# 243 Mauser price?



## PAUL JOHNSON (Oct 15, 2008)

Could anyone give me an idea what it would cost to put a mauser sporter in 243 together. Just looking for a good deer rifle and I like to tinker. thanks in advance


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## weagle (Oct 15, 2008)

I love mauser sporters, but you have to be aware of a few things going into a project.

Generally speaking it's more economical to just purchase a commercial mauser like an interarms mk x than to start with a military action.

A lot depends on how much you can do yourself.  If you have the tools and skills to forge or weld the bolt handle, drill and tap for scope bases, remove/install new barrel, install the low safety ... it will greatly reduce you costs.

Check the prices on Skaggs gunsmithing for any jobs you can't do yourself.  I've used Mark and he is fast and reasonably priced.

http://www.skaggsgunsmithing.com/

I've done some nice sporters for under $400, but you have to be careful or you'll end up with a ton of money in one.

Weagle


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## leoparddog (Oct 15, 2008)

Weagle knows his stuff here.  I should be getting mine back from the Gunsmith next week.  It will end up costing me close to a grand and that is with an inexpensive barrel (A&B) and stock.  I bought my parts as I went along and have about $400 in the action and parts.  $400 for the gunsmithing, plus extras that I decided I wanted the gunsmith to do, that I thought I would do orginally (like install the buttpad and glass bed the action).  I figure I'll owe him another hundred or so.
YMMV

The next one I have done will cost me about the same or more I suspect.  When I get it back I'll post the photos and build specs.


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## PAUL JOHNSON (Oct 16, 2008)

Thanks for the info guys, as much as I'd like to have a mauser sporter guess I'm gonna have to wait till I win the lotto or that money tree takes root.


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## leoparddog (Oct 16, 2008)

Paul, if you don't have your Mauser action keep your eye out for it.  Gun Shows (yuk) and the Swap and Sell forum here have been good for me to find reasonably priced Mausers.  The really cheap actions are pretty much gone now, but you can check SARCO and other places on the web.  I bought one full length Turk M38 at a gun show last fall for $100 and have bought other Turks and Czechs between $140 and $160 here on Woodys.

Once you have that action go to MidwayUSA, sign up, and put all your Mauser parts on your Wish List.  When they go on sale, Midway will email you.  Pick your parts up over time and spread out the cost.  Then the only painful part is paying the gunsmith.

If you are willing to blue it yourself you can save between $100-$175.  
I thought originally I would do a bunch of the polishing and blueing myself.  I did file off the charger hump and did some of the rough stock inletting.  I finally decided to stick with the tinkering that I'm good at and pay the 'smith to do what he's good at.

If you can find a CZ500 or Rem798 in the caliber you want, you can get your Mauser rifle for a more reasonable price than having one built though.

My next Mauser build will be a 280 Ackley Improved.  Just because its different and I can't afford one of those Nosler Rifles.


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## CBH (Oct 21, 2008)

I have a Brno ZKK601 .243 sporter I would sell.


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## ABBYS DAD (Oct 22, 2008)

Mitchells Mausers now makes a tanker carbine in .243. They sell new for around $450.


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## Clemson (Oct 23, 2008)

PAUL JOHNSON said:


> Could anyone give me an idea what it would cost to put a mauser sporter in 243 together. Just looking for a good deer rifle and I like to tinker. thanks in advance



Paul, you are the type of person who should build a Mauser sporter.  The more work you can do yourself, the lower the cost.  If you would be happy with farming out the bare minimum of work and procuring the parts and pieces yourself, you can actually put together a very nice rifle for about the cost of a factory rifle of much lesser quality.

Installing a short-chambered barrel, headspacing, drilling and tapping the action for scope mounts, and altering the bolt handle by welding on a new one would cost around $200.   If you feel adventuresome, you can finish the metal parts yourself.  

The barrel itself can range from a $69 "factory quality" barrel to a $260 stainless steel Shilen or even more for other barrels.  An unfinished stock from Boyds or from folks who sell their wares like Sporter Express will run you around $100.  You can fit that yourself and glass bed it yourself.

Mount your own scope, change out the safety to one that will clear the scope, change the trigger to an adjustable....  You are buying parts but doing the work yourself.  If you run into something that you can't do, send it to the gunsmith.

The point here is that not all gunsmiths require you to leave the entire build up to them.  The al a carte menu is available!  

What you will end up with is a rifle that is smoother in operation, better finished, and, most likely, more accurate than a factory rifle for about the same cost.  That is not to say that you can't sink some serious cash into a Mauser sporter.  I have done it several times.  The choices, at least, are yours.

Clemson


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## PAUL JOHNSON (Oct 24, 2008)

thanks for all the info guys, I've got my C&R so I'm checking around for a good starting point for a build that I can take my time on.


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