mauser with pitting in bore input wanted!

[henchmen77]

Guys As you can see from my other post I picked up a M48A but the barrel has pitting the whole length in the lands. They don't look real deep but I plan on putting a scope on it do you think I should replace the barrel?

There a gunsmith in Maine that works on mauser that said he would put another mauser barrel he has with a clean bore,drill and tap for mounts, bend the bolt all for $250 + shipping.

I wanted to put a gunsmith free type mount but the one I was looking at I think the company closed. I have not heard back from the # that I called the mount that didn't need gunsmith to install was $122 with rings so for a extra $128 and shipping I could have a newer clean barrel and tapped for a scope and bolt turned down.

What do you guys think?

 

[JonJ]

I'd keep the rifle as is and build up something on a Savage action if I was looking for a hunting or longer range type rifle.

 

[Soxfan9]

Dont do anything until you have done some shooting with it. You may be pleasantly surprised.

 

[henchmen77]

Dont do anything until you have done some shooting with it. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Yeah some others have said the same thing. But its hard to tell shooting it with the stock iron sights what kind of rifle you have.

And I don't want to put a scope on it if I can't get 1.5 MOA at 100yds with it and surplus ammo. I was looking for a nice range rifle/ deer rifle out of this Mauser, I thought about sportizing it new stock new barrel in .308 but would like to do most of it myself.

But I am not really saving money doing the barrel or anything else seeing the gunsmithing tools are over $100 just for the barrel tools alone less I plan on building more then one mauser and to honest I would like to keep it in 8mm seeing the surplus ammo is so cheap at $4 a box.

 

[JuergenG]

.... I would like to keep it in 8mm seeing the surplus ammo is so cheap at $4 a box.

That might well be the reason for the pitted barrel.
Anyway, just clean it and shoot it first , before you make
a decision. You CAN get used to the Mauser sights

 

[henchmen77]

That might well be the reason for the pitted barrel.
Anyway, just clean it and shoot it first , before you make
a decision. You CAN get used to the Mauser sights

Okay I take it out to braintree this weekend and shoot 5 rounds clean shoot 5 clean and so on. If it can hold a group at 50yds with iron sights I'll keep the barrel and save some money just having the guy tap for mounts and bending the bolt.

Said $40 to drill and tap and $20 to bend the bolt. So $60+ shipping is not bad but said looking at a 8 week turn around time.

 

[vellnueve]

The barrel may shoot perfectly fine. Try it first.

 

[SKS Ray]

I was going to stay out of it but I gotta add here. I'm a purist when it comes to military surplus. If I saw an M48A for cheap money in a store that was drilled and tapped, had a different stock on it and any other modern add ons. I'd be the guy spending money bringing it back to original configuration rather than making into something its not, like a modern day hunting/target rifle.
I remember when the Turk Mausers were rolling in by the pallet fulls at $70 each. People we're buying them up like crazy for gunsmithing projects, even gunsmithing schools. I see Mosins, Mausers, even Enfields and Springfields all over at shops that have been chopped, bedded, and had just about everything under the sun that could have been done to them done.
My first thought is why? Especially when a Savage will shoot better right out of the box and would be cheaper than adding on to a milsurp.
These were never intended to be target rifles, just intended to kill a man at distances of 100 yards or more. Some of the more accurate and target worthy surplus rifles out there are Swedish Mausers in 6.5x55, and Swiss K31s in 7.5x55. Granted the ammo isn't as common as 8mm or as cheap, but they are very accurate with open sights at 100 yards and further. M39 Finn Mosin Nagants and Turkish Mausers are also great choices for accuracy if you want to stick with cheap and plentifull surplus ammo.
And if its a project you want and are dead set on building one, my advice is pick up a copy of Shotgun News and check adds for Mauser actions. They're dirt cheap and that way you can add what ever barrel you want and accessories.
As for the M48... take it out, shoot the hell out of it, and clean it when you get home. Chances are even the barrel is pitted it will still outlast any of us reading this post.
Its your rifle but the above is just what I'd do.

 

[henchmen77]

Milsur.

I hear what your saying but this is a M48A which is made after WWII and has no real history to it I can totally understand what your are saying if it was a 98K with matching # I wouldn't do a thing to it.

Given they used german parts to make these rifles but mine is not # matching the bolt is different from the rest of the rifle. So I don't feel bad drilling and tapping her action seeing its not a 98K if it was no I wouldn't do that.

 

[PatMcD]

And I don't want to put a scope on it if I can't get 1.5 MOA at 100yds with it and surplus ammo.


I would like to keep it in 8mm seeing the surplus ammo is so cheap at $4 a box.

I think you may be in for a little disappointment if you're looking for that kind of accuracy with that rifle and that ammo.

 

[henchmen77]

Why? there M48A out there getting 1MOA at 100yds on surplus ammo. Its not that hard to get out of a Mauser with a scope on it.

 

[vellnueve]

It can be done but it will take a lot of work.

 

[henchmen77]

It can be done but it will take a lot of work.

I already order a gunsmith free scope mount and simmon 3-9x32 for it the stock barrel if it was like new can shoot 1 MOA with factory 8mm ammo and there surplus ammo out there that can give you 1 MOA as well.

Someone said that the pitting could be from the ammo, this rifle sat packed with grease, the guy I got it from had it for sale here. He shot it once to make sure it would shoot and that it was a good shooter, the pitting didn't come from him shooting it once.

Its all # matching but for the bolt which would tell me it was a armory gun, that sat for years and every few years they would test fire them and stick them back on the rack so the pitting is more from being in a rack for years then the ammo.

Most surplus 8mm the primers are the part you have to be worried about the powder is not corrosive. And the pitting is lite but is the whole length of the barrel there still is good rifling so it should shot.

Just know pitting will hurt but will have to see how much when I shoot it.

 

[PatMcD]

there M48A out there getting 1MOA at 100yds on surplus ammo. Its not that hard to get out of a Mauser with a scope on it.

I guess I would have to see that one in person.

I had a M48. It shot probably around 3" at 100yds with surplus ammo.

I've owned and shot quite a few Swedish Mausers, which are generally regarded as to being the most accurate in the Mauser family. It takes an exceptionally good one to shoot near MOA with surplus ammo (again, the Swede 6.5 ammo shown to be a whole lot better than any 8mm ammo). Of course, I've never shot one with a scope, so that may make a little difference.
No doubt the rifle is capable of it (with a little tweaking), but I think the limiting factor is the surplus ammo.

 

[vellnueve]

The pitting is from the use of corrosive ammo throughout its service career. A properly cleaned and stored rifle, especially packed in cosmoline, will not pit.

 

[BigBill]

I picked up a german 98k in 8mm with a shotout barrel for $20. I purchased a like new/excellent 8mm barrel from numrich for $37 and changed it out myself. It was easy to do. Maybe i got lucky but the headspace is perfect with the go gage and the no-go gage too. I had to turn the rear site and front site to the top of the barrel. They have more used barrels that are like new too....... I believe if the tolarences are held correctly the barrels once there fitted will interchange since the yugo 8mm's are manufactured on the german machinery so everything should be the samey/same...

I purchased my scope mounts from Samco and my 3 post military style scope from CDNN. I refinished the military stock to a good luster finish using ten coats of tung oil. Its a nice looking gun now too.

 

[henchmen77]

I picked up a german 98k in 8mm with a shotout barrel for $20. I purchased a like new/excellent 8mm barrel from numrich for $37 and changed it out myself. It was easy to do. Maybe i got lucky but the headspace is perfect with the go gage and the no-go gage too. I had to turn the rear site and front site to the top of the barrel. They have more used barrels that are like new too....... I believe if the tolarences are held correctly the barrels once there fitted will interchange since the yugo 8mm's are manufactured on the german machinery so everything should be the samey/same...

I purchased my scope mounts from Samco and my 3 post military style scope from CDNN. I refinished the military stock to a good luster finish using ten coats of tung oil. Its a nice looking gun now too.

Sounds like a dam nice 98!!! Last night I was killing some time so I hit up the bore thinking it should be clean, I happen to find a new bore brush I that I had laying around so I hit it with some hoppe's used the brush and WOW out comes black patches lol.

So today I went up to Four season and picked up 1K more patches some new brushes for my other pistol and rifle and some shooter's choice which is like the only cleaning I don't have lol. And I have to say its doing its job! patches still coming out dirty but now there light to mid gray but still bad.

So been letting the cleaner sit for 15-30 mins then going at the barrel and I have to say the barrel is looking like new even what I thought was pitting seems to be clearing up. And there is a lot of rifling in the bore from the chamber all the way to the muzzle. When I was up at Four season I looked at some of the Mausers they had and they had a nice 98K and a M48A the others were not looking that hot, but the price was alittle high I think for the 2 I looked at, I paid $125 and it needed the stock cleaned up and as you can tell the barrel cleaned lol.

 

[BigBill]

I had some m59 yugo sks's that appeared to have shotout pitted barrels. I let them sit for a year in the safe until trying to clean them.( i forgot) I used the orginal G.I. Rifle Bore Cleaner the one that will take the chrome off a trailer hitch. Well after a few passes with wet soaked patches of the G.I. bore cleaner the rubber or plastic residue melted and came out of the bores leaving me with very shootable bores. If you remember the news back them they were shooting rubber or plastic bullets. I use the smaller caliber bore brush with a patch on it to wet the bores good.

I have heard on other forums that even slightly pitted bores can be very shootable and accurate too.

If it was mine i'd clean it and shoot it to see if its any good first.

I built 3 military looking scoped rifles so far a russian mosin 7.62x54r, a german 98k 8mm and a spanish 93 7mm and there all in there military stocks with 3post scopes. I hope to build a swiss k31 next and i have a long bodied scope with the muzzle brake.

 

[henchmen77]

I had some m59 yugo sks's that appeared to have shotout pitted barrels. I let them sit for a year in the safe until trying to clean them.( i forgot) I used the orginal G.I. Rifle Bore Cleaner the one that will take the chrome off a trailer hitch. Well after a few passes with wet soaked patches of the G.I. bore cleaner the rubber or plastic residue melted and came out of the bores leaving me with very shootable bores. If you remember the news back them they were shooting rubber or plastic bullets. I use the smaller caliber bore brush with a patch on it to wet the bores good.

I have heard on other forums that even slightly pitted bores can be very shootable and accurate too.

If it was mine i'd clean it and shoot it to see if its any good first.

I built 3 military looking scoped rifles so far a russian mosin 7.62x54r, a german 98k 8mm and a spanish 93 7mm and there all in there military stocks with 3post scopes. I hope to build a swiss k31 next and i have a long bodied scope with the muzzle brake.

Check out this site http://www.iron-elite.com/ for gunsmith free mounts for mauser models, the guys CNC the part out of barstock so its heavy duty. His site is messed up to were you can't order online and his # changed but his new # is 630-834-1202 if your looking to order. He makes them in batches for each model, right now he is making M48 type mounts does them 25 at a time.

If you don't make it on the list by the time he makes # 25 you have to wait till he comes back to making them and he will bill your card for it. It was 120.95 for the mount and rings with shipping.