What kind of Mauser Action Is This?

[rookhawk]

So my son was gone for 2 hours and I couldn't help myself, so I opened up his gun and cleaned it and looked at all its internals.

I do think the manufacture date is October, 2002. It was made in Germany. I think it is a large ring mauser commercial action that had the rear bridge welded up and then recontoured. Original markings were welded and dressed down. New proof marks and serial numbers are all that are present.

Some of the goodies I found: Beautiful job done internally on the crossbolt. Action bedding was well executed. The gun is pillar bedded too. External bottom metal is some kind I'm unfamilar with. It is lightened on the insides of the magazine well with 4 reliefs on both sides. The bottom metal also has 2 action screws with 2 keeper screws holding the bottom metal to the correct depth for the pillars. (all screws engraved) The receiver has one germany proof mark (new). The barrel has the serial number, proof marks, and the date code, and the caliber nomenclature. (all new) Finish is all high gloss rust bluing. The front and rear sights are ERA recknagel, as is the saddle and pivot mount insert. The barrel band appears to be recknagel also. The trigger breaks at maybe 16-20 ounces. (exceptional trigger...best we have in this household). The trigger group is a modern "enclosed unit" recknagel assembly. Same for the inletted rear swivel stud. Basically, everything on the gun that I can identify a maker, the parts came from ERA recknagel with a couple items potentially being Ernst Apel EAW.

The receiver appears to have a chemcial color finish. I scuffed it under the stockline and the laquer and then the chemical finish lightened.

That's all I got for now. I'll play more after my son opens it tomorrow.

 

[Shootist43]

Rookhawk , your daughter is going to be JEALOUS!!!

 

[Ray B]

That sounds GREAT!!

 

[rookhawk]

Rookhawk , your daughter is going to be JEALOUS!!!

Son this time, not daughter.

It’s his turn. My daughter has got most of my hunting attention so it’s his season.

 

[Shootist43]

Understood, I just thought that her (the family) 243 wasn't quite as "plush" as this one.

 

[rookhawk]

Story update:

I have correct mounts and rings in quick release pivots and a new Swarovski z3 3-9x36 scope installed. The eye relief requires a bit of creep at 14" LOP. I'm going to chop the stock down for the son to have a 3/4" and a 1-1/2" quick detach pad put on the gun at LOP of 12-1/4" of wood, giving a 13" LOP and a 13-3/4" LOP with optimal eye relief for him now and as an adult.

The scope fittings were very tricky. The front pivot foot has about .0015" of free space between the exit objective lens and the foot! How low of a mount can you take? None lower than this setup! German precision at its finest.

 

[Shootist43]

Looks nice, do you know how well it shoots yet?

 

[rookhawk]

We’ll know in ten days when we shoot it. I’ll be shocked if it doesn’t shoot very well, 7x64 aren’t known for stinkers and this gun was built sparing no expense by whoever did it. (Semi-custom, small run)

I’ll update when info rolls in.

 

[stug]

7x64 will be great (i've got a near ballistic twin 7x65R). What projectiles are you planning on using?
I've got 2 loads, one a 160 Accubond with 56gr ADI 2213sc (i think that is H4831sc) or a 162 a-max with 57.5gr ADI 2213sc as my longer range load. I've shot the 162 a-max load out to 940yds on targets with good results.

 

[sestoppelman]

Unusual rifle for certain. Great caliber though. My CZ 7x64 is the most accurate sporting rifle I have ever owned.

 

[rookhawk]

7x64 will be great (i've got a near ballistic twin 7x65R). What projectiles are you planning on using?
I've got 2 loads, one a 160 Accubond with 56gr ADI 2213sc (i think that is H4831sc) or a 162 a-max with 57.5gr ADI 2213sc as my longer range load. I've shot the 162 a-max load out to 940yds on targets with good results.

I’m not sure. I’m searching for a case of ammo at present. Hate to use 140gr remington or S&B if I can help it.

 

[7x57Joe]

That is a fine rifle rookhawk and while on the subject of ammo for it.
I have a CZ550 FS in 7x64 and while not THE most accurate hunting rifle I own, it is in the top 2%. I needed some cases a few months ago to make up my handloads and found I could buy PPU loaded rounds for only 6 cents a round more, so I bought 100. When I began shooting them up for the brass, I found I could put 5 shots into an inch and 3 rounds into 3/4". Now I would not use these for heavy game but, for the 130 pound deer (and less) that is common here I believe they will be fine for my deer shooting.

 

[bruce moulds]

rookhawk,
the 7x64 is an excellent cartridge, ballistically a twin to the 280 rem.
it will do anything a 270 can do, and then more at the top end, offering great versatility to those prepared to go the extra mile with ammo.
there is a good chance you will not tell the difference between it and a 7 mag, other than recoil.
it is surprising that the 280 or 7x64 have not knocked the 270 off its perch.
bruce.

 

[Dr Ray]

Beats me! I agree with others in that it must be an after-market action. Looks to me that the action has been heated by a blow torch of some sort when modifying.
I would certainly be interested in what it is.

 

[rookhawk]

So the overall youth rifle project is now complete! I gave my son the rifle for Christmas but it didn't have a scope, the mounts weren't present, we didn't have ammo, and we didn't have the rifle fit to him. But hey, the rifle itself was a great Christmas present that he loved. Well, I've been working on the rifle ever since Christmas on clandestine nights and weekends so I can "re-gift" it to him for his birthday this week with a scope added and the stock fitted for him.

The whole story goes as follows:

-The gun was poorly advertised for sale for about 2 years at a price of $3000. It only had iron sights and was being offered in an area where no one would know what a 7x64 is, and of course was overpriced. After many rounds of haggling, explaining the gun was worthless without the scope mounts, etc., I picked up the rifle for $764.88 delivered, roughly the price of the recknagel trigger group and the recknagel win70 style safety. (+$35 FFL transfer fee)

-I found a set of pivot mounts for the gun by EAW that a guy had locally. He wanted $400 for the mounts but we bartered that I do some simple gunsmithing work for him in exchange for the donor EAW mounts.

-I dressed down the pivot mount and got the mounts working flawlessly with the already fitted barrel saddle. It took me about 8 hours in total.

-The rear ring height was incorrect for the rifle, so I was able to get just the rear ring piece of the mounts replaced with a EAW ring of the correct rear offset height for $77.60.

-I was able to acquire a new in the box Swarovski Z3 3-9x36mm #4 optic for the gun for $473.73.

-I ordered two NECG "quick detach" recoil pads in classic London red (softer copy-cats of Silvers pads) for $88.90. A 3/4" pad and a 1-1/2" pad.

-A close friend of mine that is an exceptional stock worker fit both recoil pads and the mounting hardware, after cutting down the stock a bit, for $130.00.

-An acquaintance on this board had more than a case of factory ammo (lifetime supply) for the gun for $177.00.

In the end, I spent $1741.11 on the project over the course of a few months, not counting 12-16 hours of my volunteer labor (fitting quick detach scope, mounts, rings) and gas. A heck of a lot to spend on a child's Christmas and Birthday gifts combined, but I try to splurge on one of my kids every couple years to gift something that is of "lifetime" worth in lieu of throw-away typical junk.

The gun has a 13" length of pull with the "youth" pad on it and a 13-3/4" length of pull with the "adult" pad on it. Both lengths provide decent eye relief in the optic. The gun is beautiful and I'm envious of the amount of custom work that was done to this thing previously, in the end I think it may have been a custom piece, not a small-run manufactured item. (I believe it was test fired only) Recknagel Match Trigger set at 2lbs 6 ounces. Custom bolt handle. Recknagel tuned three position safety. Jeweled bolt and bolt release. Custom bottom metal. Engraved screws with locking secondary screws. Glass and pillar bedded action. Lothar Walthar barrel. Rechnagel front pivot barrel saddle engraved. Ken Howell style engraved and inletted rechnagel sling stud. Recknagel barrel band swivel. EAW front and rear sights and ramp. EAW dovetail locking pivot mount to action bridge. AA Grade walnut stock with excellent checkering. Steel grip cap. High gloss bluing. Engraved Rechnagel crossbolt. -The gun just had everything which I didn't fully appreciate until I tore it all apart to appraise what it actually was while searching for makers marks and serial numbers.

That's about it for this thread. Taking my son hunting and shooting for his birthday this weekend so he can try it out. Hopefully, this will be the rifle that he enjoys hunting with the rest of his life in North America, Europe, and Africa.

 

[Hunting Sailor]

Looks very nice. I hope your son will enjoy it and appreciate the rifle and the effort you’ve put in to set it up this way.
Looking forward to hear about how it shoots and the hunting adventures it will encounter.
Thanks for sharing the story with us.

 

[Shootist43]

For one of those I'd be happy to put myself up for adoption. Now that you've wet his whistle, I'm sure the lad will grow up acquiring your taste for fine rifles. Dittos on the request for range reports and future hunting exploits.

 

[7x57Joe]

That is a lovely rifle and from 3000 bucks to $764.88, You Sir are a true trader!! I'm sure your son will cherish it and admire what you did for him. Good hunting!

 

[Red Leg]

Lovely - and when he shows up in camp on a hunt with friends in a few years, he won't be toting just another '06, .270, or .243.

 

[sierraone]

That is a lovely rifle and from 3000 bucks to $764.88, You Sir are a true trader!! I'm sure your son will cherish it and admire what you did for him. Good hunting!

from 3000 bucks to $764.88

Wow!