Rebarrel - Mauser FN 308

[KennyA]

Hi,

I currently have a Mauser FN chambered in 308. (fab nat d'armes de guerre herstal belgique)
It has been modified years ago into a sporter style rifle.
I'm considering getting it a new barrel as the current one has served its time.
This is a budget project.

I see a few ex military 6.5x55 being sold for between $80 and $150 on the net. Can these be fitted..? I know the internal mag length is huge.
Or are there other aftermarket options. Anything that will fit a 308 bolt face.
I'm told that it will cost me around the $150 for a gunsmith to change the barrel and do the headspacing.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

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[MalleeFarmer]

I personally would get a brand new barrel you can then get whatever cartridge, barrel length, twist rate and youll have a brand new bore! Any gunsmith will do it but itll cost around $900-1000 depending.

[straightshooter]

Forget about an ex military 6.5 barrel as it will likely be for a small ring mauser so the barrel tenon major diameter will be too small at 1.0" instead of 1.1" for a large ring mauser such as yours.
More importantly how have you established that your present barrel is unserviceable?
Have you considered the wisdom of spending $500+ on a rifle that will still only be worth $500 or even less when this camo fad falls out of fashion.

[Member-Deleted]

Yeah KennyA its like MalleeFarmer has said I am going through this at the moment I looked at second hand barrels but wasn't
fussed on them
My rifle is a mauser WERKE mod 2000 ''ORIGINAL''it at the moment it is 22-250 it originally was a 30-06
Anyway I have just received a written quote for $900 to fit and true and return it back to 30-06
Also as MalleeFarmer said you can pick any caliber except the ones that have a bigger brass head size like .300 WM
So you are really governed by your bolt face although there are umpdeen calibers that are the same size bolt face as yours
I'm not sure if you can alter the face of your bolt to larger or whether you could change the bolt to a larger face and still use the same action
Somebody on the forum with a better knowledge of gunsmithing than me could probably tell you if it could be done
I've done basically the same as you by looking around and money is a big factor but mate '' Buy Once Cry Once''

CHEERS

[Supaduke]

For that sort of cash a new rifle would be better.

Anything can be done , check out the local Militaria fairs, seen fellas there with boxes of various barrels. You never know , you might get lucky.

Getting a good job done cheaply though is another story.

[MalleeFarmer]

For that sort of cash a new rifle would be better.

Anything can be done , check out the local Militaria fairs, seen fellas there with boxes of various barrels. You never know , you might get lucky.

Getting a good job done cheaply though is another story.

I wouldnt bet on a new rifle being better. A good mauser is as good or better than any new action and when paired with a custom barrel in your choice of calibre profile twist etc. is far better than a factory rifle of similar money.

[Wm.Traynor]

I wouldnt bet on a new rifle being better. A good mauser is as good or better than any new action and when paired with a custom barrel in your choice of calibre profile twist etc. is far better than a factory rifle of similar money.

We still are not quite sure as to why the current barrel "has served its time". I am wondering, if that is true of the barrel, what is the action's condition?

[MalleeFarmer]

Perhaps the OP is sick of .308

[No1Mk3]

G'day KennyA,
Cheap is really not an option, as others noted the Swede won't fit due to being a small ring. If you retain the 308, then good Israeli barrels, most of which will be Czech or Belgian, can be had for around $2-300, but you need to look at them before shelling out the dough, or a new Lothar Walther barrel for $420. Any other "gunshow" barrel is likely to be ex-military, so 8mm or 7mm are the main choices. Either, in good condition, are going to be around $300+. Your best bet for a budget build is to ask around the gunsmiths for a "swap out" barrel in any calibre that suits the 98 bolt and see what pops up, good luck.

[KennyA]

Wow......not what I expected.

Considering that you can now buy a new rifle (Howa, Ruger, Remington, Savage, Mossberg, Thompson etc.) for between $600 and $800. Rebarreling an old long action Mauser for a hunting rifle, is not really an economical option. Looks like the old 308 is now a save queen.

Thanks for the replies.

[Tripod]

If you want a calibre that is readily available then just buy a new rifle, It is only worth rebarreling if you want something that is not available. Having said that there are much cheaper new barrels available than what has been quoted here.

[marksman]

it's totally up to you what you want to do with the mauser and if you rebarrelled it what do you want to gain
I have a few customised mausers because I like them and they all shoot dots
because I went to a really good smith who liked working on mausers and used quality parts
if you really believe you will get a factory rifle to have the repeatability and consistency of a custom mauser think again
I have had comp guys in the past laugh at the guy who put his money into a mauser action then they are all over me when they see them shoot
I have also been told by the experts that you will never get your money back, I do and have many people who want to buy my rifles,
but really who does get there money back an any build what ever the make
anyway here is a couple of mine



as I said its up to you what you want to do and if you think its worth it, these rifles cost me around the same price as a custom action each

[phill55phill]

Marksman who does your gunsmithing i have a fn barreled to 6.5x55 and looking at building another in 257 roberts and saw your post

[LawrenceA]

G'day KennyA,
Cheap is really not an option, as others noted the Swede won't fit due to being a small ring. If you retain the 308, then good Israeli barrels, most of which will be Czech or Belgian, can be had for around $2-300, but you need to look at them before shelling out the dough, or a new Lothar Walther barrel for $420. Any other "gunshow" barrel is likely to be ex-military, so 8mm or 7mm are the main choices. Either, in good condition, are going to be around $300+. Your best bet for a budget build is to ask around the gunsmiths for a "swap out" barrel in any calibre that suits the 98 bolt and see what pops up, good luck.

The 96's are definitely small ring. And what is written above is the good oil.

[Bugman]

I had a mauser action years back and the barrel finally started to show wear and tear. Got quotes for a new barrel but ended up with a new rifle for lesser cost at the time.