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[trobi]

i thougt i'd start new thread

i've decided that i'll have Z to do my bolt. since there are so many mauser variations this is what i need to know.

if i want to build a 257 with a mauser action from best to worse (ease) could you list them. it has been sugested that a vc24 should be considered. they seem to be hard to locate. what other models are short action .don't want feeding problems. is yugo 24 a canidate. will any mauser7x57 work?

tom

[Clemson]

This is ONLY opinion, so take it for what it is worth.

 

Top Choice to last resort for a 257 Roberts:

 

1909 Argentine

1910 or 1936 Mexican Mauser

Pre-war Oberndorf

VZ 24

98/22

24/47

M48

M48A

 

There are lots of other actions out there, some of which would work out fine.

 

Good luck!

 

Clemson

 

 

[Limpid Lizard]

I know you said Mauser, but please bear with me a bit. I would look for a good used 721 Remington. The last two I bought, both within about a year cost me $200 OTD and $250 OTD. The more expensive had a Swift 3X9 in a set of Burris rings and mounts. The other had the scope and mount removed by the pawn shop.

Everything you do not use on the rifle is saleable, and you do not need to get it drilled and tapped, bolt bent/welded or purchase an aftermarket trigger and safety. You could easily end up with a $125 Remington action and no additonal cost. Make the right deal and you could be $100 out of pocket.

My next preference, and probably the most expensive, would be a double heat treat 03 action. They are more costly than most Mausers, and require all the work.

I'd probably follow Clemson's list if high grading 98's, except I would avoid the Mexican actions. Do not pass up a good K. Kale. I have been swapping the 38 trigger guards into projects as they do not have the locking scews. LL

[manureman]

Kingsman,Clemson & limpid lizard have both given real good info.And yes the VZ-24's are getting hard to find.Mauser models are very confusing and keep me scratching one end of my anatomy or the other. I think the reason most folks prefer to build on something other than a Yugo is the limited supply of drop in stocks for the Yugo length actions ,but a Yugo 24 will make you a fine .257 and shouldn't give you any feeding problems to speak of.Not to muddy the water any more than nesassary but a couple other options you might want to consider for donner rifles are the Yugo rearsanaled K98's some of the suppliers are offering and the 24/52's,I think Samco has the 24/52's and they are VZ-24 actions (just learned that from Z a few days ago) Both of the above are standard length actions and about the same price.Like Clemson I prefer the older Yugo's starting with the 24 then the 24/47 then the 48's last ,seems to me the older ones are just a little better made ,slicker ,better finished maybe just not as roughly machined as the 48's.The Turks that LL mentioned are also standard length but I dont care alot for them as most are rougher than I care to tackle and require a small thread barrel( not a problem for a .257 )Good Luck!! And a word of warning. Once bitten by this bug and you get a full dose of sporterize fever your toast, there is no cure and it only gets worse. Jim

[Jimro]

For a low pressure round like the 257 Roberts you can use ANY m98 action, but for the price I'd have to go with a Turk. I've had good luck with K.Kale Turks and while they aren't the smoothest milsurp actions they are plenty good for a hunting rifle.

 

But if you can find a Rem 721 used for 200 bucks I'd jump on it, the cost of an action, barrel, trigger, sights and stock make the price cheaper to buy the Remington.

 

I'd save the Mausers for "labor of love" projects.

 

Jimro

[z1r]

I'd look for a rifle originally chamberd in 7x57. This will ensure problem free feeding with no work or as close to it as you can realistically get.

 

If you don't mind tinkering then get any 98 style action EXCEPT for a Spanish receiver. If you keep pressures to the original specs any of those mentioned will be fine. The mexican recivers though really neat and desirable do tend to run soft.

 

The K.Kale or 1903 Turks are good low cost candidates. A friend is building a .308 on a 1903. I just welded a bolt handle for him. He just ordered up an ER Shaw barel long chambered & threaded for a mere $135. My buddy isn't worried about feeding because he knows I can just pop on over and advise him.

[Guest Guest]

I really think I'd go with a 24/47 Yugo because of the price and the condition of the rifles I've seen,and so far,I've put 2 Yugo 48's in small ring stocks without much more trouble than any other so called drop in stock.The first I done was an old Bishop walnut stock,and didn't take any more than an hour to fit,and then put a Swede trigger guard on and had a nice rifle.The other was a Corelite stock in camo,and was a piece of cake too.My first sporter was a Swede 96 in a Choate stock,and it's still my favorite gun.The actions are slick as melted butter,reckon I've never seen one with pits,some with surface rust and coloration,most barrels are from good to new condition,and 6.5x55 is a humdingerroo cartridge.Hard hitting,flat shooting,and the recoil a kid can handle.An action that was originally 7x57 would be the very best,but I can think of only South American rifles like 1908 Brazilian that were 7MM,and the price of the is way off the board,and I haven't seen a Brazilian,Columbian,or Chilian yet that wasn't pitted all to hell.Argentines are a different story,but there awful expensive for a first build.I have a almost new looking condition 1908 that has been drilled for scope mounts,but take it out of the stock,and it'll make you want to puke.A Swede with good barrel will set you back 175 bucks.A good complete 98 action will be 100.00,plus 110 or 120.00 for a barrel,so your already 220.00,not counting a reamer.If you want to get into a kickass hobby,get a Mauser and go slow,learn each step,buy a part at when you have a little extra scratch,and ask for lots of help and advice.Anybody can buy a commercial rifle and change parts.You put a rifle together from parts the way you want it,and you've got something to be proud of.Jerry