M-98 For Sale

[VertigoBE]

Nope. Because it’s not a magnum.

I thought a Jeffery was designed specifically not to need a magnum action, while the 505 Gibbs, was the proper version of a .50 caliber for magnum bolt actions?

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

could this be the basis for a 500 Jeffery "Working Rifle" build?

I believe so

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

I thought a Jeffery was designed specifically not to need a magnum action, while the 505 Gibbs, was the proper version of a .50 caliber for magnum bolt actions?

I think that’s correct

 

[rookhawk]

I think that’s correct

I had assumed since it was EXCEEDINGLY difficult to get a 404J to feed, load, and extract from a standard length 98, a 500J would be even larger and more difficult.

I haven’t tried to do it myself, so it’s conjecture on my part.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

I had assumed since it was EXCEEDINGLY difficult to get a 404J to feed, load, and extract from a standard length 98, a 500J would be even larger and more difficult.

I haven’t tried to do it myself, so it’s conjecture on my part.

I’m sure that is correct. Probably requires extensive work by a skilled professional to make it work but pretty much anywhere you look you’ll see something like “the 500 Jeffery was designed to fit into a standard M98 action”. It will work. Depending on one’s budget it MIGHT make sense to go with a standard m98 action. It does not HAVE to be a magnum action is the point.

 

[mdwest]

From a strictly mathematical perspective it will work…

But I’ve never known a 416 Taylor or a 458 win mag not to need a little bit of tweaking and tuning to get proper feeding and extraction from a standard length M98 action..

I’m certain a 500 Jeff would need a lot of work to get it to function properly… by a very good smith..

The cost of the smith honestly might cost you as much as just starting with the magnum length action in the first place…

That said.. with a COAL of 3.34… the m98 is about perfect for the 300 WM barrel that’s already on the action… figure the value of the timney, it’s already got a 3 position safety, is already drilled and tapped for a scope, and already has the bolt face opened for a mag cartridge.. it’s s pretty solid value over military m98 action for a starting point for a 300 WM or even a 338 WM hunting rifle..

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

The cost of the smith honestly might cost you as much as just starting with the magnum length action in the first place…

This is what I was thinking of when I said it MIGHT make sense. Would definitely consult the gunsmith first.

 

[318AE]

Interesting thread. I’ve never seen a true magnum length Mauser action in a 300 Winchester Magnum build. It’s not that it wouldn’t work, just that it would be an odd use of a rare action. I think the whole point of the Winchester 300 WM was to shorten it compared to the 300 H&H, so it worked well in standard/intermediate length actions. I would have had a lot of clarifying questions about buying a true magnum length action with a 300 Win Mag barrel ahead of an offer. (“For sale, Corvette with four cylinder engine…” - is it an Opel GT?)

I’ve seen a 500 Jeffery “made to work” in an intermediate length action. I’ve seen that done with a lot of cartridges that would work better in a true magnum length action - those actions are just far less common and far more expensive. (Although the 416 was part of the impetus for the original magnum length Mauser action, ironically even Rigby made some 416s on intermediate length actions in later years, with a notch in the ring etc).

To the original post - good luck with the sale - the action looks likes it’s a great start for a build, and those are getting harder to find. I hope someone here builds a really cool 300 Win Mag, 338 Win Mag, 264 Win Mag or similar rifle, for which this action looks to be set up really well for.

 

[Rifle57]

The FN M-98 with 300 mag barrel is SOLD!!
Thanks SkullKeeper

 

[SkullKeeper]

Interesting thread. I’ve never seen a true magnum length Mauser action in a 300 Winchester Magnum build. It’s not that it wouldn’t work, just that it would be an odd use of a rare action. I think the whole point of the Winchester 300 WM was to shorten it compared to the 300 H&H, so it worked well in standard/intermediate length actions. I would have had a lot of clarifying questions about buying a true magnum length action with a 300 Win Mag barrel ahead of an offer. (“For sale, Corvette with four cylinder engine…” - is it an Opel GT?)

I’ve seen a 500 Jeffery “made to work” in an intermediate length action. I’ve seen that done with a lot of cartridges that would work better in a true magnum length action - those actions are just far less common and far more expensive. (Although the 416 was part of the impetus for the original magnum length Mauser action, ironically even Rigby made some 416s on intermediate length actions in later years, with a notch in the ring etc).

To the original post - good luck with the sale - the action looks likes it’s a great start for a build, and those are getting harder to find. I hope someone here builds a really cool 300 Win Mag, 338 Win Mag, 264 Win Mag or similar rifle, for which this action looks to be set up really well for.

This may end up becoming a 400HH. Not sure just yet.

 

[318AE]

Great choice! Good luck with the build! Please share pictures as things progress. Sounds like another happy buyer and seller here on AH!

 

[SkullKeeper]

Great choice! Good luck with the build! Please share pictures as things progress. Sounds like another happy buyer and seller here on AH!

10-4, I noticed your call sign ... I have a 318 being built as we speak. I would’ve preferred an original but I went with what I had lol.

 

[One Day...]

I thought a Jeffery was designed specifically not to need a magnum action, while the 505 Gibbs, was the proper version of a .50 caliber for magnum bolt actions?

You are correct

This is why the .500 Jeff is so fat and with a rebated rim. It was designed specifically to fit in a standard-length military action when Rigby absorbed all the magnum-length Mauser actions. Whether this was by supply/demand or by contractual restriction is uncertain (both versions are proposed in the literature), but what is a fact is that Rigby had a virtual monopole on the magnum-length actions for a long while, first, all the way up to WWII, and then de facto after WWII because Mauser did not produce them anymore and Rigby had a decent supply of them on hand, and were the only ones to have some. Hence at the time (1946) the impetus for the Brevex.

As discussed on plenty other threads, the challenge with using a standard-length action (like this FN) for the .500 Jeff is not cartridge length, it is feeding. It is so finicky that Schuler, who actually invented the cartridge (proper original designation: 12.7x70 Schuler; Jeffery just rebranded it the .500 Jeff - just like Rigby rebranded the 7x57 Mauser to the .257 Rigby...) built his rifles with a single stack magazine extending below the floor plate, and even at that, capacity was limited to 3 if memory serves.

... I hope someone here builds a really cool 300 Win Mag, 338 Win Mag, 264 Win Mag or similar rifle, for which this action looks to be set up really well for.

This may end up becoming a 400HH. Not sure just yet.

The trick on this build might be the geometry of the feeding rails. The .400 H&H retains the unique shape of the .375 H&H case (significant body taper, long neck, soft progressive shoulder) which the .300 Win does not, typically resulting in a lot of material being removed from the rails, pretty far back, to clear the sharp shoulder during feeding. Hopefully the action rails have enough material left to be profiled correctly for the .400 H&H case...

Of course, the forever advantage of the .375 H&H case over all other more modern sharp shouldered .375s is smooth feeding, which should carry over to the .400 H&H, if it does not pop out of the magazine box under follower plate spring tension due to insufficient hold by the feeding rails.

 

[geoff rath]

Aussie 'Smith Rob Blomfield has offered to build a 500 Jeffery on a '98 action for me, at a five-figure cost; he chooses the action. He told me he is planning his own ... Imagine that: two near identical rifles, built at the same time by a Master Gunsmith ...

 

[gballard137]

Are you getting one built

Aussie 'Smith Rob Blomfield has offered to build a 500 Jeffery on a '98 action for me, at a five-figure cost; he chooses the action. He told me he is planning his own ... Imagine that: two near identical rifles, built at the same time by a Master Gunsmith ...

 

[Rifle57]

Man we sure got a heck of a thread going over just selling a little old action LOL!
I love it !

 

[geoff rath]

Are you getting one built

Sadly, no; not enough "cents"

 

[gballard137]

Well luckily you need dollars not sense

 

[SkullKeeper]

You are correct

This is why the .500 Jeff is so fat and with a rebated rim. It was designed specifically to fit in a standard-length military action when Rigby absorbed all the magnum-length Mauser actions. Whether this was by supply/demand or by contractual restriction is uncertain (both versions are proposed in the literature), but what is a fact is that Rigby had a virtual monopole on the magnum-length actions for a long while, first, all the way up to WWII, and then de facto after WWII because Mauser did not produce them anymore and Rigby had a decent supply of them on hand, and were the only ones to have some. Hence at the time (1946) the impetus for the Brevex.

As discussed on plenty other threads, the challenge with using a standard-length action (like this FN) for the .500 Jeff is not cartridge length, it is feeding. It is so finicky that Schuler, who actually invented the cartridge (proper original designation: 12.7x70 Schuler; Jeffery just rebranded it the .500 Jeff - just like Rigby rebranded the 7x57 Mauser to the .257 Rigby...) built his rifles with a single stack magazine extending below the floor plate, and even at that, capacity was limited to 3 if memory serves.




The trick on this build might be the geometry of the feeding rails. The .400 H&H retains the unique shape of the .375 H&H case (significant body taper, long neck, soft progressive shoulder) which the .300 Win does not, typically resulting in a lot of material being removed from the rails, pretty far back, to clear the sharp shoulder during feeding. Hopefully the action rails have enough material left to be profiled correctly for the .400 H&H case...

Of course, the forever advantage of the .375 H&H case over all other more modern sharp shouldered .375s is smooth feeding, which should carry over to the .400 H&H, if it does not pop out of the magazine box under follower plate spring tension due to insufficient hold by the feeding rails.

I recently had a 404J built on this same commercial FN action/bottom metal that had, ironically, been a 300 win mag previously. I had been warned about issues others had with getting a 404 to feed properly and holding true to that mine did indeed pop out the cartridges straight up and out upon the bolt cycle with the first round. I can’t remember the exact individual that I talked with about the issue but they sent me the calculation Paul Mauser came up with for optimal magazine box size. I ran the numbers for the win mag and the 404J and to my surprise found my existing mag box to be too narrow both front and back. I had heard that smith Dennis Olson (in MT) was a 404J conversation guru and contacted him about the issue. Being a man of few words he simply said “send it to me”. So I emailed the Mauser calculation and sent the rifle. When all was said and done the problem was solved- he didn’t touch the rails, all he had to do was widen the magazine box as calculated for the 404J cartridge. I’m anticipating that this will also be the only work needed if this action becomes a 400HH (granted the rail shape would be the exact same as my previous 300 win mag action- we will see here shortly).
I’ve also given thought to a .458 African.

 

[tward1604]

Anyone in DFW looking for a new employee with management experience? It's killing me watching deels like this pss me up. I've been looking for a FN commercial action to build a 9.6x62 with for a whle now.