opinions please !!

[Hanic]

Greeting all,

I would like to build a 6mmbr for target shooting out to 600 yd max, more commonly to 400yd. My budget won't allow some of the beautiful $2500 and $3500 guns I see on this site. But I do have a 30year old commercially made Mauser action in a seldom used 30 06 that I could use to save a $1000 or so off the total price. As Mauser actions are seldom mentioned here, I assume they are not favored. Can this project work? Can I make a 6mmbr from this action that will shoot 2 to 3 inch groups at 400 yards. Is there any smiths that specializes in these actions. I'm in PA so a PA smith would be handy, but I'm not limiting myself to someone close by. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks Hank

 

[SF340Driver]

The Mauser action was one of the mainstays of BR shooting in the early years. They can be made to shoot quite well and any BR gunsmith that has been around a while is very familiar with building off of them.

Yes, a 6mmBR can be built on your action, but it will need to be set up as a single shot action.

Good luck with your project and post us some pics.

 

[Hanic]

Thank you for your reply. This will be my first attempt at a project like this. I'll be "feeling my way' quite a bit and will be posting many questions as I go. I assume that once I find a smith ready, willing and able to do the action, I will really need to know what barrel I want. I'd like to use heavy bullets, so fast spin will be needed. I'm sure I'll want to occasionally hunt chucks, so the spin has to be slow enough to not destroy some the heavier varmint bullets. Any thoughts on this, Hank

 

[shcal]

I agree with gunamonth, I did a very similar thing with a savage 12, took everything off, only the action remained and I had that trued. SSS trigger, Ken Farrel bases, SSS recoil lug, PacNor 1.055 straight barrel at 28",8" twist)Burris signature rings, and a stockade long range stock.

 

[Hanic]

Thanks for the input guys. I wasn't really considering the Savage. A little research on my parts makes me think I should think about it. My original thinking was a Remington, mostly because of its common use for the basis of a rifle, coupled with all the after market stuff available for it, and all the people who work on it. Then my thinking went to Stiller's predator action because it had the same foot print and was machined to tight tolerances to begin with, rather than adapted and fixed up after the fact. The priced seemed about the same as buying an action for about $450 and truing up for about $150. The feedback I've gotten so far suggests a good course of action is to sell the Mauser and revert back to my original thinking, but this time include the Savage as a contender. As my lead thread says, I need feedback from those of you who have done it and can offer some advise. I'm sure for that some of you its a little "old hat", but for me its new, a little expensive and a little scary. Thanks in advance to all that can help, Hank

 

[MrMister]

Hanic,

I am doing the same thing you are with a 1951 FN commercial Mauser action. It's also my first build.

I've already got some great advise on this site and been told how to save some money as well.

Their seems to be two camps here at 6mm.com when it comes to Mauser's: the go for it guys and the why a Mauser group. The latter has valid points when you think about how much money can go into one of these things when it's all said and done.

Mine is going to be a rat and yote gun so I won't be looking for one ragged hole groups, not that I won't try.

What do you plan on doing with yours?

Look for my posts as my build progresses-we'll learn from each others mistakes!

Here is a smith for you. He's on the west coast but does great work: http://www.skaggsgunsmithing.com/index.shtml

Steve

 

[NorCalMikie]

Dave: The guys could always go with a "Stevens" and add the trigger of their choice.,No Accu Trigger) Barrel swap and stock and be shooting in no time.
As far as a Mauser, build it the way you want and have fun doing it. Doesn't have to have a "big" name to be accurate.

 

[CPorter]

My girlfriend and I in the process of building a Mauser 98 with a 10 twist Shilen HV barrel chambered in .243 Win. It's our first gunsmithing project and if we can get it to shoot 1/2 MOA then just about anyone can. We hope to shoot it this weekend but the weather doesn't look to be cooperating.

The Mauser 98 is a long action which won't be quite as rigid as a shorter action without the big gap for the magazine. Most of the actions also seem to have a lot of finish problems. Don't know if it is from poor manufacturing or poor storage. On the manufacturing side there were several tool marks on sliding parts that needed to be polished out. If you go that route take time to pull the bolt apart and cleanup the fit and finish on all the parts. Oh yeah, you will need to redo the bolt handle to clear a scope....

 

[MrMister]

Most of the actions also seem to have a lot of finish problems. Don't know if it is from poor manufacturing or poor storage. On the manufacturing side there were several tool marks on sliding parts that needed to be polished out. If you go that route take time to pull the bolt apart and cleanup the fit and finish on all the parts. Oh yeah, you will need to redo the bolt handle to clear a scope....

He has a commercial action so that shouldn't be a problem. Sounds like yours is MILSURP. I have a couple friends that build off MILSURP actions and they make some pretty nice field hunting guns. Very accurate.

 

[Hanic]

Hey gunamonth,

Looks like like you've done all the variants I'm just considering. Let me back up a step and say that I've been reading this site for quite a while. All that I read about the 6MMBR makes me thinks its a really efficient and versatile mid-range caliber. I'm not a match shooter, but I appreciate a really accurate rifle. I really enjoy shooting my annie at 50 yards. Best group 0.17. I'd like to move up to a center fire for use at 200 to maybe 600 yds. tops. I would also like to use it for chuck hunting on occasion.

When I saw the site's write ups on building a gun thoughts were of a rem 700 action. Then I saw Stiller's predator for about the price of buying and truing up a remmy. I thought this would be better. The total cost of the project was a little intimidating, so I dropped back to trying to use my old Mauser action. Now I see Savage's precision varminter RBLP very stiff and heavy action would seem like a great start. If an action only were available, I think I'd jump on that. But buying a complete gun and selling off the parts might make sense too. Except for the initial rush of activity at its intro about a year ago, I haven't heard much about this gun.

As you can see I'm considering too much and not moving forward. So after all this babble, my question to you is - since you've already carried out most of my thinking, what are you happiest with. Which one of the guys you mentioned can deliver 1 inch at 300 yds., is light enough to take afield, and gave you the best value for the money spent. I know this is quite a question, but any info you provide will help me narrow in on my goal. Thanks in advance for your help, and to anyone else who thinks they can provide guiding input. Hank

 

[mysticplayer]

I have built a few LR match quality rifles using Stevens and Savage actions. For your project, the least expensive is picking up a blued HB 243. With a good bedding job and proper handloads, they will meet your accuracy goal. The ones that shoot in my area would beat your needs quite handily.

Pricing will be less then the Mauser build up. I started with P Enfields and Mauser so can give you some first hand info on these projects. Personally, I prefer the P Enfield over the mauser.

If you want a lighter trigger, then the new Savage single shots will be great as they will come with a 6oz accutrigger. Component actions will be sold. savageshooters.com for more info.

I just went with a Stevens. replaced the trigger with a Rifle Basix 2 and you can spin on the a prefit pac nor at home. There are now lots of aftermarket stocks for these action and if a bit handy with tools, you can do all work at home saving you time and money going through a smith.

You can also modify the orig plastic stock and turn it into a very rigid BR style. This will save quite a bit of cash if comparing to a tracker or SSS br stock.

The stevens rifles I have built had ZERO work done to the action and have all shot in the 2's or smaller. The floating bolt head takes care of all the 'blue printing' work needed for solid bolt actions.

The actions are also modular so you can go from 223 to RUM with a few minutes on the bench.

For the cost of the labour to set up that Mauser, you can easily pick up a Stevens and you will have an action that is easier to work on with more options in the future.

I haven't bothered with a military action since getting the Stevens.

Jerry
Gun of the week 75 is my F Open project rifle using a Stevens action. Seems to be working just fine.

 

[CPorter]

Hanic,

My girlfriend and I went out to test fire the Mauser action gun we had built up. Using 87 gr VMax bullets, unfired Norma brass, Fed210M primer and 42.4 grains of IMR-4831 the gun showed to be capable of 1/2" groups at 100 yards. I think once we fix the rear scope mount,shimmed in place) and tune it some more it will shoot even better. We also shot some 95 gr Ballistic tips with the lubalox coating but those didn't shoot well at all even though the barrel was a 10 twist.

All said and done there is less than $1000 in the gun,minus the scope) and the gunsmithing work was definitely NOT benchrest standard. We rushed through this project as we could only borrow the shop tools on the weekends and we didn't do anything I would call accurizing.

If you can take your time and do a better job you shouldn't have any problem meeting your accuracy goal. And if you use a commerical Mauser action instead of military surplus it will look a lot better as well.

 

[Hanic]

Thank you for your detailed reply gunamonth.

Thanks to your response I took a very hard look at Savage. It seems like that's the way to go. I see the model 12 precision varminter will be available as action only or in a fast twist 22-250. This will suit my desire for the 6mmbr chambering.

The cost of a complete gun plus custom barrel will be about the same as a custom gun with a single barrel gun, a good sounding alternative. The new accu trigger, with some controversy, seems to be a good bet.

Thanks for posting the photos of your treasures, all fine looking rifles. Being new to this custom/semi custom stuff, I really appreciate your extra effort in helping me out. Hank

 

[expiper]

Sell that old mauser to somebody to hunt deer with...and dont waste a dollar on it....take the cash and put it toward something that will function smoothly,,not like trying to slam the door on a rusted out 37 hudson...))and that will have some resale value .....I have built several guns in my lifetime and will never go bak to the stone ages again!! There are too many modern options that will out shoot,out perform and serve you better.....get a rem. or savage and canabalize them to get the action...or as someone suggested get one of them newfangled clones from stiller....they are "really nice"....just dont waste your time and effort and money tryin to get that old Hudson on the pole down at Daytona......it would be a valliant effort ...but STUPID....just my opinion,,,send the .02$ in the mail........Roger