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Choosing between a new barrel or a full action job on an old Mauser
A customer brought in a sporterized 98 Mauser with a shot-out barrel and a rough bolt lift. He only had $400 to spend, so I had to pick: a new Green Mountain barrel or a full action tune-up. I went with the barrel, figuring a fresh bore was the main problem. After fitting and chambering it, the groups went from 4 inches to under 2 at 100 yards. Has anyone else faced a tight budget choice like this on a military action?
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grace_knight196mo ago
Had a 1903 Springfield in the same boat. Barrel was a sewer pipe but the action was stiff. I spent my budget on a decent used barrel and did a basic trigger job myself with a stone. The new barrel made it a shooter again, and smoothing the sear cost me nothing but time. A rough bolt is annoying, but you can't fix a bullet keyholing at 50 yards.
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abby_martinez4mo ago
Exactly! I polished the bolt first, huge difference.
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paige_robinson246mo ago
That two inch group is still pretty rough for a sporter. I would have put the money into the action work first. A smooth bolt and a good trigger are the base for any accurate rifle. You can't shoot well if the gun fights you every time you cycle it. A worn barrel is bad, but a rough action ruins the whole experience.
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