Mauser 98 VZ24 Build

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Mauser 98 VZ24 Build

Postby ivel_86 » Tue Jan 12, 2016 12:26 pm

So I am considering building a 450bm on the mauser platform. I have some general questions as I am new to this. I love bolt guns and I aint rich just to say that off the bat.

Where is a good place to get barrels? I have been checking them out and hoping to get a mauser threaded barrel so I can install it myself.

Who has installed a barrel? I found a set of go/no-go gauges and depth gauges.

That's the majority of my questions. The reason I feel I will most likely do the work myself is the lack of willing gunsmith and I think itll be fun. The hard part is I will need a cut to fit barrel because I don't have a machine shop. I have read a bunch on here and appreciate any help anyone can give me. Thank you.
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Re: Mauser 98 VZ24 Build

Postby Hoot » Tue Jan 12, 2016 4:31 pm

Welcome aboard Ivel;

Bob will be along shortly. ;)

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In Theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In Practice, there is.
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Re: Mauser 98 VZ24 Build

Postby ivel_86 » Wed Jan 13, 2016 8:14 am

I look forward to any insight anyone can provide.
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Re: Mauser 98 VZ24 Build

Postby pitted bore » Fri Jan 15, 2016 3:48 pm

ivel_86 wrote:So I am considering building a 450bm on the mauser platform. I have some general questions as I am new to this. I love bolt guns and I aint rich just to say that off the bat.

Where is a good place to get barrels? I have been checking them out and hoping to get a mauser threaded barrel so I can install it myself.

Who has installed a barrel? I found a set of go/no-go gauges and depth gauges.

That's the majority of my questions. The reason I feel I will most likely do the work myself is the lack of willing gunsmith and I think itll be fun. The hard part is I will need a cut to fit barrel because I don't have a machine shop. I have read a bunch on here and appreciate any help anyone can give me. Thank you.

ivel 86-
Welcome. I'll offer what advice I can. Enough bolt guns have been built so that any errors I make can be caught and corrected by other knowledgeable persons.

A 450 on a Mauser VZ24 action is certainly doable, but it has some quirks that might make the project expensive.

I assume you're planning on making this in sporting rifle configuration? If so, how much has the action been modified? You may want to replace the trigger. If you are planning on installing a scope, your action will need to be drilled and tapped for mounts, the bolt handle altered or replaced to clear the scope, and a new safety installed.

I don't think you are going to be able to find a .451 or .452 barrel that is pre-threaded for a 98 action. (If you do find a source, post it here, please!) The 98 Mauser has a couple possible complications involved in replacing the barrel The action has an internal shoulder that the rear face of the barrel needs to touch when drawn up. Most commercial barrels will have a shoulder in front of the barrel threads that will have to contact squarely the front of the action. So, the front of the action has to be trued; this was not a concern with military barrels which did not have a shoulder that contacts the action front face.

There may be a problem with feeding cartridges from the Mauser magazine. The cases are short, compared to the military round, and will tend to dive into the front of the magazine rather than entering the chamber. The Mauser has a flat breech, which is a bit trickier than the coned breeches of a Springfield or Winchester.

Several persons have used McGowen barrels in conversions of bolt rifles to 450B. I and my gunsmith have been pleased with recent products of McGowen. You will have to specify the contour if you order from them.

All of these alterations require gunsmithing, which may become spendy. Sorry. Talk prices with a gunsmith who is familiar with Mauser conversions.

Conversions of sporter bolt actions are simpler. You can find details in this forum, particularly for Savage, Remington, and Winchester actions, which usually require only barrel installation. The least expensive bolt guns involve obtaining a Savage rifle and a pre-threaded barrel, screwing it on and then chambering.

I've almost certainly overlooked or misunderstood some of your concerns. Please ask and I'll try again.

--Bob
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Re: Mauser 98 VZ24 Build

Postby ivel_86 » Tue Jan 19, 2016 11:04 am

Would the McGowen mauser prefit chambered in .451 not work? What past that would I need for the barrel? I plan on getting a detached magazine and also a drop in timney trigger. I am aware of the crown or hump on the top of the action that would need machined down so I can fit a scope mount. What I am most worried is your comment on the barrel I do not want to spend the money if I can not purchase a threaded barrel.


https://www.mcgowenbarrel.com/mauser-prefit/


The McGowen barrel chambered in 45 says itll work for 450bushmaster.
Image

Any insight you can provide on this would be awesome because as I understand building a gun isn't free or cheap I don't want to buy the mauser without knowing I can thread the barrel on. I will just have to save and buy the savage I just more enjoyed the ascetics and uniqueness of the mauser.
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Re: Mauser 98 VZ24 Build

Postby Al in Mi » Tue Jan 19, 2016 11:54 am

if it were me, I'd pick the Savage for ease on installation, maybe get a Boyds laminate to spruce it up a bit.
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Re: Mauser 98 VZ24 Build

Postby ivel_86 » Tue Jan 19, 2016 12:10 pm

Al in Mi wrote:if it were me, I'd pick the Savage for ease on installation, maybe get a Boyds laminate to spruce it up a bit.


I have thought about this. Several times. I just enjoyed the mauser. I haven't made any purchases yet so time will tell when my wallet empties LOL
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Re: Mauser 98 VZ24 Build

Postby pitted bore » Thu Jan 21, 2016 1:22 pm

I don't want to buy the mauser without knowing I can thread the barrel on. I will just have to save and buy the savage I just more enjoyed the ascetics and uniqueness of the mauser.


ivel_86-

Thank you for posting the links and image of the pre-threaded barrel from McGowen. I had not looked at their website for a few months, and it's helpful to know they have added these options.

Your wanting to build a rifle on a Mauser action is understandable; a number of Mauser-actioned rifles have found their way to my gun safe over the last 35 years. I can also relate to being short of $$. Fortunately, circumstances allowed me to assemble my two 450B bolt rifles without investing a lot of cash.

Here are some further notes you might consider in thinking about installing a McGowen pre-fit on a VZ24.

Putting the barrel on the action may be as simple as screwing the barrel into the receiver and then completing the chambering and headspacing (the barrels will probably be furnished short-chambered).

There may be complications. This is the reason for the note McGowen places on their pre-fit Mauser page: The Mauser pre-fit barrels are made for the Mauser 48, 96 & 98 actions. They are chambered, crowned and finished. They will require a qualified gunsmith to install and to cut the extractor slot in the barrel.

Here's a link to reasonably good video that describes the process of rebarreling a Mauser: Youtube: Rebarreling a Yugoslav M48A Mauser in .308

Your project will differ from the one in the video because you will not have to cut threads on the barrel, and you won't have to rough-ream the chamber. However, you will likely have to prep the receiver as demonstrated in the video, squaring the front face of the receiver, and also the inner ring against which the rear face of the barrel fits. (About 3:13 into the video.)

About 15 minutes into the video is the beginning of the important process of making the rear face and shoulder of the barrel mate against the inner receiver ring and the front face of the receiver. If you're lucky, the barrel you get from McGowen may mate perfectly with your squared receiver. If you're not lucky, then you may need access to a lathe to fit the barrel properly.

(The barrel used in the video had a muzzle brake, so the gunsmith had to be concerned about aligning the top of the receiver and the top of his barrel. The pre-fit McGowen barrel will probably not have a top.)

There is an argument to be made for not worrying about the barrel shoulder touching the receiver front face. It's more than just a cosmetic concern, however, because a gap between barrel shoulder and receiver face may allow accumulation of crud and moisture. Here's a forum blurb about this: EASY Mauser barrel installation.....

That post mentions the "safety breech", which pertains to some models of the 98 Mauser. Usually the VZ24 is included in lists of Mausers that include the safety breech, so you'll have to decide whether the VZ24 you're looking at has such a breech. If it does, then the McGowen warning about cutting an extractor groove may apply.

Keep us informed here of what you decide and the positive and negative results of your decision.

Good luck.
--Bob
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Re: Mauser 98 VZ24 Build

Postby ivel_86 » Sat Jan 30, 2016 9:08 am

Bob, thank you so so much for the info. I'll keep this updated as I go along.
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Re: Mauser 98 VZ24 Build

Postby Rhineland Arms » Sun Jan 29, 2017 11:02 am

We are going to make a run of 450 bushmaster barrels for the Mauser line up in March. I am on the 450 train right now and really intrigued by the potential of the cartridge.

Its going to have to be a sporter profile though. I am not comfortable making the military profile due to the thin walls at the crown. A shame too, as that would be a neat rifle.
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