To build, or NOT to build.....UPDATE: I'm building...

[powderedtoastman]

I have a 1929 Spanish Mauser, chambered in 7x57. Externally, it's rusting away. The surface of the barrel is pitted, the stock is spongey in certain areas that are rotten, but the bolt, and receiver look good to me. I'm contemplating gutting this thing and installing a new barrel, bedding the action to a new stock, and setting it up with a scope and doing a precision rifle out of it. Mausers are out of my realm of knowledge, and so far I've discovered that there are few accessories and options for the 93 Mauser. This rifle has no sentimental value, and I received it for free. Opinions?

UPDATE:4/14/14
Post#18 has the update, but basically I'm building a 98 Mauser that my gramps cut up and brought home from WW2...

[toby]

Build it and the answers will come.

[NorCalFocus]

Stock sucks. Build it.

[LynnJr]

Throw the stock away and get something from Boyds Gunstocks that you like.

Go to Brownells and see if they have stock ferrules for your gun.They look like metal tubes and are used to prevent the new stock from collapsing.

Order up an aftermarket trigger from Timney.They are very easy to install and cost $70

If its in a factory stock it probably has the factory firing pin spring in it and those are real cheap.

For a barrel you can get a Douglas barrel in the white ready to go for around $180.

Have your gunsmith install the barrel then send the entire gun minus the stock to Mel Doyle for bluing.If it is deeply pitted and rusty have him bead blast it then matte blue or matte black it.He charges $60 plus the shipping and it will look fantastic.Locally here in California a high polished bluing is several hundred dollars on up.

It would make for a sweet plinking or hunting rifle.

[ar15barrels]

I have a 1929 Spanish Mauser, chambered in 7x57. Externally, it's rusting away. The surface of the barrel is pitted, the stock is spongey in certain areas that are rotten, but the bolt, and receiver look good to me. I'm contemplating gutting this thing and installing a new barrel, bedding the action to a new stock, and setting it up with a scope and doing a precision rifle out of it. Mausers are out of my realm of knowledge, and so far I've discovered that there are few accessories and options for the 93 Mauser. This rifle has no sentimental value, and I received it for free. Opinions?

Mausers don't make very good precision rifles.
With no sentimental value, keep it as a wall hanger and build a precision rifle with a more modern action with faster lock time and better fitting parts.

[powderedtoastman]

This is intriguing me! I don't want a 1000 yard tack driver, just something I could hit some steel with at maybe 500 yards.

Throw the stock away and get something from Boyds Gunstocks that you like.

Go to Brownells and see if they have stock ferrules for your gun.They look like metal tubes and are used to prevent the new stock from collapsing.

Order up an aftermarket trigger from Timney.They are very easy to install and cost $70

If its in a factory stock it probably has the factory firing pin spring in it and those are real cheap.

For a barrel you can get a Douglas barrel in the white ready to go for around $180.

Have your gunsmith install the barrel then send the entire gun minus the stock to Mel Doyle for bluing.If it is deeply pitted and rusty have him bead blast it then matte blue or matte black it.He charges $60 plus the shipping and it will look fantastic.Locally here in California a high polished bluing is several hundred dollars on up.

It would make for a sweet plinking or hunting rifle.

[6mmintl]

Problem is the Spanish Mauser action is a "Small ring" low pressure action and you cannot hotrod it to the more modern high pressure rounds.

You can hit steel with it to 500 meters in its original caliber if its a long barreled rifle with a good bore, throw a scout scope on it, add a boyds stock, beadblast action and reblue. all this will cost you minimum $450.

You can buy a sporterized milsurp possible with a scope for the same amount, a couple of 100 more and you can get a modern rifle with scope package.

[Whiterabbit]

I have a mauser in 7x57 that is accurate to 700 yards at least, for man sized steel.

If you standard of accuracy is man sized targets at 700 yards, you have a fine gun. No need to go crazy on it either. If the inside of the bore is good, you are set to recrown and have at it. Otherwise, a new barrel in whatever you like and you are good to go.

If its a 93, keep in mind I'm told those actions are good to 50ksi or so, so you might be unable to shoot factory ammo if you install a barrel other than 7x57 on it.

But the 7x57 is a GREAT cartridge even out well beyond 500 yards (if plinkin' steels) and you'll have no issues. With whatever cartridge you choose. Knowing your caveats.

[Whiterabbit]

Have you considered doing all the work yourself, if you want a project rifle? Douglas barrel in the white sounds very reasonable. bed the action in the existing stock or new one if you insist, you can even make your own barrel vise and action wrench pretty simply. (for the record, I have not made my own action wrench, only barrel vises.)

You can rust blue pretty easily at home, and either replace the trigger or hone. You can hone it all day long, and if you don't like the results, buy the replacement.

It would be a great project rifle for homebuilding, since you have so little emotion invested into it currently.

Just another thought.

[powderedtoastman]

It's a small ring 93, and I'd like to slowly do all the work myself. I primarily started this thread too see if its worth it for the money. If I can buy a new Remington 700 for the same or less amount of money, I'd probably go for that. I'm getting into light gunsmithing lately, and I just mounted my coyote rifle scope with my wheeler kit my fiancee bought me. I guess why not just do it all one phase at a time myself?

[Whiterabbit]

IMO yes it is worth it. But when it comes to controlled round feed in California (on calguns), it's something you either "get" or "don't get". So if you have this thing in your head that says Remington 700's and other pushfeeds are the pinnacle of bolt rifle action design, you'd be better off starting with that. because even the finest CRF action will never be a Remington 700.

[Whiterabbit]

FYI, I was in a similar boat as you. I bought a magnum action savage rifle for the purpose of doing some "light gunsmithing". At the end of the day, I realized it was never going to be the claw extractor CRF rifle I wanted, no matter how much work I put into it. So I sold it and bought a CZ550 to start with. And could not be happier with the finished rifle.

The moral of the story is, if you want an R700, don't spend your money here. It won't be what you want. ever. If you want a fine homebuilt mauser, to turn a free fixer into something you DO have emotional attachment to, then that is the value if working on it.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?216379-458-vz-24

[powderedtoastman]

Well, I'm torn. I think this weekend(my birthday) will require some thinkin' drinkin', and I'll make my decision by Sunday.

[Whiterabbit]

Do you even like shooting claw extractor rifles?

[SB1964]

If you're doing it yourself, & it's cheap, I say go for it. If it's gonna be expensive, I say no. Don't throw good money after bad.