Bringing New Life To An Old Sporting Rifle

by
posted on August 12, 2025
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
1917, large-ring Mauser 98
Photos courtesy of author.

Like so many surplus military rifles, this 1917-dated, large-ring Mauser 98 action was “sporterized” in 1967 by an unknown gunsmith with the addition of a 26" sporter-profile barrel chambered for the .30-’06 Sprg. cartridge. A military trigger guard, possibly the original for the rifle, was separated from its floorplate and recontoured, giving the gun a blind magazine. A two-position wing safety replaced the original military safety, and the bolt was jeweled.

Many thousands of these rifles exist, and their transformation into handy sporting guns at the time was understandable. New actions were expensive and surplus military Mauser actions were cheap. Today, these guns have virtually no collector value, as most of their original military components are gone. Through the years, this rifle has suffered the ravages of age and use; the stock had softened below the action, probably from over-oiling, and cracked. When the front action screw snapped in two during a routine zeroing session, it became clear that this old sporter needed a refresh.

Mauser 98
Externally, the old Mauser 98 looked fine, but the stock was in poor shape and needed some help.


The centerpiece of this refurbishment came from Boyds, which offers Mauser 98 action fits for its line of rifle stocks. In keeping with the gun’s classic 1960s aesthetic, I selected the Heritage walnut stock profiled for the No. 1 sporter barrel currently on the gun. I elected to go with the Claro XX walnut upgrade on the stock for a bit more character, along with the classic polymer tip, grip cap and white-line spacers, but a simple walnut stock would have been a sufficient upgrade, too, and that can be had for $233.

It’s worth noting that the Boyds stock does not come with a cutout for the bolt handle, due to the many variations out there, so it will have to be cut by hand. I found that to be a perfectly doable DIY job, but it could also be done easily by a gunsmith. Boyds stocks are also inletted to accept the original Mauser 98 military floorplate, so I went to Sarco, Inc. and ordered up a milled Mauser 98 trigger guard assembly ($35). Some quality time in the garage workshop with files and sandpaper eliminated the rough World War II-era patina and provided a canvas for a new finish that matched the high-gloss bluing on the barrel and action. As I don’t have a hot-bluing setup, I sought a suitable alternative, and at the recommendation of David Labrozzi, this magazine’s art director, I tried Van’s Instant Gun Blue, a cold-bluing solution ($13). While not as durable as traditional bluing, I was pleasantly surprised with the results. As the milled floorplate needed new action screws and capture screws, I turned to MidwayUSA and ordered a set that fit well ($15).

Mauser 98 features

The Tasco optic and mount that had come with the rifle had seen better days, and the original screws had been pretty well marred by someone in the past using an ill-fitting screwdriver—time for a replacement. I turned to Warne Scope Mounts and got the company’s Maxima M960M Zero MOA Base for unaltered Mauser 98 actions ($90), and it fit perfectly. A new set of Burris Optics Zee Weaver-pattern 1" rings ($28) for the now-discontinued Trijicon 3-9X AccuPower scope I had kicking around completed the setup, and this old Mauser is now ready for the deer woods once again.

Latest

Keltec Big Move ARTV 1
Keltec Big Move ARTV 1

KelTec's Big Move To Wyoming

KelTec is the largest gunmaker in the state of Florida, but when the company looked to expand its manufacturing footprint, ultimately, the decision was made to create KelTec West, an entirely new production facility located in Rock Springs, Wyo.

New For 2025: Rossi RS22 Pistol

Rossi USA downsized its RS22 platform in 2025, creating a compact, large-format pistol variant of its popular RS22 semi-automatic rifle.

Handloads: A .32-20 Win. For Small-Game Hunting

The .32-20 Winchester Center Fire gained a fair following after it was introduced in 1882 in the Winchester Model 1873 rifle as a cartridge of modest power and good accuracy for small-game hunting and target shooting.

Rifleman Report: Heirloom Qualities

I’m thankful that we seldom witness the loss of an American Rifleman field editor, but, unfortunately for the entire shooting community, that occurred recently with the passing of combat handgun authority Wiley Clapp.

Vudoo Gun Works Moves To Oklahoma

Vudoo Gun Works, manufacturer of precision rifles and other firearms, has relocated its headquarters and all manufacturing to Prague, Okla.

I Have This Old Gun: British Blunderbuss

The blunderbuss is not uncommonly regarded as a sidebar in firearm history. But in reality, these purpose-built defensive shotguns, within their limitations, were deadly, efficient and widely employed by civilians, the military and law enforcement.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.