[ACEarcher]

As time goes on I find more of an affliction for sporterized mausers. I see the rugged reliable rifle, but a large part of beauty. I've seen some beautiful sporterized mausers and often they are priced at reasonable rates. Why is this? Why is the price of this time proven action at lower prices than today produced rifle.
When I see a beautiful engraved, reblued, diamond cut bolt, sporterized mauser my heart melts. I see the craftsmanship as well as the reliable rifle.
Example, I have found someone selling a alreay sporterized GEW98 for sale. It already has a spooned bolt handle, 2 folding rear sight, sporterized stock, sporter front sight, etc. Unfortunately I feel a sense of uncertainty before diving into this deal. Price is good also FYI. I'm not super knowledgable about these sporterized mauser, but I feel the need to know more. The smithing work on this particular rifle was obviously done a while ago. However it still holds its beauty IMO. I know head spacing in a mauser can be a topic of concern. I was told that this barrel reads 7.90.

Thoughts, opinions, comments on these rifles.

Thanks

 

[mauser06]

no idea why they are typically sold pretty cheap....


first gun i bought was a sporterized m98 in 3006...beautiful walnut stock..well, after 10+ seasons it has some beauty marks..i didnt beat it up but it looked better..i paid 235$ for it! needed drilled and tapped and bolt modified for a scope but i think that was another 50$ with the scope base and rings..(could be crazy on that or dad paid half or somethin im not sure..i was 13!)

like you said, i just had a soft spot for it..i was shopping for my first rifle..couldnt figure out why the m70 and m700s etc were much more when it was a great lookin gun...

looks like mine was worked over a good bit..most of the writting on the barrel etc is hardly readable..looked like they sanded the metal down probably to reduce battle scars etc...

i am guessing it was a gunsmithing school project...not sure though...

 

[Joe the Logger]

Gew is a WW 1 or earlier era rifle. Nothing wrong at all with a sporterized 98. Someone has already spent most of the money and time, buy it and enjoy it. 7.9 is the metric cal. designation. You can buy a quality barrel in a more modern caliber and have it installed for about $200, but there is nothing wrong with the 8mm for deer.

 

[Tony300wby]

I think the biggest reason most people dont buy the Mauser's is that they just dont know what they are. They just dont get the magazine and TV time like the modern day rifles do. Most anyone who has watched a hunting show in the last 10 years can tell you what a TC Encore is, but most wouldnt know a Mauser or Springfield. Another thing to consider is the quality of the work. I have seen alot of really bad sporter jobs over the years. I have also seen alot of very nice high end Mauser's that were works of art. The quality ones are bringing high $$$.

Personally, I think the Mauser's are really nice actions. This is a pic of my grandfathers 8x57. It is not a full blown custom. If I was building this gun today it would not look anything like this one does. BUT, I will never change a thing on it, because that is the way he had it done 60+ years ago. I have had this rifle for around 20 years and this year was the first time I shot it and hunted with it.

I bet the two buck I watched at 150+ yds from my tree stand on the last day of rifle season this year are happy I took this open sighted Mauser instead of a scoped rifle.

Good luck, Tony

 

[ACEarcher]

WOW Tony, I love that stock. That is gorgous!!!

 

[DennyF]

Few younger hunters today put much value in a sporterized military rifle that's over 60 years old. Even the ones that are really works of art, reflecting the fine craftsmanship that goes into a really well done rifle.

I still love M98s and 1903s because that's what I was "brought up with" as a child. My dad sent a VZ 24 back home at the end of WWII and one of his brothers, a Tioga Co. dairy farmer, had a US Remington 1903 (purchased not long after the end of WWII), both of which are now mine. They were the family deer rifles I knew about as a kid.

Neither were sporterized, other than having the military stocks cut back to "sporter" configurations, both rifles still have their original military sights. I have killed deer with both rifles and have no plans to alter either one. If anything, I may restock them some day into their original condition?

No need to mess with them, as I already have sporterized M98s and one sporterized US Rem nearly identical to the one that used to be my uncle's. In fact, both 1903s were made in June of 1942 and are in the same serial number range (less than 20K apart).

For those that aren't "up" on WWII 1903s, the US Springfield Armory never made any in that era, as they were already producing the new M1 Garands prior to our entry into WWII.

What did happen, is that the SA 1903 tooling was shipped to Remington to make 1903s, because the Army figured they couldn't make Garands quickly enough to meet the demands of impending war.

Remington and later Smith Corona, made 1903A3 versions of the 1903 Springfield rifles during WWII, but the <span style="font-style: italic">original</span> 1903 rifles assembled by Remington in early-mid 1942, were nearly identical to the Springfield 1903s: Ladder rear sights, all milled steel barrel bands and bottom metal. They were all "stamped" as US Remingtons.

The later A3 versions made by Remington and Smith Corona during WWII, used more stamped steel parts and different sights. Far as most know, few if any A3 variants (other than the sniper A4s) were ever shipped overseas for combat use, mostly remained in the States for security use, etc.

Many are also not aware that the Marines were still using 1903 Springfields when they invaded Guadalcanal, because they hadn't been issued Garands yet.

These rifles have important historical value and although that's pretty much destroyed by being sporterized, I still have a soft spot for them.

 

[Tony300wby]

WOW Tony, I love that stock. That is gorgous!!!

Thank you. The stock was done by my grandfathers best friend, his name was Walter Z. He was like my 3rd grandfather. He was a vary talented man when it came to wood working. He made quite a few stocks for friends and family and they were all very nice. The one that I will never forget was Walters own 30-06 built on a Springfield action. He used a highly figured piece of fiddleback maple that was the most beutifully finished gun stock I have ever seen. I personally like more of the classic style of stock, but I would not change a thing about this one.

Good luck, Tony

 

[Joe the Logger]

Thats a beauty Tony !