.458 WM Identity?

[Papa72]

I need help identifying the possible gunmaker of my .458 WM. I bought this rifle from a LGS in 2023 but the seller only surmised it was built in the 70’s. The rifle has a serial number, the number “372”, “.458 Winch”, and that’s all. It has a Bold trigger, 26” barrel, and the stock work is exceptional which leads me to believe it was not crafted by a gunsmith that occasionally sporterizes Mausers.
The original recoil pad was an old Pachmayr that had the “Old English” logo. I emailed the company for info on what year the logo was changed but received no response. As the original pad was hard, this leads me to believe the rifle was crafted earlier than the 70’s. Another odd observation is the original cocking piece has no slot for manual retraction, but was apparently made this way as there is no reduction in the diameter which would have resulted from grinding the slot flush. The cocking piece has a flat base so this action may be commercial (FN?). The receiver was never drilled and tapped, additionally.

Any ideas?

 

[Papa72]

 

[Papa72]

 

[Papa72]

Also, the bluing has started to “plum” on the bolt release and bolt shroud so perhaps the rifle was built in the early 60’s?

 

[Ontario Hunter]

That's an easy one to answer. It's a 98 Mauser, probably military sporterized. It has the stripper clip port, although I understand some of the big gun makers pulled these off the assembly line during the interwar years to build on when magnum actions were unobtanium. But they would be branded with company name. Yours still has military safety so I don't think it was put together by Interarms or BSA, etc. Those typically had a trigger block safety on side of receiver. This is definitely a standard length action modified to 458. The bolt shroud is rather rough looking which also leads me to think this was originally a military rifle someone dolled up. Curious that it has a nice remade bolt handle for scope relief but never tapped for a scope. Odd. I THINK the cocking piece is for commercial Mauser. Military ones typically had a cutout in the middle of the sear. Why, I do not know. Perhaps for thumb placement when reassembling the bolt?

I strongly suggest having a gunsmith check the headspace with go-no go gauges before shooting it. Nice rifle but some things don't add up.

 

[Papa72]

Sorry, I should have been more clear in OP. I am aware it is an M98, obviously. I don’t know if it is a commercial action or not ‘tho. The cocking piece makes me think possibly commercial.

I did a no-go gauge after purchase and the rifle is an excellent shooter. I did replace the flat cocking piece with the more common notched base one to facilitate installing a Timney low profile “Buehler type” safety lever as I prefer a two position lever to the 3 position flag one.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Sorry, I should have been more clear in OP. I am aware it is an M98, obviously. I don’t know if it is a commercial action or not ‘tho. The cocking piece makes me think possibly commercial.

I did a no-go gauge after purchase and the rifle is an excellent shooter. I did replace the flat cocking piece with the more common notched base one to facilitate installing a Timney low profile “Buehler type” safety lever as I prefer a two position lever to the 3 position flag one.

Interesting. So the flat cocking piece is for two-position trigger block safety (on side of receiver)? And you opted for the standard Timney trigger without trigger block safety (i.e. their "deluxe" model) which requires striker safety (e.g. Buhler style low profile or Winchester 3-position). You're saying the notched cocking piece is necessary for striker safeties? I was wondering what was the purpose of the notch.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I suspect yours is not a commercial action because 1) the machine marks on bolt shroud, 2) not a trigger block side safety, 3) the hump on stripper clip slot was not machined down. It looks to me like someone did a very nice job fixing up a military action. I suspect whoever did it simply ordered another bolt already dressed up. The owner (who very well could have been the one who sporterized the gun) liked the looks of the fancy bolt but didn't want a scope.

Did this gun have a trigger block side safety and you changed it to Buhler style? If it had a military safety, I'm curious why you had to change out the cocking piece? I did have to modify my military cocking piece substantially to get the same non-deluxe model Timney trigger to work, but modifications were to contact zone with trigger sear, nothing done to the military notch. Interesting.

 

[Papa72]

I have no idea why this cocking piece is flat, or exactly what purpose it serves. This trigger is a Bold trigger, as stated in the OP. Not Timney. The safety lever I installed to replaced the original 3-position military “flag” safety is mfg by Timney and is their low profile “Beuhler style” 2-position safety. As stated in the OP, the original cocking piece does not have a slot machined for manual retraction so I had to source a M98 one to facilitate installation of the Timney safety. The Timney safety locks the bolt handle in safe position so the cocking piece must be manually retracted and secured with a dime to disassemble the shroud from the bolt.