JC's Mauser 98 Adventure....

[jcchartboy]

Looks like its finished already :lol:

Well.....that pretty much sums up my sentiments before I had started this project. However, as I mentioned earlier, once I really got into working on this Mauser I quickly discoved a whole new world of possibilities as to the custom options available.

It quickly became clear to me that if I was going to continue to put my time and energy into acquiring a fine custom Mauser to meet my desires that I was either going to have to work with a top custom builder, which could take years and many thousands of dollars...or find some alternate way of acquiring what I was looking for...

Basically, at this point I had now moved to the stage where I admitted to myself that my expectations were far above my building abilities. This meant it was time to figure out how I could get my hands on great custom Mauser for the cheapest price possible...

Just to give an idea of the types of Mausers, and the types of builders that began to attract my attention, here are a few of the master customer builders and links to some of their best work....


Chic Worthing?
http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:c_ ... d=10&gl=us

Mark Stratton?
http://www.gunmaker.net/

David Norin?
http://www.davenoringunmaker.com/examples.html

Roger Biesen?
http://www.biesen.com/For%20sale%20.htm

Waffenfabriek Hein?
http://www.rifleactions.com/pricing.htm

Robert Szewda?
http://customstockmaker.com/index.html

ACGG?American Custom Gunmakers Guild
http://www.acgg.org/about.html

A Chic Worthington .280 Mauser

 

[n8dawg6]

jc, do you know anything about this guy:

http://www.losokcustomarms.com/About%20Losok.htm

 

[jims]

I am sure the Mauser has been an enjoyable project. An excellent result.

 

[jcchartboy]

N8,

No, I have never heard of him.

Based on his web page it is hard to tell what actions he is using. I would have guessed Montana rifleman but even with the relatively inexpensive parts that go into the base model I don't think he could produce the gun at that price if he is using a rifleman action.

I have seen a number of gunsmiths that offer these kinds of services. While almost everyone will produce any type of gun the buyer is looking for, few of them are capable of doing all of the high end work like custom stocks, mounts etc that go into some of finer custom guns.

It all depends on what you are looking for...It seems like this guy might be a great choice for an accurate hunting rifle at a good cost. Fortunately there is very good market for those types of guns and I expect he will probably do very well....

JC

BTW...Here is another smith that operates in that same type of market. In fact I have/am serious considered having him do some work for me in the future...
http://www.skaggsgunsmithing.com/

 

[jcchartboy]

I am sure the Mauser has been an enjoyable project. An excellent result.

It certainly has been...BTW, I will be posting the current state of the project over the next couple of days. While I know you and the guys that were in Ohio have already gotten a sneak preview, I figure I owe everyone else an update on the current status of my recent sucesses!!

JC

 

[Rifleman]

I am really looking forward to it.

 

[n8dawg6]

I am sure the Mauser has been an enjoyable project. An excellent result.

It certainly has been...BTW, I will be posting the current state of the project over the next couple of days. While I know you and the guys that were in Ohio have already gotten a sneak preview, I figure I owe everyone else an update on the current status of my recent sucesses!!

JC

keep it coming, i follow this thread closely

 

[jcchartboy]

.....................................................................Sporter FN custom Mauser...................................................................

Built by a custom collector/builder over a 4 years time period and finished in 2005. I was fortunate to purchase this rifle from the original owner in its current state.

:yeah:

Fabrique Nationale....Mauser 98 Action
Belgian Military production for Colombian police export
7mm Remington Magum
#2 Douglas 23, Barrel
Richards Classic XX English Walnut Stock with Shadowline Fluted Cheekpiece
Rust Blue and Metal work by Montana Riflemen
Argentine 1909 Hinged Floorplate with checkered release
Blackburn trigger
Low safe
Checkered Bolt Knob by John Nelson
Checkered and Jeweled Bolt Stop by John Nelson
Jeweled Follower by John Nelson
Steel Grip Cap
Glass Bedded
Wraparound Checkering by Claude Gatewood
Pachmayr resoil pad
Warne Premium bases detachable rings

 

[nugbuk]

Jeff,
You know what is missing, don?t you?
A range report with those beautiful mausers.

 

[jcchartboy]

Jeff,
You know what is missing, don?t you?
A range report with those beautiful mausers.

Yes, Nug I know....

I was thinking possibly next weekend....Time is very tight. (I will be in New York this weekend trout fishing...then home for that one weekend, off to Washington for the next two weeks, then off to Florida the week after that. Then the following week back in New York for the start of Turkey season!)

Fortunately I have next Monday, Fri and the following Monday off...so hopefully next week I can get some shoooting time in. Any chance you will you be heading to the range next week Nug?

JC

 

[Rifleman]

Beautiful rifle.

 

[jcchartboy]

Thanks Guys....

....At this point I just wanted to thank all of the guys here on the forum for following along in my Mauser adventures. As you can see from the last few posts I was very happy to finally purchase a beautiful custom Muaser after all the research and independent work I had done. After buying that rifle I was quite sure that rifle was going to be one the nicest Muasers I would ever own. Along those lines I had absolutely no expectations of buying any more custom Mauser in the near future....
Basically, my thought was that I could not afford a super high-end custom like those I had researched, and the gun I had just purchased certainly meet all my needs.

However, that changed very quickly two months ago?

JC

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Keith Stegall K-98 Custom Mauser .280 RCBS Improved

Frank Wood
American Classic Marksman
Norcross Georgia


Dear, Mr. Herrmann

This letter is to confirm your recent purchase of the Keith Stegall, Mauser 98, .280 Caliber Ackley Improved, custom rifle from my firm American Classic Marksman. In addition, I would also like to confirm the historical information we have discussed concerning my involvement with this firearm and its previous owners.

While I am uncertain of the history of this firearm before 1980, I can confirm that the gun was sold by Mr. Donny Wood, of Arrow Marine, in Birmingham GA. to a buyer in the early 80?s. The buyer of this gun at that time was Prince, Saud bin Faisal bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud, of Saudi Arabia.
Approximately ten years later, in the early 1990?s, Prince Faisal was subsequently forced to liquidate a large portion of his personal firearm collection, as well as a number of firearms possessed by his personal holding company, Yamamah Ltd of Saudi Arabi. At this time I purchased approximately 1500 firearms from this collection. Included in the Prince?s personal collection was the Keith Stegall custom rifle you now own.
After taking receipt of the firearm I later sold the gun to a private collector in South Carolina where the gun remained in a safe until the winter of 2006. At that time this same collector was also forced to liquidate this firearm due financial difficulties and I once again became the owner of the gun. The gun then remained in my possession until your recent purchase in February of 2006.


Best Wishes,

______________________
Frank Wood
02/10/2006

Two months ago I received the once in a lifetime opportunity to purchase a true custom Mauser from one of the great masters. What made finding this gun most even sweeter was the fact that it was produced by Mr. Keith Stegall.

As I understand from their writings, Mr. Stegall actually taught Jack Belk (who I mentioned previously) a great deal of his knowledge and skills...

For background on Mr. Keith Stegall...here are a few older quotes made by Jack Belk himself concerning Keith and his work...

JC

A group of us gunsmithing students went to Gunnison, CO one time to paw and slobber over Keith Stegall's wood pile and bug him with questions.

He had a rifle with him to show Mr. Steagall and ask for guidance and critique. Steagall looked it over and then pointed to the stippled area just like yours and said, "When you run out of ideas, it's best to wait on a GOOD one before doing something that's just easy and ugly."

I think of that everytime I see stippling on a gun.

I've held back on this thread because I spend 4 days every year with a bunch of the "best" and it's not a good idea to play favorites in a room full of rifles.......so I'm going to change the question to reflect my cowardice.

How about most influential TO ME?

Keith Stegall, Leonard Brownell, and Jerry Fisher.

I'll start with Keith Stegall because he was the first to show me what REAL inletting, shaping, finishing and checkering *could* be. He was a grand man and opened his home and shop in many students over the years.

In 1968 I stood in Keith Stegall's basement and looked through a couple hundred Teysseir blanks at less than $100. The pile of sho nuff exhibition blanks under the stairs went up to $150!!. You couldn't buy those blanks today for ten times that.

Keith Stegall....

.......................................Finally....Here it is....!!.............................................................................

 

[n8dawg6]

WHOA! :shock: the only thing i'd change is one size-lower rings ...

 

[jcchartboy]

WHOA! :shock: the only thing i'd change is one size-lower rings ...

LOL..that was one of my first thoughts as well!!

However, when you are talking about a 40year old Custom Mauser those changes take on a greater level of thought. The primary issue is the fact that those are Swarovski rings that match the scope and came with the gun. I don't exactly think I will will find too many sets of identical rings in a smaller size to match a Mauser receiver...

More importantly, don't forget that this gun was made by a master gunsmith who knew exactly what he was doing. While at first glance the scope looks like the line of sight would be high, the reality is the custom cheekpiece provides a perfect line of sight with this scope.

At this point the only option I am/would honestly consider if I decide to replace to those rings would be a have a custom pair made specifically to match this gun....Mark Stratton specializes in these, and when done properly give the action a look that is very similar to that of a true single or double square bridge Mauser.

JC

 

[jcchartboy]

I forgot to include the fact that the the grip cap and buttplate were both created and engraved by AL Biesen....

JC

Al Biesen was born in Lacrosse Wisconsin and started building custom guns in the 1940's. At the end of that decade he approached Jack O'Connor about restocking a rifle for him. Jack felt that the rifle was "too pretty" and requested he build another one.

This second rifle was a featherweight, pre-64 Model 70 Winchester with the now famous fleur-d-leis checkering pattern. Jack considered this rifle his favorite. Many of Jack's articles and stories talked about his favorite Biesen rifle. O'Connor's writings helped make Al Biesen one of the most famous gun makers in the world.

Al has done many custom rifles for people throughout the years. However, he is currently in his late 80's and no longer accepts commissions. He can still be found daily in the gun shop talking to customers. Occasionally he helps complete what we call "shop guns" as projects to keep busy. Most of the rifles listed for sale on the website are "shop guns". Simple projects started by Al and then finished by his son Roger.

http://www.biesen.com/Al.htm

 

[JimA]

That is beautiful JC. What a find.... :applause:

 

[Rifleman]

Very nice rifle JC. I also noticed the intitials on the grip cap were " RW", hmm anybody I know?

 

[jcchartboy]

Very nice rifle JC. I also noticed the intitials on the grip cap were " RW", hmm anybody I know?

Believe it or not...I never of it that way... :d'oh!:

Actually, that is one of the interesting things about this gun... there is alot of history to this gun I have yet to discover...However, I presume it is more than a coincidence that the same Al Biesen was commisioned to produce another fine rifle during the same time period wich also features the initials happens to feature the initials "RW".

My next step in this project is to phone Roger and Al Biesen in order to discuss Al's involvement with my firearm and to research the "RW" initials further.

JC

Here are some pics of the other "RW" rifle I know of created by AL..

 

[jims]

That rifle looks nicer every time I see it. I found the article interesting, can you imagine a fellow that had enough money at hand to buy 1500 top quality firearms at one time. At least the Sheik probably bought them over a long time period. Nice reading. If you are going hog hunting this weekend good luck and give everyone my regards.
My godchild gets married this weekend, I will enjoy seeing all the family there but I will be thinking also of the hunt.

 

[jcchartboy]

At least the Sheik probably bought them over a long time period. Nice reading.

Jim,

If you really want some good reading google "Al Yamamah Ltd" and look into the the kinds of fireams the Prince was really involved with... :shock:

(As I mentioned, this gun has one heck of a history... :wink

JC

Or..try this...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Yamamah