First thought is 6.5-06. I have one and it is a kick to shoot with light bullets and will take anything with antlers with heavier bullets. OR.. one of the new ACR cartridges would be OK also. 6mm ARC or ??
Mauser Caliber Ideas
- Thread starter Four22
- Start date
Riley045
New member
@OntarioHunter i know this is an old thread, apologies for bringing it back from the grave. I never posted much on here so i can’t direct message you. I’m looking to convert an old Mauser action into a .458win mag, i have seen Duane Wiebe’s Booklet mentioned in multiple forums, but cant seem to find it anywhere. Can you help point me in the right direction on where to source one? Thanks!
kodiakisland
Well-known member
I’ve seen several 358 Norma Mauser actions in Alaska that were not done right, and still worked fine. I’d think one done right would be pretty nice.
I used an 8x68 while living in Germany. It would make a really nice big game rifle and retain the heritage.
I used an 8x68 while living in Germany. It would make a really nice big game rifle and retain the heritage.
Schutzhund
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- Oct 22, 2024
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Did you end up deciding on a cartridge? I just built a 9.3x62 and 7x57 so I'm interested which direction you may have went.
Mustangs Rule
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I have been down the "re-barrel the military Mauser" road several times. I will offer you some of my experiences.
I bought a J C Higgens 30-06 rifle, which had a made in Belgium commercial Mauser action. It looked just like the action on my Belgium Browning Safari rifle. I had all the work done and was loading Barnes Bullets for this new custom 35 Whelen. There is a magic sweet spot with COL for Barnes Bullet. I found it, and it was about a weak 1/8" too long for the magazine. The magazine on this rifle was about 3/16" shorter than my Safari. The bolt was the same length but the magazine was a critical "tad" shorter.
Making the loaded ammo fit the magazine the accuracy was awful.
I sold it.
The 1909 Argentine Mauser is considered an excellent Mauser for custom rifles. There was never a bunch built in a hurry as with German 98's produced when Germany was losing the war.
I had a sweet 7x57 built, with a syntethic stock. The trigger was smooth but heavy. I asked my gunsmith to lighten it up. He was getting old and tired then. In years past he loved tuning up military triggers which is an art.
He slipped in a boxed Timney trigger. During those years I was having many hunts deep in the desert for Los Burros, mule deer. They were great wilderness adventures. One day coming back to camp I was in a desert sand storm. So much fine powdered sand blowing in whirls.
I protected my rifle as best I could. The next day I dry fired it and just enough fine sand got trapped in the boxed trigger, the pull went way up. At home it measured almost 9 pounds up from a clean four with the original Mauser trigger. They are self cleaning mostly, but if needed take the stock off and clean it with a dry toothbrush. I tried getting the original trigger back, but my gunsmith got old and lost his mind.
I sold it.
I bought a J C Higgens 30-06 rifle, which had a made in Belgium commercial Mauser action. It looked just like the action on my Belgium Browning Safari rifle. I had all the work done and was loading Barnes Bullets for this new custom 35 Whelen. There is a magic sweet spot with COL for Barnes Bullet. I found it, and it was about a weak 1/8" too long for the magazine. The magazine on this rifle was about 3/16" shorter than my Safari. The bolt was the same length but the magazine was a critical "tad" shorter.
Making the loaded ammo fit the magazine the accuracy was awful.
I sold it.
The 1909 Argentine Mauser is considered an excellent Mauser for custom rifles. There was never a bunch built in a hurry as with German 98's produced when Germany was losing the war.
I had a sweet 7x57 built, with a syntethic stock. The trigger was smooth but heavy. I asked my gunsmith to lighten it up. He was getting old and tired then. In years past he loved tuning up military triggers which is an art.
He slipped in a boxed Timney trigger. During those years I was having many hunts deep in the desert for Los Burros, mule deer. They were great wilderness adventures. One day coming back to camp I was in a desert sand storm. So much fine powdered sand blowing in whirls.
I protected my rifle as best I could. The next day I dry fired it and just enough fine sand got trapped in the boxed trigger, the pull went way up. At home it measured almost 9 pounds up from a clean four with the original Mauser trigger. They are self cleaning mostly, but if needed take the stock off and clean it with a dry toothbrush. I tried getting the original trigger back, but my gunsmith got old and lost his mind.
I sold it.
