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Building a Custom Mauser

Howdy, dad and I want to build a custom Mauser for some longer range shooting/hunting. I already I have the receiver, trigger and a Shilen 25-06 short cut barrel, we would also like to have it tapped for a scope and the bolt handle tuned to properly accommodate the scope.

Could anyone point me in the right direction or send me a PM? I can ship everything as well. I don’t have the most money in the world, however I also understand good work isn’t cheap. I’m a broke college student in the National Guard and can save up a few checks if needed.
 
Before you send anything to a gunsmith make sure you have a mauser action that the magazine is long enough to accept a 25-06 cartridge. Not all will work with this caliber.
 
Before you send anything to a gunsmith make sure you have a mauser action that the magazine is long enough to accept a 25-06 cartridge. Not all will work with this caliber.
Yep, I didn’t think that all the way through when I bought the barrel. I just measured the magazine and it should fit, I also have a single shot adapter if needed.
 
you can fit a Springfield 1903 trigger guard with minor work or find an old Michaels aluminum aftermarket trigger guard . Both will fit the 25-06
Yep the max OAL I’ve seen for 8x57 and 25-06 is 3.25 inches they in theory should work, however I need to get the barrel installed before anything lol.
 
I wish that one of our resident mauser experts would explain the differences in the various mauser actions and maybe pictures of each. Ive always had trouble ordering stocks because i dont know which is which
 
I wish that one of our resident mauser experts would explain the differences in the various mauser actions and maybe pictures of each. Ive always had trouble ordering stocks because i dont know which is which
That is something that confuses me too, if I get the project going I’m probably going to put it in a cheap sporter stock and free float it till I can get a better one.
 

There is a fairly well explained comparison of the Mauser actions, with pictures.

If you have a bench vice, barrel vice, and action wrench you can do the barrel install yourself.
Since it's short chambered, you screw the barrel on, then you can hand ream, frequently checking with a go gauge to set your headspace.
 
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There is a fairly well explained comparison of the Mauser actions, with pictures.

If you have a bench vice, barrel vice, and action wrench you can do the barrel install yourself.
Since it's short chambered, you screw the barrel on, then you can hand ream, frequently checking with a go gauge to set your headspace.
^^^^^^This
 
You'll also need a side-swing safety to clear the scope.
With no barrel in the receiver, you can do a quick preliminary inspection of the lug abutments in the receiver.
Shine a light in, see if there's any visible setback in the area where the lugs rotate. If it looks like there might be, lightly drag a sharp pick over the surface to feel if there's a ridge present.

Mausers are case hardened, if there's significant setback the receiver would need to be trued then sent out for re-hardening.
 
The best book I have found for identifying the different military Mauser models, evaluating, and working on them is by Jerry Kuhnhausen. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1014292684?pid=661999 As I recall, there were over 100 million Mausers manufactured by 20 countries, so the variations are many and suitability for sporting conversions vary widely by manufacture and sometimes by the years they were made.
 

There is a fairly well explained comparison of the Mauser actions, with pictures.

If you have a bench vice, barrel vice, and action wrench you can do the barrel install yourself.
Since it's short chambered, you screw the barrel on, then you can hand ream, frequently checking with a go gauge to set your headspace.
I would do the install my self however I don’t have any of those tools, I’d like someone to do the work for me, it seems like it’s hard to find a good gunsmith these days. Ive heard the horror stories about all the fudds out there.
 
the problem with most old good mauser smiths is that a large portion of them have either passed on or have retired.
Yep I’ve been looking online a bit and can’t find much. There also is only 1 gun smith in my whole area and sometimes he’s turned projects of mine down saying it can be done cheaper else where.

I’ll have to ask him how much this install might cost, I think last time I talked to him he sends most of his barrel work off to others, I’ll have to see.
 

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