Trying to find a scope mount

[sunshinegirl]

Hi guys, I have bought a custom Mauser rifle in 8X57. I am guessing it was a 1950' build from a white spacer in the butt plate. It has a perch belly butt stock, larger than I like schnobel tip, dark blond color with animal carvings filled, with what I believe, is copper wire.. Barrel have been replaced with a 2 leaf rear sight. It is opened up on the left side of the stock for a scope mount held in place by 3 screws. My friend checked the sight book ,and can't find anything that we think might fit. I'll get a pic in the morn so perhaps someone might know what I need. Thanks Rachel

[Mikey]

Rachel:  Hmmmm, the side mount makes me wonder if it isn't one of those turned into a sniper with the Ajax (or was that the scope??) or whatever mount.  I think if you check magazines like the Shotgun News you might find originals (very costly) or replicas (not as costly but still pricey).  Also, if you search for WWII sniper rifles you should see pictures of the German WWII sniper rifles with side mounted scopes - they also used the rear sight mounted scope and some even used a sporter mounted scope. 

The stock work you describe is sort of period specific to those rifles - lots of them were customized in this manner with stock carvings.  As to the rear folding leaf sight - tht could easily be a original or a replacement - the rear sights on the mauser rifles were simply driven on.  I have a Swedish made 8mm 98 that has a European style rear sight blade and if you look at the barrel it is simply a mil-spec barrel with different add-ons.

And one other possibility is that the rifle may have been drilled and tapped for some US made mount.  Interestinly enough is that I have 2 Swedish WWII semi-auto rifles that have a 3 screw holes for s scope and I have wondered if it wasn't drilled and tapped for the Ajax Scope and mount. 

As a last resort, those holes can be filled and made invisible and the rifle can be drilled and tapped for a action mounted scope.  Show us some pictures if you can.  HTH.

[sunshinegirl]

Sorry, I went shopping with my sister, so here are the pics.  The rear sight has a fixed blade with a flip up for a second range. The stock is fitted so the mount goes down below the wood line. Hard to get a clear pic of it.

[Mikey]

Rachel:  thanks for the pictures, that is a nice looking rifle.  From the looks of the action I would say it is a K98 military style action with the bent bolt as the action and stock have a cut-out for the shooter to use his left thumb to strip rounds from the stripper clip into the magazine

The rear sight is a US or European aftermarket (there was a preference, in earlier yeras, for flip sights for short range and long range leaves) and it looks to be sweated in place on the barrel.  I could not tell however if the barrel is mil-spec, with cooling steps or if it is a round sporter barrel.  If it is a round sporter barrel it is either a pre-war sporter model or one of the few military variations that came with a round non-stepped barrel.  I would like to see a picture of the barrel and the front sight, if possible, to see if there are any 'cooling steps' in the barrel and what the front sight looks like. 

The stock certainly has some nice artwork to it and the 'perch-belly' stock makes it a sporter as I do not believe there was enough wood on a mil-spec stock to give that sort of drop to the comb. 

Those 3 holes are for some sort of a European mount, and the Ajax scope mounting system comes to mind.  You or your friend may need to look to European scopes and mounts for information as I do not recall any US mounts using 3 linear holes, but I could be wrong and I will need a 'real' Mauser expert to clarify this for me....

Also, where the screw holes are - does the lettering read Model/Modle 98, or Model/Modle 88???  Thanks. 

[sunshinegirl]

It says Mod 98 where the scope screws are, and I know of a perfect Zeiss scope off a 98 Mauser 1932 issue, but without a mount?? Do you have an idea who action it is, and the barrel is heavy, and I think it is a replacement rather than a cut down mil barrel?? Rachel

[Mikey]

Rachel:  thank you for the second set of pictures.  I believe you have a military Mauser in 8x57 that has been sporterized.  The rifle could have been a nazi Mauser from WWII as the action is a military action and the barrel looks to have been a mil-spec barrel with the cooling steps removed - the front part of the barrel seems to have a more drastic taper than the usual round barrel and I think I can see a spot where the last cooling step had been removed. 

Anyhow, that's what i think you have.  This rifle could easily have been a nazi Mauser or another WWII bring-back.  As I mentioned before, the bolt appears to have been factory bent like the issue K98s used during the war. 

As for the scope mount:  if the holes had already been drilled for a WWII military or sporter style scope base you will have to look to european scope mounts to find one that looks like it may fit.  If the action was drilled and tapped here in the US after the war then you will have to look to Lyman or Redfield or whatever other company was making scope mounts during the 40s, 50s and 60s when the rifle would have been sporterized in the style shown.  Often, earlier gunsmiths would modify a scope mount to fit a rifle and you may need to find a older mount style that you can use.  One thing you can do is findoout if the holes threaded into the action use a metric or US standard thread - this will tell you 'whodunit' - if US then it was d&ted after the war but if metric it was done in europe before the war - I'm almost will to bet it's the later. 

Now, if you want a different scope mount, those actions can be drilled and tapped just like current factory sporters and scopes mounted quite nicely.  The holes on the side of the action can be filled, made invisible and the metal blued.  I noted that I could not tell the country of origin on the action due to the engraving on the top of the action but I thinkyou could spend a lot less time and $ by going a more modern d&t route than trying to find a WWII or pre-war scope base.  Good luck..

[billy_56081]

I'm thinking you will have to have it drilled and tapped for a standard US mount.

[sgtt]

Looks like it could be a Weaver side mount or possibly a Pachmyer flip over.

[sunshinegirl]

I know I could go the easy way, but I saw at a Wickenburg, AZ show a Mauser sporterized even nicer than mine with a German 4X atop it. I had just bought a Savage 99SG in .308, so my funds were low, and he wanted $1200 for it. That was 2 falls ago, and I still remember it. I met an older gentleman in Portland, Or at a collector show there who had a German 4X made by Zeiss off a 1932 Military Mauser. It was in superior condition, and I have his card. I would like it like it was made, so I'll go to shows and watch. Thanks for the help. Rachel