Looking to do some custom barrel work to a rifle

Broc

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So, as some of you might have read on the dont drink thread, I had a few drinks this week and won a bid I did not intend to win for a .458 Win Mag Mauser 98.

Since I won a Safari gun, I might as well make it a very nice gun... there are a couple of changes I am thinking of having someone do ...

1. It has a muzzle brake I dont like. I dont know if it is welded or part of the barrel. My goal is to remove it. If it is part of the barrel I will have someone cut and re-crown.

2. If I can do this, I would rather do it and skip #1 - find a new barrel for it. The rifle has what looks like a pretty thick bull barrel 1.5" but it doesn't have iron sights. So I am thinking I can either replace the barrel with one that has sights or have someone install sights.

But, a couple of problems:

A. I can't seem to find a damn barrel. My searches always bring me back to 3 barrels, one from GM (Green Mountain Barrel Mauser Series 3 458 Winchester Mag F44 Contour 1), one that is a Savage replacement and one for Remington 700.

So, looks like this route will need to go to some custom shop. Which might be a good idea as the stock might need to be modified.

B. if I choose to instead add iron sights, I will need to find someone that can do that.

So, my questions to NES -

1. Who do you recommend to add iron sights / cut the barrel and re-crown? (No skinflinting - quality work is worth it).

2. If I choose to replace the barrel, who do you recommend?

3. How do I figure out the barrel thread for a Mauser 98 BRNO?

Lesson learned: Dont drink and bid on guns.
 
I would opt for cut and recrown, sounds like no matter what custom barrel work will be required.
Now that I am thinking about it, it will be easier to have someone re-crown (assuming I can't remove the brake) and install safari iron sights. Should be simple work for a competent gunsmith.
 
Several problems.
1. If you want to rebarrel, it will have to be restocked because the barrel channel is going to be way too big if it already has a 1.5" bull barrel.
2. If you don't want to get into any stock work, but still want a new barrel, you won't find a ready-made 1.5" Bull barrel. That will have to be a .45 blank that will require a good gunsmith to thread, chamber, and blue it.

So, the easiest thing will be to cut off the brake, recrown, and touch-up blue.
The good news is a person with above average hand skills can do those things in their garage.
 
So, the easiest thing will be to cut off the brake, recrown, and touch-up blue.
The easiest thing would be to flip the beast
and use the money to buy what he wants.

@Broccoli Iglesias' newest avatar:

Flipper-Theme-Song-1020x600.jpg
 
The easiest thing would be to flip the beast
and use the money to buy what he wants.

@Broccoli Iglesias' newest avatar:

Flipper-Theme-Song-1020x600.jpg
Bro, I want the .458 ... I just wasn't going to buy it now. I had other plans, but alcohol. LOL.

Look at it like a child conceived after a wild night with a long time wife. Maybe you were already tlaking about having kids, just not at that moment.

I could still flip it, there is nothing wrong with the rifle or stock. Just a couple of cosmetic things I prefer to change.
 
Look at it like a child conceived after a wild night with a long time wife. Maybe you were already tlaking about having kids, just not at that moment.
The phrase you are groping for
(on Mother's Day of all days)
is, "you were unexpected - not unwanted".
 
I would shoot it first, you might like the brake after actually shooting it.

Sights can be soldered on or D&T for screw mount.
 
Yea, that is ugly and I'm sure that it does nothing but make it much louder. How long is the barrel to the muzzle brake? The barrel threads on large ring Mausers are all the same.
Since the action is already opened up for a belted magnum you could choose any in that family if you wanted to, but the .458 Win Mag is a great cartridge, great for handloading. I built one with an 1 1/8" dia × 26" long barrel. The extra weight was great for help with recoil, but it was difficult to hold while shooting offhand. I cut 3" off and recrownd the muzzle. It is pretty perfect for what I use it for now. A favorite load of mine is a 300gr hollow point for a 45/70 at 2700 fps for vaporizing water jugs.
ER Shaw in Pa has really nice barrels and top notch gunsmithing services.
 
Yea, that is ugly and I'm sure that it does nothing but make it much louder. How long is the barrel to the muzzle brake? The barrel threads on large ring Mausers are all the same.
Since the action is already opened up for a belted magnum you could choose any in that family if you wanted to, but the .458 Win Mag is a great cartridge, great for handloading. I built one with an 1 1/8" dia × 26" long barrel. The extra weight was great for help with recoil, but it was difficult to hold while shooting offhand. I cut 3" off and recrownd the muzzle. It is pretty perfect for what I use it for now. A favorite load of mine is a 300gr hollow point for a 45/70 at 2700 fps for vaporizing water jugs.
ER Shaw in Pa has really nice barrels and top notch gunsmithing services.
Description says 26" barrel. Not sure if the muzzle break is included. I will find out when it ships.

Anyway, I dont think a 26" is needed for .458, based on what I have read, looks like 20" is enough.

So, a 98 is a large ring mauser?

(I know very little about barrels for mausers and by little I mean NOTHING).
 
Description says 26" barrel. Not sure if the muzzle break is included. I will find out when it ships.

Anyway, I dont think a 26" is needed for .458, based on what I have read, looks like 20" is enough.

So, a 98 is a large ring mauser?

(I know very little about barrels for mausers and by little I mean NOTHING).
Yes, a 98 is always a large ring. There are variations on action length. Some were made shorter for .308 length cartridges. As far as threads go there is basically only one configuration. There are some weirdo threads but the chances of running in to one is about zero. A Mauser with a belted magnum cartridge always starts with a standard large ring action. The inside of the action is opened up for the longer cartridge and the magazine/trigger guard is either lengthend or manufactured longer to suit the longer cartridges.
You are right about the barrel length. Straight walled cartridges don't use slow burning rifle powder that the bottle neck ones do. They use fast to medium burn rate powders. The Straight wall cartridges rely on bullet weight and resistance to build pressure. 4198 is my all around favorite for the .458 Win Mag both jacketed and cast bullets.
 
Yes, a 98 is always a large ring. There are variations on action length. Some were made shorter for .308 length cartridges. As far as threads go there is basically only one configuration. There are some weirdo threads but the chances of running in to one is about zero. A Mauser with a belted magnum cartridge always starts with a standard large ring action. The inside of the action is opened up for the longer cartridge and the magazine/trigger guard is either lengthend or manufactured longer to suit the longer cartridges.
You are right about the barrel length. Straight walled cartridges don't use slow burning rifle powder that the bottle neck ones do. They use fast to medium burn rate powders. The Straight wall cartridges rely on bullet weight and resistance to build pressure. 4198 is my all around favorite for the .458 Win Mag both jacketed and cast bullets.
This is perfect, I already use 4198 and if I want to replace the barrel it makes things a lot easier.

Thank you for the info.
 
458 win mag :

1) brutal recoil.
2) brutal ammo beating on your wallet.

Hopefully the op is contemplating handloading this cartridge....
 
Even handloading i'm guessing $3-4 / round ? Probably should consider casting as well ? Still better than $100 / 20 for loaded ammo...
Not even close. I can load that for under $1/round and it is much better than factory ammo.

Brass is expensive at first, but straight wall brass lasts a long time.

The only difference between 45/70 and .458 will be a few more grains of powder. I think with one pound, if I go for the heaviest load, it might be enough for 100 rounds. I need to double check that data.

I do cast.

Shooting big cartridges is not really expensive, per round it costs a little more than 556, but I am not shooting 30 rounds in 30 seconds and they are easy to reload.

More people should buy big boy guns.
 
Not even close. I can load that for under $1/round and it is much better than factory ammo.

Brass is expensive at first, but straight wall brass lasts a long time.

The only difference between 45/70 and .458 will be a few more grains of powder. I think with one pound, if I go for the heaviest load, it might be enough for 100 rounds. I need to double check that data.

I do cast.

Shooting big cartridges is not really expensive, per round it costs a little more than 556, but I am not shooting 30 rounds in 30 seconds and they are easy to reload.

More people should buy big boy guns.
There's the BIG savings ! Well thought out plan.
 
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