The main difference I've found is in the bluing and machining. The Commercial Mauser has smooth finish woth no machine marks and smooth bluing. Otherwise they are nearly identical to military rifles. A lot of firms made high-end conversions of military Mausers because of this.

[@arthurmcbride1235]

Charles Lancaster & co would have bought the barrelled action direct from Mauser and then stocked and finished it in London. It's not at all in the same category as the sporterised military Mausers your are talking about.

[@c123bthunderpig]

Can you share how you obtain your inventory? I am not a hunter, however I have two sporterized rifles passed down from my father from WW2.

[@RockIslandAuctionCompany]

They come in as consignments from across the country and even internationally.

[@user-fy1ch8pk9p]

جيد جدا

[@MsMohnad711]

The last one was made by whom?

[@joeycoppens1064]

Wowsa

[@austingx8295]

I saw a 1917 Remington mosin nagant that was sporterized badly, I almost cried in the gunstore seeing a rare variant of the guns I collect ruined. And the store wanted $600 for it...

[@jasonarmstrong5750]

When it doesn’t look stupid or tacticool it’s actually half way decent

[@baneofbanes]

Helps if it has actual skill go into it.

[@nervchemnitz]

Some Swedish Mausers were made sporterised specifically for the hunting market, so not unusual or anathema. I have a Husqvarna 46B from 1942 in 6.5x55 calibre. Handles identical to my Carl Gustaf and if I were into hunting, would make a great deer gun due to its take-down power yet low recoil. I have a Zastava take on the Mauser design and in same calibre it kicks like a mule.

[@perdidocamaronero5400]

Kimber sporterized and sold Swede's for a few years.

[@louisstopforth5886]

Not a gun , it is a rifle !!

[@robertfarrow4256]

Please include the caliber/cartridge.

[@RockIslandAuctionCompany]

They'll be in the pinned comment up top.

[@CircleBrewery]

Are these 8mm chmabered

[@mannequinfukr]

If these are pre-ww2 sporters. Probably just a few since if I remember correctly Germany (if German gunsmith made) couldnt produce military ammo at that time

[@marknielsen2482]

Sporterized guns are nice. I don't have a problem with them. At the time, the sporterized rifle filled a nitch. I wasn't until just the last few years that people wanted them original.

[@roddyhughes5110]

First one is so right the cheek riser is on the wrong side 😂😂😂😂 terrible finish on the wood.

[@Aeroshogun]

I legitimately DON'T get the point of sporterizing these rifles. I have two sporterized Mausers and they are LESS practical to use than the otherwise militarized ones, except one I sporterized using an Archangel 98 stock since it didn't come with a stock and needed rewelding to save it from the scrap heap anyway. That top cover, for example, exists for a reason. When that barrel gets hot (and it doesn't take long), the heat mirage will distort your sight picture and make using iron sights harder. Even if adding a scope, still no point in changing the stock as the stock typically has that hole in it to make disassembly of and cleaning your rifle's bolt easier on the field.

[@mauser2134]

you know someone that disassembles the bolt while casually out hunting? you must be pretty dense to not see why some one wouldnt want those rifles to hunt with over a standard k98.

[@Aeroshogun]

@@mauser2134 you must be dense if you ignored every single point I just made. If you want a real hunting rifle with better accuracy and practicality, get a Ruger M77. Several reasons to clean your bolt out on the field btw.

[@kennethking817]

Pretty don't make a Rifle accurate I have a 03-A3 Remington Spotter and it groups less than a dime with 5 shots and found it in a Pawn Shop for $300.00 .

[@rockybrumley1693]

It’s a lefty

[@charlietullos6726]

Doing it right by not doing it at all

[@davidfriend1919]

Get a cough drop for christ's sake ( I'm kidding you ) ... yes , not all sporterized mausers are bubba guns . Griffin & Howe mausers case in point . Don't know who would think they are all bubbas but definitely not anybody who knows guns .

[@jonparkes7006]

Agreed I’m tired of the key board warriors claiming every sporterised warrior is ruined Regards

[@johngeddes7894]

The scope side mount is challenging to look at for me. Its just worng (sp) !

[@Texasmilitarydepartmentvid9654]

Look's like shit destroyed a perfectly good Rifle.

[@Cryptkeeper0311]

My thoughts exactly. Only boomers do this type of shit. Semper Fi.

[@deboshadow]

It was butchered. 200$ maximum.

[@dstro899]

Sporterization is mutilation. There is no right way to mutilate something.

[@mannequinfukr]

These were probably made from spare actions between ww1 and ww2 by gunsmiths during that time. Those do exist. Like a G98 rifle being made in the long obsolete 8.15x46R (scheutzen cartridge)

[@johngeddes7894]

Sporters rock