Good(OK) Deal/Bad Deal on a Sporterized Rifle?

[biggish_burrito]

Ok, this may be a sacrilegious topic but I recently got bitten by the rifle bug.

Been looking around and my dream rifles are currently the Garand, a 1903A3, and the Winchester Model 70 Alaskan. The CZ 527 FS is also up there. However, finding examples that I really like, especially for the Garand and 03A3 are in price ranges beyond what I really want to pay.

To make this short, I stumbled across this listing and from what I was able to gather this is a sporterized 1903. The ad states that its a custom Mauser 98 made by Springfield. I clarified it with the seller and they stated it's really a "Mauser action" Springfield. My assumption is that they meant it was a 03 action that was sporterized.

At the asking price of $500, would you all say that this is an ok deal, a bad deal, or simply blasphemy?

I've attached a picture, unfortunately that is the only picture. I will be checking it out later in person, anything I should check for in a used rifle?

Thank you

-Edit
I forgot to mention, I did do some looking around for sporterized rifle prices, and the consensus was that $400 was more or less the price range. That was from threads circa 2014 and before... and we are in CA so... yeah.

-Edit 2
I am wrong in that this is not a sporterized 1903, but rather it is a converted Mauser 98 in 30-06

[kcheung2]

I would pass on it. I don't think the seller knows exactly what he has. An unmolested 1903 will continue to go up in value, but a sporterized version is just an old scoped deer rifle.

[Superfreak]

I look at it this way:
How much would it cost to reconfigure this rifle back into its original milsurp condition? Add that value to the seller's asking price. Is that number above market value for what you would pay for a rifle in its original milsurp condition?

[Junkie]

I think you'd be better off putting this in the C&R forum.

[biggish_burrito]

@kcheung2 - Not just the seller, I also have no clue as to what it is either lol. Taking a look at the rifle now and against pictures of 1903s as well as 03A3's, the iron sights don't match up.

@Superfreak - I did consider the cost of getting the rifle's original parts to undo the sporterizing. At the end of it, it would cost me more, however I was planning on using the package as is.

@Junkie - You're right, I meant to put this thread in the Manually Operated sub forum.

Mods - please let me know if you are able to move this or if you need me to create a new post. Thank you, sorry about that.

[Garand Hunter]

That IS a 98 mauser rifle converted to a sporter, is it a 30-06 or 8 mm caliber
or whatever ? It looks like a 98 mauser stepped barrel, most likely a 8mm.

I have a 03 springfield sporter that looks like its twin brother ! If its in a caliber you like, BUY IT. But of course I am a 73 year old guy who really really likes 98 mauser and 03 springfield sporters with great wood. I still have 3 of them. Many around, and this looks real good, but, its a picture.

Psalm 1

[God Bless America]

Forget restoring it, polished blued drilled and tapped = too far gone.

Beautiful example of a sporter though.

['ol shooter]

The 8mm is not an M.O.A. round, but it is a game getter, and if that's what you want it for, go for it. I had a real nice looking one back in the late 1970's, shot good for what it was. I have a WZ-29 Polish Cavalry Carbine that my Granddad had sporterized back in the early 1940's, not as nice a job. Wish it were all original.

[biggish_burrito]

That IS a 98 mauser rifle converted to a sporter, is it a 30-06 or 8 mm caliber
or whatever ? It looks like a 98 mauser stepped barrel, most likely a 8mm.

I have a 03 springfield sporter that looks like its twin brother ! If its in a caliber you like, BUY IT. But of course I am a 73 year old guy who really really likes 98 mauser and 03 springfield sporters with great wood. I still have 3 of them. Many around, and this looks real good, but, its a picture.

Psalm 1

Hi Garand Hunter, according to the ad, this is chambered in 30-06. Hmm a converted 98, being a 98 does make this more tempting.

@God Bless America - Basically, if I'm buying to collect it would be worth my while to get an all original, but if I am buying to use the rifle as is, the price is reasonable?

@ 'ol shooter - At the core, I am looking for something to plink around at the range with. I'm not in an area where I can easily go hunting deer either, so I guess it's more a desire to have a rifle as opposed to a necessity at the moment.

[God Bless America]

I would not buy. It has a stepped barrel, and those were almost always 8mm. Maybe a Columbian or Brazilian .30-06 but unlikely.

I don't see a hinged floor plate.

Scope mounts are an unknown.

Pitting under blue or under wood is unknown.

Bolt work is unknown. Feeding is unknown.

If it was in 30-06 and the bore was excellent, and it was very accurate, and well done, it *might* be worth 500 to somebody. Also depends on the scope, and the action. If the action is commercial, or a really clean and desirable milsurp, there may be value in using it for a different build.

Otherwise, spend the $500 on a new Savage. New scopes are so much better than 30 or 40 years ago.

Get one in .308 for plinking. Or .223. Or both; the Savage Axis is very reasonably priced, and so is the ammo.

[Garand Hunter]

There are stepped mauser barrels in 30-06 out there, mostly on rifles that were sporterized in the late '40s and 50's and they were/are still very popular. I have
one and its tight on the paper.

Psalm 1

[kcheung2]

Like God Bless America mentioned, there's a lot of compromises when it comes to old sporterized rifles. In addition to what he mentioned, the safety is probably disabled due to the low height of the scope. The bolt handle has definitely been modified to clear the scope. The scope rings might not be the standard 1" or 30mm that's common now.

And the fact is that a modern $500 rifle is just better in every way. It's designed for a scope & there's no doubt that it can handle the pressures of it's specific cartridge.

You said you're looking for more of a range toy. A modern bolt gun or an unaltered C&R can both fill that need. There's no reason why a collectible 1903 or k98 can't be shot, and as long as it's maintained in reasonable condition it will continue to go up in value.

Or heck, get a $200 Mosin. Shoot it lots, keep it clean, and in a decade it will also be worth more.

[God Bless America]

GH which receiver is your on? There definitely are some 30-06 stepped-barreled Mauser out there, but they are not common. OP might also be looking at an 8mm-06.

[biggish_burrito]

Thank you for the responses everyone. After reading the responses and sleeping on it, I will pass on this particular rifle.

Again, I appreciate all of the responses! Thank you