From the Vault: Steve's Custom Mauser Hunting Rifle

Nothing rare, exotic, or high-dollar today, just an elegant, tastefully customized bolt action rifle. Brownells Gun Tech™, video personality, and part-time Smyth Buster, Steve Ostrem shows us the sporterized Mauser 98 that is his favorite hunting rifle, which he built himself. The result is a 1960s-style sporter, very common "back in the day" but far less frequently seen as prices of Mauser 98 donor rifles zoom up, and folks get more squeamish about chopping up a historic artefact like an original military Gewehr 98 or Karabiner 98k. Here are some of the custom features on Steve's '98 sporter: Timney trigger with a 3-lb. pull, three-position safety, customized Dave Talley bolt handle, No. 3 slim contour barrel chambered in .257 Roberts, and a swing-open floorplate. The two-piece Redfield scope mounts make it easy to reach into the action to clear a case that didn't eject, and the scope is a single-power (remember those?) 4x Weaver K-4. The nicely figured walnut stock has ebony accents - crossbolt plugs, forend tip, and grip cap. What style is that stock? Steve explains the mods he made. There's no checkering yet because... that part of the project is still on Steve's "round-to-it" list!